Epilogue

 

One month later

 

Sven clicked off his phone, shaking his head as he put it down on the kitchen island. Well, this was going to be an interesting morning and nothing like the one he’d had planned for their first one together as partners. He looked at the boxes stacked in Geoffrey’s—no, their—living room. He should have known Geoffrey would wear him down fast on the living arrangements. The man was utterly relentless when he wanted something. And he wanted Sven sharing his home.

The only nights he hadn’t spent wrapped around Geoffrey had been when he was on the job. Moving in had made sense. Plus, he wanted to. He knew this was the real deal.

So, his plans for dating had been tossed into the trash along with most of the people Geoffrey had considered friends.

Abby, Patrick, and Patrick’s boyfriend, Sean, had turned out to be true friends and more often than not, they all hung out there for cookouts and swimming. The latter would be ending soon because the first hint of cool, autumn air had drifted over them the night before on the back patio. This time, Royce and Dominic had come for the barbecue as well. Dominic had mostly healed from his ordeal, though he’d carry scars forever, including one down his cheek. And Finn, home for the weekend, had kept him and everyone else laughing. He was a lot like Geoffrey, and Sven was already crazy about him.

Geoffrey, wearing the silk pajama pants that gave Sven’s hands a mind of their own, padded slowly into the room, wincing when the sun streaked in through his wall of doors and windows. He frowned in confusion at the boxes in his way, then shuffled around them, continuing into the kitchen where Sven stood leaning against the sink. He automatically came right up to him and raised his face for his morning kiss, which Sven happily gave him.

“What are you doing up?” He asked as he pressed his lips to Geoffrey’s forehead.

“I dunno,” Geoffrey mumbled as he rubbed his cheek on Sven’s beard. He then walked to the single serve coffee machine and looked at it in confusion before opening the dishwasher underneath it. He pulled out a bowl and set it under the dispenser.

While he rummaged in the drawer for the coffee flavor he wanted, Sven chuckled and calmly switched out the bowl for a mug.

Geoffrey didn’t even notice. He plopped in the pod, turned it on, and snuggled into Sven’s chest. “Why are we up? You don’t work today.”

“You didn’t hear my cell ring? Didn’t hear me talking?”

He shook his head no.

“Well, we have a slight problem and though I kind of expected something like this to happen soon, I wasn’t expecting it to happen this morning.”

“Huh?” Geoffrey lifted his cheek from Sven’s chest and blinked up at him. “It’s too early for you to confuse me with so many words.” The doorbell rang and Geoffrey groaned. “I was expecting a delivery, but not this early. Finish fixing my coffee while I get it?”

Sven thought about warning him but he was all sleepy-cute and mouthy, so he shrugged and decided to just let his boyfriend get the full brunt of their surprise. He followed slowly as Geoffrey got to the front door and started opening it without even checking the security system. He sighed and rolled his eyes. They’d be going over that later and the only reason he wasn’t saying anything now was because he knew who was on the other side of the door.

That’s when he decided it wasn’t fair to spring this on morning Geoffrey. “Hey, hold on a second. That call I got this morning? It was from my brother. All of my brothers actually. I told my parents I was moving in with you this weekend and now my entire family is…here,” he finished lamely.

Shock caused Geoffrey’s features to go slack. He stood there, in his pajamas and messy hair, and gaped as Alida pushed the door all the way open, Reuben in her arms. Sven’s parents and three brothers filed into the foyer to stand around Alida.

“Um…” Geoffrey cleared his throat.

Sven walked up to stand behind Geoffrey, his hands on his shoulders. “They all came to help unpack.”

Alida smacked Sven’s arm. “They’re all so excited, they came to meet your other half.” She turned to Sven’s mother whose hair was a streaked mass of blonde and gray and who at sixty, carried her age with the same tall grace she always had. “Mom, you’re going to love him.” She aimed a fierce gaze at each of their older brothers. “You will all be good.”

His oldest brother, Kristoffer, snorted loudly while his other brothers, Liam and Frank laughed, each holding their hands out to Geoffrey.

He shook them, still obviously bemused. Then he gathered himself, his normal exuberant confidence spilling into him despite the early hour. He greeted Sven’s parents, apologized for not being entirely dressed, and invited them all of the way in.

“You’re all so welcome! I’ll order some pastries. Let me just go throw on some clothes.” He craned his neck to look at them all, then chuckled as he turned, walked past Sven, and muttered, “Looks like I am doomed to stand in the land of giants.”