Epilogue
Six Years Later
Rafe
“Take a breath, man.”
Leon swipes at his forehead with the back of his hand. “Am I sweating? I feel like I’m sweating.”
“If you don’t stop stressing, you will be,” Circus points out.
“Give the man space,” Tanner says.
Royce snorts. “If he wasn’t pacing like a caged animal, we might be able to.”
Tanner flicks Royce’s ear, and the two of them start to play fight while I pick up Leon’s suit jacket.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you lose your cool,” I say, helping him into it.
“It’s a big day, you know?”
Circus laughs. “I’d hate to see Auggie right now. Poor thing must be a mess.”
“Oh shit!” Leon’s face falls. “Do you think he’ll even make it down the aisle?”
I make a slashing motion at my throat that Circus ignores. “It’s Auggie. He’ll probably trip, but he’ll claw his way to you if he has to.”
“I’m going to have to carry him, aren’t I?” Leon drops back in the chair by the large windows, looking completely panicked.
“Has he gone catatonic?” Royce asks.
“Everyone shut up.” I love these guys, but damn they’re assholes sometimes. “Want me to take him his gift and check up on him?”
“Good idea.” Leon slides the little box out of his pocket and hands it over. “Don’t tell him I’m freaking out. I don’t want to worry him even more.”
“It’s your wedding day. Pretty sure freaking out is normal.”
I go to leave, but Tanner catches me on the way out. “Even if Auggie is passed out naked on the floor of his room, you’ve gotta tell Leon he’s okay.”
“Got it.”
I slip out into the hall of the house they’ve rented out. Leon and Auggie’s business has taken off, and they’ve treated us all to the weekend away in California for their wedding. The huge vineyard property has enough rooms for us all.
I text Cam to meet me outside as I leave the main house and head toward the cottage Auggie stayed in last night. He and Cam are the types of wild that complement each other, and they became best friends almost as soon as they met.
Seeing my man was totally not the reason I offered to come over here. At all.
When Cam steps out of the vine-covered cottage, I break into the same huge grin I always do when I see him. His hair is as wild, maybe more so without his cap, but he scrubs up nicely in his suit.
Cam’s voice drops intimately. “Hey, baby.”
“Hey.” I pinch his chin and steer his mouth to mine for a lingering kiss.
“Mm, you taste like shots.” He kisses me again, this time licking into my mouth. “Auggie won’t let us drink until after.”
Considering the amount Leon has needed to calm his nerves, I would have thought Auggie would be wasted by now. “How is he?”
“The calmest I’ve ever seen him.”
“No way.”
“Yep. He’s … quiet. It’s weird.”
“Leon’s a mess.”
“What?” Cam laughs. “Did they do a body-swap thing while no one was watching?”
“I think I need to see Auggie to believe it.”
Cam leads me into the room, where I find Auggie standing, looking out the window.
His smile splits his face as he turns to me, and damn Leon’s going to die when he sees him.
He’s in white pants, a white shirt buttoned to his throat, and has on a long white cape with a high collar.
The whole look makes his curly hair seem redder than usual.
“You look amazing,” I tell him.
“And my future husband?”
I don’t want to tell him that Leon is freaking the fuck out, so I hold up the gift. “He sent this.”
Auggie takes it and hands me Leon’s. They got each other matching thin gold chains that they’re planning to wear their rings on.
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” I say, eyeing the easy way he fastens the clasp around his neck, “but you’re nervous at the best of times. How are you so chill today?”
Auggie shrugs a slender shoulder. “I get awkward and rambly when I’m nervous and unsure. And marrying Leon … I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”
My gaze finds Cam’s, and we share a private look.
Between Circus, Royce, Tanner, and me, we get Leon tipsy enough to make it down the aisle. His neck and cheeks are bright red as he reads his vows, and when it’s finally time for them to kiss and seal the deal, they’re both flushed and smiling wide as Auggie jumps into his arms.
They only invited thirtyish guests, and I feel so privileged to be able to share this with them. Thank fuck I didn’t let all those issues a few years ago get in the way.
The reception is outside in a small courtyard with flowering honeysuckle covering the rafters overhead. Fold-out white chairs and tables ring the dance floor, with a small stage set up for the band.
Cam steers me off to the side, stealing our first proper moment together all day.
“Is it over yet?” I groan. “I’m barely in my thirties and I’m ready for an early bedtime.”
He laughs before pulling me close and pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You know, I’ve been thinking.”
“About?” I rest my head on his shoulder, hoping to get a second to relax my eyes.
“Matti and Liv got married last year, while Circus and Rowan eloped. Royce and Tanner started that wildlife rehabilitation thing, Reynolds and Arlo are off traveling, and now Leon and Auggie have gotten hitched … what about us?”
My head shoots up. “I thought we didn’t want to do all this?”
“We don’t,” he quickly agrees. “But … well …”
I watch his throat work as he swallows, and suddenly I know what he’s going to say. “You’re ready?”
“Is anyone ever actually ready?”
“But, are we?”
“I think so. I mean, even if we get started now, it’ll take a few years, which would be perfect timing, right?”
“Right.”
“When Auggie said he’s never been more sure about anything, it’s how I feel about you. And I know it’s how I’m going to feel about our kids.”
My heart might burst. “So we’re doing this? We’re going to adopt?”
“Yeah.” He kisses me long and slow. “Let’s have a baby, baby.”
“On one condition.”
“Yeah?”
I grin. “Promise me you’ll annoy them with your dramatics.”
“Deal. And if we’re having babies, I’m upgrading to dad jokes.”
“Please no.”
His hands find my hips as he pretends to grind up against me. “Baby, are you an earthquake? Because you’re rocking my world.”
“I beg you to never say that again. Also, if that’s what you call a ‘dad joke,’ I’m worried about how creepy things are going to get.”
Cam dissolves into laughter and pulls me into a hug. “Fuck, I love you.”
I’ll never get tired of hearing those words.
I can’t stop smiling as I look around the room, feeling exhausted but at peace.
Royce is sitting in Tanner’s lap, head on his shoulder, looking like he could nod off right there.
Piper Harvey is glaring at the glass of champagne her brother Rowan is drinking as she rubs her swollen belly, while Circus and Bart are apparently having a competition to see who can take the dumbest photo.
Dahlia and Jules are talking politics, while Jules’s husband tries to keep the twins from destroying the place.
It’s a little sad that Laura couldn’t be here because of a scheduling conflict, but she already video called Leon earlier to wish him luck.
She left for her trip years ago and still hasn’t come back. Last we spoke, she was somewhere in South America and absolutely loving it. She says she’ll be back one day but has barely made a dint in the places she wants to see.
I smirk when I catch sight of Leon and Auggie sneaking back into the room through a side door. Auggie’s face is bright red, and Leon’s shirt is untucked on one side. It doesn’t take a genius to know what they’ve been up to.
“Hey, think we can get Auggie to do the cake in the face thing?” I ask.
“Fifty bucks says Leon does it first.”
“You’re on.” I hold out my hand, and Cam shakes it. “Do you think we’ll ever grow up and be adults?”
He screws up his face. “I hope not. Where’s the fun in that?”
He’s got a point. If there’s one thing life with Cam has taught me, it’s that boredom will never be welcome with us.
I have my thousand volts.
And I’ll never settle for anything less than him.
THANKS FOR READING THE NEVER JUST FRIENDS SERIES!