Epilogue
“Hey, uh, thanks for agreeing to do this,” Scott said to Owen, fiddling with his cufflinks.
It felt like half the town was watching him right now.
“No problem.” Owen grinned at him. “You’re family. I mean… you’ve been family for a while, we’re just making it official today. I always wanted another little brother.”
“Really?” Scott raised an eyebrow.
“Sure. I mean, I wanted one to play catch with ‘cause Charlie was a nerd who stayed inside reading all day, but you’ll do.”
“We can play catch,” Scott offered. “I’m not too old for that.”
Owen chuckled. “Maybe when Kayla’s old enough for it,” he said. “Seriously, though. Welcome to the family.”
Owen pulled Scott into a hug, squeezing him tightly. He liked that the Jules brothers were huggers.
This was what he’d always wanted. It was the big, happy family of his dreams.
And Charlie had agreed to let him into it.
This was easily the best day of Scott’s life.
While Owen was still hugging him, Charlie appeared by Scott’s side, Riley standing a half-step behind him.
“Big turnout,” Scott said, unable to stop himself from grinning at Charlie. He looked great in a suit, but then, he always looked great.
Scott loved him in the morning, when his hair was a mess and his eyelids were heavy. He loved him in the winter, when he was wrapped up in so many layers he couldn’t bend his arms properly. He loved him in the summer, when he was naked and spread out on the couch, sitting under the ceiling fan and whining about the heat.
Scott loved him all the time.
“I’m a pillar of the community,” Charlie said, beaming. “And people like you, too.”
Scott was finally starting to feel like Hope Springs was his home. He’d made friends, gotten to know people, settled into the gentle, easy way of life here.
He had Charlie to thank for that. Charlie, and his friends and family. They’d changed his life.
Marrying him was the best thing Scott could imagine doing. He could still hardly believe Charlie had agreed to it.
“You ready?” Scott asked, turning as he felt tugging on his pants leg. Kayla was standing beside him, holding out a tiny flower arrangement.
They hadn’t been about to do the whole walking down the aisle thing, but it was still important that Kayla got to be a flower girl.
The wedding was a family affair, and that meant the whole family. Jude stood behind her with tears in his eyes.
“Thank you, honey.” Scott took the offered flowers, and then nodded over to Charlie. “He needs one, too.”
“Charlie!” Kayla shouted to get his attention, holding Charlie’s flowers out to him.
She seemed to be growing up so fast. Every time Scott saw her these days, he was shocked that she was the same Kayla he’d first met when he’d still been unsure of Charlie.
Charlie crouched down to take his flowers, accepting a hug from Kayla when he did, holding her close.
Charlie was good with kids.
Eventually, Scott would get up the courage to mention the pamphlet on adoption that he’d found in Charlie’s sock drawer while he was looking for a pair to borrow.
He was glad they were on the same page, there. Raising a family with Charlie seemed like the best possible thing he could do with his life.
Charlie stood, pinning his flowers to his buttonhole while Scott struggled to do the same.
“Here.” Jude took the flowers from him, getting the little clip in place on the first go. “I was like this too, when I married Owen,” he said. “I know there’s no point in telling you not to be nervous, but there’s no point in being nervous. You can’t screw this up. Charlie will still marry you if you trip or forget your lines or drop the rings. He loves you.”
“I know.” Scott looked down at his feet, smiling. Charlie did love him.
That made him feel like the luckiest man in the world.
Jude darted in, kissing Scott’s cheek, and then stepped back again. “You look very handsome.”
“Thanks,” Scott said, the tips of his ears burning. He liked having the approval of all of his new brothers.
Before Scott could say anything else, Charlie grabbed his hand.
“Are you as scared as I am about screwing up in front of all these people?” Charlie asked.
“Oh yeah.” Scott laughed nervously. “But I’ll still marry you if you do.”
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief, rolling his shoulders back and squeezing Scott’s hand. Scott’s stomach was in knots, but he knew it’d pass once they got started.
He knew this was what he wanted.
He knew Charlie would always be there for him.
“That’s all I needed to hear,” Charlie said.
“Are my flowers straight?” Scott asked, unable to see them.
Charlie burst into laughter. “Nothing about this wedding is straight. Don’t worry about them.”
Scott giggled in response, the worst of his nervousness lifting.
“I’m so glad I’m in for a lifetime of jokes like that,” Scott said.
“So am I, because I have a lifetime worth of them.” Charlie grinned at him, then turned to face the celebrant.
Scott copied him, still holding his hand, their fingers linked together lightly.
He couldn’t wait to say I do.