Chapter 129

His friends had come as well, Jillian and Andy and Adrian and Leo and Sam; they were enthusiastically mingling with Jason’s extended family and appreciating stories about spaghetti westerns and the Mirelli family legacy, which went back several generations and had woven itself inextricably into the history of early film production and daredevil stunt work and high-speed car chases. Sam had the camera out, capturing the night.

He did have friends. A small number of them, but enough: people he trusted. People he wanted to trust. People he liked having nearby, with him, even touching him. He was doing better about that, mostly, these days. Learning how much he liked being held by Jason—tucked under an arm, cuddled against protective muscles—had helped. His body liked the feeling.