38. Wyatt
THIRTY-EIGHT
WYATT
A few weeks later
It was hard to believe, but with Wilson out of the way, it truly was over. The police got to the house a few minutes later to find the ex-mayor with his brains blown out and a very shaken eyewitness that it wasn’t hard to believe I had acted in self-defense.
Plus, with everything that went down on the opening day of Winterfest, it wasn’t that hard to prove that Wilson had escaped and was intending to harm both Ari and me.
It didn’t mean my legal troubles were done, and Camille was more than ecstatic to have a client with two murder cases on his name, but we were confident both charges would be cleared and I wouldn’t be facing any severe consequences once all was said and done.
For the next few weeks after Wilson’s murder, I had dedicated myself to the community and rebuilding bridges, but also to Ari who I’d put through so much I’d made him a target for a crimelord, and yet he was still here, with me, unwavering.
So how could anyone blame me for being his shadow?
I had to make up for lost time. I knew we hadn’t known each other for long, but that was exactly the problem.
That I wished I’d known him for a thousand days already.
A million days even. I wanted to get to know all of him and him all of me and to simply be happy.
Something I hadn’t been in a very long time.
Not even with Dare, who I’d loved, but even then, that love hadn’t been enough to make me push my fears down and let go.
If Ari had a problem with me going everywhere with him, he didn’t complain.
I suspected he was still shaken. Waking up with a gun to your head and the very real threat of dying in an instant wasn’t easy.
But that was another reason why I couldn’t let him go anywhere on his own.
Not until I was sure all of Wilson’s associates were either arrested or gone from this island.
With Slade’s help, we’d uncovered most of his criminal empire and delivered the evidence to the FBI.
The island had been the epicenter of a national scandal, thanks in no small part to Santiago, Joey’s husband, who had written an expose of everything that had been going on on this island for the past few years.
It had gotten him national attention and even a few offers to be a correspondent for some big news outlets.
However, as a new parent to a pair of adorable twins, he had turned down most of them and was considering instead starting a political commentary vidcast which was almost ready to take off thanks to Slade’s help.
The weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day went by in a whirlwind.
Not only were locals coming up to me all the time to thank me and praise my work, but I’d also gotten a lot more involved in my men’s lives.
I’d always held back for fear of letting something slip or getting on someone’s gaydar, but now, after kissing Ari in public, it was as if a veil had lifted from my eyes and I could see the world a little clearer. A little more in color.
No one batted an eyelid at my reveal. No one made a big deal out of it. It was simply ordinary. I’d been invited to parties and birthdays, asked to pet-sit or babysit. We’d even got a few offers for double dates, but I knew in my heart the first couple I owed that to was Dare and Zach.
It might’ve been weird to want to go on a double date with my ex, but it felt important, if only to make sure Dare was okay.
Even wilder still, I’d gotten roped into the preparations for Hwan and Parker’s wedding.
With Wilson and immediate danger out of our lives, they were finally free to celebrate their love and union without concern.
And even though I expected Hwan to go all out on their big day, he’d chosen the most perfect venue, seeing as his first two options were being rebuilt.
And so I stood there, looking out at the beautiful blue ocean, the waves crashing gently to shore in front of barefoot Parker and Hwan—the latter wearing a pink suit, of course—as they gazed into each other’s eyes and promised to love and cherish each other forever after.
A short, Black kid stood between them, holding both their hands and looking in awe of this celebration of love, and a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold ran up hands and down my spine.
It was truly a beautiful thing to witness. Pure love. A union of two soulmates. A family in the making.
And I had the pleasure and honor of making that possible.
Hwan had insisted. He’d said he wouldn’t have met Parker without me, so it only made sense I officiate their wedding.
I didn’t know what my answer would have been before, in my pre-Ari era. I imagined it wouldn’t have been great. I’d have worried about saying or doing or looking at the wrong thing and revealing my dirty, dark secret.
But now…
I looked up into the attendees behind Hwan and Parker. To the chairs in the sand, to a sea of smiles and pink and white flowers, and I searched for him. For Ari. For his eyes. My love. My very own.
It had taken a stranger from a foreign land to make me realize there was nothing dirty or dark about myself. In fact, there was only light. Wherever he went. Wherever we found ourselves, there could only be light. And what was scary about light? Only evil is afraid of light, and I ain’t no evil.
His smile deepened when he caught my gaze, and I took a deep breath and blinked the sting away from my eyes before it mixed in with the saltiness in the air and made me make a fool of myself.
“Parker, please place a ring on Hwan’s finger and repeat after me,” I said and forced myself to look away and down to my script.
Parker turned to little Levi next to him, and their kid passed on a ring to his dad.
The audience cooed, but I focused on the wonderful couple in front of me. Parker let go of Levi and took Hwan’s left hand.
“I give you this ring,” I started.
“I give you this ring,” he repeated.
“As a sign of my eternal love. And with it I marry you in the eyes of God and our loved ones.”
He slipped a pink wedding band on Hwan that made me chuckle and repeated my words, then it was Hwan’s turn, who put a silver band on Parker with the help of Levi. When they were done, they all looked at me. Everyone was looking at me, and for the first time in my life, I didn’t mind.
“And now, by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husbands!”
The two grooms kissed, and the attendees got to their feet and applauded the new couple as they walked down the natural sandy aisle, leaving me behind to admire them.
To admire everyone. It was the first of many weddings.
The first of many celebrations now that evil had been banished from Mayberry Holm.
As they walked away, I looked to the side, to the Outpost. Or where it used to be.
It would be back one day, stronger than ever.
But even if it never did, it didn’t matter.
Because I’d built something far, far stronger here.
A community. Somehow, I’d brought people together and they hadn’t just saved the island, they’d found their soulmates too.
Just like I had. I may have fucked up and not thought this whole mission through, but it all worked out in the end.
Even if there was a bitter loss that I could never make up for.
I sighed and approached Ari. He put his hand on my arm and gave it a light squeeze.
“You were good. I’m proud,” he said.
I frowned. “I was good? You were supposed to be watching the couple.”
He shrugged. “Well, can you blame me for not being able to look away from the hot officiant? He’s my boyfriend, you know.”
“Is he now?” I smirked, but before Ari could reply, Elliot groaned.
“Agh, can you all not? Why are you all so sickly sweet? Cringe!” he said.
I laughed. “Did you prefer me when I was a grump?” I asked him.
Elliot scoffed. “You still are. When you’re not sucking face.”
“Hey!” Ari gasped and smacked Elliot’s chest.
“It’s the truth,” he mumbled, and I ruffled his hair. It only made him groan louder.
Even if he had changed since Wilson’s death, where he had wanted to dive headfirst into danger, he was almost acting like a kid his own age again. It was nice to see him grow, and I couldn’t wait to see what he’d do with his life. I hoped I’d be able to see that happen, if he let me.
Ari and I had been talking about renting our own house. I just needed to ask Elliot if he wanted to live with us or not before committing to a property.
“That was quite touching, wasn’t it?” Warren said as he approached our little circle.
“It was wonderful. Beach weddings are so romantic,” Ari said and looked out into the sea.
Warren shrugged and checked his phone. He laughed.
“What?” I asked.
“Seems Mitchell is facing life in prison. And has been refused bail.”
“Good!” I snapped. “Monsters don’t deserve to walk free.”
“Poor Dakota, though,” Warren said and pursed his lips. “Finding out your police captain dad is a common criminal can’t be easy.”
“No one’s seen him still?” Ari asked, and Warren shook his head.
“Can you blame him? I wouldn’t be surprised if he never came back.”
“That’s so unfair, though. He’s not his dad.”
I patted Ari’s shoulder and nodded.
It was unfair for Dakota to be paying for his dad’s sins. I just hoped the people of this island would see he was innocent and forgive him like they’d forgiven me.
“Shoot. I’m gonna be late,” Warren said and put his phone away. “Save some wedding cake for me.”
“Where are you going?” Ari asked him.
“I’ve got somewhere to be. Sorry,” he said.
“Are you seriously not going to come to the reception? You’ve known this wedding was happening today for weeks. You couldn’t have canceled whatever this is?” I asked.
“Yeah. It’s tough. I wanted to but couldn’t.”
“Right. This fucking secret you won’t tell anyone about. Are you sure you haven’t met someone?”
Warren scoffed as if Ari had told a joke. “Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know,” Ari replied. “You’re off on Valentine’s Day? Probably a date, right?”
“No. Not a date.”
Ari let out a frustrated huff. “I don’t understand why you can’t tell us what the fuck you’re up to? Is it illegal or something?”
Warren laughed. “Definitely not illegal.” He looked from Ari to me then back to Ari as if pondering something before he said, “Fine. I’ll tell you. I’ve…joined a team.”
“A team?” I asked.
“A hockey team,” he said.
“Aren’t you a bit old to be playing hockey?” Ari asked, and Warren gasped.
“Fuck you!” he replied, then a little more calmly, “Yeah, I am. But it’s only a beer league. And it’s fun.”
Ari grimaced and shook his head, his mouth opening and closing several times before he said, “You’re telling me you’ve been MIA to play hockey? What about all the all-nighters?”
He shrugged. “Yeah. We’d get wasted with my teammates and crash in each other’s houses. You know how it is.”
“No. No, I don’t. Jeez. Why have you been hiding it for so long?”
“It didn’t seem important with everything going on. But now the coast is clear and we’re playing our first game soon, so you can come watch me fail.”
“Oh, I’m sat already,” Ari said, and Elliot laughed.
“Harsh,” Warren mumbled, and he turned to me.
I raised an eyebrow. “Of course I’ll be there. Someone has to carry you off the ice when you bust your knees.”
Warren laughed out loud. No idea why because hockey injuries were a serious thing. Especially at his age. But it felt good to be able to talk like that with my brother. To be able to joke and laugh with him.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I had a brother. And I knew it was my fault for being an old curmudgeon with him—well, with everyone, really—but I hoped that was yet another thing I could make up for from now on.
I had all the time in the world to do that. Even if it didn’t seem that way, considering my age, I felt like I had a future.
And it was all because of Ari.