Epilogue
One Year Later
As I entered the room looking for Sawyer, who had disappeared a few minutes ago, I heard Asher’s voice.
“Come on, Sawyer, you have to mingle more. It’s more your book than his anyway.”
Asher tried to get Sawyer to move, but he stood firm, shaking his head. Asher had made it his mission to get Sawyer away from the wall he was intent on holding up. The book launch party wasn’t Sawyer’s idea, or mine, but it seemed to be Asher’s way of mending fences between the three of us.
His relationship with Sawyer had slowly built over the course of several months, and now it was safe to say that they were probably friends. Asher had even appointed himself the social media manager for my book. Our book, as I often thought of it.
The story might have been mine, but I’d never have been able to get it written without Sawyer’s help. Even if I hadn’t been dyslexic, my writing talents began and ended with cheesy dialogue that was only fit for porn.
Sawyer met my eyes from across the room. He looked at me like I was a hero who’d come to rescue him. I almost felt bad for what I was about to do.
“Hey.” Sawyer sighed when I reached him and immediately slipped an arm around his waist.
“Your book is a hit. I’m trying to get Sawyer to go outside so he can greet all his loyal fans, but he won’t budge,” Asher complained.
“I’m a structural support. You can’t move me.
The house will collapse.” Sawyer leaned against me, and I turned my head, burying my nose in his hair.
Though he still had his townhouse, he was almost never there now, preferring to be here instead.
Sometimes I joked that he only loved me for my dog because Lara rarely left his side.
Right now, however, she was outside, mingling with all her favorite people.
Asher had decided to throw a party to celebrate the release of the book. Most of the guys had read it already or had gotten the CliffsNotes version from the ones who had read it.
Things between Asher and me had gotten better.
He’d confessed months and months ago that he was no longer infatuated with me.
I’d pretended to be wounded, and he’d pretended to let me down easy.
With that bit of uncomfortable history behind us, he’d slotted even deeper into the role of little brother.
“Come outside with me,” I told Sawyer. I knew he wasn’t a fan of crowds, and I’d promised him that he could make his excuses to go hide after my big speech. “You only have to endure another few minutes and then you can run and hide, okay?”
He let out a miserable groan. “Do I have to?”
“Yes, you do. I’m afraid it’s mandatory.
” I tugged Sawyer closer and steered us in the direction of the back door.
Summer was in full swing and almost everyone was outside enjoying the sun and the steady stream of barbeque grilled by Jax himself.
Asher had tried to argue with him about it, but Jax had insisted.
Sawyer finished his drink and pouted. “I’m going to need something stronger.”
“You’ll be fine. You know everyone who’s here.”
“I’m just not used to seeing them all in one place at one time.”
“Oooh, while we have everyone here, we could film a great big orgy,” Asher suggested, his eyes glimmering with hope.
“Sorry, kid. There’s no contracts filled out for that kind of thing.”
“It would take me ten minutes to pass the iPad around and get everyone to sign off,” Asher said, not willing to let the orgy idea go without a fight.
“Asher, they just spent half the day drinking and gorging themselves on barbeque and potato salad. I don’t think they’re really up for an orgy,” Sawyer pointed out, taking my side, which he didn’t always do. Sometimes he and Asher teamed up on me. But I was grateful for his support today.
“Thank you,” I said, pulling the back door open I stepped out and saw two different couples kissing. Another pair were practically dry humping on one of the deck chairs.
“You were saying?” Asher looked far too smug for his own good.
“No orgies are being filmed today, and that’s final.”
Asher rolled his eyes. “Spoilsport.” He flicked his gaze to me, his expression full of pride. “Are you ready to address your adoring fans?”
“I’d hardly call them fans,” I said, to which Asher scoffed.
“I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking to Sawyer.”
I glanced over at my boyfriend, who appeared a little on the pale side all of the sudden. Sawyer was good with small groups. He was a true introvert who was far happier being a wallflower, out of the spotlight.
“I’m ready. I guess.”
Asher put two fingers in his mouth and let out a sharp whistle to get everyone’s attention. “Listen up, sluts. Sawyer has a speech planned. Don’t interrupt him or make direct eye contact for too long. He’s a writer. He’s not used to being out of his cave and he’s easily spooked.”
“You’re an ass,” Sawyer said to Asher, but he was smiling now and seemed a little more relaxed. I watched him take a deep breath and then quickly scan the crowd. Lara came lumbering over, as unhurried as ever, and she plopped down on the deck, leaning heavily against his leg.
“I know I’m fairly new around here compared to all of you. Most of you have known Lukas for years. Some of you have known him in more intimate ways than others.”
That got a whistle and a cheer from the crowd that made Sawyer—and me—blush.
“But all of you have been so kind and so welcoming. You’ve messaged me about the book, having only words of praise and encouragement to share.
You’ve really made me feel like I belong.
I feel more at home here than I feel at my actual home.
I just wanted to take this opportunity, when all of Lukas’s friends are here, when he’s surrounded by the people he calls family, and formally ask him.
” Sawyer turned and took both my hands in his.
He didn’t drop to one knee, as I’d started to expect he might but feared he would.
The blood roaring in my ears nearly drowned him out.
“Lukas, you might not have noticed, what with the book launch and everything, but I’ve moved all my things over. ”
“You—what?” I sputtered, caught off-guard. Whatever it was I’d been expecting to hear, that wasn’t it.
“It was Asher’s idea, really,” Sawyer hedged.
“He said I already live here. I have keys and a code to the alarm. I hadn’t been back to my place in a month.
He kept track. He said I might as well move my stuff in, and he promised me you wouldn’t mind.
Or notice. We’d talked about it, but we hadn’t ever really decided on when it would happen.
So I just… did it.” Sawyer’s cheeks were so red they could probably be seen from space.
“I—” I turned and glanced at Asher, who stood there grinning like an idiot.
A well-meaning, meddlesome little idiot.
“I’ll deal with you later,” I warned him, and he only smiled brighter, then I looked at Sawyer again.
Besides myself, Asher was the only one who knew what I’d really wanted this party planned for.
Sure, I let Asher take all the credit for the idea, and I’d let him run the show from the guest list to the food and everything else. Leaving one task up to me.
“I’m so incredibly sorry that I didn’t ask you sooner. You see, I had this whole big thing planned.”
Sawyer smiled and shook his head. “It’s fine. We were both caught up in life.”
“I feel bad that I never got to ask you to move in properly.” I reached into my pocket and watched the confusion wash over Sawyer’s face as I dropped down on one knee. The crowd gasped and some people in the back started to cheer until Asher silenced them.
“Shut up, you idiots. I can’t hear with you yelling.” Asher turned back and shot me a smile. Sawyer and I were laughing even as I popped the ring box open.
“It’s pretty obvious where this is headed, and I tried to write some kind of grand speech, but we both know you’re the writer so I’m just going to wing it.”
I took a breath, wet my lips, and tried to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest.
“Sawyer, you helped me write my past and now I hope you’ll agree to help me write my future. Our future. Adopt more dogs with me. Move in with me. Marry me, Sawyer.”
“I’m sorry,” Sawyer said, making my heart drop into my stomach, but then he flashed me a killer smile. The wave of relief nearly knocked me over. “But was there a question in there somewhere?”
“Sawyer Whitehead, love of my life, will you marry me?”
“Yes. Of course, I will.” Sawyer bent down and cradled my face in his hands and smashed his mouth over mine. The crowd erupted in cheers. Asher was the loudest, his enthusiasm outshining everyone else’s.
After I slipped the ring on Sawyer’s finger, a silver band with tiny diamonds all the way around, we kissed again, until the well-wishers forced us to come up for air.
Sawyer was pulled into more hugs than he knew how to handle.
It wasn’t a secret to me that he loved every bit of the affection, even if it was a little much for him.
When I met him, he’d been this touch-starved person that leaned into affection like a cat seeking sunshine.
Each day that we spent together was a gift that I vowed never to take for granted.
I’d never expected to meet someone like Sawyer.
Someone who saw me for who I was, not what I did.
He saw all the different parts of me. The adult film actor.
The creative director. The businessman. The struggling dyslexic adult.
And he loved all the versions of me so well that it felt like there was just one version of me now.
The one that was his.
After enduring endless hugs, I pulled Sawyer close and kissed him again. Slow and deep, not caring who was watching or the fact that a few of them had their cell phones out recording.
“If any of you recorded the actual proposal, I’d appreciate it if you sent it to me.” The crowd responded with a bunch of laughter and my phone buzzed several times in succession.
Asher approached Sawyer and me with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Okay, I know the last place the two of you want to be is here, so I took the liberty of booking you a room at a hotel. An overnight bag is packed and is in the back of Lukas’s car.
I’ll stay the night and look after Lara.
” Asher clapped me on the shoulder. “Now get your introverted fiancé out of here before he turns back into a pumpkin.”
I yanked Asher into a hug, and maybe I squeezed him too tight because he let out a little squeak.
“Sorry.” I released him and ruffled his hair, even though I knew he hated it. “Thanks, Asher.”
Sawyer slipped his hand into mine and tugged. “You heard him. We have about three minutes before I turn into a pumpkin.” He started pulling me toward the back door.
“I hate to get engaged and run, but—actually, I don’t.” I waved at the crowd. “Don’t break anything. Don’t burn it down. Don’t have the cops called or you’re all fired.”
Everyone laughed and told us to get out of there, prompting Sawyer and me to practically run through the house. Stopping by the front door, I pushed him against the wall and kissed him until I was breathless, hard, dizzy, and so fucking happy I couldn’t see straight.
“I hope it’s okay if I take your name,” I told him.
Sawyer just smiled softly and brushed the hair off my forehead. “I’ll give you anything you want.”
I pulled him close, angling for another kiss. I paused with barely a breath of space between us. “I have everything I want right here.”