Love in Focus (BxB)

26) To New Beginnings

Jamie adjusted his scarf as he glanced out the window at the late afternoon sky. The city skyline loomed ahead, a stark contrast to the quiet town they had left behind. They were driving into the city, and the traffic was as bad as Jamie remembered. He smiled wryly. "I definitely don't miss commuting on these freeways."

Alex chuckled, glancing over at Jamie. "I can see why. This traffic is brutal."

The holiday season had passed, and after everything that had happened, they'd agreed to take things slow. Jamie had flown to spend Christmas with his family out of state, and Alex had driven a few towns over to be with his parents. They had both reflected on what was really important to them. What they each really wanted. And now, for New Year's Eve, they were heading to the city together.

"It's been a while since I've been to the city," Alex admitted, shifting in his seat. "But I'm looking forward to meeting your friends."

Jamie smiled and reached for Alex's hand. "They'll love you. And I'm excited for you to see this part of my life." Then he took his hand back as they merged to exit the freeway.

As they navigated through the bustling streets, Jamie felt a pang of nostalgia as they drove past familiar landmarks. The towering buildings, the busy sidewalks, it all felt so familiar yet distant. But alongside that sentimentality, he felt a deep sense of contentment. Moving to the small town had been the right choice, especially with Alex by his side.

"Do you miss it?" Alex asked, seeming to sense Jamie's reflective mood.

"Sometimes," Jamie admitted. "But I never felt truly at home here. Not like with you. With you, everything just feels... right."

"I'm glad you feel that way." Alex squeezed Jamie's thigh and a warm smile spread across his face. "Because I don't think our relationship could survive this amount of traffic."

"You wouldn't follow me to the city, if I asked you to?" Jamie said, laughing.

Alex bent his neck to try and look at the top of the skyscrapers they were passing. "You can't even see the sky here!"

"Well, good thing I prefer small town life," Jamie said, slowing down to turn right.

Soon, they reached the sleek apartment building where the party was being thrown. They entered its underground parking garage and found a spot. Then they locked the car and took the elevator up to the seventeenth floor.

"Did you live in an apartment building like this?" Alex asked as the elevator rose.

Jamie shook his head. "Even though Markus and I worked together, he was more senior than me. And his husband, Ryan, is a lawyer at some fancy firm. So, no. My apartment was nowhere near this nice."

Alex shook his head. "I can't even imagine what living here costs."

"Trust me," Jamie said as the doors slid open. "You don't want to know."

Even though it wasn't even dinner time by most people's standards, they could hear the dull thrum of dance music as they reached the door and knocked. A moment later Marcus––a tall and extremely well-built man wearing a plunging v-neck and tight jeans––opened the door.

"Jamie! You made it!" he said, ushering them both in. "And you must be Alex!"

As they stepped in, Jamie looked around the already-packed apartment. The air was thick with a mix of cologne and the hum of conversation. It had been months since he'd been here, but the modern aesthetics and bold masculine lines were familiar. Although, he didn't remember seeing the large painting of a reclining nude male that took up an entire wall. "Is that new?" Jamie asked, pointing.