Page 4

JULIAN

“ F alling in love with you…” Deacon shakes his head. “I never saw it coming. I never saw you coming. But there you were, so open and honest and vulnerable, all the things that were so foreign to me; all the reasons that made me want to stay. In your orbit, in your life. Once I had you by my side, there was nowhere else in this world I wanted to be.”

Needing to touch him, I place my hands over his as he continues. “You’re patient and kind and protective. Protective of me.” His cheeks turn a shade of red as he admits, “And I never thought myself worthy of protecting.”

Staring at one another, we both sit with his revelation, no doubt both of us back at his parents’ place, reliving a pivotal moment in our relationship.

“On paper we are nothing more than roadblock after roadblock after roadblock. But in reality?” I watch a smile filled with confidence and adoration stretch across his face, despite his unshed tears. “In reality, loving you is living.”

My chest tightens as I let those words soak into my skin and settle in my bones. Life had been so bleak and hopeless before him, and without even trying, he brightened up my days and shined light on my future.

“And I want to do both—love you and live with you,” he says with certainty. “Your love has healed me, Julian. And I want to spend the rest of my life saying thank you.”

On instinct I shake my head and mouth the word “no” because we both know there is nothing to thank me for. Unperturbed by my outburst, Deacon just nods and holds me tighter.

“Yes,” he insists. “I want to love you, the way you deserve, till my dying breath. Every minute of every hour, of every day, I promise to make you feel my love.”

Gently releasing our hands, Deacon steps back and glances at Wade, who, right on cue, holds out my ring, a brushed white gold band that Deacon and I chose together, his engagement ring now sitting on my right hand.

Butterflies swarm my stomach as I hold out my left hand to him. For five and a half years we have lived and built a life together, like we’re already married. And yet the idea of being tied to him in one more way, has my blood pumping and my heart racing.

It feels like the sun rising on a brand new day, anticipating what’s to come and what our life will be. What it’ll be like to wake up forty years from now, beside him, still needing him, still wanting him, still loving him.

“Julian,” Deacon says, rerouting my focus back to him. “When I fell in love with you, I was gifted a world where shame and heartache don’t exist. I found a world where being myself is more than enough.”

My gaze falls to his throat, watching the way it bobs as he searches for whatever words he wants to say next.

“I love you, Julian Reid.” His voice is laced with conviction and emotion as he slides the ring down my finger. “I promise to love you when it’s quiet and love you when it’s loud. I promise to love you in the light and in the dark. When you need me and even when you don’t.”

“There isn’t a world or a lifetime where I won’t need you,” I interject, not caring about the order or the formalities or anything else but making today about him and my love for him.

“I guess I’ll love you in every world and every lifetime, then, huh?”

He brings my hand up to his lips, kissing my newly adorned finger, his gaze never leaving mine. “It’s you and me. Always.”

I can feel everything around us slipping away as we both get lost in the moment, as I get lost in his declarations. And I momentarily wonder why we didn’t just do this without an audience, where I didn’t have to wait to say how I felt, where I could reassure him that loving him has been the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Where I could kiss him and touch him, showing him all the ways just how perfect he is.

When Wade taps me on the shoulder, I realize I missed his introduction to say my vows.

“Sorry,” I say quickly.

He smiles and shrugs. “It’s your show, man, take all the time you need.”

Uncharacteristically, I find myself shaking my legs and arms out, like I’m warming up for a race. It has all our guests chuckling and Deacon smiling at me, unperturbed, taking me as I am, in any moment.

“Do we think I can say these without crying?” I ask jokingly, knowing it’ll be very much impossible.

Deacon offers me a smirk. “It’d be nice if I’m not the only one.”

Slipping my hand inside my jacket, I pull a folded post-it note from the inside pocket, open it, and scan the words scrawled on there in my messy handwriting.

Quickly, I fold it back up and then slip it inside Deacon’s suit jacket instead of mine. In a swift movement, he grabs my hand, brushing his lips across the back before pressing a kiss to my skin.

Even with the softest touch, electricity races through me, never tiring of the affection this man effortlessly showers me with.

He guides our hands between us and we interlace our fingers, my gaze getting caught on my wedding band sitting beautifully between us.

Staring at the sight a little too long, I eventually clear my throat and bring my gaze back to Deacon’s. My broody man is no longer broody, not today anyway. The lightness in his blue eyes unmissable, his smile soft, his expression at ease.

“Deacon,” I breathe out. “You were under my skin before I even knew it. You took care of me before either of us knew that’s what you were doing or what it even meant.”

My hands tighten in his as my eyes well with tears. “You say I’m the protector, but you always protect me. You aren’t a fighter by nature, but time and time again I have seen you fight for us.” The handle I have on my emotions slowly starts to slip, the shake in my voice evidence. “You have sacrificed for us,” I manage to breathe out. “You have lost because of us.”

Quickly, I raise my arm and slide my face against the material, trying to catch tears before they fall.

“And I know there have been times it’s been bittersweet and painful,” I continue. “But you make sure I know our life together is worth it.

“There aren’t enough words in the English language to convey just how grateful I am for you choosing me, for loving me and allowing me to love you.” I bring our interlaced hands to my lips and kiss his fingers. “You continue to be the steady rhythm of my heartbeat. You are worthy and you are special, and I’ve never been more grateful to call someone mine.”

In my peripheral I see Wade holding out Deacon’s ring, waiting for me to take it. When I have the circle-shaped jewelry in between my fingers, I stretch and straighten Deacon’s hand and then slide the ring down.

“I promise to love you always and unconditionally,” I tell him. “In the good times and the bad times. But I promise to love you the most when we’re knee deep, too busy, and messily wading through everything in between.

“I love you, Deacon. You own me,” I choke out. “My heart is yours till the day you say you don’t want it anymore.”

And just like all those years ago, Deacon shakes his head, face streaked with tears. Stepping closer to me, he raises his hands to cradle my face.

“Never,” he says hoarsely. “I will never not want you.”

Beyond impatient, my own hands mirror his and I bring him to my waiting mouth. Relief sweeps through me as his lips meld to mine, the kiss a sweet, relaxed exhale.

Somewhere in the background I hear Wade announce us as husbands, and all our friends and family cheering in unison, but all I can focus on is him.

All I want to focus on is him.

Settling into the kiss, I don’t care if it’s supposed to be a peck or if everyone gets tired of watching. I drop my hands from his face and wrap my arms around his neck. On instinct, Deacon’s arms circle my waist, our bodies now flush against one another.

The kiss picks up in pace, soft and gentle morphing into deep and determined. It’s our past and our present and our future. It’s the flutter of anticipation in my stomach, and the heat swimming in my veins. It’s every exchanged promise, every loud declaration, every hard earned moment of our love.

It’s him and me.

Julian and Deacon.

“Husbands,” he murmurs against my lips.

Smiling, I echo, “Husbands.”