29. Chapter 29
Grayson
“Do you think we should have a real wedding?”
I glance at Harlow in time to watch him shimmy into his jeans. Our wedding reception is today, and I can’t even express how fucking happy I am that it’s going to be an actual celebration and not a total nightmare.
“Do you want a real wedding?”
Stepping into my space, Harlow drags a finger up my chest, staring into my eyes. “I feel bad because you spent our entire lives wanting to marry me, and then we didn’t even have a real wedding.”
I shake my head, drawing him into me for a quick kiss. “No. I don’t need a real wedding unless you do. I wanted to marry you, Harlow, and I did. And I get to keep you. The wedding is…” I wave a hand through the air. “It’s whatever to me.”
He hesitates, searching my face. “As long as you’re sure.”
“You really wanna do all that shit again?” I ask, raising an eyebrow at him.
Shrugging, he smiles. “Sure, if I got to do all that shit with you.” His smile falls, and he shivers. “But you’re walking to me. I’m not going first.”
I cup his chin, tilting his head back so I can look at him. “Yeah, but I’d never leave you standing there.”
His eyes fall shut, and he leans into my touch, making my heart skip. I can’t believe this is real. I can’t believe Harlow is mine. Today. Tomorrow. Forever.
“I love you,” he whispers.
I kiss him again. I can’t seem to stop. It’s almost like I’m trying to make up for lost time. “And I love you. Are you ready?”
He nods. “Are you?”
“I am.”
Stepping back, I let my hand fall as Harlow opens his eyes.
“Do you think it was stupid of me to invite Josh and Andy?” he asks.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about it initially, but he and Harlow do seem to be doing okay as friends, and he’s part of the reason Harlow realized his feelings for me, so I can’t really fault the guy.
After our mind-blowing sex and even better nap the day Harlow got home from talking to him, he told me everything they had talked about. For some reason, I kinda feel bad for the guy. Not only did he miss out on Harlow, but it seems like he’s got some shit he needs to work out.
“I think it was stupid of you to not tell our parents he’s coming. Your mom, especially.”
Harlow waves me off. “She’ll live.”
But will Josh? That’s the real question. “I guess you’re right. Are you ready, baby?”
His blue eyes sparkle as he stares at me. “Sure am. Let’s go celebrate, husband.”
“What in the fuck is he doing here?” Annette practically spits, and I whip my head around to the door.
Called it.
Annette glares daggers at Josh as he walks in. He looks nervous as hell, and a few seconds later, Andy walks in behind him.
Harlow would choose this exact moment to need to go pee.
Sighing, I glance at Annette. “Harlow invited them.”
“Why?” she asks, glaring some more.
Aliyah laughs. “They buried the hatchet, and they’re friends now.”
Well, that was the wrong thing to say. “Friends?” Annette says, venom in her voice, as she starts walking toward him.
Not a single person tries to stop her, so I rush to catch up, stepping in front of her. “Let me handle it.”
Turning to me with a grin, she pats my cheek. “This is my son, Gray. Surely you know that.”
“Of course I do, but he’s my husband, and he invited Josh himself.”
“I can leave.” Josh’s voice pulls my attention, and he looks so much like a kicked puppy that it just pisses me off. Not at him. Not really, but a little bit, because I don’t like feeling sorry for him.
I shake my head. “Nah, Harlow wanted you here. You’re welcome to stay.” I nod at Andy. “Andy, nice to see you again.”
“You too.”
And, of course, Harlow would come back out right now. His eyes light up when he sees me, but then his face falls when he takes in the scene. “Hey, everyone.”
“Harlow, thanks for inviting us,” Josh says quietly, his gaze lowering to the ground.
Andy steps a little closer to him, and it almost looks like he places his hand on his back for a second before pulling it away and stepping back. I’m still focusing on that when Harlow clears his throat.
“Why is it so weird?”
I laugh, and Annette scoffs. “It’s weird because this man left you at the altar.”
All the conversation around the room comes to an abrupt halt as Harlow blinks at his mom.
“Mom, I invited him. We’re… friends. We weren’t right for each other, and we know that. You know that. This is literally my celebration with Gray. You know, my husband. The man I did marry?”
They stand in a silent stare-off. Harlow is just as stubborn as Annette, if not more. And he’s been doted on his entire life. There’s no way he’s not going to win this one.
After a few seconds, she huffs out an annoyed sound. “Whatever.” Turning to Josh, she holds her hand out, and he carefully reaches for it, shaking hers. “Thanks for coming, I guess. There’s food over there.”
Without another word, she turns on her heel and walks away, and the conversation mostly goes back to normal.
Harlow cackles. “Oh my God. So dramatic.”
Josh laughs too, but it doesn’t sound like he thinks it’s as funny as Harlow. “She’s your mom. Of course she’s gonna be protective of you.”
Andy snorts. “Is that how it’s supposed to work?”
Something dark passes over Josh’s face, and I cock my head, studying him. What in the hell is going on there? What am I missing?
Harlow tends to live life in his own little world, and I fucking love that about him, but I don’t; I’m observant, and I’m observing some shit for sure. But now is not the time to be getting into it.
“Well,” Harlow says, smiling brightly and proving my point. “Food is over here if you guys are hungry.”
Reaching out, Josh shakes my hand. “Congratulations. I wish you all many years of happiness.”
I’m not gonna thank him, even though I probably should—for talking Harlow off a ledge and sending him back to me, if nothing else. But I can’t quite make myself do it, so I just offer him a small smile.
Josh turns to Andy. “Do you wanna go grab something?”
Andy agrees, and I catch Harlow’s hand in mine as the two of them walk across the room. Andy is sticking close to Josh’s side, which I guess makes sense. The guy about got attacked right from the start. I can imagine he probably wants to protect his brother.
“My mom told me they’re doing a first dance for us.” Harlow rolls his eyes, but he can’t hide how happy that idea makes him. “I have no idea if we had a first dance in Vegas, but I think it could be fun.”
“Are you gonna grind that sweet little ass on me like you did in that Vegas club, baby?” I ask, brushing my lips over his ear.
He laughs, but it’s breathless. “I don’t plan to. Last time I did, you took me into the alley and made me come my brains out. Not that I’m opposed to a repeat, but maybe not here. Besides, Mom said it’s supposed to be a slow dance.”
“I’d be honored to dance with you, my husband.”
Even still, I can’t believe I get to say those words. The last couple months have been a fucking whirlwind.
My dad waves us over. “They’re about to start your dance.”
“We didn’t even get to pick the song,” Harlow says, a pout on his pretty lips.
“I’ll dance with you to anything.”
I take his hand in mine and tug him to me as the music starts. We sway back and forth as the song plays. Harlow rests his head on my shoulder, his face close enough to my throat that each breath ghosts over the skin.
“Did we dance at prom?” he asks. “I can’t remember.”
I nod, holding him a little tighter. “We did. You looked stunning. Your hair was messy—”
Harlow laughs. “What else is new?”
“You were experimenting with eyeliner, and your eyes were so vibrant with the black liner you were wearing, and I wanted to kiss you so bad. I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
Harlow hums. “Wish you would’ve.”
I wish I would have too, but we can’t change the past. And who knows if things would have even worked out if I had? Maybe it was always meant to be this way. “I’m happy with how things turned out for us,” I say.
“Me too.” Harlow slides his hand up my back, pressing impossibly closer as he tilts his head back. “Could kiss me now, y’know?”
I smile down at him. “Oh, is that so?”
He raises an eyebrow. “Are you saying you don’t want to?”
Dipping down, I let my lips hover over his. “Not saying that at all. I’ll kiss you now and later, and tomorrow, and next week, and as many times as I can a day for the rest of our lives.”
Harlow surges up, slotting our lips together. Our swaying comes to a stop, and everything but him falls away. I cup the back of his head, tangling my fingers in his hair as his lips move slowly with mine.
Cheering and whooping pulls us out of the moment, and Harlow laughs against my lips, breaking the kiss.
Then I’m laughing too, pulling him tighter and wrapping him up in my arms.
Twelve-year-old me could have never fully grasped what being married to Harlow would be like, but honestly, sixteen-year-old me couldn’t have either.
It’s everything I thought it would be. Movie nights cuddled together on the couch and cooking dinner together. It’s going to bed together and waking up in each other’s arms. It’s even loving all the boring things.
But it’s also so much more. Beautiful smiles and radiant blue eyes and a warmth in my heart I didn’t know was possible. It’s laughing until we cry. Finding joy in the small moments. Peace. Love. Being home.
It’s everything.