SEPTEMBER

Chris walked into the garden party at Bret’s mom’s house, scanning the crowd for his friends. A table laden with dainty appetizers lined one side of the patio, while party-goers milled around a yard bursting with flowers and tangles of vines. It wasn’t the most organized garden — Bret’s mom didn’t garden so much as she nurtured a wild jungle of plants — but it was a riot of color and delicious scents, both floral and edible.

Ant nudged him. “There’s Bret, by the purple things.”

Chris glanced around, then laughed when he saw the fall flowers. “Those are asters, Ant.”

“Eh, whatever. Go ahead, I need to check with PJ.”

Ant’s little brother had moved in with him after his mother had told him that PJ needed a stronger male influence in his life. With their dad in Texas, Ant was the next-closest thing to a father figure, and he’d taken the responsibility seriously.

It had put a few cramps in their new sex life, but they’d been creative enough to fit PJ into their lives and still have mind-blowing sex and fabulous nights out. Ant and Chris had started their relationship over from scratch when they got home, even though it felt much more serious. They went on a handful of dates, then agreed they wanted a serious relationship with a future. Nearly three months later, Chris was spending every night at Ant’s place. He hadn’t moved in officially, but he had enough clothes and hair products to survive for a few weeks should a freak storm wipe out his apartment building.

Despite having to adjust their lives a bit to make room for PJ, Chris loved watching the brothers grow closer. Plus, PJ was adorable, just a younger, brasher version of Ant without the life experiences to ground him. Whenever Ant became infuriated with PJ’s big ego, Chris had to smother a laugh of amusement.

“What is it with your family and the nicknames?” Chris teased.

“It’s how we show our love.”

Chris pouted. “How come I don’t have a nickname?”

“You do, sweetness.”

“That’s not a nickname; that’s an endearment.”

“That makes it better, don’t you think?”

Chris leaned in to peck a kiss on Ant’s jaw. “Yeah. Okay, you check in with the rebellious teen, and I’ll go talk to Bret and Harry.”

“Will do.”

“Don’t eat all the food,” Chris warned sternly before seeking out the guests of honor.

By the time he reached Bret, Harry had rejoined him, and they stood looking happy, if frazzled by all the attention.

“Chris!” Bret said, latching on to him like a lifeline and hugging him tightly. “So good to see you. Gosh, it’s been a month at least.”

Chris withdrew to clap Harry on the shoulder in greeting. “Yeah, sorry. Been busy with work, and with Ant moving in his little brother.”

“Oh, right. How’s that going?”

“Great,” Chris said brightly. “I’m so happy for you guys, by the way. When’s the wedding?”

“December,” Harry said. “Which is why we’re having an outdoor party now. It’ll be cold by then.”

Bret shrugged. “We’re getting married in a huge, rustic barn, and they’ve promised me heaters that will make it comfortable. There will be a catered dinner and dancing. I hope we get snow, so everything is frosted in white.”

“Sounds beautiful,” Chris said.

“Bret’s mom is doing a lot of the planning,” Harry said, “which is fine by me. She has great taste, and she’s footing a lot of the bill. I just want to show up in my tux and marry Bret.”

Bret wrinkled his nose. “Mom’s a romantic. It’s not really my thing.”

Chris laughed at that, remembering that Harry and Bret had originally met at an anti-Valentine’s Day party where, according to Harry, Bret had railed against romance and especially holidays manufactured to profit off it.

He’d softened his stance since meeting Harry, obviously, even if Harry had proposed three times before Bret finally saw sense and popped the question himself right after the Vegas trip, apologizing for all his doubts.

“Admit it,” Harry said now. “You kind of like the idea of being all dressed up in a beautiful place with flowers and champagne.”

Ant joined Chris’s side, smiling tensely. “Champagne?”

“At their wedding,” Chris said. “They’re going formal.”

“Ah, nice,” he said, though he swallowed and looked nervous. “Guess that’s more traditional.”

“Yeah,” Chris said. “It sounds beautiful. They’re getting married in a big barn, and … what’s wrong with you?” He placed a hand on Ant’s arm, frowning. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”

Harry and Bret exchanged a look.

“I’m fine,” Ant muttered.

“Low-key weddings are nice too,” Harry said. “We could get married in this garden and I wouldn’t mind.”

“The garden looks great. I can’t believe how many things are still blooming, even though it’s fall,” Chris said. “Your mother really is something.”

“Yeah, she is.”

“Not like Brad and Riley’s wedding, huh?” Harry added. “All bright and flashy.”

Chris shrugged. “It fit their personalities.”

“Shit,” Ant said. “I’ll be right back.”

He ambled across the yard, looking so stressed that Chris excused himself to follow him. “Hey, Ant, what’s wrong? You’re starting to worry me.”

Ant blew out a breath and shook his head. “I screwed this up. I just need to think …”

“Screwed what up?” Chris asked.

Ant fumbled in his pocket. “Look, I wasn’t going to do this here. I had the house all set up… but, I think maybe I made a mistake. I can’t bear to put this off any longer, though.” He nodded, squaring his shoulders. “Yeah, I need to say this.”

Dread began to coil in Chris’s stomach. “What is it?”

Ant drew out a small velvet box and handed it to Chris. He didn’t pop it open or even hint at what was inside. It was obviously a ring box, but when Chris looked at Ant’s face, he read only tension there.

He clicked the box open and stared down at the ring. It was nothing like Brad and Riley’s rings, the ones they’d briefly worn in Vegas, and he was glad. This ring was platinum, with an inlay of what looked like jade running around it.

“Is this what I think it is?” he asked.

Ant licked his lips, looking nervous, then dropped to one knee.

Oh, God. This was happening, wasn’t it? Chris blinked, but the ring didn’t disappear, and Ant remained on bended knee before him.

“Ant, holy cow,” Chris blurted. “Are you sure?”

“I haven’t asked the question yet.”

“Right, sorry.”

His gaze darted from the ring to Ant’s face, nervous and hopeful.

“Chris Everett, will you please make me the happiest man ever and not fake marry me?”

Chris blinked, his mind slow to compute. Then he laughed, and oh heck, tears burned his eyes as he answered. “Yeah, Ant, I never want to fake marry you, or almost drunk marry you, or whatever the heck we did in Vegas.”

“How about a real marriage then? Will you marry me, Chris?”

Chris sniffed, smiling so wide his face hurt. “I think I can handle that.”

Ant stood up, plucking the ring from the box and slipping it on Chris’s finger. They’d drawn some attention, though it was obvious Ant hadn’t planned it.

“We’re not stealing Bret and Harry’s thunder, I hope,” Chris murmured.

Ant drew him in for a kiss. “Maybe, sorry. I intended to do this at home after we left.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Ant swallowed. “I had PJ decorate the whole house, so don’t be too surprised when we get back. It’s all done up like a cheesy Vegas wedding, but don’t worry. We don’t have to get married in Vegas. I realized I was dumb to think you’d want that instead of a more formal wedding.”

Chris shook his head, smiling. “Ant, I’d marry you anywhere, in any way, but nothing would make me happier than returning to the scene of the crime and marrying you the right way.”

“Really? It’s not too tacky for you?”

Chris shrugged. “Vegas is where we reconnected. It’s where you recited vows to me at my hotel door, just to cheer me up when I was distressed about missing out on the experience. It’s where I fell in love with you and realized you were the one for me. It seems like the perfect place to get married.”

“See? That’s what I thought.” He slapped his thigh. “Damn it. I had the perfect proposal planned too.”

Chris laughed, pulling him in for a hug. “This was perfect too. Any day that you want to marry me is a good one.”

Harry and Bret arrived at their side. “We’re all getting married!” Bret enthused, while Harry shook his head.

“Man, Ant, you totally panicked. What happened back there?”

Ant smiled sheepishly. “I was second-guessing my extravagant proposal.” His smile fell. “Shit, PJ is going to kill me. I made him set it all up, and he sounded really proud of it.”

Chris smiled, thinking that after all his bad luck in love, he couldn’t really have too many wedding proposals. “No worries. We can go home, and you can propose to me as you first intended. I don’t mind hearing you ask again.”

Ant smirked. “You’re just trying to milk it, huh?”

“Of course!” Chris said. “I need to get all the mileage I can out of you before you realize that I was always a done deal.”

Ant kissed him again. “Not always.”

“I guess getting drunk, forgetting half the night, and thinking you might be married to a guy who hates your guts works for some people,” Harry said.

“True romance,” Chris quipped.

“So, does this mean what I think it means?” Bret asked.

“Yes! Another Vegas trip!” Chris glanced over Ant’s shoulder to see Brad and Riley grinning at them. He hadn’t noticed them approach, but then he’d been busy accepting a wedding proposal. Holy cow. I’m getting married. For real this time.

“Hey, that reminds me,” Bret said. “You guys thought you were married in Vegas because you woke up with wedding rings on, right? Where did those rings come from anyway?”

Chris and Ant exchanged a sheepish look, then scrambled to make excuses. “Well, I think we’re late for …”

“Yep, PJ’s waiting on this new proposal.”

As they rushed off, Chris heard Brad behind them. “They used OUR wedding rings? Oh, HELL no. I’m going to kill you, Chris Everett!!”

“You’ll have to catch me first,” Chris called back as they ran toward the alley, where several cars were parked behind the house.

“It’s harder than it looks,” Ant added, laughing, as he unlocked the doors and they jumped in the car, while their friends gaped after them.

“Chris has changed,” Brad said.

“Yeah,” Riley said with a grin. “Isn’t it great?”

The engine started and revved, then Chris and Ant drove off, kicking up gravel as they sped away.