Page 15

A little over a year later…

"C an you believe it's finally happening?" Roxi whispered.

I shook my head as I watched first Cody, then Darren and Dex, and finally Taylor ascend the dais in the middle of the university coliseum. The stands were filled with parents and extended family. Cheers erupted as each student accepted their certification of graduation. I couldn't believe we had made it. I mean, I knew we would. I knew the day would come when the four years I had spent at Winthrope University would be over and all of the days I had spent studying my ass off, attending classes, and preparing for my future would come to an end.

It was time to stop preparing for the future and start living it.

"Jamie Houston." My name was called and my heart jumped into my chest as I stood up and went over to the line leading up to the stage. I ascended the stage as flashes went off. Photos were taken and dimly, I heard Taylor calling out in excitement. I looked over the sea of fellow students and smiled. I couldn't help it. I was absolutely terrified of what the future held. I wasn't quite sure if the degree I had would really help me. But whatever happened, as soon as my eyes landed on my guys, I knew it would all be okay.

I was proud of myself for working so hard, but whatever pride I held for myself was no match for the amount I held for them. I was proud of them. I loved them. I wanted to support them for the rest of my life.

I shook the hands of my professors, accepted their congratulations—all the while trying not to cry.

"Yes, girl, yes!" Roxi called from the crowd as I made my way out of the coliseum. She rushed up to me, flinging herself on me as she clutched her degree certificate in one hand. "Can you believe it? We're done! Really done! Guess who's getting drunk tonight!"

"Hopefully not you," a deep voice answered. "You can't handle your liquor worth shit."

I smiled as Bastian Lander approached with an easy smile followed close behind by Oliver Dubois. Roxi pouted at both of them as they approached. "I'll have a big dinner," she said defensively.

Oliver laughed. "Are you asking us out to dinner?" he asked teasingly.

I watched with amusement as her eyes lit up. "Would you do something naughty to me afterwards?" she replied.

Oliver stiffened, a blush creeping across his face as Bastian let out a booming laugh. "Yeah, spank you, brat. Stop giving Oliver ideas, he's sensitive."

"I-I wasn't—I mean, I didn't—" Oliver stuttered, his blush stretching down his neck.

I chuckled as warm arms circled my waist and a familiar set of lips pressed against my bare neck. "I like you with your hair up like this," Darren said.

"Oh yeah?" I laughed.

"Yeah."

I looked behind me. "Where are the others?"

"They'll meet us soon. They sent me to grab you. We're heading to a special celebration."

"A graduation party?" I asked. "Right now? But we just got out."

Roxi slid an arm through Oliver's and then Bastian's. "We're heading to the same party," she said. "Meet you there soon!" She tugged and dragged her friends away, Bastian continuing to call her a brat and Oliver watching the two of them as his blush slowly faded away.

"Okay," I said, flipping around to sink my hands in his hair. "Fess up, where are we really going?"

"You didn't hear Roxi?" Darren grinned down at me before pressing a quick kiss to my lips. "We're going to celebrate."

"I know for a fact that Roxi was lying—probably so that Bastian and Oliver didn't catch onto her plans—she's going to get them and herself drunk as hell."

"Planning to take advantage of those two?" he asked, curious, as his hands fell to my hips.

I shrugged. "She's been trying for years," I reminded him.

"True." He tipped his head to the side. "I know where she's going, though—Maroon's Bar—we'll see them there later."

"We will?"

Darren nodded as he took my hand and began to lead me towards the parking lot. I narrowed my gaze on him when I noticed my vehicle was the only one left; the guys had arrived in one of theirs. "Keys." Darren held his hand out. I rolled my eyes and tossed them at him before hopping into the passenger's seat.

I stretched forward and fiddled with the radio as Darren drove. Once I found a tune that I mildly liked, I sat back and hummed to it. Soon, Darren was humming right alongside me. I was so focused on his humming and my own that I didn't realize where we were until he was pulling into the parking lot.

"What are we doing at the library?" I asked.

Darren winked my way. "It's a secret." He parked the car and got out. I followed.

"It's closed today," I reminded him. "Everyone was at the ceremony."

"I know, but I still have a key," he said. "I have to turn it in."

"So, this is just a stop? Should I go back and wait in the car?"

"Nah, come in with me. I have to drop it in the box. The door will lock behind us when we leave."

"Oh, okay." I followed him to the front doors and watched him unlock it. There was something off about him. He was still humming, I realized.

I laughed as we ascended the stairs to the second floor—where his boss's office resided. "You really like that song, don't you?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I guess. Hey, let's go take a look at that study room," he suggested suddenly.

I paused and frowned. "Now? Don't we have somewhere to be?"

"Just a peek," he promised, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind him.

I couldn't say no to his boyish smile. I shook my head as he dragged me towards the study room doors, past the rows of bookshelves to the study room where it all began—the guys and me. My chest tightened as we neared it. Four years ago, I had met Darren, Dex, Cody, and Taylor—well, I had more than met them, I had fallen in love with them.

As we neared the room, a shifting sound drifted to my ears. "Darren? Are you sure we're the only ones in here?" I asked.

The lights were out, but I swore I heard moving. I opened the door and flicked on the light. It didn't occur to me that Darren never answered. My lips parted, my mouth dropping open.

Dex, Cody, and Taylor all dressed in the suits they had worn under their graduation gowns were down on their knees—one knee, to be precise. I looked behind me and my eyes widened even further as Darren, too, fell to one knee. The exact way someone might if they were about to...

"Jamie Houston," Cody said.

Oh shit.

"You have made us the happiest men alive for the last four years," Taylor said.

I was not going to cry.

"And we want you to make us the happiest men alive for the rest of our lives," Darren said.

I flicked my gaze back and forth between them. Fuck. Yes, I was going to cry.

"You're beautiful and smart and wonderful," Dex said.

Big, honking, ugly-ass tears. It wasn't going to be pretty.

"We love you," they said as one.

But who gave a shit about pretty when four of the hottest athletes—four of the most amazing men in my life—were proposing to me?

"Will you marry us?"

Cody was the one who lifted a velvet covered box and opened it. I stared down at the prettiest little blue rock I'd ever seen. It wasn't a diamond. A diamond was too plain for us. We were unique. We were different. I loved that about us.

Just as I predicted, huge fat tears began to trail down my cheeks and drip off my chin. I nodded fast, almost giving myself whiplash as I tried to answer before they could think that they’d made a mistake and decided to change their minds.

Dex smiled at me. "You want to verbalize that, Baby?" he asked.

"Fuck yes," I said with a trembling hand as I reached out for the ring. Taylor took it from Cody and slid it on my finger. "I want to marry the fuck out of you. Out of all of you."

Taylor whooped, but before he could lift me into the air—Darren was there, doing it for him and swinging me around as I cried and laughed and cried some more.

I couldn't believe that one fateful night almost four years ago would lead to a lifetime of forever. One night was all it was supposed to be until they realized they couldn't let me go. Until I realized, I couldn't let them go.