Epilogue
“There are my boys,” Mom said, inserting herself between Oliver and Gavin shortly before Christmas dinner, wrapping her arms around them. “We’re going to eat soon.” She gave them both a squeeze. “I’m so darn happy for the two of you.”
Oliver laughed, since Mom had said the same thing at least twenty times today.
“Did you tell Pop yet?” she asked.
“Not yet, but we will.” He glanced at Erin and realized they’d better do it soon, or she’d be too deep in the eggnog to remember the conversation.
After the three of them snuck out of the bathroom, Layla had dragged her off to hear some crazy story Bubbles was telling about her new boyfriend that had most of his cousins in stitches.
“I suspect he won’t be surprised. I swear that man has a sixth sense when it comes to romance,” Mom said, turning to Gavin, her expression shifting to one of concern.
When they told their parents about their relationship with Erin, they’d also shared the details of their dinner with Gavin’s mom.
“You sure you’re doing okay?” she asked Gavin.
Gavin leaned down and gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. “I’m doing just fine…Mom.”
Mom froze, and Oliver got a sense she was trying to figure out if she’d heard Gavin correctly. Then she smiled. “Wow, I love the sound of that.”
“Sound of what?”
Oliver saw that both his dads had made their way over to them.
“Gavin just called me mom.”
Dad—Chad—laughed as he hugged Mom, who wiped away the happy tears in her eyes. “Jesus. There will be no living with her now.”
His other dad, Sean, slapped Gavin on the back. “It’s about damn time. Now where’s my new name?”
Gavin rolled his eyes. “Do we seriously have to make a big deal about this…Dad?”
“Of course we do. It’s the Collins’ way. And considering you’ve been one of us for nine years, I think it’s time you start to conform to the craziness,” Dad—Sean—joked.
Gavin gave him a salute. “So noted.”
“This looks like a fun conversation,” Pop Pop said. “Mind if I join in?”
“The boys have some news, Pop,” Mom said. She gave him and Gavin both a kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to go help in the kitchen.”
She and their dads moved away, giving them privacy to talk to Pop Pop, who was still beaming over his gift from the family. He showed them both the tickets.
“You think Ireland is ready for four Collins men?” Oliver asked.
“Well, ready or not, we’re going. I can’t wait to show the boys where I grew up, my old stomping grounds.” Pop Pop shook his head as if he simply couldn’t believe it. “I never thought…well…it will be a wonderful adventure.”
Oliver looked for Erin, who was doing some sort of shimmy dance move with Colm’s wife, Kelli, even though there was no music playing.
Yep. It was already too late to include her in this.
“So. You have news?” Pop Pop asked, all ears. The old guy was a sucker for gossip.
Oliver moved closer to Gavin and wrapped his arm around his waist. “Gavin, Erin, and I are dating. We were hoping…well, we’d like to move into the apartment above the pub once it’s rebuilt. Feels like a good place to raise a family someday.”
Pop Pop’s eyes lit up, and Oliver could see the sheen of happy tears. “Well, that is good news indeed. I’ve always hoped someone would want to live in the apartment, raise their family there, like Sunday and I, but then…after the fire…”
“We’re going to rebuild it all, remember?” Gavin reassured him.
Pop Pop placed his hand on Gavin’s shoulder.
“I know you are, lad. And I can’t wait to see it.
” Then he turned and spotted Erin across the room.
She, Bubbles, and Kelli had shanghaied Riley from the kitchen, the four of them playing with the Hula-Hoop Lochlan’s adopted daughter, Chloe, had gotten for Christmas. Erin was surprisingly good.
Pop Pop chuckled. “Looks like your girl fits in with the family just fine. And I’m pleased you found yourselves an Irish lass.”
“She’s only half Irish. And sometimes I think the Italian side is more dominant,” Oliver joked.
“Och. Irish will always win out,” Pop Pop insisted. “Did I ever tell you what the name Erin means, Ollie?”
Oliver shook his head, grinning. “Nope.”
“It means peace.”
Oliver’s eyes widened. “Same as my name.”
Pop Pop nodded. “I think it’s safe to say you’ve both brought peace to each other. And to this fine young man,” he added, looking at Gavin.
“They have,” Gavin agreed. “Not sure where I’d be right now without either one of them.”
“What’s Gavin’s name mean?” Oliver asked.
“Oh well, his is a fine name. Did you know it comes from the name Gawain?”
Gavin tilted his head. “I didn’t know that. Wasn’t he a Knight of the Round Table?”
“Yes, he was. Gawain was known to be a fierce and courageous warrior but also compassionate.”
Oliver grinned. “That sounds about right.”
Gavin rolled his eyes, but it was obvious he was pleased by the description.
“However, there’s another meaning that I think I might like better,” Pop Pop said.
“Better than elf army?” Oliver joked. “Because I think that one’s pretty hard to beat.”
He and Pop Pop had been building on their elf army stories since Oliver was just a kid, their made-up tales epic. Erin had once suggested they write them down, claiming they’d make great children’s stories.
“Well, I’ll let you decide that,” Pop Pop said. “Gavin also means white hawk.”
“No. No way!” Gavin said, shocked. “There’s no way my mom knew that.”
Oliver agreed. “That’s a crazy coincidence.” Then he laughed. “So basically your name is White Hawk Hawke.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re going to have a lot of fun with that fact?” Gavin asked.
Oliver wiggled his eyebrows. “Because you know me well. And it’s perfect timing, because I’d just reached the tail end of the butt jokes.”
“Asshole,” Gavin muttered good-naturedly.
“Or maybe not,” Oliver teased.
“Boys,” Pop Pop said, amused by their interplay. “You know, the Native Americans believed that seeing a white hawk meant a miracle was on the way.”
“Now that’s more like it.” Gavin shoulder-bumped Oliver. “Hear that, Ollie? I’m a miracle. Pretty sure that trumps your silly little elves.”
“Damn,” Oliver was forced to admit. “I think it does.”
“Hey,” Erin said as she approached them. “Your mom sent me over. Said we’re about to start eating.”
Pop Pop reached out and took Erin’s hands, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “The boys just told me your good news.”
“What? Without me?” she asked.
“Didn’t want to interrupt your Hula-Hooping,” Oliver joked.
Erin laughed. “Did you see my mad skills?”
Gavin wrapped his arm around her waist. “We saw.”
“Very impressive,” Oliver said, playfully tugging on her hair.
Pop Pop grinned at the three of them. “Well, I’ll leave you three alone. I see Will, Lochlan, and Lucas hovering near the table. If I get in line behind those three vultures, there won’t be any of Riley’s crab dip left for me.”
They laughed as Pop Pop crossed the room and pointedly cut in front of the other men, who all loudly protested. Riley’s crab dip was always the most sought-after, and had been the root of more than a few good-natured Christmas arguments whenever someone missed out on getting some.
“I love your family,” Erin said, smiling widely.
“And they love you.” Oliver gave her a kiss.
“And we love you,” Gavin added, stealing his own kiss from Erin before giving Oliver one as well.
Oliver caught sight of more than a few family members glancing in their direction, with Finn and Miguel high-fiving as Padraig gave him a thumbs-up.
He chuckled. “Well, that’s one way to tell our entire family about us.”
Gavin looked around and realized what they’d just revealed. “Oops,” he joked, though he obviously didn’t mind who knew about them. Hell, Oliver would be surprised if Gavin didn’t put a billboard up announcing it soon.
Erin noticed they’d drawn an audience as well and giggled when Sunnie mouthed, “Details now,” as Darcy waved her over.
“I’ve been summoned,” she said, giving them both another quick kiss before crossing the room for her fifth degree from his cousins. Not that Erin seemed to mind the questions at all.
“You’re really finished fighting it, aren’t you?” Oliver asked Gavin. “You’ve accepted that this is your family, that you belong here.”
Gavin nodded, wrapping his arm around Oliver’s shoulders. “Yeah. I have.”
“Took you long enough,” Oliver teased, giving Gavin a quick kiss. “And, bro…welcome to the wild side.”