My heart aches with happiness, and I can’t help but let mirth segue to sappiness. “I think I’d love you however you are,husband of mine.” I glance down at our boyfriend, my gratitude overflowing. “I can’t wait to love so many versions of you, too, baby boy. I’m so excited to see who you’re going to become.”
Because he might not know it yet, but I plan on loving him for an extremely long time to come.
Maybe even forever.
Epilogue
OLIVER – TWO WEEKS LATER
“I can’t believewe finally did it,” I say breathlessly to my bestie, Valerie, clutching my diploma to my chest.
She smiles indulgently at me. “How does it feel to be a college graduate?” she asks.
I shake my head and look around at all the people milling around the football field where we just had the ceremony. “Incredible. But it’ll feel even better once we get out of these monstrosities.”
She laughs as I pluck at my purple gown, the same one we’re all wearing. While I understand that purple and teal are the school’s colors, it doesn’t stop me from feeling like we all look like a bunch of grapes.
That makes me think of my bracelet, and a rush of love courses through my body. True to his word, August did find me a bunch of grapes charm that he added to the collection I started with.
I only realize I’m staring at the thing all dreamy-eyed when Valerie chuckles. “You should probably go find them,” she suggests, then winks at me when I look guiltily back at her. “I need to track down my folks anyway. I’ll see you for brunch tomorrow?”
“You bet,” I tell her warmly. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. She’s already got an internship sorted out at a big finance company down in Indianapolis, and I couldn’t be happier or prouder of her. But I am going to miss her like crazy.
“Don’t make that face,” she cries with a laugh that half turns into a sob. She whacks my arm and scowls at me. “I’m only going to be an hour away. We’ll still see each other all the time. That is, if you’re not too busy with your newboyyyyfriends.”
“Oh, we intend to keep him extremely busy,” a mouthwateringly familiar voice floats from behind me. I spin around to see Tallis and August approaching us, hand in hand, looking sinfully gorgeous in tailored suits.
I love that they came to watch me graduate. I love even more that I’m not fretting if anyone is going to make assumptions about us.
I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it. If someone gets in a snit because that happens to be with two older men, I couldn’t care less.
I’m proud to be theirs.
“This must be the famous Valerie,” August says warmly, offering his hand out to my friend. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
“And I haven’t heard nearly enough about you two,” she replies, glancing at me with narrowed eyes. “Oliver is very stingy with the details.”
I choke on my own spit in horror, but my Daddies both simply laugh. “That’s because he’s a good boy,” Tallis says, raising a stern eyebrow at her. It only succeeds in making her preen, though.
“Okay,” she says abruptly, spinning back to me and placing a kiss on my cheek. “I really do have to go find my parents. Enjoy your evening and we’ll catch up tomorrow!”
“Bye,” I call after her fondly, but she’s soon lost in the crowd.
I take a second to look around for any familiar faces, especially my mom. I texted her earlier to let her know I’d meet her where I’m standing now, as I figured with thousands of people messaging after the ceremony, signal would be terrible.
I don’t see her yet, but I do catch the eye of Professor Knight who gives me a proud nod. I aced his class in the end and I’m going to miss his lessons. He’s standing arm in arm with his boyfriend who used to be his TA. I wonder what the story is there.
Could it be as outrageous as my own? I doubt it, but it turns out this town is a lot kinkier than I ever imagined, so who knows?
“Ollie?”
My heart leaps as I spin around and find my mom running toward me, arms open wide with tears streaming down her face.
“Mom!” I yell, crashing into her for a bone-crushing hug.
“Oh, baby,” she says, her voice wobbling with emotion. She leans back and cups her hands on either side of my face. “I’m soproudof you. All that hard work, all those years. You did it!”
“I’d have never got here without you,” I tell her truthfully, tears dripping into my grinning mouth.