Epilogue
“Hey, Bridget! How’s it going? I was wondering if I could stop by, see you when I come into town.” Graham wanted to be sure he saw his best girl. They called at least once a week.
“You’re coming to Secret Springs?” She sounded so surprised.
“I am. I have to. We’re coming out to pack up my things and grab my baby car. The snows finally cleared up, and it looks like May’s going to be beautiful. I can’t wait to come and see everybody and say thanks to everyone who helped me and all. We’re going to be in for about three days.”
“You sound so happy! How are you doing, sweets?”
Was he happy? He was over the moon.
Their house was wonderful and warm; he’d already made friends with the neighbors; they all played cards weekly. He worked part-time at a resort just outside Boulder toward the mountains. All the rest of his work time he used to help Mav out with his businesses.
Graham didn’t have a set schedule. He could pretty much come and go as he pleased.
And he loved Boulder. It was weird and wonderful. Crunchy granola, and he fit right in. The food was amazing, there was cute shopping, and there was a lot of culture. He missed Secret Springs sometimes, but Boulder was great.
Best of all there was Mav.
Mav at night, Mav in the morning.
Mav when he was grumpy, Mav when he was laughing. Mav who thought he was perfect just the way he was, when Mav was clearly the gorgeous one.
There was skiing and hot tubs and weird plays at colleges. His life was amazing.
“I am so much better than okay. I mean, if you had told me I would run off with a guy who snarled at me on Valentine’s Day and… But I did.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “We’re engaged. I wanted you to be the first to know.” Well, after Mav’s family, who they’d told already.
Her cheer filled the air. “Oh my God! Are we invited?”
“Are you kidding? We’re getting married in the hotel.”
“Really?”
“Next June. We want our friends here in Boulder to come out and do like, a spa/pool week. It’s going to be a hoot.” He was over the fucking moon, so in love he hurt with it.
“Oh, I can’t wait to plan. I get to cater it, right?”
He laughed. “No one else, lovely. I need you.”
“Oh, I can’t wait! Just let me know when you’re around. I’ll take you and your man to lunch and pitch a bunch of business opportunities to him.”
He chuckled, his neck prickling. When he glanced over his shoulder, Mav was strolling into the kitchen. “He’ll love that.”
Mav gave him a warm, sweet smile. “What will I love, baby?”
“Talking to Bridget.”
“Hell, yes. We’ll spend time with her when we head out.” Mav was so damn handsome in jeans and a casual pullover, his hair mussed.
“I told her so. She wants to cater the wedding.”
Mav came to wrap both arms around him from behind. “Thank you, Bridget!”
“You’re welcome, Mav!” she hollered. “See you later.”
“See you in a few days, hon! I’ll text to let you know exactly when.”
He said his goodbyes, and then turned to Mav, face lifted for a kiss.
“Mmm.” Mav bent and gave it to him, licking at his lower lip. “How are you, love?”
“So happy. Thank you for bringing me home.”
“I couldn’t not. You stole my heart on Valentine’s Day, and I had no intention of giving it back.” Mav took another kiss. “Long-distance relationships are overrated.”
He wrapped around his lover, laughing out loud when his stomach rumbled, reminding him why he was in the kitchen in the first place. He was never self-conscious about being hungry around Mav, though.
Mav adored him as he was.
“I should feed you, huh?”
“You should. But let’s stay in, okay?” They loved to go out, but he also had a real fondness for delivery. Or snacky meals shared in bed.
“That sounds like a plan, baby boy. Wanna order burgers?”
“Yes, please.” That would give them half an hour.
And they could get up to a lot in that time.
Mav was an expert at that. Even better than he was at being grumpy when things went wrong.
And he wasn’t ever going to complain about that, because it had brought him right here to this moment.
Graham was never going to forget that first Valentine’s Day. Not ever.