Epilogue #2
When Kian had told him that Miles had asked him to be one of his attendants, it hadn’t struck him right away that meant that he would be on his own, surrounded by people who either knew him personally and didn’t like him or who had definitely heard the worst of the rumors about him.
He’d fully expected to have to sit through the ceremony by himself, even though Kian had insisted that he could sit with Damon and Ryan.
He and Damon had come to an uneasy truce, but they weren’t ever going to be friends, and after getting a glimpse of Ryan, in sunglasses and a very sharp suit, with a trail of fans following him around, Bastian had decided he wasn’t going to go to the trouble to introduce himself.
“Well, thank you,” Bastian said stiffly.
She laughed again. “I couldn’t drag my husband to this—he hates weddings too—and he’s working besides, so you’re stuck with me. Though,” she added speculatively, “you need to let me introduce you to Ryan after the ceremony.”
It would be so easy to brush her off. It wasn’t like Bastian hadn’t been doing it his whole damn life, never letting a single person close.
He’d thought he could just let Kian in, and leave the rest of the world out, but the longer they dated, the more impossible that seemed.
This wedding was the prime example of that, and he was beginning to realize that loving Kian came with all this other stuff too—and other people, one of whom was sitting next to him right now.
“Sure, I’d like that,” Bastian said, voice gruff and suddenly swamped with emotion because Kian had brought life with him when he’d let him in.
He’d brought people and joy and vitality and a messiness that Bastian didn’t always like, but in the end, enjoyed nevertheless.
“I knew you’d come around,” Tabitha said impudently. “You’re really not as scary as your reputation promised.”
Bastian opened his mouth, very willing to promise that he was as scary as it took, but then the music started—a goddamn string trio complete with harpist.
He leaned closer to her, and said under his breath, “I didn’t realize that Miles was the string trio type.”
Tabitha smothered a laugh. “You clearly haven’t spent much time with Evan.”
So apparently Evan was the string trio type in their relationship. Frankly, Bastian thought as the ceremony began, he wasn’t sure he could picture Miles settling down with a string trio type. Even when Miles had been filming his pastry videos, he’d always been so casual and laid-back.
But then Evan and Miles approached the officiant, dressed similarly in gray suits, and their hands gripped tightly together. Evan’s white shirt was buttoned up and topped off with a pale yellow bow tie. Miles had not only eschewed the bow tie, he’d left the top two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned.
And somehow, despite that clear outer difference illustrating their inner differences, they couldn’t take their eyes off each other, the love radiating out of them so palpable, that Bastian had to wonder if he and Kian were so obvious.
They’d spent forever hiding their feelings, so maybe they weren’t.
Or maybe, like Michel had told him wryly and more than once, they’d always been shitty at hiding.
Everyone had always known, but it had only been that worm Mark who had figured out a way to twist it, to make their feelings for each other so negative.
Right before he spoke, Bastian realized that he recognized the officiant. That was Reed Ryan, and somehow Evan and Miles had managed to drag him out of the kitchen, which was impressive.
“Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, welcome,” the officiant said, smiling wide.
“I’m Reed Ryan, and I’ve had the pleasure and the pride of knowing Evan and Miles for several years now, and I was so touched when they asked me to officiate their wedding.
Of course, I was also terrified because I’m the worst public speaker ever, so please bear with me. ”
The assembled friends and family laughed, but Bastian knew from the strain on Reed’s face that he wasn’t trying to lower expectations; this truly wasn’t easy for him.
“Today,” Reed continued, “we’ve all gathered here to witness the loving union between Evan and Miles.
Every single one of you is here because you’ve all had a special part of their lives, and they’ve asked you not only to bear witness to their union, but to help create beautiful memories of this special day. ”
Bastian shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He didn’t think he’d been asked to come to help create beautiful memories. He’d been asked because despite everyone’s beliefs and against all the odds, he and Kian had created a lasting relationship together.
He knew how long Xander and Wyatt and to a lesser extent, Miles, had fought against Kian having feelings for him. Just because they’d finally accepted that Kian wasn’t leaving Bastian anytime soon didn’t mean they suddenly approved of whom he’d picked to be his partner.
And there was nothing like a wedding to drill that point home.
He wouldn’t be particularly surprised if that was another reason why the woman next to him had chosen this particular seat.
Kian, standing in the front next to Xander and Wyatt, smiled at him, and even though he wasn’t enjoying himself, Bastian couldn’t help but smile back.
“First,” Reed continued, “is there anybody who has an objection to this couple joining their lives together?”
It was difficult to imagine standing up where Evan and Miles were in a few years, but Bastian still made a mental note to make sure that particular sentence was erased from the ceremony, as he could imagine more than one person deciding that they definitely had an objection. Or ten.
Bastian couldn’t imagine anyone objecting to Miles and Evan. So he was shocked, along with the rest of the audience, when Wyatt stepped forward, his blond hair shaggy and longer than it had ever been when he’d worked at Terroir.
“I do,” Wyatt said, clearly and loudly, with a voice that carried. Several rows away, Bastian heard his boyfriend, Ryan, laugh out loud.
What was going on?
Reed must have anticipated this because he just smiled, and said, “What is your objection?”
“I object,” Wyatt said, clearly trying for a serious tone, but failing because he kept smiling so brightly, “because you should be ridiculously in love to get married.”
Miles laughed then, Evan’s warm gaze never leaving his future husband’s. As if there was any doubt they were ridiculously in love.
“If I am, how do you suggest I prove it?” Miles asked, his voice amused and curious.
“Maybe spirit him away to a tropical island and spoil him horribly?” Wyatt suggested. “Oh wait, you already did that. I guess,” he said with a shrug, “it’s inevitable, you should marry him.”
“Thanks,” Miles said dryly.
“Any other objections?” Reed asked, but Bastian had figured out there were going to be at least two others, the exact number of remaining attendants who had yet to speak.
“I have one,” Xander said next.
“Of course you do,” Evan said, loud enough for the audience to hear and chuckle along with the wedding party.
“I’m somewhat infamous for my objections,” Xander continued, “so don’t think I present this lightly. But I think two people who are getting married should spend more time together than you do. Be partners, in the truest sense of the word.”
This time it was Evan who responded. “You mean, more than live together and work together? What sort of partnership would you suggest, Bridges?”
Xander’s gaze was steady, and clearly not on the couple standing in front of Reed, but his fiancé, one row up from Bastian.
“True partnership means you support each other through thick and thin, even when it’s hard, and especially when it feels impossible.
You need to have each other’s backs, every single time, no matter the obstacle. ”
Miles’ voice wasn’t quite steady as he answered Xander. “I think we can do that, don’t you?” he asked his husband-to-be in a hushed voice.
“I think with you next to me, we can do anything,” Evan said.
“Then I withdraw my objection,” Xander said, and the look he directed towards Damon was practically a caress.
“Let me guess,” Reed said, “there’s one more objection.”
“Yeah, I’ve definitely got one,” Kian said, and even though Bastian had been anticipating this, his heart started beating harder.
A hand reached for his and gave it a little squeeze.
It must have been Tabitha. Maybe she’d even been put next to him so he wouldn’t do anything crazy like leap up in the middle of Evan and Miles’ wedding and do something insane that would make everyone hate him even more, like proposing to Kian.
He wasn’t sure anymore it was the proposing part everyone would hate him for. But interrupting Evan and Miles’ wedding and making it all about him? That was a fairly good reason.
“What’s your objection?” Reed asked.
Kian gazed right at him, and maybe Michel was right, Bastian thought in a haze, maybe they had always been terrible at hiding their feelings.
“From my own relationship, I know just how important loyalty is. Without it, you might as well give up now, because you’re never going to be able to stay together.
True loyalty is protecting the person you love with every fiber of your being, but also knowing when to let them go and set them free.
Supporting them, even if their choices aren’t your own. ”
Miles’ look at Evan was both dry and a little watery. “I can’t imagine knowing anything about that.”
“We’ve made it work, we’ll make it work every day,” Evan promised. “Because I love you.”
“I guess,” Kian said, his own glance an invisible caress against Bastian’s cheek, “I don’t have an objection after all.”
The assembled guests all chuckled, and Reed said, “Then it’s time for your vows.”
Bastian reached over and gripped Tabitha’s hand. “Thank you,” he murmured to her.
Her smile back was brilliant. “Anytime.”
And from the way Kian was looking at him, Bastian suddenly knew that it would only be a matter of time before they did this too. Maybe not with the string trio and the bow ties, but definitely surrounded by the people they cared about, who cared about them.
“After the ceremony, I also want to introduce you to my husband,” she said quietly.
“You said he hadn’t come?” Bastian questioned.
Tabitha rolled her eyes. “Like I would ever let him out of a wedding.”
Watching Evan and Miles exchange rings, Bastian realized that Kian had known how uncomfortable he’d feel during the ceremony, having to sit alone, and that he wouldn’t ever seek out Damon or Ryan.
So he’d asked Tabitha, whom he probably knew through Ryan and Miles and Evan, to sit with him.
To make sure that he felt relaxed and comfortable.
Love swirled all around him and all through him, lighting him up inside, and Bastian knew he could never go back to the lonely workaholic he’d been before Kian. Kian had changed his life, had opened him up to life—and love, and a thousand other things that he’d been missing before.
“And I want you to meet Kian,” Bastian said, because he could no longer help playing along. “He’s the love of my life.”