Page 26

The scent of flowers filled the air, and the late May sun filtered through the budding trees outside the windows of my new office at MCLA. The light felt different here—gentler, maybe, or just more forgiving. I liked to think it reflected the change in me.

The past four months had been a whirlwind, a blur of endings and beginnings. Leaving Williams had been bittersweet. The Ephs were a strong team, and I’d grown to care for them as much as I cared about the sport itself. But staying there, with Coach Simmons back at the helm and me as a constant reminder of something neither Tyler nor I wanted to keep hiding, wasn’t an option.

And yet, I hadn’t gone far. I coached in North Adams now, but I still lived in Williamstown, in the house I’d once thought of as a place to bury myself. Now it was something else entirely—a home, the first real one I’d had in years. Tyler spent more nights there than he didn’t, though he still kept up appearances by living with Finn. For now, anyway. One more year at Williams until he graduates, and then… we’ll see. Wherever he decides to go, I’ll go with him.

I glanced at the clock. Tyler’s brother’s graduation ceremony would be starting soon, and I was expected. That word— expected —still felt foreign to me. Tyler wanted me there, in the open, by his side. It wasn’t a secret anymore. And that, I’d learned, was both scary and exhilarating.

He had already met my family—I took him to Boston with me during spring break. I had already told my folks about him months before, so they had plenty of time to get over the initial shock and come to terms with it. They all loved him, as I knew they would, especially the little ones. Tyler was natural with kids, and my niece and nephew adored him. It made me see a certain kind of future with him I didn’t even consider before. But let’s not jump the gun. Right now, it was my turn to meet those closest to him.

The ceremony was held outdoors on the green campus of Williams College, my former workplace, and I arrived to find Tyler standing near a cluster of chairs with his parents and his brother. It was only six miles from North Adams to Williamstown, and it took me less than fifteen minutes to get there. I parked my car at the same spot I used to park when I worked there, straightened my tweed jacket, and strode to them. Wanting to make a good first impression, I wore my blue jeans, white dress shirt, and a classic dark green jacket, going for a casual yet stylish look. I couldn’t show up in sweats for such an occasion, could I?

Tyler spotted me first, his face lighting up in a way that still managed to take my breath away. “Blake!” he called, waving me over. His parents turned, their expressions curious but not unkind. His brother, in his cap and gown, stood beside him, grinning like he already knew the punchline to a joke. “You made it,” Tyler said, reaching out to squeeze my hand briefly before letting it drop. His family was watching, and I knew he was trying to be respectful.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” I replied, my voice steady even though my nerves weren’t. Even though we practically lived together now—even after we spent all last night making love—his presence still had this effect on me.

“Blake, this is my mom and dad, and this is Matt, my brother. Guys, this is…” He hesitated for only a fraction of a second before finishing. “This is my boyfriend, Blake.”

Tyler’s dad was a well-built man in his early fifties, with salt and pepper hair and a beard to match, wearing gray dress pants and a navy shirt. He gave me a once-over, but there was no sign of disapproval in his eyes. From what Tyler had told me, his partner had graduated only days ago, so I supposed he was in no position to question the age difference between Tyler and me. “Boyfriend, huh?” he said, his tone even. Then he extended a hand. “Nice to meet you, Blake.”

I shook his hand firmly, relieved by the warmth in his grip. “It’s nice to meet you too, sir.”

“No need for formalities,” he said. “Call me Jeff.”

“Okay, Jeff.”

Tyler’s mother was a tougher cookie. In her late forties, she was still beautiful, her long brown hair complimenting her form-fitting white skirt suit. If Tyler had gotten his strong physique from his dad, then he had gotten his good looks from his mom. “Aren’t you a little old to be dating a student?”

“Mom!”

“Don’t ‘mom’ me, Tyler. I’m just looking out for you, like any mother would.”

“As you should,” I said. “But your son’s happiness is all that matters to me.” Tyler looked at me like I was a goddamned Superman and his mother gave me a quick nod, letting the matter drop—at least for the time being.

Matt stepped forward, pulling me into a quick, almost playful handshake. He looked like a leaner, slightly older version of Tyler. His hair was a bit longer, his frame a bit taller and not as brawny, but the resemblance was still clear, especially in the way they both moved and talked. You could tell that they grew up together. “So, you’re the guy who made my baby brother all googly-eyed for months? Glad to finally put a face to the mystery.”

“Matt,” Tyler groaned, punching him in the shoulder.

“What?” Matt shrugged, grinning. “It’s true. Don’t deny it.”

“Enough, you two,” Jeff said, shaking his head. Then he looked at me again, his expression softening. “You must really care about my son to stick around here after quitting your job.”

I glanced at Tyler, who was watching me intently, and something in his gaze grounded me. “I do,” I said simply. “More than I can put into words.”

Jeff studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Good. That’s all I need to know.”

The graduation itself was as typical as they came: long speeches, applause, and the inevitable scramble of families trying to snap photos afterward. Tyler beamed with pride as Matt received his diploma, and I couldn’t help but smile at how close they were. They reminded me of me and Ellie, and I felt like my family had suddenly expanded.

When it was all over, we all went out to celebrate at The Barn, a nearby restaurant. The place bustled with energy, laughter, and the clinking of glasses as families gathered to celebrate their graduates. We’d managed to snag a large table near the windows, where the warm glow of the afternoon sun painted everything in soft gold. Tyler sat beside me, his hand brushing against mine under the table in subtle reassurance. Across from us, Matt grinned like he owned the world, his graduation cap sitting crooked on the table beside a half-eaten basket of breadsticks.

Mandy and Finn soon joined us, our two confidants. I introduced Mandy to Tyler’s parents, and she quickly charmed them, laughing at Jeff’s jokes and complimenting Laura’s outfit. Everyone already knew Finn, and he didn’t waste any time diving for the shrimp. I looked at both of them. Mandy’s blond hair was down, her violet dress simple yet classy. Finn was… well, Finn , goofing around with Tyler, both of them looking preppy out of their singlets. After all we went through together, these two felt a part of the family as much as I was.

As if to prove my point, Mandy raised her glass of Sauvignon Blanc. “To Matt!” she announced, her voice bright. “And to Jeff and Laura, for putting up with him all these years.”

“To Matt!” the table echoed, and Matt raised his glass, looking bashful but pleased.

“At least we did something right,” Laura said, clinking her glass with her ex-husband’s.

“Yeah, we did,” Jeff shot back, his smile easy. “Still can’t believe Matt graduated without burning the place down.”

“Hey!” Matt protested, laughing. “I wasn’t that bad! ”

“You tried to make ramen in a Keurig machine, Matt,” Tyler reminded him dryly, and the whole table burst into laughter.

“I was experimenting!” Matt defended himself, his grin wide and proud.

Elbows on the table, Laura propped her face with her hands, her eyes sparkling as she looked between her sons. “You boys always did keep us on our toes.”

Finn, who’d somehow found himself seated between Jeff and Matt, chimed in, “Tyler’s still keeping us on our toes, Mrs. Cooper. He can barely keep track of his undies, let alone his life.”

“I resent that,” Tyler said, though his grin gave him away.

I leaned closer to him, smirking as I whispered in his ear, “Is that why you go commando all the time?”

“Shut up,” Tyler muttered, nudging me with his elbow, but he couldn’t keep amusement from his voice.

By the time dessert arrived—a shared plate of strawberry shortcake and coffee for everyone—the mood had turned mellow, the earlier laughter giving way to contented conversation. I leaned back in my chair, my arm draped casually over Tyler’s shoulders, as I watched this little group—my group—interact. Laura and Jeff, despite their divorce, had an easy camaraderie that spoke of years of mutual respect and shared history. Mandy, though a new addition, fit in seamlessly, laughing at Matt’s stories and trading banter with Finn, who attempted to flirt with her shamelessly. And Tyler—Tyler was the heart of it all, his laughter bright and unrestrained, his cheeks flushed from the warmth of the room and the wine he was sipping.

Jeff had just begun telling me about his wrestling days when I felt Tyler’s hand slip between my legs. The action was hidden by the tablecloth, but it still felt very public and blatant, especially with his family around. I wanted to stop him, I really did, but his hand felt too good as it rubbed my cock over my jeans and I got hard fast. I gave him a quick stern look, between nodding at Jeff’s story and trying to hold the conversation, but Tyler just smiled and ignored me. He kept massaging my hard-on until I was ready to burst out of my pants. When he started to unzip my fly, I knew I had to stop him.

“Later,” I murmured, kissing his temple.

“I can’t wait,” he whispered back. “Let’s go home. I need you inside me now.”

Damn, the boy was insatiable. But then again, so was I.

He tilted his head at me, tugging at my biceps, his expression relaxed and carefree. “Listen,” he said, grinning. “They’re playing our song.”

I focused, and through all the chatter and background noise, Taylor Swift’s Fortnight reached my ears. I’d nearly forgotten that Thanksgiving afternoon when we joked about it at my house. But now the memories rushed back and I smiled like the sappy, lovestruck fool that I was.

Tyler looked at me like I was something rare and priceless. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy, Blake. Even with everything we’ve been through, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

I reached for his hand, lacing our fingers together. “Neither would I. You’ve changed everything for me, Tyler. And I’m never letting you go.”

“You’d better not,” he teased, though his voice was thick with emotion.

I meant it. The road hadn’t been easy, and there were still moments when I doubted myself, when the weight of the past threatened to pull me under. But Tyler was always there, steady and unwavering, pulling me back to the surface. He had thawed the ice around my heart and warmed me up to the idea of being worthy of love again—and of finding my own slice of happiness.

I glanced down at our joined hands—at the finger where I used to bear a wedding ring. I’d taken it off months ago, after a long night of staring at it and realizing that holding on to the past wasn’t honoring Jen. It was just holding me back.

As I smiled at him, I realized that I’d let go of the ghosts that had haunted me for so long. Jen would always be a part of me, but she wasn’t my future. Tyler was.

And for the first time in forever, I felt whole again.

The En d