Page 49

Carter

A year and a half later

“Has it changed?” Liam speaks softly, as if he doesn’t want to disturb anyone.

I keep looking around the quad, the big buildings, the clock tower, the big entrance to the library...

“It really hasn’t,” I tell him.

“I remember it being less scorching hot,” Sebas says from our right.

“That’s because you were never here at the start of June,” Glenn deadpans.

“I was,” Bennett pipes up. “I spent two whole summers here working, and it was even hotter back then.”

“If you say so,” Sebas murmurs.

“Wanna go see our study room?” CJ asks me then looks at Adam.

“I have three days without toddlers wanting my attention twenty-four seven, so I’m not going to spend a single second of those inside a dusty library,” Adam declares.

“I hear that,” Mike mutters then turns to Derek. “But we could go to the stadium, right? They said it would be open for visitors? I need to go see the wall with all our jerseys on it.”

“Yes,” Wolf drawls, “and we should probably get out of here before anyone who’s like Bennett and spends their summer at school recognizes us and we create a mob.”

“It’s not my fault you’re all famous,” I snap at him playfully.

“I’m not famous,” Glenn protests.

“Neither am I,” Bennett says.

“But you’re married to famous football players,” I point out.

In theory, Glenn graduated from his bachelor’s the same year we all did, and that’s why he got the invite to our ten-year reunion at Cavendish, but actually, he and George both graduated one year after.

Still, they were very adamant that they wouldn’t attend any reunions without us, and honestly it wouldn’t have been the same without them here.

“Let’s go to the stadium then,” Luke pipes up and smirks over at Adam, Derek, Mike, and George. “I have great memories of beating your asses there.”

These damn alphas, always trying to one-up each other.

“And I remember making you eat grass,” Derek says and swings an arm over Hawk’s shoulders. “But yeah, we should go check it out.”

“And we can also check out Holly’s since it’s on the way,” Josie says, amusement lighting up her eyes as she zeroes in on Sebas. “We can take a picture of you two there so you can reenact your love at first sight moment for all of us.”

Adam is shaking his head before she’s done, but Sebas has other ideas. He jumps in place and starts pulling on Adam’s hand.

“Yes, we need that picture so we can show the kids.”

I watch, impressed by Sebas as always, as my best friend follows behind him without a single protest. Hell, he even seems excited now that Sebas has shown interest in the idea.

“It’s nice that some things never change,” CJ says from next to me and I nod. I can’t help how happy it makes me to see Adam and Sebas still so in love and finding joy every day.

The walk to Holly’s goes by quickly with CJ and I pointing out the buildings where we lived, then Sebas does the same, and we even pass the house Adam, Mike, George, and Derek lived in.

Liam stays quiet, but I can see he’s paying attention to everything we say about our time here, and as always, his interest warms my heart. He always makes me feel special without even trying.

Holly’s is practically deserted when we walk in, there’s only two costumers and the bartender.

The two girls give our group a passing glance and then do a hard double take, their jaws dropping to the floor.

“Wait,” Sebas shouts, raising his hands in surrender, and walks slowly over to them like he’s the scared one.

“Before you freak out, can I please ask you not to post anything about this until like, Monday? I just wanna hang out with my friends and take a few pics for my kids so they can see where their papas met.”

“You met here?” It’s the bartender who asks.

As one, all fourteen of us turn to look at him.

“Damn, he even looks like you, Bennett,” Josie whispers, then she walks right over. “Yes, they met here,” she says. “And I’m like, the only one who wasn’t here that night, and I’m still pissed, so why don’t you give me a beer while they all stage the pic and then do a selfie line for their fans?”

The bartender shrugs after a moment and leans down to get her a beer.

As expected, Sebas bosses everyone around so the two girls can get all the selfies they want, and he even takes a few pics for them, then he thanks them profusely when they leave so we can have the place to ourselves.

“Is it hard for you if we drink in front of you?” Liam asks Wolf. He knows I almost never drink anymore, only a neat Scotch when the mood strikes, but that barely happens once a month now.

“Nah, man.” Wolf shakes his head and offers Liam a rare smile. “You get whatever you want.”

He walks over to the bartender and pays close attention to the big explanation Sebas is putting on and how he’s moving everyone around to set the stage properly, but I stay next to Wolf.

“Sometimes I wish Birdie and I had had the chance to experience this,” he says softly.

“In your early twenties you were touring the world and partying way more than you ever could’ve at any university,” I point out. “Besides, what would you two have needed a degree for?”

“That’s a good point, but I just look at how close you all still are and... yeah, I don’t know. The only lifelong friend I have is Liam, and we were never really friends before you two got together.”

“Maybe neither of you thought so, but you were important enough to each other. And you had Hawk, and your shitty head telling you stuff that you had to deal with.” I clap him on the shoulder.

“Whatever you think you missed, try remembering that you might not be here with us, or with CJ, as happy and healthy as you are, if you’d taken a different path, if things had been different.

At least that’s what I tell myself,” I admit.

“Despite that you never have to be okay with losing your parents,” he says point blank. He’s never been one to mince his words, and I love him for it. “I still think about my parents every day, about how fucked up it all was, and I still wish things had been different for them.”

What is there to say to that?

Nothing.

So we watch our big group convince the bartender to let Bennett, Luke, Glenn, and George behind the bar while everyone else arranges themselves sideways on the stools.

“Come over here, you two,” Josie shouts at us, and we end up crouching in front of everyone while the bartender backs up to the opposite wall and shouts a countdown.

I have no idea how the picture’s turned out, but I know that even if there are a few flaws, like most group photos always have, I want to hang it up in my home, so I grab the phone from the bartender before Sebas can take it back and send the five pictures to our group chat.

“I’d like to make a toast,” Liam says.

My head snaps up in surprise. Everyone looks at him expectantly, but his eyes are only on mine, and I know that’s what he needs.

“I know I was the last one to join the group, but over the last two years you’ve all filled my life with warmth and acceptance in a way I didn’t know was possible.

You’re all amazing human beings, and I want to thank you for allowing me to be part of your lives.

You’ve changed my life. You’ve made me a better man, a better friend. You’ve shown me what I’m capable of.”

He says that last part looking at CJ, but then his gaze returns to me.

“You’ve given me space to be myself, and you’ve taught me how to love. Each one of you is like one of my favorite songs, and nothing makes me happier than knowing I can always count on you. I want you to know, you can always count on me too.”

There’s a long beat of silence, and by the multiple glistening eyes I see around me, I bet they’re as choked up as I am.

“Fuck, that was beautiful,” Wolf whispers, then clears his throat. “And I will just say ditto.”

“Same here,” Luke adds.

“Me too,” Hawk says happily.

“Me five,” Bidi says cheekily.

“And me,” Theo whispers, tears freely streaming down his cheeks, though they could never dim his smile.

“We’ve always had a badass group of friends,” Adam says and raises his beer. “But you’ve all found amazing people who have brought nothing but joy to our lives. Here’s to us.”