His parents were in love. They always had been, through restaurant openings and stunt drives, flaming car jumps and flaming soufflés. Everyone knew that; everyone saw that, plain as sunlight. Jason knew that; he’d always known, always seen it, a model of joy in each other, a shared life.
He wanted Allie to be happy. He wanted everyone to be happy.
For some reason he had to stop and swipe a fleck of water away from his face.
Colby reappeared, having put his laptop away. His face was quiet, expressive as ever, open and warm and a little worried; his eyes eased, finding Jason’s.
Jason came over, put both arms around him, and kissed him. Soundly. With a hand in Colby’s hair, with a quick slip of his tongue into Colby’s mouth: assertion, affirmation.
Colby melted against him, pleased at th
