Husbands But Not

41: Let's Finish This Tonight

Noah

"You said the gym tonight is a sky full of stars," he said. "But what if I told you I am the moon tonight?"

My neck never spun so hard before. Without any warning, I jumped over him and started kissing his face in all sorts of places.

"How is this real?" I asked incredulously, looking at him, skeptical that it was actually him.

"I missed you too, Noah Grayson." Kent said, and I'd be damned if I didn't want to devour his lips when he said my name.

I caressed his face, passed my hands through his hair, and touched his neck and lips. I didn't know why, but I felt the need to touch every part of him.

"I'm here, it's okay." he reassured.

"Who brought you here?"

"Your dad."

"My dad's been here all nigh- my other dad."

"Yup."

"I knew something fishy was happening."

"You literally knew nothing." we laughed.

He stood up and took my hand. "I don't think I've officially asked you, but there's a Home Economics project I'm working on and I kinda need a husband for the wedding."

I was overwhelmed with his newfound confidence. It was a different Kent Sinclair, with every good meaning of the word.

"Are you proposing, Sinclair?"

"I'm proposing, but not."

"Alright then, guess I'll be your husband, but not."

I wanted to kiss him but he refused. "I'm waiting till marriage." He laughed so hard and dragged me back inside.

I tried to let go of his hand, but he wasn't having it. "You'll hold my hand all night." I mean, I didn't mind that.

"Oh my God, Sinclair!" Ruby screeched. "When did you get here?"

"Right before Noah's speech," he turned to me, "Literally everyone could see you had an earphone in your ear."

"Oh shut up."

"Oh my God!"

"WILL YOU STOP SAYING OH MY GOD?" Raiken snapped.

"No," she deadpanned. "Kent needs buttons."

It was then that Kent realised he was looking like an outsider. Spyder took a step forward and gave Kent a 'bro hug', which was cringey. He unpinned the green button off his lapel and pinned it on Kent. "Any brother of Noah is a brother of mine."

"Oh for fuck's sake he's not my brother. I've been wanting to go down his body all night. Fuck you."

He laughed hysterically. "Fine. Any stepbrother of Noah is a half-brother of mine."

"Just shut up already. We get it." Thank you, Sawyer.

Raiken came forward and unpinned his red button. "Vermilion red, the colour of the trouble we faced to find-" Ruby immediately elbowed him. We didn't tell Kent about his mother or anything about the whole ordeal with the poem.

"To find what? Her?" Kent pointed to the farthest wall, where a woman was standing there, seemingly in awe of everything around her. It was unmistakably Darlene, Kent's mom.

He gave us a group hug. "I appreciate all that you've done to me, and I'm sorry if you went through trouble because of it."

"No trouble at all. I'm just the housemaid now." Seeing Kent so happy was worth it, though. All of him was worth it, even if it was just for the night.