Preston grinned as he got out of the car. He could already smell everything—the burgers, the beer, the pool table, even.

“You look like you’re on drugs,” Brad laughed as he got out. “Here.”

He passed Preston his certificate. The one that Preston had gotten just a few days ago, the one that said that he’d passed the course along with all the other people in the class.

They were nice people, overall. Even Jared. But Preston was still glad he wouldn’t have to see them again unless he ran into them at the supermarket or something.

“Proof for Luke,” Brad said, laughing.

Brad had gone the extra mile with Preston’s. He’d given it to him as just a piece of paper, same as everyone else’s, when he’d first passed them out. Brad was still working hard to avoid any aspect of favoritism.

He and Preston had stayed apart as much as they could, which was a lot harder than Preston had expected. He wanted to be with Brad all the time. He thought he was finally starting to understand why all of the other couples had been so damn touchy-feely when they’d first gotten together.

Well, Lance and Travis had always been touchy-feely, even before they were dating; they just hadn’t realized that their touching was all that intense or romantic in nature.

Preston still reserved the right to call them both idiots. At least he’d realized how much he wanted to be with Brad and had been aware of his feelings, instead of pining for the same without even realizing it for ten years.

But anyway, after they’d ended the class, Brad had then surprised Preston by taking him to a framing store and getting the certificate properly framed, like a portrait or something. “I figure you can hang it in the kitchen or something,” Brad had told him. “To remind yourself of how far you’ve come, and all that you’re capable of.”

Preston had another paper, too, one that wasn’t framed but was printed out from the internet. He was planning on showing that to everyone as well, although Luke and the others weren’t aware of it.

He’d had a lot of talks with Brad about the future. Not their future as a couple, but his, Preston’s, future. What he wanted out of life.

Brad insisted that Preston could be whoever and whatever he wanted, and that he should find a way to pursue his dreams, and not get down and defeatist about it before he’d even taken a shot.

So he’d gone to his high school and set up a meeting with the principal, and asked about openings in the athletics department.

Turned out, with the new influx of students, from people moving to the area with all the development, they were hoping to expand and add a few more staff, including another athletics coach.

With Brad’s help, Preston had signed up for an online college course, with some other classes taken at the community college in the city to finish getting his degree. He hadn’t thought that the school would wait for him, but the principal was eager to have someone who’d grown up in the area and at the school be on the staff, and he’d said there was no rush. They couldn’t add him until next fall anyway, so he had time.

Preston had printed out the list of classes he was enrolled in, so that he could show everyone.

He felt giddy, light on his feet. He still had to work at the grocery store to pay his bills, but he’d set himself up with some financial aid—Brad had helped with that too—and he was finally going to get a degree. He was going to get the job he’d dreamed about as a kid.

He could hardly believe it.

Brad took his hand and tugged him in towards the bar. “C’mon, they’re going to start wondering if we got held up in traffic.”

“What traffic? Traffic is nonexistent around here.”

“Give it a few more years.”

Preston groaned.

When they entered the bar, the other guys waved from their seats. Preston caught sight of two people who hadn’t been there—or anywhere—the past few weeks.

“Jake! Matthew!” Preston hurried over, hugging them in congratulations. “You’re back! How was the honeymoon?”

“I’ve never felt so relaxed,” Jake groaned.

“That’s because it was the first time in your life you actually relaxed at all,” Adam said.

Jake glared at him.

Matthew and Jake had gotten married about four weeks ago and had taken off for a honeymoon in Paris. It was a cliché to pick that city for your honeymoon, city of lovers and all that, if you asked Preston. But he hadn’t dared to tell Jake that, and neither had anyone else as far as he knew.

Besides, he suspected they’d chosen it because Matthew was a chef and a huge foodie rather than for any romantic notions. Last Preston had checked, Jake didn’t have a romantic bone in his body, although he did love Matthew deeply and found his own ways to show it.

“It was amazing,” Matthew drawled, grinning. “I’m a huge food snob now; I’m never eating a croissant from the U.S. again.”

“He got to do some cooking classes,” Jake said. “Watch out for some changes to the menu at the Bluebird Café.”

“Looking forward to it,” Preston said honestly.

“Also look out for him trying and failing to speak with a French accent,” Jake added.

“I do a great French accent.”

“You’re Southern. Southern and French accents do not mix.”

“I beg to differ.”

“You’d be wrong.”

“True love, gentlemen,” Eric said, gesturing at Jake and Matthew. “Where you whisper sweet nothings to your new husband about how his accent is awful.”

“Whoa, we’re forgetting!” Lance said. “Congratulations, Preston! Welcome back!”

“Congratulations!” everyone echoed.

Luke grinned at him, holding his hand out over the bar top for Preston to shake. “I’m proud of you,” he said as they shook hands. “You had a tough time of it sometimes, but you stuck it out, and I’m really glad.”

“It was for the best,” Preston admitted. “I needed that kick in the pants.”

He passed the certificate over to Luke. “Brad framed it for me.”

Luke grinned down at it. “I know the perfect place for this. If you don’t mind.”

Preston was stunned. “You want to put it up at the bar? Here?”

Luke nodded. “Of course. This is your place too. Now it’ll always remind you of what you accomplished, and how you earned your place here.”

Preston had to blink back the warm feeling seeping into his eyes. “I’m—wow. Thank you, Luke. That means a lot.”

Luke elbowed Paul, who was flirting with Davis as usual. “Grab me a hammer and a nail, would you?”

“Ow,” Paul grumped, but he went to get one.

“What’s that?” Travis asked, indicating the paper still in Preston’s hand.

Preston showed it to him. “There’s one more thing. I never told you guys about it when I wanted it back in high school, because I didn’t—I was scared that something would go wrong, and I wouldn’t get it. And then I was right, and I didn’t get it because I had to stay home and help out my mom.

“But now I’m going after it—I’m going to get my degree, and I’m going to be the second athletics coach at our old high school. They’re expanding their staff and need a second person, and if I get my degree they’re happy to have me.”

Travis’s eyes went wide as he took in the list of enrolled classes and then passed it to Lance, who read it and passed it to Davis, and so on down the line.

“Holy crap,” Eric said. “Congratulations.”

“Congratulations on what? Oh! Preston!” Ross appeared, dragging Tom behind him. “Dude, we were wondering when you’d get back! I don’t see you enough as it is, man.”

“Preston’s going to get his degree and become an athletics coach,” Matthew explained.

“What?” Ross grinned, clapping Preston on the shoulder. “That’s great! Congratulations!”

Paul returned with a nail and hammer, and helped Luke to pick a spot on the wall to hang the framed certificate.

Brad squeezed Preston’s hand, resting his head on Preston’s shoulder as they watched Luke and Paul hang the frame. “You did it,” Brad whispered proudly.

“Ta-da!” Paul said as he and Luke stepped away.

“Looking good,” Matthew said.

“Yay,” Jake said, deadpan.

“I hate to change the subject,” Eric said, eyeing the door to the kitchen, “but since Hank’s occupied, can I get some quick advice on how to propose to him?”

Lance spat out his drink, which made Travis thump him on the back. “Jesus, Eric, warn a guy!”

“You’re going out of order,” Paul said.

“What?” Everyone stared at him.

Paul grinned in that teasing I’m-just-shitting-you way that he had. “We have to go in order. After Matthew and Jake, it should be Luke and Adam, but they’re already hitched so next it’s Travis and Lance. Travis should propose next. You’re messing up the order.”

“Thanks, Paul. Wee appreciate the pressure,” Travis said.

“Take all the time you need,” Lance assured him.

“I appreciate the advice,” Eric said dryly. “But if it’s all right by you, Paul, I’d like to propose to my boyfriend as soon as possible, whether or not Travis has proposed to Lance and you’ve proposed to Davis.”

Davis, the romantic, was eager to jump in with ideas. Adam had a few, actually, which led to the revelation that he’d been thinking of proposing to Luke when Luke had gotten the jump on him and proposed first.

Preston got himself a seat and found one for Brad next to him. It was such a relief to be able to actually hold his hand, to let Brad rest his head on his shoulder, to talk low and quiet in his ear.

They’d had to keep their relationship more than a secret—they’d had to actually put it on hold. No seeing each other outside of class, even, just in case. But now that was all over, and they could be together however they wanted, and whenever they wanted.

Preston wasn’t sure about the future of their relationship. Not that he doubted they’d still be together, but he wasn’t rushing around to get engaged. It would happen when it was supposed to happen, and he wasn’t worrying about it one way or another.

Right now, he had someone who he loved, who loved him and who believed in him. Someone who inspired him to be a better person, and who was helping him to achieve his dreams.

It was more than his parents had had in their relationship. It was more than Preston had honestly thought he would ever get. And he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“How do you feel?” Brad asked.

“Like I’m home,” Preston admitted.

He felt a lot more relaxed now, though. Less inclined to snap at anyone. And if someone was rude or got in his face, he wouldn’t take it personally. The bar was special to him, but it wasn’t his identity, and it wasn’t the only place that he could feel safe or be himself.

“Good,” Brad replied.

“And how do you feel?” This was Brad’s introduction to everyone at the bar. He’d met a few of them—Travis, Luke, and so on—at poker night, but he hadn’t been able to join them for football just yet, so this was his first introduction to not only a good half of the group, but how all the couples interacted around one another.

“A little overwhelmed,” Brad admitted, laughing. “But in a good way.”

Tom slid over to Brad’s other side. “Is he another shy newbie?” he asked Preston.

“Tom was pretty damn shy when he first joined our group,” Preston explained.

Brad looked relieved to find someone who hadn’t dived in headfirst when meeting the group. Tom started telling him how he worked for Adam as a paralegal, and how he’d finally met the group, and how he’d come out of his shell over time.

Preston watched as Brad and Tom talked, Ross joining in, never far from where Tom was. Preston grinned. Brad would fit in just fine.

He looked over to find Luke watching him, arms folding, smiling fondly. “Do I pass mister?” he asked, teasing.

Luke tilted his head and squinted, as if inspecting him. “I guess you’ll do,” he said at last.

Preston laughed. He felt calmer, freer, than he had since he was in high school.

He’d forever be grateful to Brad for this. For not only being someone to be his partner, someone he loved, but for helping to give him back his life. Giving him a chance to be a better person than he was before. A chance at the life he’d always wanted.

He didn’t know if Brad would ever fully appreciate or understand that. Brad was always talking about how grateful he was to Preston—but Preston didn’t feel as though he’d done all that much. All he’d done was give a speech, and be there to hold Brad’s hand. Brad had done at least half of it.

Maybe that was how relationships worked, though, or how they were supposed to work. Each person thinking that the other one had done something amazing for them, was amazing, and always being grateful that this person had chosen them.

Either way, Preston couldn’t wait to see what the future held. For the first time in years, he was looking forward to the rest of his life.