Epilogue #2
“I wish you wouldn’t hold that against me still,” I said softly. “I didn’t do this for her. I did it because Dad is sick, and she dumped him in an apartment and walked away like he was nothing. Just like she did to you. I wanted to give him a little dignity.”
“I get that now. Anya told me I was being a jackass. I just…you know. I hate apologizing.”
“Well, I love Anya more than you,” I told him.
“I love your boyfriend more than you,” he fired back.
I grinned. “Yeah. That’s fine with me. I love him too.”
“That is so fucking weird. But I’m happy for you.” His chair creaked as he reached over and squeezed my thigh. “Should I take on your weird goalie friend as my apprentice?”
I shrugged. “It probably wouldn’t be the worst thing. He’s fun. And kind. He’s made Matty his best friend, Alexio his best friend, Tucker and me his best friend…”
“So I’m not fuckin’ special?”
“Sorry, bud.”
“Ah, fuck you both,” Caleb said, but I could tell he was smiling.
Vanya bounded over a few minutes later and tugged me to my feet. “Come. Is emergency!”
He sounded half-hysterical, so I took his arm and let him run me into the house, where he came to a skidding halt in Hugo and Bodie’s game room.
“What the fuck is this?” I demanded.
“You must break up with your boyfriend,” he demanded. “He’s challenging me to air hockey. Has your brother on his team. Want to play doubles so we can eat his ass?”
“It’s beat—wait, actually…” I trailed off, and Alexio choked.
Micah booed loudly. “I don’t want to hear that shit.”
“Says guy who send goblins fucking,” Vanya said.
Jesus Christ, we were never going to live this down. I was grinning, though, because Micah was chirping and laughing and sounding a little bit more like himself, which meant the world. I approached the table and let my fingers trail over the small puffs of air coming from the table.
“Here,” Vanya said, pushing the paddle into my hand. “You know this game, yes?”
“Yeah, but babe, I am not the best at this game,” I told him.
“He likes to warn you first because he sucks!” Micah chirped.
I waited a beat, then tapped the paddle on the table. “Excuse me, order in the fucking court. Objection, sustained! Where the fuck is my boyfriend letting this jock-sniffing asshole obsessed with goblin dick talking shit to me?”
Alexio burst into laughter. “Instead of insulting each other, why don’t we play?”
Vanya pulled me close. “See, is why Alexio never mic’d up. He’s not fun. Just say basic things, want us all to get along? No one want that, Zeki. We going to eat—”
“Beat,” Micah corrected loudly.
“Okay, favorite little goalie going to eat his ass after I beat it!”
“I think I hate you,” Alexio said as Micah murmured very softly, “I think I might love him.”
We were twenty minutes from dinner when Nikos arrived. I noticed Alexio was a little more tense than usual, which made me feel both better and worse. I was glad I wasn’t alone in the whole being nervous thing, but I wanted him to be confident in me, damn it.
“Are you scared?” I whispered as Nikos was apparently walking up the street, the parking kind of shit with everyone here.
Alexio leaned over and kissed me. “No. But this is my first time introducing someone to my mom.”
“It’s my first time being introduced to a boyfriend’s mom,” I told him.
He scoffed. “Yes, because I’m your only boyfriend ever.”
I smiled but shook my head. “That’s not what I mean. I’ve never…” My throat got a little tight, and I cleared it. “You’re my first, Alexio. I’ve never met anyone’s parents because I’ve never been in love before, and I—”
He interrupted me with a kiss like he couldn’t help it.
He kissed me until there was a slight commotion, and I knew then that his mom, sister-in-law, and brother had just walked in.
He broke away, but not so fast that it told me he was embarrassed.
He let his touch linger on my jaw before pulling away, then took my hand to walk me over.
Nikos was the first to hug me, squeezing me a little too tight. “It’s gonna be fine,” he murmured, then eased back. “Let me introduce you to Nastasia first.” He very gently turned me to the right.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so long,” she said, her voice rough but tender. “I’m going to hug you, but it’s going to feel weird because I’m as big as a house.”
I had no idea what the fuck she meant by that until her stomach pressed against mine, and I realized she was pregnant. “Oh. A baby?”
She laughed as she kissed both my cheeks. “Yes. Due next month. I hope you’re ready to be an uncle.”
“I—oh.” Because oh. Because that was kind of true, wasn’t it?
There was another hand on me after that—smaller, not as strong, but very warm. And then I caught a whiff of something like jasmine. “And I have been waiting even longer than her.”
This had to be Alexio’s mom. Her name was Georgia. I knew she was barely five feet tall, had long black and grey hair twisted in a bun always at the nape of her neck, that she loved floral shirts and linen pants, and that she loved her sons beyond all reason.
“May I hug you?” Her accent was very thick, but easy to understand.
I swallowed heavily and nodded. My mom used to hug me a lot as a child, but it was never out of kindness. It was for videos, or when we were out in public, or when she was trying to emphasize that affection was nothing more than a reward to be earned.
This was different. This was warm, strong arms and a comfort I didn’t think I’d ever known.
“You have made him so happy,” she whispered into my ear. “I didn’t think anyone could do that. Ever. Please don’t leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I promised. I looped my arm through hers and turned to the last place where I knew Alexio had been sitting. “Georgia and I are best friends now. You can fuck off, Alexio—shit. Sorry. I didn’t mean to swear.”
She laughed and patted my hand. “I’ve been around you hockey boys most of Alexio’s life. Don’t start apologizing for it now. And you can say what you want. You’re my favorite.”
“You hear that, boys?” I called out, and they all groaned. “I’m someone’s favorite!”
Alexio made a noise, then pulled me out of his mom’s grasp for a second, cupping my cheek. “You’re my favorite. I was here first.”
“Fine. You can fight over me,” I told him.
He leaned in and kissed my lips, then my jaw, then murmured into my ear where no one else could hear, “I will win. I always get what I want, and I want you.”
My breath shuddered out of my lungs. “Good thing I’m yours.”
“Good thing,” he answered back, then kissed me one more time.