Epilogue
Myles
Cole Hamilton sat in my lounger while his partners and best friends, Caressa and Michael, sat in chairs under the umbrella. I was with them while the love of my life barbequed burgers and hot dogs. He’d neglected to mention the ocean view from the rooftop deck of our little townhouse.
Fluffy sat contentedly on Michael’s lap as the man stroked the cat. Luigi sat near Hallsy’s feet while the other two stuck to the house. Smart. The temperature was close to one hundred degrees, but we’d invited Cole and crew over before the temperature had spiked in the forecast.
Caressa sipped her mineral water and eyed me. “I don’t see it.”
“See what?” I sipped my diet cola.
“You and the security man.” While I wore my loudest rainbow shirt in all neon, Hallsy wore his customary black. Although at least I’d convinced him to wear shorts instead of pants. He must be sweating, but he never said anything. Then we’d go to bed and get even sweatier.
Cole chuckled. “Yeah, I figured you’d end up with someone in the crew. Or, you know, an actor.”
“You were taken.”
Everyone laughed.
“I didn’t want end up with someone who had my artistic temperament.”
“Thank Christ, no,” my man piped up. “One in this house is more than enough.” He looked down at Luigi. “Sorry, buddy, but your talent is pretty much at a zero as well.”
We all laughed.
“You know, next time we should invite you guys to our place.” Cole fluffed his hair.
“Or better…” Caressa grinned. “We should all go to Peter and Thomas’s place.”
“Right, they’ve got a pool.” Cole grinned. “And two adorable toddlers.”
He and Michael exchanged a look I couldn’t interpret.
“Hey, when are you two going to tie the knot? You moved in together and everything.”
I stilled. I hadn’t broached the subject of marriage.
Hallstein had given his victim-impact statement, and the driver had been sent to prison.
We’d each sold our properties and combined our lives to move in here.
Vigilante Justice had only wrapped shooting a few weeks ago.
I was now working on a Peter Erickson movie—a comedy, no less.
Very different from the action films he was known for.
And Hallsy was swamped with work at the studio.
We barely had time to breathe, let alone talk about marriage.
Inviting Cole and his partners—the triad as they were known—had been his idea.
I was thrilled, of course, that the throuple agreed to come.
Next weekend we were entertaining Sally and Coco as well as Julie, Elouise, and Kelci.
Sort of a women’s day out…only with two men as hosts.
Hallsy plated all the meat and brought it over.
Cole eased out of the lounger, and the five of us sat at the table. We added buns to the meat and chowed down on delicious hot dogs and hamburgers as well as a Greek salad Michael had made.
As late afternoon eased into early evening, conversation continued as we talked about everything—religion, politics, and current affairs—plus, of course, plenty of gossiping about work.
Caressa was a nurse and Michael an engineer who worked on skyscrapers. In fact, he pointed out several of his buildings across from us since we had an amazing view of the Vancouver skyline.
Eventually, I nabbed the marble cheesecake our guests brought, and we ate the decadent treat.
All afternoon, Hallsy seemed on edge. I’d stroke his thigh or caress his hand, but nothing seemed to relax him. This had been his idea, so I didn’t understand the nerves.
“Well, we should probably get going.” Cole stretched. “We’ve had a lovely time—”
“Wait.” Hallsy forced out the word.
Cole settled back in his chair. “About time.”
Before I could ask what he meant, Hallsy slipped from his chair and went down on one knee.
I stared in disbelief.
He cleared his throat. “I once told you that I fucking loved you.”
Michael chuckled.
Hallsy kept staring into my eyes with those fathomless dark-brown orbs.
“Okay.” Obviously something monumental was about to happen, and I couldn’t figure out how I felt about that.
“Well, I still fucking love you. I love you more and more as each day passes, and I totally can’t imagine my life without you. And yeah, I’m asking you to marry me.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a ring, which he held out.
I blinked rapidly. “You…?”
“Yeah.”
“And me…?”
“Yeah.”
“And my four fluff balls.”
“Hell yeah. Especially Luigi.”
I pressed my fingers to my lips as the first tear spilled.
“Baby, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
His look of distress propelled me to take his cheeks in my hands and to give him a huge kiss. Finally, after Cole cleared his throat, I pulled back. “Uh, that’s a yes.”
He slid the ring onto my finger.
Since our guests all had known about this, they grinned as Cole pulled four bottles of mini champagne out of the cooler they’d brought. Caressa didn’t have one, so I wondered if she was heading off to do a nursing shift. She would’ve been tired, but was also an adult who could take care of herself.
As Hallsy fucked me into the mattress that night, he wore a very satisfied smirk and a matching ring. Apparently Cole informed him that was a necessity.
I liked my actor friend. My former crush. One of the best men I knew.
Of course the best man I knew teased and tormented me even as I begged for him to let me come. He was often devious, edging me until I was ready to explode, before he finally let me come.
In the afterglow—after he’d wiped us down and he’d lain beside me—we lay next to each other, facing and holding hands. Even with the air conditioning and the ceiling fan, we were warm. After a bit, we’d pull up the sheet, he’d take me in his arms, and we’d sleep.
“Are you okay with this?”
I could barely see his eyes in the darkness. “Why do you ask?”
“I proposed in front of your friends.”
“Our friends,” I quickly corrected.
“Yeah. And I almost invited Seamus and Valentino, but…” He swallowed. “If you’d said no, then I think it would’ve been embarrassing to have my boss witness that.”
“I never would’ve said no.”
“I get that.” He squeezed my hand. “Cole was certain you’d agree. He said people laugh, in a good way, about how much we love each other.”
“Possibly because you wear ties I pick out for you?”
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s a good clue.”
I’d started out easy. Shades of gray. Then subtle shading of black, gray, and white.
Then pastels. Always tasteful, of course.
I might’ve added a neon one which he’d dutifully worn on Friday since he’d been in the office all day.
He’d informed me—in no uncertain terms—that he was never wearing it outside of the studio.
That being said, he’d proudly told me the long list of people who’d complimented him.
He smiled more. He’d loosened up. He was letting his guard down. I’d go so far as to say he was contented. He’d even admitted to liking the nickname Hallsy.
The ring on my finger confirmed all that.
At that moment, Luigi jumped up and settled at the top of Hallsy’s head. At least the beast had learned—the hard way—to leave us be until our…physical exertions…were complete.
“I love you.” I pushed the words past the lump in my throat.
“Yeah. I love you too.” He yawned. “Grab the sheet? Then I want to cuddle you.”
He was always the big spoon, and I never complained. I pulled up the sheet and positioned myself in his arms.
So this is what forever means.
On that thought, I drifted off to sleep.