The Step Dare (Peach State Stepbros #3)

Epilogue

Brenner

May

A s soon as our caps fly into the air, Taylor pulls me into a hug. We’re both jumping up and down, grips tight on each other’s gowns, happy as hell because we’re both college graduates. Everyone is cheering and shouting, my heart beating like crazy as I pull back and look at my sexy boyfriend, my best friend. “We fucking did it!” I tell him.

“Hell yes!”

The past three months have been fucking awesome. Having a boyfriend is hands down the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Scratch that. Having Taylor for my boyfriend is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I have more fun with him than I do with anyone else. He not only always makes me laugh, but he makes me feel good , and I’m so lucky to have him.

“Congrats, man!” Atlas says from beside me, and I can see the pride in his eyes. Knowing that on some level, as happy as he is today, that we both have one thing in common—we’re wishing our moms could be here to celebrate with us. He was close to his mom too, something I didn’t learn until later in our friendship, and she passed away as well.

“Congrats, bro.” I pull him into a hug as Taylor and Troy do the same to each other before we switch so I can give Troy his props too.

“I can’t believe we did it!” Colin says. Ash is younger than him, so he isn’t graduating with the five of us.

“I can’t believe you did it,” I tease Col, who nudges me with his arm. “I’m giving you shit.” Colin might not have a lot of common sense, but he’s incredibly smart and a hard worker.

“Party tonight at Alpha Theta Mu?” Colin asks.

“Fuck yes,” I reply.

“Do we have to?” Atlas jokes, making us laugh.

“Yes. We’re being social tonight…but I’ll have a treat for you afterward.” Troy wraps an arm around him.

“Do I get a treat afterward too?” I pump my brows at Taylor.

“You love parties, so why do I have to treat you?”

“Well, I love sex too, so I figure that’s a good enough reason.”

“Works for me.” My boyfriend grins, then kisses me. “Come on, guys. We should find our parents.”

We head the direction where they were sitting. Troy’s mom is there for Atlas and Troy, along with Colin’s mom, who drove in from North Carolina, his dad and stepmom, Ash, of course, and my dad and Nicole.

I take Taylor’s hand as we make our way toward them, and then we’re immediately hugged to death by a whole lot of parents giving us a shit ton of congrats. It’s fucking awesome. The stepbrothers thing hasn’t been a problem with any of our family or extended family, but even if it had been, Taylor and I know we have two caring parents in our corner.

“I’m proud of you,” Dad tells me. “Your mom would be so happy today.”

I swipe at a stray tear that leaks from my eye. “I know she would be.” We give each other a nod before I give my attention to Nic. “Hey, Mama Two.” It’s something I’ve started calling her for fun, and somewhere along the way, it stuck.

“Oh, Bren. Congratulations.” She hugs me while Taylor shares a moment with Dad. The two of them have gotten closer the past few months, and I know that will continue to grow. Taylor will always know what it’s like to have a good father now. “You boys ready to go out to dinner?”

We plan to eat with them before they head back home and we go to the frat house for the party. We end up at our favorite Korean BBQ restaurant, sharing good food and lots of laughter, and then they drop us off at our apartment.

“Shower?” Taylor asks, then chuckles when he realizes I’m already ripping off my clothes.

“What’s taking you so long?”

“I’m right behind you.”

“Yeah, but you’re not nearly naked enough yet.”

He playfully throws his shirt at the back of my head.

I turn around and walk backward. “Much better. I’m enjoying the view.”

“You’re such a dork,” he jokes.

“Your dork.”

A spark ignites in Taylor’s gaze. “All mine. Always.”

“You know it.”

We end up on the bed, jerking each other off first, then get into the shower, washing away the fat load drying on our skin and getting ready for the party tonight.

I hear the music the second we pull up, Lance likely doing his thing at the DJ table. There’s a jump in my pulse. I really do love parties, and this one is for an incredible fucking reason.

“You’re excited,” Taylor says.

“How can you tell?”

“The way you’re practically bouncing in the seat was a good clue, but mostly, just because I know you.” He tosses a quick look my way, smiling.

“You do.” And he chose me. Fucking wild.

“It’s why I like you so much,” Taylor says, as if reading my mind.

“Damn. You got game. You already have me. You don’t have to sweet-talk me.”

Taylor turns off his car. “I like to sweet-talk you.”

“I love us.”

He grins. “I love us too.”

We get out of the car and head toward the Alpha Theta Mu house. Music has the area bumping. We go through the house, and it’s already packed with people.

“Atlas said they’re in the backyard!” Taylor shouts over the music, just as my phone buzzes against my hip.

I peek at the screen. “Mila is back there too!” I shout back.

We work our way through the sea of people, and I suck in a deep breath of fresh air when we’re out back. There are tables and a keg and the scent of weed makes my nose tingle. The Alpha Theta Mu house is definitely on point tonight.

“There they are,” Taylor says, and we walk over to where Atlas, Troy, Colin, Ash, Marty, Mila, and her girlfriend, Alexis, are. They’ve only been dating for about six weeks, but my friend is already head over heels for Alexis.

“Hey, you two.” Mila grins.

“What’s up?”

“Happy graduation.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not all my schooling.” I still have grad school to complete my architecture degree.

“It’s not going to be the same without Troy in the frat anymore,” Marty says.

“One less person to bug you,” I reply.

“Or is it one less person for Marty to bug?” Taylor asks, earning the finger from Marty.

“Remind me again why I agreed to DJ?” Lance steps up to us. “What am I missing?”

“Being the DJ?” I tease, since he can’t really do that from here.

“Ha-ha. Payton is taking over for a bit.”

“We were just talking about how different the frat will be without Troy,” Taylor catches him up.

Lance shrugs. “Well, at least we still have our Task Frat Challenge Master.”

“He didn’t seem to help you win this year,” I remind him.

Sigma Alpha was the official winner of the Task Frat Challenge for the year—whatever the hell that means—which I know has grated on Lance’s nerves.

He glares at me playfully. “Well, Ty Lancaster better enjoy the victory while he can because Alpha Theta Mu is gonna bring it.”

Ty’s the president of Sigma Alpha, whom Lance might describe as his archnemesis. All in good fun…at least I think it is.

We fill our cups with beer and sit around talking for a while. Eventually Dax shows up, making his rounds to talk to all the good-looking guys here tonight. I can’t stop thinking about what Marty said, though. While some of us will still be around Peachtree Springs and some will still be going to Peach State, it’s going to be different now.

“What’s wrong?” Taylor wraps his arms around my shoulders, running his fingers along my nape.

I playfully start bouncing my leg like a dog, and he laughs.

“What’s wrong?” he asks again.

“Nothing really. Just thinking about the fact that we’re all growing up.” We’ve all gotten so close over the last four years. It’s weird when life moves forward.

“It’ll be different for sure, but there’s other exciting things in all our futures. Plus, I can’t imagine all of us not being friends for the rest of our lives. We’ll visit Atlas and Troy, and Old-Ass Atlas will yell at us to get off his lawn.”

“Hey, fuck off. Who said I will still want to be your friend when I’m old?” Atlas interrupts.

“Because you love them,” Troy tells him.

Atlas shrugs. “I guess.” But he’s smiling, then gives me an up-nod.

I hate to get a little emotional, but the beer is getting to me, so I raise my Solo cup and say, “To friendship. May we all annoy Atlas and frustrate Marty for the rest of our lives.”

“To friendship,” they all say, and we clink the cheap plastic together in a promise.

“Now, unless you want me and Tay to pull an Ash and Colin and start getting busy in front of everyone, I need to take my man home.”

“I’ll call a car,” Taylor says. “I can come back for my ride tomorrow.”

We say our goodbyes and go out front to wait for the car.

“You okay?” Taylor asks.

I look at him and feel so much love, so much happiness, I could burst. I’m thankful every day that I not only have Taylor for my best friend, but that I’ll have him as my partner for the rest of my life. “I’m perfect. I have the best boyfriend ever.”

Taylor smirks. “You do. Lucky guy.”

I chuckle. “Aren’t you supposed to say you have the best boyfriend too?”

“But how can I have that if you already do?”

“You’re a brat.”

Taylor wraps an arm around me and pulls me close. “I love you, Brenner. We’re gonna be so happy.”

“We are. Always.” I can’t wait to see what our future holds, and whatever it is, I know we’ll be together. “I love you too.”

THE END