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MYLES

Three Months Later

I walked through a hotel casino in Las Vegas with the entire squad following and my boyfriend beside me.

We’d planned this one weekend to be back together and, for once, our schedules had aligned.

Leo’s brother’s band was playing at an outdoor venue, and we were celebrating everyone’s success at the show.

As I strolled through one of a line of glass doors and into the warm air of the strip, Cooper grabbed my hand. The flashing lights of the street were almost blinding, and the scent of greasy food mixed with car exhaust assaulted my nose.

“We’re going to have so much fun, babe.” He glanced behind him. “Right, Ace?”

“Hell yeah. I’ve been to Vegas, but always for a game and never experienced it.” Ace wrapped an arm around Zoma’s shoulders and kissed his cheek.

“Where is this venue, exactly?” Mason hauled Jett next to Archer and Leo.

“Just up the road there. My brother Axel said the stage is huge, so we can’t miss it.” Leo kissed Archer’s knuckles. “It’s also wedged between an outdoor market of sorts. ”

“Maybe we can get one of those street vendors to make us a cool spray paint sign.” Jonah said, strolling beside Ryan.

“Of what, our teams?” Ryan arched a brow.

“What about a sign that says Fuck U of A with shot glasses?” I cackled. We would never let that go. I gazed at the small shops lining the street, selling anything from t-shirts to electronics, all under overhangs with more crazy lights.

Tyler stepped next to me, hand in hand with Rowan. “Are we going to have falling-down-drunk-Myles or only-one-drink-Myles tonight?” He flashed me a grin.

“What do you mean?” Cooper eyed Tyler.

Dipping my head and smirking, I said, “Oh, I used to get pretty drunk sometimes. I think it was all the pressure I put myself under. You know, I wasn’t out to my family.

I never felt good enough.” Tightness squeezed my chest. I wasn’t that guy anymore.

“I don’t think I’ve been falling-down-drunk-Myles since I met you, Coop. ”

“Yeah?” Cooper squeezed my hand.

“You changed him, Coop.” Tyler landed his hand on Cooper’s shoulder. “I’ve never seen Myles so content.”

“That says a lot, coming from you.” Cooper patted Tyler’s hand.

As we strolled past partiers in fancy clothes and workers handing out flyers to events, we came to an opening in the mayhem. A lengthy queue stretched along the sidewalk leading to a concrete terrace with a brightly lit bar dominating the space. Music flowed onto the street.

“Hold on a minute.” Leo tapped on his cell phone. “I’m texting Axel. He’ll get us in.”

A few minutes later, a man with straight black hair falling around his blue eyes, a smattering of tattoos and wearing a vintage Sex Pistols t-shirt pushed his way through the crowd.

A bullet belt hung low on his hips. “Dudes!” He threw an arm around Leo, side-hugging him. “It’s so cool you all could make it. ”

I peered at him. He looked nothing like his brother.

“I think the stars are all aligned.” Leo introduced Axel to us all, and we greeted him with fist bumps and side-hugs.

After getting us through security and into the venue, we sat at a few tables up front, mixed with the band’s wives, as they called them. All of them were gay men who had married in the past few years.

We settled in with drinks, mostly beer, with Jett and Zoma having wine. I sat with Cooper on one side of me and Tyler on the other. All the guys chatted and chirped on each other.

As the lights for the venue lowered, the band members walked onstage and picked up their instruments. A man in a short skirt and combat boots took the mic, and a light centered on him, his bright red hair shimmering.

“Hello, Vegas.” He covered his eyes as he scanned the crowd. “We have a full house tonight.”

The crowd clapped and cheered.

“Any Zonies in the crowd?” the man asked.

The cheering grew louder and all the men at our tables clapped and whistled.

“Well, then, let’s get started. I’m Devin and we are Knot Me. And we are…”

The crowd shouted, “Not Okay.”

The drummer pounded his drums while the guitar players jumped and ran across the stage, throwing out the opening riff to I’m Not Okay by My Chemical Romance.

People stormed the stage, pumping fists and hopping up and down to the beat.

“Holy shit.” I drank some of my beer. I knew some of the guys had been to these shows, but I didn’t know how dynamic this band was. Too bad I’d missed it.

Cooper held my hand over the table. “Babe, isn’t it great to see a bunch of friends who stuck it out together and are doing what they love? ”

“It sure is.” I kissed his cheek. We were the same way. I glanced at the partners of the band. They’d all gotten married…

After spending time with the band on their breaks, the show was over. We’d had a few shots and maybe too many beers and were laughing and joking around as we strolled down the strip. It was already two a.m., but we didn’t want to go back to the room yet.

“It’s true what they say, huh?” Cooper wrapped his arm around my waist. “Nobody sleeps in this city.”

“Nope. And you know what else they say, what happens in Vegas…” I ambled next to Cooper at the back of our gang.

Leo halted and pointed at a sign on a building depicting one of those Elvis-themed wedding chapels. “Archer, look.” He turned to him and dropped on one knee. “Archer, will you marry me? Like, right now?”

Archer gaped. “At an Elvis wedding chapel?” A smile teased his lips.

“Oh, hell no. If they get married, we’re getting married.” Mason fell on one knee. “Jett?—”

“Sure, why the hell not?” Jett snickered. “You won’t give up if I say no.”

“At an Elvis place?” Archer stared at Jett.

“What better way to have a celly in Vegas?” Jonah grabbed Ryan’s hand and dropped to his knee. “Ryan, we planned this, anyway.”

“You did?” Tyler’s jaw fell open. “Fuck, then we’re all doing it.” He faced Rowan and, shaking their hands between them, he said, “Rowan, will you?—”

“Yes, fuck yes.” With glistening eyes, Rowan beamed at Tyler.

Tyler’s gaze flicked to me. “We’ve got to be all in on this, Myles. ”

Oh my God, were me and Cooper ready for this? We hadn’t even been together for a year yet. But we were making plans to buy a house in Seattle… As my eyes widened, I opened my mouth and shut it. What the fuck should I do?

“Myles.” Cooper grabbed both my hands in his and knelt on the pavement. “I already know you’re the guy for me. Hell, I’m following you to Seattle and I’ve promised to go anywhere you go. So, what do you say? Let’s take a shot.”

With my heart pounding against my ribcage, I sucked in a deep breath. “Yes, I…let’s do it.” What did I have to lose?

“Fuck yeah!” Mason fist-pumped the air.

“I’ve called a couple of Ubers. They should be here any minute.” Leo rubbed his chin. “Shit, I better call my brother to meet us there or he’ll kill me.”

Cooper stood and threw his arms around me in a tight hug, taking my breath away. “I’m so fucking happy, babe. We’re going to have the best life.”

With a sniffle, I said, “We are.”