“Fantastic,” I said, moving the phone from one ear to the other. “So you can be there Friday night, for the opening?”

“I’d love to,” the man on the phone said. “From what I can tell, Mr. Crane is an incredible talent. I can’t wait to see his work.”

“We can’t wait to meet you, too,” I said. “See you then.”

“Bye, now.”

I hung up the phone, checking again out the window to see if Josh had arrived. I saw him coming down the street, and I went to the front door to let him in. When I opened the door, his cheeks were pink from the cold air outside, and his blue eyes sparkled as he smiled at me. It had been a year, and those eyes still killed me every time. I kissed him, I wrapped my arms around him to warm him up.

“I missed you,” I said.

“Missed you too,” he replied.

“How was work?”

“Really good, actually. They said that next week I may get to work on the first painting restoration project. For real, this time.”

Josh had been working as a cleaning technician in one of the local galleries, and had been there for about a year. The museum had begun to train him on restoration techniques, too, and Josh had taken it on with all his usual hard work and curiosity.

“That’s so good,” I said as we walked inside my apartment. “They’re really serious about getting you in on the restoration team, huh?”

He nodded. “Susan even mentioned that if all goes well, next year there could be an opportunity for school. They’d be willing to send me to get certified.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yup,” he said, grinning. “I couldn’t believe it either.” He took off his jacket and his side bag.

“That would be incredible. Josh, I’m so proud.”

I’d bought my apartment shortly before Christmas last year, and had been here ever since—it was close to the hotel, and equally close to Josh’s place. Half the nights he’d come here, and the other half I’d go over to his place. I never wanted to wear out my welcome with Vanessa and Ethan, but they’d quickly become my friends, too.

“And how was class?”

“It went well,” he said. “Marcos still is having trouble with stippling, but the rest of the class is well on their way.”

Josh had also been volunteering for the past nine months, teaching a once-weekly painting class at a nearby recreational center. It had gotten him back into his art, and now, he had put together a collection. It would be shown at the Terrance Hotel this Friday—and I’d just gotten off the phone with a major art buyer who said he would come to look at Josh’s pieces.

Josh had no idea. I was keeping it as a surprise for him, and I couldn’t wait to see his reaction if the buyer decided to purchase a piece.

“Tomorrow’s the day,” he said, walking over to the living room and plopping down on the couch. “Going to go install the paintings at the hotel. God, I still feel like I’m breaking the rules when I walk into the place.”

“What?” I asked, sitting next to him. “You’re welcome there as much as anyone else.”

“I know, I know,” he said. “It just… feels strange. Reminds me of the past, you know?”

“Nothing wrong with that,” I said. “Anyone who had an issue with what happened last year has long since left the hotel. Everyone there pretty much loves you, Josh.”

“Aw, shucks. Now you’re just flattering me.”

“And I’ll be by your side, anyway,” I said. “Everyone is going to absolutely love the paintings. You’re some sort of prodigy with the oil paints.

Josh laughed out loud. “Prodigy? I think I’d have to be about twenty years younger to be considered one of those.”

I waved a hand. “Yeah, well, you know what I mean.”

“You just think I’m good, huh?”

I reached over, running a hand through his hair. “I think you’re very, very good.”

Josh’s new collection was a series of abstract forest scenes, some of them glowing with fireflies and others covered in snow. He built up texture using oil paint and it felt like the scenes leapt off of the canvases. They were some of the best art I’d ever seen in my life, but then again, I knew I was biased.

“I’m… really nervous, honestly,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve shown any art, and I’ve never done it since I’ve been clean.”

I pulled him close to me. “I know,” I said. “But you’re going to do amazingly well,” I said. “Wanna know how I know?”

He smiled at me. “How?”

“Because you do well at everything you put your mind to,” I said. “And I can’t wait to see your collection on the walls at the hotel.”

“You wanna know something?” He asked.

“Always,” I replied.

“I love you,” he said. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kissing me.

“I love you so much, Josh,” I said.

“And there is the artist himself!” Sean called out as Josh and I entered the hotel that Friday night. The lobby was already half full of people drinking wine and eating, and it couldn’t have been more different than it had been a year ago.

It wasn’t just rude, snobby elites in the lobby—instead, people of all ages and types filled the room, laughing and checking out Josh’s art.

“So glad you’re here,” I said, hugging Sean tight. Josh hugged him after, but a group of young women quickly approached him.

“Are you Josh Crane?” one woman asked, her eyes wide.

“That is me,” he said, smiling.

“You painted all of these? God, I remember your work from a few years back—I saw it at the Rysaldi Gallery. I had wondered where you’d gone!”

“You remember my work from back then?” Josh said.

I put my arm around Josh’s waist, smiling at them both. “I’m gonna go grab us drinks. See you in a bit?”

He turned to me, nodding, and I made my way over to the bar. Right as I got the two glasses of wine I’d ordered, I turned around and my mother was behind me.

“Adrian,” she said, giving me a small smile.

“Mom,” I said, leaning in to give her a hug.

She drew in a deep breath, looking around. “I’m… very proud of what you’ve done here,” she said.

It had been six months since she had even come inside the hotel—she took some time to herself, after splitting up with my dad, and needed a break from the hotel. I’d invited her tonight not even knowing if she was going to come.

“I’m so glad you came, Mom,” I said. “Thank you.”

“It’s… different,” she said, “but not as different as I would have expected.”

“Right,” I said. “I told you—I want to keep the spirit of this hotel alive. I just… wanted to do it with a little more inclusiveness.”

She eyed me. “Your grandfather would be very proud, Adie.”

My eyes went wide. Adie. My mother hadn’t called me this nickname since I was a young child, and it immediately brought back so many memories. She used to call me it when I was scared at night, and she’d tuck me into bed, or when I’d taken home a 100% grade on a test.

It meant that she was proud of me. And tonight, it seemed like she really was.

“Thank you so much, Mom,” I said. “I hope Grandpop would be proud.”

She smiled at me.

“Is Dad coming tonight?” I asked softly.

She nodded. “Yes, he’ll be here. I’m not sure when he’s arriving, though.”

Since they’d been divorced, my mom and dad hadn’t spoken much. But when it came to hotel events, they still remained in communication. Their separation hadn’t been as much of a shock to the community as Mom had expected—a few of the town’s worst gossipers had been rude about it, but overall, it had been just fine.

The town and most of the hotel investors had also been just fine the past year, as my relationship with Josh had become more and more public. In fact, everything had gone over much more smoothly than my mother had ever expected.

“I’m happy for you, Adrian,” she said after ordering her gin and tonic. “I’m happy that you’ve found something that works for you. It was more than I could ever do.”

“It wasn’t easy,” I said.

“I know,” she said.

I gave her another big hug, and she said that she would catch up with me after the night was over. I made my way back over to Josh, who was now surrounded by Sean, Alora, two other women, and an older man. When I reached them again, I overheard what the man was saying to Josh.

“Wow,” he said, eyes wide as he looked at one of Josh’s paintings. “I thought they would be good, but these are exquisite. I haven’t seen textures like these in an oil painting in years.”

I realized that this must have been the art buyer that I’d spoken with. He seemed impressed with Josh’s work, and I smiled at Sean and Alora nearby.

“I think he might have a deal on his hands,” I said to them, keeping my voice low.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Sean said. “His stuff is great.”

“It’s fucking awesome,” Alora agreed. “I think we may have to buy one for the hotel, to keep here.”

“You’d make Josh’s week if you told him that,” I said.

A few minutes later, Josh moved over to me, Sean, and Alora, and his eyes were wide. He looked at me, suppressing a smile.

“He said he wants to buy a set of three,” Josh said. “I’m practically shaking right now.”

“Holy shit, Josh, that’s fantastic!” Alora said, immediately reaching over and giving him a hug.

“That is,” I said. “Good God, three?”

“I know,” Josh replied. “That’s more than… god, two years’ rent for me. He’s willing to pay top dollar, for my little paintings.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Sean said. “Your little paintings happen to be art collector quality.”

In the whole year I’d been with Josh, I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him so shocked and overwhelmed and happy all at once.

“You’re the real deal, Josh,” I said, beaming at him and leaning in to kiss him. “I always knew you were.”

The rest of the opening that night went on relatively smoothly. My father arrived a half hour later, and even he complimented Josh’s paintings. Later on in the evening, Josh, Alora, Sean and I made our way out to the dance floor, and danced for a good couple hours to the jazzy bossa nova band Alora had hired.

It was amazing how comfortable I was, here in a place that used to feel like my prison. Now I was surrounded by my people, and I couldn’t have felt any more at home.

As the night wound down, people started to trickle out of the hotel. After saying goodbye to my parents, then Alora and Sean, it was just me and Josh and the teardown staff left over.

Josh and I walked out front, shrugging on our coats for the walk back home.

“Jesus, tonight was magical,” Josh said, the chill of the air making his breath visible in the night.

“It really was,” I said. I then remembered something that I had been planning all night—but that I’d forgotten while we danced. I fiddled in my pocket, thumbing over a small envelope inside. “Can we make the night a little more magical?” I asked.

Josh lifted his eyebrows. “Absolutely,” he said.

I pulled out the small envelope, and extracted a gold-colored key from inside, holding it out to him in my palm.

“I know you’ll miss Vanessa and Ethan if you move in with me,” I said, smiling, “but I’ve got that big, empty spare room just itching to be a painting studio.”

“Hell yeah,” Josh said, smiling at me and taking the key from my hand. “You really… are ready for this, Adrian?” he asked.

“I’m ready for you, Josh. I can’t wait to spend all my time with you.”

Josh threw his arms around me in lightning speed and he kissed me so hard I laughed against his lips. He kissed me in a million tiny pecks, on my lips and cheeks and forehead.

“I love you, I love you,” he repeated over and over.

“I love you too, Josh,” I said, kissing him once more on his lips. I felt the tiniest speck of cold wetness on my head, and then another, and then another.

“Is it snowing?” Josh said, looking up. And sure enough, as he pulled away, a few little snowflakes were drifting down in between us.

“It’s beautiful,” I said.

“You still want to walk home?”

“Are you kidding? Of course,” I said.

Hand in hand, we started to walk back as the light snow fell over the city.

“Hey Adrian,” he said, looking over my way as we walked.

“What’s up?” I said.

“How did we get so lucky?”

I paused for a moment and he stopped too, looking up at me. “It was a long time coming,” I said, watching him in the low light. I reached up and cupped his cheek with my hand.

“I’m so ready to spend my life with you,” Josh said, his voice quiet.

My heart soared in my chest. “I am, too,” I said, pulling him close for a hug.

As we walked the rest of the way home—our home—under the trees, I was even more sure about the other little secret I had stashed in my lowest dresser drawer at home.

Tucked in there, underneath a pair of tattered old sweatpants, was a little black velvet box. Inside there was a gold ring that I had waiting for Josh.

And this Christmas, I wanted to propose to the man I loved more than anyone. As he squeezed his hand tighter in mine, somewhere in my heart, I knew the answer would be yes.