Epilogue
DEVIN
One Month Later
“What have you done with Zane?” Sandy asks as we join him and Nova at their table in Pints and Pool. “He’s all smiley these days. It’s disturbing.” He gives a mock shudder.
Zane rolls his eyes but doesn’t lose his smile.
“You’re just jealous you don’t have a handsome muscly man looking after you,” Nova giggles.
“Oh, tell me about it.” Sandy sighs wistfully. “All the best guys are taken. How can I live in a town as gay as Foggy B and not be able to find someone for me?”
“You were the first person in this town I met.” I shrug. Sandy’s eyes slide past me to Zane.
“Clearly you prefer the rough around the edges, farm boy types, with dirt under their nails” he says scathingly, picking up his drink with his perfectly manicured and painted nails to show his point.
“Hey!” Zane exclaims. “I’m sitting right here.”
“Do you know our problem, Nova? We’re too pretty for this town. We should move to the city.”
“You are not moving to the city,” Zane growls, and Nova smirks. It took enough for Zane to agree to him going to college in Sacramento in the fall. I think he’d have a heart attack if he thought Nova wanted to stay there.
“C’mon, Nova, let’s go and choose our karaoke songs,” Sandy announces and rises, dragging Nova with him.
“Sometimes I think Sandy’s a bad influence on Nova,” Zane says and shifts a bit closer to me, even though there’s more room now we’re on our own. Not that I’m complaining. Some days I can’t get enough of Zane and want to touch him all the time. He’s plenty hands-on as well.
The last month has been amazing. I’ve moved into the farmhouse, which I’m glad of.
Clive is doing alright, though I know things aren’t getting easier for him.
Arlene likes to fuss over us all. At least once a week Zane asks me if I’m getting restless, but I’m not.
It sometimes feels strange, but most of the time it feels perfectly natural that I feel so at home at the farm.
The first cut of hay is nearly done, and I’ve planned a few days away.
It’s a surprise for Zane. I know if I asked him, he’d say no.
But I’ve talked to Arlene about it and she’ll be there for Clive.
It’s only a few days, as many as we were at the cabin for.
I decide this is the night to spring it on him.
“Have you seen the Golden Gate Bridge?” I ask.
“Of course not,” he replies, frowning. “I said I’d not been anywhere.”
“You said you’d not left the state, and San Francisco is still in Cali.”
“Still no,” he replies.
“That’s good, then. Neither have I, and I want to see it. I’ve booked us a trip there in two weeks.”
He stares at me with a range of emotions passing over his face. I don’t think he’ll be mad, but sometimes you can never tell.
“There’s no point in me protesting, is there?” he says eventually.
“Nope.” I take that as a triumph. “We’ll be away for four nights. We’re only a few hours away, and Arlene and Nova will be there for the feed store and your dad.”
“You’ve really planned this, haven’t you?”
“I have,” I own up.
“Thank you. I’d really like to see it and to be with you.” He puts an arm around me and I nestle into him.
“I’m lucky to have such a thoughtful boyfriend,” he murmurs into my hair with a smile. I’m the lucky one.
Nova and Sandy come bouncing back over and sit back down.
“We’re up for the next two songs,” Nova announces.
“Are you going to have a go?” Sandy asks, and I turn to Zane. He looks stricken and removes his arm from around me, leaning forward slightly.
“No. Absolutely not. I’ve told you before,” he tells Sandy.
“Go on, you’d be good at it,” I say, and he frowns.
“Nope, I’m not getting up on that stage.”
“Look around. Most people aren’t taking any notice.”
“They will when I start singing,” he says.
“You sing really well,” I say and then lean closer so only he can hear me. “We could sing our song.”
I see him wavering and lay it on thick.
“Please? For me. It would mean a lot.” When he rolls his eyes I know I’ve got him.
“Okay, but I’ll be Dolly.”
“You’re always Dolly,” I whisper and he smirks. “And I have to be Kenny, because I’m the one with the beard.” He beckons Nova over and whispers to him. Nova disappears and comes back a couple of minutes later.
“Okay, you’re on straight after us,” he tells us. Zane still looks nervous and I push my thigh against his under the table. He rests his hand on my knee and I cover it with my own.
Nova and Sandy get up and do their song.
They both sing well and are entertaining, trying to outdo each other.
Then it’s our turn. I stand and pull Zane up, and I interlace our fingers as we walk up to the stage.
I don’t let go as the first bars of “Islands in the Stream” start up.
Our song. I start singing directly to him, ignoring everyone else in the bar.
I think he does the same as his eyes never leave my face.
As the last notes finish we stand looking at each other.
Then applause starts up, I suspect started by Nova and Sandy, and Zane blinks as if just realizing what’s happened.
“I’m never doing that again,” he says gruffly as we walk off the stage, but I know he will, he just needs persuading.
But of course I don’t say that. I just reply.
“Sure thing boss.”