Win accepted the cup of coffee Brent handed him, and his hands shook—his palms were sweaty. He didn't understand why he was so nervous. Troy and him were celebrating their one-year anniversary, and Troy had officially moved in a few months ago. They'd survived colds and skinned knees. Not that everything was perfect, Troy and him fought plenty, but making up with his man was a perk.

“Are you going to hyperventilate or start fucking talking?”

Brent raised his thick brows and watched him over the rim of his coffee mug.

Under that look, he felt like some teenage boy talking to his boyfriend's dad before the first date. After two years of illnesses, Brent had received a clean bill of health and had quickly regained his muscle mass. The six-foot-three, older man was intimidating as fuck.

“Well, I wanted to ask…” He took a breath as he started to feel foolish. He'd rehearsed the speech in his head so many times he was frustrated he couldn't get the words out when he needed. And to make matters worse, Brent just sat there staring at him with an amused gaze and the lines getting deeper beside his hazel eyes.

“Why don't we do this? You want to marry my son?”

“Yes.”

“Then do it.”

“You could've made this easier like ten minutes ago.”

“Naw, it was too much fun watching you squirm. I'm not going to say I didn't have my reservations when I noticed Troy's interest, but you make my kid happy, and you gave me a grandkid.”

“Bella was the deciding factor, wasn't she?”

“Completely.”

“You're such an asshole.”

“It's like you haven't worked for me for more than ten years. All I've ever wanted was Troy happy. He completely put his life on hold for more than a year to take care of me.”

“But you're doing okay.” He meant to phrase it as a statement, but it came out more like a question.

Frustration mixed with a healthy dose of anger blazed in Brent's eyes. He hadn't wanted to bring up bad memories, but Brent had barely survived the last few years, and it was still hard to let it go. Canter wasn't just a place to work because they'd all become friends and family.

“Everyone is so worried about me dying. We all got our time and mine's not here yet.”

“We're just worried, old man, you keep us on the straight and narrow.”

“Which is a fucking full-time job, but a few mistakes here and there doesn't deem a man as beyond redemption.”

He raised his hand to rub the back of his neck. Those were nearly the same words that Brent told him the day he was hired. That was the first time in his life that he'd known acceptance. Brent had made him want to put his past behind him and move forward. He hadn't always succeeded, but he'd worked hard to make sure he lived up to Brent's opinion.

“Win, son, you listen to me.” Brent set his mug down. “You're a good man. You've come a long way since I hired you and just like with the rest of the guys who work for me, you're family. And family are the people who are there in the good times and bad. Things happen, and it changes everything you believe.”

“What did the cancer change for you?”

“I realized I've lived a half-life. I've accomplished everything I've wanted to except finding someone, and in a night where I was at my lowest, I realized it. We're not guaranteed anything in this life, Win, and I've wasted nearly fifty years. You get your ass up and go home, ask my son to marry you. Don't get to my age and have regrets you didn't know you had, blindside you.”

He wanted to stick around and talk with Brent more, but he'd listened and headed home. He'd never seen his friend and boss even when he was battling cancer look that low. He knew his boss was popular and never went without attention. Learning his mortality threw Brent for a loop.

He'd talk about it with Troy later, but first, he hoped his proposal wasn't as much a failure as asking Brent to approve. The trip to the apartment seemed the longest of his life, and as he jogged up the steps to the second floor, he took deep calming breaths. When he opened the door, the scent of coffee hit him, and he closed it behind him.

“Troy,” he called out as he dropped his keys on the table beside the door.

“In the kitchen, you're home early. I thought you were hanging out with Dad longer.”

They really needed a new place, something all theirs. His apartment wasn't the greatest and Bella needed a yard she could play in and ride her bike. He entered the kitchen and groaned at the sight of Troy bent over looking in the oven. He came up behind Troy, putting his arms around him and smiled as the man straightened, then turned in his arms.

“I think Brent is still pissed he's not up to fighting weight yet.”

He loved that cute little roll of Troy's eyes that their daughter had picked up too easily. He bent his arms to reach Troy's hair, the strands silky around his fingers. When he tugged, Troy tilted his head back and smiled.

“He needs to rest. He'll be off desk duty soon.”

“Is our girl down for a nap?”

“Nope, you remember, Miller is watching her tonight, and then she goes to Grandpa's tomorrow. It's our free weekend.”

“If it's our kid-free weekend, then why are you dressed? We had an agreement.”

For two weekends a month, Troy and him had two days completely to themselves. His beautiful, vocal man didn’t need to be quiet and could walk around their place naked.

“I'm not cooking dinner naked.”

“Then you don't get your surprise until you are.”

Troy huffed and backed away.

He felt the corner of his mouth tug into a smirk as Troy began to strip. He savored every inch of smooth skin Troy exposed. He flexed his hands at his sides and waited patiently for Troy to remove the last piece of clothing. As it always occurred, he was awestruck by Troy.

Back in the day, Troy, Bella, hell, his current life hadn’t even appeared as a blip of the screen. If they’d asked him at eighteen where he’d be twenty years in the future, the answer was simple: dead.

He turned off the stove and oven, then approached Troy. He dropped to his knees and nuzzled Troy’s belly, and wrapped his arms around Troy’s waist.

“What’s wrong, Win?” Troy asked as he soothingly combed his fingers through his hair.

“I love you; you know that, right?” He tipped his head back to rest his chin on Troy’s stomach and found the man watching him with contentment.

“You definitely show and tell me enough.”

“Marry me?”

“What?” Troy voice broke.

He would’ve grown nervous if not for Troy’s small smile spreading wider.

“I’ve told you this before, but I can’t imagine my life without you and Bella in it. All the time I’ve wasted over the years trying to pretend to be something I’m not. Bella and you are my family, always calm me when I think the monster is coming back. I don’t care if you want a huge wedding or just a trip to Vegas. However, I can make you mine. I’m down.”

Troy dropped to his knees, and all the answer he needed was in the neediness of his man’s kiss. The subtle taste of salt flavoring the lush curves.

“I wanted to make this more romantic. There was a whole speech planned for after I took you to dinner. Brought you home and loved on you.”

“It was perfect. I don’t need grand gestures. I just need you and Bella.”

“So, is that a yes?”

They spoke between slow, soft kisses, and through it all, they’d made it up off their knees and to their bedroom. When they were stretched out on the bed, he dug the small velvet bag from his pocket and laid it on Troy’s chest. They worked together to open it and then two rings reflected the light of the bedside lamp.

“Say yes, baby, please.”

“Yes.”

That was the last word spoken as they placed the rings on each other and loved on each other until the early morning. As Troy snuggled up to his side, sleeping peacefully, he began to look back and wondered how he’d come to this moment. He’d always be thankful for what he had or done, those sins he’d committed had brought him there. Gifted him with the family and friends he’d longed for and he’d live out the rest of his life showing everyone how much he appreciated them.

He turned his head to kiss Troy’s forehead and smiled at the whisper of his name. Stretching out his arm, he turned off the bedside lamp and closed his eyes.