When you finally decide this is home

 Gage was dragging, but still, a part of him felt great. Especially, to go home to Nora and Alec. Of course, this meant a packed dinner to the ballpark where someone was starting baseball. It was a place for many sports that wasn't too far from Nora's. After all, she had signed him up and he was playing ball with his cousin. So they would meet up with Henry and Josie and well, it was a nice evening.

Then of course, Alfie would call while at the game and before Gage knew it Alfie and Zoey would show up with soda and popcorn. 

They cheered on Alec too. Really, it was a cozy start to summer. It felt as if everything was settling in. And if he let himself, he felt at home with Nora. Yet, he still felt lost, wondering if he was doing anything right.

"Oh, you think too much," Alfie told him. "You two are fine, and you know it." They sometimes just hung out in the garage trying to play mechanic.

"I don't know," Gage shook his head. "I feel like I might not be doing enough." 

"What do you need to do?" Alfie laughed.

"I'm afraid she thinks I'm a freeloader of some kind." Gage sighed with a shrug.

"Have you two talked about this?" Alfie gave him an Alfie knows best look.

"We talk enough," Gage told him. He reached in the garage fridge then for a couple of sodas.

"Oh really?" Alfie kept looking at him as if he doubted it. "Just not about the good stuff."

"The good stuff?" Gage's forehead wrinkled as he laughed.

"Yeah, just stop worrying will you, it'll give you more time to think what the good things are and just maybe ..um..a kiss or two would help too." Alfie's smile was open as he took a sip of rootbeer.

Gage was closed mouth. Why was it so hard to make a move with Nora, he thought. He never remembered it this difficult back when he was a teenager.