The Forgotten Gilmore

Chapter Forty: The Morning After

Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting soft, golden beams over the quiet room. Riley lay wide awake, his head propped against the pillows as he stared at the ceiling. Beside him, Beau was curled up under the blankets, sound asleep, his chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. The previous night still played on a loop in Riley's mind, replaying every moment—the party, Beau's drunken rambling, and then... the kiss.

Riley's heart gave a small, nervous jolt just thinking about it. He didn't kiss people impulsively. Hell, he didn't do anything impulsively. But something about Beau—his stupidly pretty smile, the way he got under Riley's skin—made him snap. His lips had crashed into Beau's mid-sentence, cutting off whatever nonsense Beau had been spouting. And Beau... he kissed him back.

He wasn't sure what to do with that realization. He felt a faint blush rising in his cheeks just thinking about it.

Shaking off the thought, Riley glanced over at the bedside table where he had already placed a glass of water and two aspirin. He knew Beau would need them when he woke up. After all, Beau had downed more drinks than anyone else at the party.

As if on cue, Beau stirred beside him, groaning softly. He shifted under the covers, his face scrunching up as the morning light hit his eyes.

"Ugh... my head," Beau mumbled, still half-asleep.

Riley smirked, pushing himself up onto his elbow. "There's water and aspirin on your side. You're gonna need it."

Beau blindly reached for the water, knocking it over slightly before managing to sit up and take a sip. His hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions, and his eyes were still bleary with sleep. After swallowing the pills, Beau blinked groggily, glancing around the room.

"Where the hell... oh," he mumbled, realizing he was in Riley's bed. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine," Riley replied, watching as Beau attempted to sit up straight. He noticed the slight blush creeping up his neck as he tried to keep things casual. "How're you feeling?"

Beau groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Like a trash can. A trash can that's been set on fire and then thrown into the ocean."

Riley chuckled softly. "You were pretty far gone last night."

"I remember bits and pieces," Beau muttered, rubbing his temples. "We played beer pong, right? And then... we went upstairs..."

"Yeah, I had to practically drag you out of the party before you made a scene."

Beau winced, his face going pale. "Oh god. Did I throw up?"

"Not yet, but I'd give it a few minutes," Riley said, only half-joking.

As if on cue, Beau bolted out of bed, making a mad dash to the bathroom. Riley sighed, shaking his head. He could hear the sounds of retching from the other room, and his chest tightened with concern.

A few minutes later, Beau shuffled back into the room, looking pale and worse for wear. He collapsed back onto the bed, groaning as he covered his face with his hands. "I hate everything."

"You'll feel better after breakfast," Riley said, standing up and heading to the kitchen. "I'll make you something."

Beau grunted in acknowledgment, pulling the blankets back up over his head. Riley busied himself in the kitchen, cracking eggs and toasting bread, but his mind kept wandering back to last night.

When he kissed Beau, it wasn't just the alcohol. He knew that much. He'd been holding back for too long—denying what was right in front of him. And now? Now, things felt... different. But Riley didn't know if Beau even remembered it. What if it had just been some drunken blur for him?

He glanced back into the room, watching as Beau sprawled across the bed, his face half-buried in the pillow. Maybe it was better if he didn't remember.

A few minutes later, Riley returned with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. "Here," he said, setting the plate on the bed next to Beau. "Eat something. You'll feel better."

Beau groaned but reluctantly sat up, grabbing a piece of toast. "Thanks, man," he said through a mouthful of bread. "I owe you big time."

Riley didn't respond, just gave a small nod as he sat down at the edge of the bed, picking at his own breakfast. His mind raced, his stomach twisting with nerves. How was he supposed to act normal after what happened last night? He glanced sideways at Beau, hoping—half hoping—that he wouldn't bring it up.

For a while, they ate in silence, the only sound being Beau's occasional groans of discomfort. But then, as Beau reached for his water, he paused, his brow furrowing in thought.

"Wait," Beau mumbled, squinting at Riley. "Did something... happen last night?"

Riley's heart skipped a beat. "Uh... what do you remember?"

Beau rubbed his forehead, trying to piece things together. "I remember... us leaving the party. And then... I was talking a lot, wasn't I?"

Riley nodded, his palms suddenly feeling clammy. "Yeah, you wouldn't shut up."

Beau frowned, leaning back against the headboard. "I said something dumb, didn't I? Something about... your hair?"

Riley's pulse quickened. "Yeah, you were... rambling."

Beau's frown deepened as the memories started to trickle back in. He glanced at Riley, his face suddenly serious. "Wait. Did we...?"

Riley swallowed hard, his mouth dry. "Yeah."

Beau's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "We kissed, didn't we?"

Riley nodded slowly, his heart hammering in his chest. "Yeah, we did."

For a moment, Beau just stared at him, his expression unreadable. Riley's mind raced, trying to gauge what Beau was thinking. Was he mad? Confused? Regretful?

But then, slowly, Beau's lips curled into a small, lopsided smile. "Huh. Guess last night wasn't as much of a blur as I thought."

Riley's face flushed, caught off guard by the casual response. "You remember?"

"Bits and pieces," Beau admitted, still looking dazed. "But I'm not mad about it, if that's what you're worried about."

Riley's heart skipped a beat, relief flooding his chest. "Oh."

Beau shrugged, his usual playful grin starting to return. "I mean, if anything, I should be apologizing. I talk way too much when I'm drunk."

Riley shook his head, unable to stop the smile forming on his face. "Yeah, well... maybe it wasn't all bad."

Beau gave him a knowing look, then shifted closer, leaning his head against Riley's shoulder. "So... breakfast in bed, huh? Are you trying to spoil me?"

"Shut up," Riley muttered, though his voice was softer than usual.

They sat like that for a while, the tension between them slowly melting into something warmer, something more comfortable. The memory of the kiss lingered in the air, unspoken but undeniably present. Neither of them knew where things would go from here, but for now, the quiet moments between them felt like enough.