“You know I suck at this,” Koby complained, enjoying teasing Vince.

Vince pushed the football into Koby’s hands. “No, you don’t.” He grinned as Pac-Man danced around their feet. “Come on, we wanna play some catch with you. Don’t we, Pac-Man?” Their not-so-little pup barked in agreement.

Koby groaned. He was incredibly full from the picnic that afternoon. Vince had managed to coordinate not only both their families but also a lot of their friends into a Fourth of July gathering in Moore Wood. That meant Koby’s mom and Vince’s nonna had been in some kind of silent competition to see who could feed the most people. The result had been more food than anyone could really manage, but they’d damn well given it a try.

A little exercise would probably make Koby feel better, he reasoned. Besides, it was nice doing something Vince loved with him. He may be coaching now, but he still enjoyed throwing a ball around every now and again. Koby loved being his catch partner whenever he asked.

Except…this wasn’t a proper football in his hands, even Koby could see that. It was plastic, not leather, and strangely light.

“Is this the best ball you could find?” Koby asked as Vince walked backward and away from him, Pac-Man hopping about by his side.

“Just throw me the damn ball,” Vince called out, grinning cheekily.

Koby chuckled and shook his head. He raised his arm and threw the strange plastic ball as best he could. Vince caught it, naturally. He never missed.

They’d only thrown it back and forth a couple of times before they were joined by a very excitable Lyla and Zane, who began chasing up and down after the ball with every throw, Pac-Man and Trooper running by their sides. Then their friend Gina Miller joined them. Koby waved to her big sister, Tammy the waitress from Rocket. She was even at the picnic with her girlfriend, Lily, who Koby knew from the engineering department at the college.

Come to think of it…it was as if pretty much everyone he knew in town was here. His brunch club buddies, including young Harrison, and their boyfriends were mingling with Vince’s family and the guys from art class. Kris was giving Yu Yun bleaching tips, assuring her that her hair could totally take it with the right treatment. Gabe dutifully ate more of Nonna’s ravioli beside Ryan as he talked to Remi, who’d brought most of the damn Second Watch from the firehouse. The EMTs who’d attended to Vince were completely enthralled with reading Gareth’s latest comic on his tablet. Chase and Hunter were enjoying a moment of peace while Lyla ran around with the other kids. Matt was getting workout tips from Vince’s uncles and Cas had enchanted Maria with some story that had her giggling into her rose wine.

Some of Vince’s football kids had come with Hoffman and Ruby Jean to spread out blankets and join in the fun and games. Ginger was introducing everyone to her new partner – the androgynous girl from karaoke she’d finally had the guts to ask out. Koby’s mom had brought some of the women from her ‘gays and grannies’ exercise classes, including Remi’s mom, Gabe’s grandma, Mrs. Valdez in her new mobility scooter, and dear lord, even Doris from Grind coffee shop was here.

Vince’s nonna and Koby’s mom were circling them all, trying to get anyone they could to pick at their leftovers.

Even though he was mildly horrified at all his worlds colliding, Koby had to admit he loved it. He couldn’t think of a time he’d seen more people he cared about in one place, even at Christmas.

In the post-lunch lull, everyone seemed happy to lie around and swelter in the Texan heat. Koby had been persuaded to wear a rather small pair of denim shorts by Kris – the king of booty skimmers – and he was still hot.

But he didn’t care. In fact, he beamed as he chucked the weird ball back to his boyfriend. This whole day had been Vince’s idea. He’d made it seem like this casual thing he was throwing together, but he’d managed to get so many people that they both loved all gathered together for the holiday. It was amazing.

Their lives had become so intermingled. Koby knew Vince’s uncles pretty well now as they had helped fix the drafts and bad plumbing in the apartment. Vince had made friends with Matt and Ryan, getting together to play video games and watch sports. Everything overlapped so naturally.

Vince continued to surprise Koby with his open-mindedness, dismantling his preconceptions and masculinity more and more. In the end, they had both seen therapists after Drew’s attack, just for a little while. Vince hadn’t exactly forgiven Drew for everything he’d done to Koby, but he’d gone to visit him during his brief stint behind bars and was encouraging him to seek help himself. Koby wasn’t sure someone like Drew could ever really change, but he was happy that Vince had done what he could to try.

Life was good. Koby felt so content. And what better way to celebrate that than all coming together as one big happy family?

Vince was about twenty feet away now. He had the ball in his hands, but he didn’t throw it back to Koby. Instead, he beckoned for Lyla, Zane and Gina to come over to him, where he whispered something to them. Koby watched on, amused. Then the three six-year-olds came tearing back to him, both golden retrievers racing beside them.

“Koby! Koby!” Lyla cried while Zane and Gina tugged at his T-shirt and the dogs barked in excitement.

“What?” Koby laughed as the kids spun around him.

“Koby! Look at our dance, Koby!” Lyla squealed.

“Okay.” Koby was confused as the kids hopped and jumped and he looked down at them. “Yes, that’s very lovely.”

A whistle grabbed his attention. It had come from Vince. As Koby looked up at him, the kids and dogs all scattered, giggling and barking.

“What?” Koby mouthed at Vince.

Vince tapped the ball, arched an eyebrow, then threw it.

Koby caught like he had the last twenty times. But this time, he realized something had been written on it in big black marker pen. ‘Open me!’ it said.

Koby frowned. “Open me?” Then he spotted that the strange plastic ball did indeed have a hinge and a clasp. He hadn’t noticed before.

Using his fingernails, Koby pried the ball apart. Inside was filled with shredded paper. Nestled in the middle of the tightly packed paper was a small wooden box and a letter that said ‘Open me first!’ on the front.

Not quite sure what was going on, Koby cradled the ball with the paper and the little box, unfolding the letter as instructed.

‘My darling Koby,’ the handwritten note said. Koby recognized Vince’s chicken scratch with warm fondness.

‘Words were never my strength, but I wanted to try for you. You make me want to try my hardest at everything.

‘Since I met you, my whole life has changed. You made me a better person – the best person I reckon I could be.

‘Please open the box next. You can put the letter and the football down.’

Feeling utterly perplexed, Koby made to do as he was told and place everything but the small wooden box on the grass. Except as he did so he realized Vince had walked over to him.

And was now in front of Koby, down on one knee.

Koby never thought he was the screaming sort. But he yelped, dropping the letter and the football, scattering the shredded paper over the grass. Vince smiled at him, his dark eyes bright and glassy, both his hands resting on his knee. Koby clutched the little box and couldn’t help but glance around, only to see the entire damn picnic was watching them, several of the guests (including the infamous little Caterina) recording with their phones. Vince’s nonna was already crying.

When Koby looked back around, Vince reached up with his large hands, cradling Koby’s hands and the wooden box within them. Koby’s heart was in his mouth as he trembled, tears pooling in his eyes. All those years trying to convince people he was so cool and that nothing ever really ruffled him, yet here he was an emotional wreck already.

This was what Vince had done to him. He’d softened Koby’s heart.

“Open it,” Vince said thickly, nodding at the little wooden box.

Koby did so, recognizing Vince’s craftmanship from the small V+K in a heart engraved on the top of the lid.

Inside, nestled in the slit of a red cushion, was a metal ring. The center bauble was a creation of tiny nuts and bolts and cogs in a style very similar to Koby’s own designs, but he certainly hadn’t made this.

“I had a bit of help with that,” Vince said, drawing Koby’s attention back to him. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Koby whispered. “But…is it just a ring, or…?”

Vince shook his head. “No, it’s not just a ring, baby.” His voice wavered only slightly. “It’s a promise to love you forever. Koby Duvall, will you marry me?”

Koby tried not to cry, but it was impossible. “Yes,” he managed to utter as he began to sob, and it felt like half the damn park exploded into cheers and happy cries. Vince jumped to his feet and enveloped Koby in his big, strong arms, hugging him tightly. Pac-Man barked his head off at their feet. Within seconds, other bodies collided into them, screams filling Koby’s ears of “He said yes!” and “Oh my god, babe!”

Koby laughed, clinging to Vince, trusting he would protect him from their over-enthusiastic family and friends as they tried to crush them both to death. But eventually, Koby was given enough room to lift his hands between him and Vince, sliding the ring onto his left hand, making sure to keep the box safe in his grasp.

He looked up into Vince’s eyes, so full of love and happiness, and kissed him right there in the middle of the ecstatic throng.

A year ago, Koby had felt all alone. Now, he couldn’t have been surrounded by more love and happiness if he tried. He kissed his fiancé and hugged him tight.

They were going to spend the rest of their lives protecting each other, keeping the other warm and safe. Bringing each other joy, forever.

Koby couldn’t wait.