Inhale: Book One (bxb) ✔️

23. Are you in love with me?

Landon Luna

December 1st
Chicago, Illinois

West picked me up into a bear hug, making me squeal. "I'm going to miss you, Lan." Oh, I was going to cry before the goodbyes were over. "Lilah said she'd be more than happy to go to Colorado for a little pre-Christmas." He hugged me tighter, and I couldn't resist the urge to hug him back just as much. "Gonna miss you so much. I'm glad we had the opportunity to get closer over the last month, and I know we all created an unbreakable bond."

I pressed my lips together, setting my head on the arms that I had wrapped around his neck. "We did, West, and we will still see each other plenty," I promised him. "Take care of my brother for me, okay? I'm going to miss you, too."

"We'll watch over Nova, too. Elijah said something about a greenhouse she can run around with him in, so I don't think you have anything to worry about there."

God, I didn't want to let him go. I made another best friend, and now I was struggling to contain my tears. "I'm not worried one bit. I know you will all take excellent care of her. I never doubted it for a second."

West set me down, and I bulldozed right into Lennox's welcoming arms, and that was the moment I started crying. My best friend since childhood. My best friend all through college who supported me through my autism diagnosis when I had no idea. My best friend who held me up when I felt like falling. It was going to be hard to be away from him, but I knew it was for the best. He needed to figure out what happiness meant to him, too.

Lennox was also crying, I knew it by the way he pressed his face into my neck like he couldn't let go of his life preserver. I was too choked up to say anything, and with all the lingering eyes, I wasn't sure what I could say. We had to say goodbye in Elijah's hotel room because we couldn't risk getting caught before it was time. Elijah was traveling separately from Lennox for the time being, but still, he was here to say goodbye, too.

As was the nosey security team, which I was grateful for.

"Oh, my god, I feel like I'm watching a hallmark movie where two best friends have to part--Ow!" Cole whined like a child as if he wasn't over six-foot tall and an ex-fucking-Marine. He was honorably discharged, though. He was only twenty-seven now. "Silas, if you do that again, I will put you on the floor."

Silas barked out a laugh. "Maybe shut your donut hole, sweetness."

"Oh, donut holes are an excellent idea for the next Club Gay meeting! I'll bring them. Who's attending? All of you, that's who. Even if you're allies, you're expected to attend."

Jet groaned. "Shut your face hole. There. How's that? God, you're insufferable."

"Would you like to be stuffed in my face--" He was smothered, that much was clear as I peeked over Lennox's shoulder to see Jet putting Cole in a headlock with his hand over Cole's mouth. Once he broke free, Cole glared fiercely at Jet. "Fuck off, would you?! I only speak the truth, and I was silenced because of the truth."

Lennox huffed out a small laugh. "You're leaving me with them?"

I rubbed his back with a small chuckle. "They're amazing, and you know it. They were trying to lighten the mood. They're not inconspicuous."

Cole frowned as I stared at him with a small smirk. "I was making a point."

"Yeah, your point of, what, exactly?" Jet asked as he crossed his big arms across his chest, rolling his eyes. "My point was I have standards, and you seem to think you meet those standards."

"You're right," Cole answered, waving his hand in the air. "I don't have boobs. But tell me? What's so fantastic about boobs?"

Jet gave him a once-over. "I'm an ass man, actually."