I got accepted into the graduate program at Shirley Heights University. I received the news today through an email, and it was one of many things that made me doubt my decision to return to Sydney. I was happy, but at the same time, it only confused me further. My flight was in a couple hours, and I had to head to the airport soon.

        I already had my suitcases in the living room for when I decided to head out. All I could do was take the flat in. I enjoyed my time here. It felt like a home.

        Then again, that was because of Gyan.

        Thinking about him only made it that much harder to leave. Was I making the right choice? Contrary to what my father thought, I couldn't change my mind now.

        That didn't make staying less tempting.

        As I took my phone out to get the Uber, the front door flew open, revealing Gyan as he took me in.

        "I did it," he said while closing the door behind him. "I came out to my dad."

        My eyes widened as I stood up. "What?"

        He approached me. "I told him I was gay." He flashed me a smile. "The wedding is off. I'm not marrying Anushka anymore."

        I stared at him, processing his words. This was actually happening. I'd been waiting to hear those words for months now.

        "You're not marrying her?" I asked, wanting to confirm.

        He shook his head. "My dad's pissed, for multiple reasons, but Anushka isn't a problem anymore." He grabbed my arms as he looked into my eyes. "I'm officially a single man." Then his eyes darkened. "Although, I don't want to be single."

        I got out of his hold. "Gyan."

        "I want to be with you," he said. "My bachelor days are over. My time of fucking random guys is done. I don't want to marry a woman anymore and live a lie to please my father and everyone else who wouldn't approve of who I am. I don't want any of that." His eyes softened. "I just want you."

        That was everything I wanted to hear. At the same time, I didn't feel as relieved as I expected.

        I sighed with my hands on my face. "Gyan, why do you have to do this now?"

        He frowned. "I thought you'll be happy."

        "I am," I admitted. "Believe me." The weight of his words and action were still cementing in my mind. I was in disbelief that he actually did it. "I just wish it happened sooner."

        "We can be together now," he said. "No Anushka. We don't have to worry about my dad. There's nothing stopping us."

        "Except for me going to Australia."

        His brows furrowed. "You still want to go?"

        "I have to."

        "No, you don't," he said. "You don't have to go." We maintained eye contact. "I don't want you to leave. Not again. I want you to stay." He cradled my cheek, and I leaned into his touch. "Stay with me, Gabriel."

        I put some distance between us. "My flight. It leaves in a couple hours."

        "Fuck it," he said. "If you're worried about money, I can pay for it."

        "I wouldn't be losing money," I reminded him. "My bosses will. They have everything set. The hotel for me to stay in until I get a flat. The company car. My job is waiting for me. This is greater than me wanting to stay."

        "It's your life," he said. "I've learnt that you can't make decisions because of other people. Don't go to Australia because you feel like staying here will screw your bosses over. When it comes to work and life, sometimes you have to be selfish."

        "You don't want me to go," I said. "That's why you're saying this."

        His jaw tensed my up. "I don't fight for my men."

        I scoffed. "This again."

        "Let me finish," he said. "I don't fight, but I will for you. Only you." I relaxed at his words. "I didn't fight for us before, and I let you go. Not again. Maybe I am being selfish because I want you to stay. But I don't want this to be it for us. I want more memories with you." He came closer. "When I said I wanted many more nights with you, I meant it. I want more talks with you. I want more chess and swimming sessions with you. I want you here, for as long as possible. Don't end us now."

        I sighed. "I don't know."

        "You do," he said. "What do you want Gabriel?"

        I wanted to keep reconnecting with my father. I wanted to be able to visit Ma without traveling across the world. I wanted to be able to visit Angelica whenever I wanted. I wanted to keep building my friendship with Kenji. I wanted Enrique and I to have a shot at our own friendship once he was ready.

        Most of all, I wanted Gyan. I always did and I always would.

        I wanted all of this, and I realized that I wanted all of those things before I thought about going to grad school. Before I even thought about Barkley or any other job.

        The people in my life was what I wanted most.

        With that, I planted my hand into his hair and brought my lips to his. His arms instantly wrapped around me as our lips moved together. He held me so close, but I only wanted to be closer. I didn't want to leave his arms or part from his lips. I gasped for air, and his tongue found mine. My hold in his hair tightened as our kiss intensified.

         I never wanted it to end, and I knew that I didn't want to leave him.

         I pulled away, but his lips moved down to my neck, nibbling on the skin. I closed my eyes. "I want this," I said.

        "You can have it," he mumbled against my skin before pulling back to examine me. "You can have me."

        "I've waited so long," I said. "Now, I don't know what to expect."

        "I'm not going to hide you anymore," Gyan said. "I'm not one of those people who constantly post shit about their partners on social media. I still want my privacy, but you're not going to be like some dirty little secret."

        "No more being your 'friend?'"

        "Hell no," he said. "You're my partner." He gave me a chaste kiss. "I want people to know that. If I'm having a family gathering, and you want to come, you can come. If you want to hold hands in public, we will. I have nothing to lose." He forced out a chuckle. "The one person whose opinion I cared about the most, now he knows. He may never talk to me again, but at least it's out there."

        "I'm sorry, Gyan."

        I knew how tough this was for him. There were serious consequences for what he did, but he still went through with it. It took time, but he did it. That was what mattered most.

        Gyan shrugged. "It's done. I can't take it back."

         "Will you?" I asked. "Take it back, I mean."

        He shook his head. "He has to know because I'll have to keep you a secret for him not to. I'll have to live a lie." He pressed his lips together before continuing. "I don't want that. It's not fair to you, and it's not fair to me."

        I caressed his cheek. "I know you can't force things like this, but you really have the worst timing."

        We chuckled. "Better late than never," he said. "I hope I'm not late. Please." He expression softened. "Stay."

        I groaned as my hand came down from his cheek. "My life in Sydney is waiting for me."

         "You have a life here," he pointed out. "With people who love you."

        "I got into a graduate program." His eyes went round. "Shirley Heights University. I found out today."

        "Even more reasons to stay," he said. "That's great. Congratulations."

        "If I leave, I won't get the chance to go," I told him. "I expected to be more disappointed."

        What really got to me was leaving behind all the people I cared about. That was the greatest loss, not the grad program.

        "I don't really like Barkley," I confessed. "The main plus side is that it pays well, and my bosses like me."

        "You're willing to travel across the world for that?"

        "That's what I do." I shook my head at myself. "I drop everything for my career and education. That's what I did most of college."

        "We're not in college anymore."

        We weren't. I wasn't that bloke who stressed about school and extra-curriculars and doing everything that looked good on a resume to secure positions and a fancy job.

        If that wasn't me, why was I making the same mistakes?

        I stared past Gyan, lost in my thoughts. "I don't want to go," I finally said. "I don't want to work at Barkley. I don't want to go back to a flat that doesn't feel like a home. Or be around mates who wouldn't be there when I need them most." I glanced at him. "Sydney is great." I sent him a small smile. "But Sydney isn't home."

        "Shirley Heights is," Gyan said. "Your home is with us, the people who love you."

        "I already made a commitment."

        "You don't owe them anything," he said. "Do what's best for you, not what is most convenient for your bosses who fired you months ago."

        "You mean it?" I asked him. "No more hiding or secrets or engagements to women?"

        He smiled. "I mean it. It's just you and me." He wrapped his arms around me. "There's nothing to be ashamed of." I played with his hair, mesmerized by him and his words. "I don't want to lose my dad." He gulped. "I also don't want to lose myself. I thought it was about you and him, but it's about me."

        "You had more to lose than me," I finished for him.

        "Losing you was also a good incentive," he said. "I don't want to go through that again."

         I didn't come back because of Gyan.

        But I could stay for him. For me and everyone else I loved.

        "I'm an ass." I chuckled. "If I don't go, it'll be a slap in the face for my bosses." I thought about it. "But I don't care." I looked up at him. "I guess it's time to be selfish."

        "So, you're staying?"

        I nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."

        Gyan grinned before pulling me into a hug, nuzzling his face into my neck. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

        I held him just as tightly. "That makes me happy, too."

        Australia didn't have what Shirley Heights did. Shirley Heights had everything I needed to stay. Screw it. Screw my bosses. Screw the fact that I was screwing them over. Like Gyan said, I had to do what was best for me, not them.

         "Let's go away for the weekend." Gyan pulled back. "Me and you. No using our phones. Nothing else matters. Just us."

        "Where will we go?"

         "Come on." He grabbed my hand, and he led us outside to the Sequoia. We got settled in before Gyan reversed out of the parking space and drove off. "Let's spend the weekend at Belton."

         Belton was one of the fanciest and nicest hotels in Shirley Heights. I snapped my head in his direction. "That's a lot of money."

         His grip tightened around the wheel. "I just need a break from reality."

         "And I need to email my bosses."

        That was exactly what I did. I knew Rick wasn't going to like it, and me bailing didn't look good, but I honestly didn't care. I knew I was making the right choice, and peeking over at Gyan only confirmed it.

        I took in the city of Shirley Heights while we drove, and I knew this was where I belonged.

        When we arrived at the five-star hotel, we checked in before making it over to our room. It was in immaculate shape, as expected, and Gyan turned to me.

        "What do you want?" He took out the room service menu.

        "I want fruit," I answered. "Nothing fancy, just plain fruit."

        "Fruit it is."

        Gyan ordered room service, and we sat on the bed, kissing and enjoying each other's company in the main time. When our fruit arrived, Gyan and I sat on the bed, feasting on the delicious fruit. It was so sweet and refreshing.

        I moaned in delight. "This is great."

        Gyan grinned at me. "We can do whatever we want. We can go swimming. Go to the restaurants. Maybe a bar. Anything."

         "With our phones on silent," I said. "Ignoring the rest of the world."

        "Exactly."

         That was exactly what we did. We disconnected from the rest of the world, savoring our moment together.

        "So, you got into grad school, huh?" I nodded. "You'll probably get more acceptances soon."

        "I'm lucky to have gotten into this program." I popped some grapes into my mouth. "I'm grateful for it."

         Education and my professional life was still very important to me. I just didn't feel a need to be a workaholic anymore or that bloke who was obsessed with school. Those areas of my life were significant, but there was more to my life.

        I didn't want to be like my uncle, gaining what society deemed as success and sacrificing my time with the people who mattered most.

         "I'm proud of you." Gyan rubbed my arm. "You're going to do great wherever you go."

         I sent him a sheepish smile. "You will, too, in whatever career you pursue."

        He grabbed a strawberry to bite into it. "I got my own project at my uncle's company."

        "That's amazing."

         "I think I want to start my own business," Gyan said. "I may have hated working at Appeto, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in business."

        "What would you like to do in this business?"

        "I don't know yet," he replied. "I have to figure it out. All I know is that I want to create something. I may never have kids, but I want my own legacy."

        "You will," I encouraged him. "You may not know what you're working towards yet, but it'll come to you."

        "I feel like I'm finally in control of my life," he said. "I'm doing what I want. It's scary as hell, actually being in charge of my life, but it's also liberating. Plus, I'll be a dope business owner."

         "Of course," I agreed. "We can figure it out together."

        He placed a hand over mine. "I love hearing that." His gaze found mine. "Thank you for not leaving me again."

         I wasn't that bloke from college. I knew what was important. Gyan was one of them. I left him once, but I wasn't leaving him again.

        "Come here." I grabbed his chin to plant a kiss on his lips.

        Before I could pull away, he deepened the kiss, not letting me go. I pushed the fruit aside and moved to straddle his lap while his hands roamed my body. I brushed my fingers along his jaw while I indulged in the feel of his lips and the taste of him.

        There wasn't anything holding us back anymore. Every time we had broken up in the past was due to some external factor. Whether it was me leaving the country or Gyan thinking I cheated or Gyan being engaged to Anushka and not wanting to come out to his father. Now, none of that was an issue.

        We were free to just be.

        I smiled against his lips at the thought before pulling back with my lips still close to his. "Your kisses are sentimental."

        "They are for you." He kissed my forehead before peering at me. "I love you so much."

        I brushed my fingers along the side of his face. "I love you, too, Gyan."

        He smirked. "So, am I still single?"

        "Not even close." I was kissing him again, not wanting to pull away.

        He grabbed me and flipped me over so he could hover over me on the bed. "Good." He kissed along my neck. "I don't want you going anywhere again."

         I grabbed his head for him to look up for another searing kiss.

        Those five years were enough time apart. I couldn't imagine my life without him again. For the first time, we could be together, completely and freely. It wasn't easy, but being with him now proved that it was worth it.

        All I had to do now was love him and stay with him. I wasn't making the same mistake twice. I was done being away from Gyan.

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* What do you guys think about Gyan and Gabriel getting back together?

* There are less than 10 chapters of this story left. I should definitely be done with this book before April, if I update frequently enough. I want to get this story done as soon as possible. Hope you enjoyed! 😊