"I can't believe Grams liked you so much." Vince was still going on about our visit. I just sat back on the couch and smiled in contentment.

"I can't believe you asked for tea." Riley griped from the chair with a stricken look on his face.

"I can't believe it's not butter." Alan joked as he read the paper on the other couch. I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him. He winked at me and turned the page.

"What time should we be getting ready for that party tonight?" I asked lazily. Vincent looked at his watch and then shrugged.

"Depends on how early you want to go. The doors open at six, but the real party doesn't start until ten." He explained. I nodded and yawned.

"Okay, I think I will take a nap then. Wake me up in an hour or so?" I looked over at him and he smiled at me.

"Sure thing babe." He pulled me over for a quick smooch and then I rolled to my feet. I headed up to the guest room and flopped on the bed. My eyes drifted shut, only to blink open a second later.

"Get up love. Time to get ready." He said softly. I looked at the time on my smartwatch and blinked in surprise. It had already been an hour and a half.

"You let me sleep in." I murmured. He stroked my head.

"You looked pretty dead when I stuck my head in earlier, so I let you rest longer." He told me. I nodded and yawned.

"Yeah, I thought I just closed my eyes for a second there." I admitted sheepishly. He chuckled and sat next to me.

"We don't have to go if you're too tired." He said with a bit of hesitance. I shook my head.

"No I'm fine. Thank you though." I rolled over and sat up, stretching dramatically. He grinned at me.

"Alright. Well, let's get ready then." He got up and left me to my own devices. I picked out a nice pair of jeans, a cool blue button down shirt, and my dress shoes. I was still pretty clean from my shower that morning, so I just did a deodorant refresh and styled my hair.

"I'm all set." I said as I came down the stairs. He gave me a once over and whistled.

"Oh I'll say. You look hot babe." He pecked my lips and I grinned.

"Careful, we might be late if you keep that up." I gave him a once over, got our jackets on, and then pulled him out the door before Riley could get a rude comment out of his mouth as he came around the corner.

"I wouldn't mind being late." Vincent admitted with a devilish grin. I rolled my eyes and got in the car.

"I am trying to make a good impression with your friends." I raised a brow at him. He put up his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay. We'll be good. For now." He started the car and drove us to his friends' party. The cars were parked up the street. We walked to the loud, bright house with people smoking out front and music blaring so loud you could hear it outside.

"Vincent! Glad you could make it." People I didn't know kept stopping him to say hi, and he introduced me over and over to the crowd as we made our way through the house. I couldn't say I loved the speculating looks I was getting.

"Vinny!" I knew that voice anywhere and glanced over to see Jo with a red cup in one hand and a glow stick in the other. "I am so glad you made it!"

"Hey Jo. Of course I made it. I told you I was coming." Vince said. She looked at me accusingly when his gaze drifted to the crowd lazily.

"Hello Jo." I said with a nod. She ignored my greeting and grabbed Vince by the arm.

"Hey, I have someone I want you to meet. Come with?" She asked with a smile. He glanced at me and I nodded.

"Go on. It's fine. I'm going to grab a drink and look for Zoe. Find me later?" I told him. He nodded and followed his best friend out of the room. I did exactly what I said. I tracked down a soft drink and then looked for the only girl who hadn't given me the stink eye since I saw her at the mall.

She was in the dining room grabbing a snack. I came up and started a conversation, which then proceeded to lead me to a room full of Vincent's friends, and still no Vincent. I was starting to wonder where he went, or rather where Jo had dragged him off to.

"So how long have you known Vince?" A girl asked me. I smiled and answered honestly.

"Three months." I saw the looks. Screw them.

"Isn't it a bit clingy to follow him home after so short a time?" Another girl said.

"He asked me to come." I felt my tone drying up. I was running out of bland friendly attitude and quickly feeling irritable.

"Aren't you worried he will see his ex and go back?" A girl I hadn't met before asked.

"No. We already saw him and I'm pretty sure I'm safe." I sassed back.

"Jo really likes Parker. They were best friends too."

"Then maybe they should date?" I grinned with Zoe and sipped my drink.

"Parker is... like a prodigy, you know? Really fits with how smart Vince is and stuff." It was the girl from before. I rolled my eyes and didn't bother to answer.

"Parker is a really nice guy. Vince shouldn't have dumped him like that." It was taking all my patience not to say anything.

"It's not going to work between you two. I mean, you are both tops, right?" I looked at the girl with a glare and stormed out of the room. It was enough already. I watched Zoe call after me, looking concerned.

I scanned the rooms as I went through them. No sign of him. I nearly ran over a guy and caught him quickly before removing my hands like he was on fire. It was him. Parker the ex. He was looking at me funny. I watched him flip his hair with a near disgusted feeling.

"Hey Alex. How are you?" His voice was soft and I almost didn't hear him.

"Fine. Listen, have you seen Vincent? Jo took off with him a bit ago and I can't find him." I asked while scanning the room. He wasn't here either. Parker giggled and I looked down at him in confusion. Was what I said funny? No.

"Oh Alex. She probably took him off to play drinking games. Don't worry about it. I can keep you company for now." His voice was playful and I looked at him suspiciously.

"Are you flirting with me?" I asked with my brows lowered. He smiled.

"Maybe. You are pretty strong and good looking yourself, Alex. Are you sure you don't want to..."? He was checking me out. Ew.

"No. I'm dating Vincent. That means something to me." I deadpan shot him down. He frowned. Then flipped his hair again. He should really cut it if it was doing that all the time.

"You are both tops. Give it up. Only a cute little twink like me can satisfy a man like Vincent. I should know." He licked his lips and gave me an evil smirk. I laughed at him.

"Whatever little boy. Keep thinking that way and all you are going to get is disappointment and STIs." I pushed past him, this time not caring if I rammed him into the wall with my "strong and good looking" self.

Although I tried to look cool on the outside, now I was frantic to find Vincent. Where the hell had she taken him off to? I spun around in the front hall and considered where I had checked already.

Not upstairs, it was blocked. The dining room was a no, living room was a no, and bathrooms were unlikely. I snapped my fingers, he had his coat! I hadn't checked outside. I made a beeline around the people in my way to get to the patio doors.

There he was. I smiled and swung my jacket back around me as I stepped outside. His back was to me as he talked to Jo, a frown firmly printed on her face. I didn't hear what they were saying until I got close.

"...give him another chance. He was young and just being stupid. He loves you Vincent." She was saying.

"I don't care. I have an amazing boyfriend now Jo. It hurts me that you can't just let me be happy with him. Why won't you get to know him? You've been treating him like shit." He accused her. She looked over his shoulder at me and sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I just... I think you and Parker belong together." She tried one last time.

"Well he didn't think so and now neither do I. If you knew Alex you'd understand. He is perfect for me. I... I love him Jo." His voice made me blush and I looked down at my feet.

On the one hand, I felt embarrassed to overhear them. On the other hand, it was incredible to hear those words come out of his mouth to another person. I came up behind him and clutched the back of his jacket, burying my nose in the warm fabric at the back of his neck.

"Thanks babe. I love you too." I whispered. He spun around in my arms and wrapped his around me too.

"There you are. Jo's had me running around in circles to find you." He said with a smile. I glanced over at the guilty look on her face and then looked back at him.

"It's alright. I found you instead." I said softly. I pressed my lips gently to his and he melted into my kiss. There was no sense in creating more bad blood. I had him in my arms now, and that was all that mattered.

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