Owen
Thank God for Seamus.
He’d been sending Owen texts all evening, keeping him up to date on what was going on. He’d managed to bring the whole family together for a surprise Finn Again, and filled the pub with strangers, regulars and people from Owen’s club by offering free food and drink.
He’d also gotten everyone matching Finn Club t-shirts.
Owen owed his brother big time.
“It’s crowded,” Jeremy said as they parked on a side street. “Seamus must be swamped. I hope he called in some help.”
Owen took his hand. “If he didn’t, we can help him out after we talk to Solomon and James.”
Jeremy frowned. “Did they give you details when they called? Is Brady okay? It must be serious if Solomon wants to see us in person.”
It was serious, but it didn’t have anything to do with Brady.
It was a surprise party for Jeremy. His anniversary present. Owen had something to say, something Jeremy deserved to hear, and he needed the biggest audience he could round up to witness it.
He’d been a fucking idiot. Jealous and insecure. The reasons he had for taking Jeremy away, all his plans to tie him down, seemed so ridiculous now. Jeremy had never been pulling away—he’d been doing what he’d always done. Taking care of Tasha, taking care of Brady, taking care of Owen’s parents and Badass and, most of all, taking care of him.
It had all been in Owen’s head. His fears. His problem that needed to be fixed.
That book had been the punch in the gut he’d needed. Seeing his family, seeing himself through Jeremy’s eyes, had woken him up. Reminded him how well Jeremy knew him. How much he was loved.
Why he never had to worry about Jeremy walking away.
The stone-faced James was standing by the front door of the pub, watching them approach. “We’ve been waiting for you.” He tilted his head toward the sound of cheers and laughter. “Solomon’s inside.”
“This might not be the best place to talk about Brady,” Jeremy said when they opened the door and the noise hit them both in a wave. “Wait, why is Little Finn here? And Tasha? Did we miss an invitation?”
Jeremy let go of his hand and slowed his steps so they weren’t walking side by side. Owen had done that to him, he knew—made it their habit not to be too public with their affection in front of strangers. God, he deserved the flogger. And not in a good way.
When Seamus saw them and gave Owen the thumbs up, Owen nodded.
Seamus raised his glass and started a chain reaction of spoons tapping beer bottles, the crowd quieting as they looked toward him expectantly.
“That something special I’ve been telling you about has arrived. A lot of you know my brother Owen.” Several tables cheered loudly. “Well, he’s got something to say, so give him a round of applause so he can get to it.”
Owen couldn’t look at Jeremy. Not yet.
One of the members of the band brought Seamus a microphone and he held it out, looking into Owen’s eyes with a proud smile. “Owen?”
There was nothing he could do about the mutant butterflies in his stomach. If he made a jackass out of himself, so be it. This was too important. Jeremy was too important.
He walked up and took the microphone, then turned to see all those faces staring at him expectantly. Some were familiar, some weren’t, but there was only one that mattered. Jeremy. He was looking a little pale, and Solomon had a hand on his shoulder. He sent Owen a frowning nod of encouragement.
He should have rehearsed this.
“Is Brady Finn here?”
“I am, Owen. How was your vacation?” Brady was sitting close to Ken Tanaka, a confused smile on his face.
“Good. Thanks for asking.” Owen slipped one hand in his jeans pocket and spoke into the microphone. “Brady gave me some good advice a few weeks ago—”
“During the Great Rumming of 2015!” Tanaka called out, making the crowd laugh.
“Yes. Rum was involved. But I remembered everything he said and his words stuck with me. See, I’ve been in a serious relationship for about a year now, and I’ve never been happier, but there were a few things I couldn’t face. Refused to face. Obstacles I’d put in my own path out of fear or habit, I don’t fucking know. Basically I was a dumbass.”
“What else is new?” Someone from the club called out, making Owen smile.
He snared Jeremy’s gaze again. “This is only going to work if you come up and stand beside me.”
It was clear Jeremy didn’t want to. That he still wasn’t sure what was going on. Solomon nudged him and he moved forward slowly, his face so expressive Owen could practically see the gears turning in his mind.
He reached out and took Jeremy’s hand, tangling their fingers together. The crowd welcomed Jeremy with claps and cheers.
“He’s handsome isn’t he?” Owen winked, relaxing as soon as Jeremy was touching him. “I’m a lucky man. You have no idea how lucky.”
Jeremy squeezed his hand in warning.
“Don’t worry, I won’t go into intimate details.” He glanced back at his audience. “But seriously? Huge amount of luck.”
The crowd guffawed and Jeremy leaned closer. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Being romantic and impulsive?” He raised his voice. “Tonight my brother Seamus threw this party at my request because there’s something I want to say…and something I want to ask.”
The patrons caught the hint, a hush falling over the crowd. This was it. Now or never.
“The first thing I need to say is I hate labels.” When Brady and Seamus groaned, Owen said, “I’m sorry, but that’s never going to change. I don’t think what you are or what your sexuality is matters nearly as much as who you love and how you love.”
He turned toward Jeremy, still holding his hand. “You’re who I love, Jeremy Porter. And you teach me every day how to do it right. And because of that, I can say what Brady and my sister and everyone who knows me has been wanting me to admit out loud for a year now. Are you all listening?”
“Say it already!”
“Loud and proud!”
Owen chuckled and raised his voice. “I. Am. Gay.”
Brady whooped and Owen’s father laughed as his mother leaned against him, clutching a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
Then Owen got down on one knee and several people gasped. “But only for you, Jeremy. You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted. The only man I love. I’ve never had someone mean this much to me. So much I can’t imagine walking through this world without you beside me. It made me crazy there for a while, worrying that what we had was too good and I was bound to fuck it all up.”
He shrugged and smiled. “But I realized the other day that it’s pointless to worry about something that’s inevitable. I will fuck it up. I’ll make a mess of things and steamroll over your plans. We’ll argue, and I’ll get jealous when you spend too much time away from me.” He tightened his grip on Jeremy’s hand. “But we’ll also make up, laugh, and make a home out of the scariest fucking vacation cabin in the world.”
He hoped Jeremy meant it when he said he liked that cabin, since he’d bought the damn thing yesterday. They’d made it together. It belonged to them now.
“It will happen, all of it, because that’s life. And I want that life. I want to live every day of that life with you. I love you, Jeremy Porter. Will marry me?”
The pub got so loud that he wouldn’t have been able to hear Jeremy even if he answered.
He lowered the microphone and got to his feet, pulling Jeremy closer. “Surprise,” he said into his ear. “What do you say?”
Jeremy cupped Owen’s jaw and stared at him as if memorizing every detail of his face. “As if you didn’t know.”
He kissed Owen and Owen groaned against his lips, only pulling back long enough to ask, “I think I kicked that proposal’s ass, don’t you?”
“Cocky bastard,” Jeremy murmured, kissing him again.
Owen was a lucky man.
Everyone seemed to come up all at once, pulling them apart to hug them and offer their congratulations. Owen was over the moon. He’d said yes. Jeremy had said yes. There was nothing left to do but spend the rest of his life being blissfully content.
He turned at a tap on his shoulder and found Jeremy behind him. Owen smiled, a little tipsy and a lot happy. “Hey there.”
Jeremy was grinning, his eyes sparkling when he pulled Owen’s head down to whisper in his ear, “Out back. Now. I want to say yes again…on my knees.”
“I’ll follow you,” he whispered back, watching Jeremy’s wide frame part the crowd.
Hell yes, he was lucky. But he was a Finn. All in or not at all.
Look for Little Finn’s (Jen’s) story in Ravenous and
A Curious Wedding: An Owen and Jeremy quickie
Both Coming Soon!