TATE FOLLOWED LOGAN into the dining room, where everyone had gathered, and came to a stop at the head of the table.

Thomas and Cole sat down on one side, and next to them in a high chair was Lila. On the other side of the table was Jackie and his father, and an empty chair that Tate presumed was for him or Logan, while Rachel had moved to the opposite end, closest to the kitchen and next to Lila, where she pulled out a chair to take a seat.

“About time you two showed your faces,” Cole joked, as Rachel tied Lila’s bib and smoothed it over her shirt.

The table centerpieces had all been removed, except a few lit candles to make room for the food, and it looked mouth-watering. The turkey glistened, juicy and plump, the casseroles were still warm from the oven, and the mountain of potatoes made Tate want to dig in and never stop.

Glasses had been filled with sparkling champagne, and even though they weren’t at the Madisons for this year’s holiday, Rachel had once again outdone herself.

“We were discussing something important, if you must know,” Logan said to Cole. “But before we begin today, we want to thank Rachel for everything she’s done here and all this delicious food.” Logan looked down at her and winked.

“It’s my pleasure, you know that,” she told them. “Plus, your kitchen is a chef’s fantasy come to life.”

As everyone laughed, Logan took Tate’s hand in his, and Tate’s pulse skyrocketed at the touch. Here we go, he thought, his heart pounding so hard he was shocked no one else in the room could hear it. We’re really going to do this. He’s really going to tell them. Right now.

Logan reached for his glass of champagne, and as he did, so did everyone else for the traditional holiday toast. But when he turned to look at Tate, the total adoration in his eyes made Tate’s heart just about stop.

God, he’s beautiful. From his stunning face to his huge heart, Logan was the most beautiful person Tate had ever met, and when he inclined his head as if seeking permission to start, Tate immediately granted it with a smile. He’d never wanted anything more than to tell everyone that this man was going to be his.

“Tate and I want to thank you all for being here today,” Logan said as he looked back at their family. “For changing locations at the last minute with no complaint and for cooking a meal we’re all going to eat until we’re in a food coma. But before we do that, there’s another reason we wanted you here under our roof today.” As Logan paused, Tate scanned the faces watching them, and noted both pleasure and confusion stamped across their expressions.

Cole’s eyebrows were drawn together in concentration, and Rachel looked curious but was smiling just the same. Will had a frown on his face, and Tate couldn’t stop himself from squeezing Logan’s fingers. His heart was thudding with excitement, and when Logan released his hand to reach into his pocket, Tate swallowed, wondering what he was doing.

“We wanted you here today because we have something to tell you,” Logan said. “Something we want you to be a part of.”

When Tate spotted the small black box Logan now held, he recognized it immediately. Oh my God. The ring. He still has the ring from—

Tate’s eyes flew up to find Logan’s, and he had about a million questions he wanted to ask. But when Logan’s lips curved into that sexy smile Tate loved, he braced his fingers on the table instead so his knees wouldn’t give out from under him.

“On my birthday this year, I got the best present in the world,” Logan said, his eyes glittering as he opened the box to reveal the ring Tate thought he’d never see again. “Tate and I got engaged.”

Someone at the tabled gasped, and someone else said, “I knew it.” But Tate had no idea who. He was too busy staring at Logan, who had now taken hold of his left hand.

“Today we wanted to make it official and tell you all, and I selfishly wanted to finally put this on his finger.” Logan slipped the silver band on Tate’s ring finger, and when it was in place, he drew Tate’s hand up to his mouth and kissed it. “I love you, Tate Morrison, and I can’t wait to marry you.”

The love in Logan’s eyes made Tate’s blur, and because he couldn’t find the words to express everything he was feeling, he grabbed hold of Logan and kissed the hell out of him instead.

He could hear the clapping from everyone at the table, but it wasn’t until he felt a hand on his shoulder that Tate finally pulled away from Logan to see his father standing there ready to give him a hug.

Tate let him pull him into a tight embrace. “Good for you, my stubborn boy,” his father said. “Good for you.” As Tate laughed, he shook his head, unable to believe it was possible to feel so damn happy. “I couldn’t be more pleased for you both.”

Neither can I, Tate thought, as he pulled away and looked over to see Cole thumping Logan on the back and Rachel rushing around the table to him with tears running down her smiling face.

When she reached him, she smacked Tate on the chest and sniffed. “I knew something was going on,” she said as she looked between him and Logan, who was now facing them with a smug smile that Tate wanted to memorize.

I did that, Tate thought. I made him smile like that.

“She did,” Cole said, chuckling as he hugged Logan to his side. “She kept saying to me after the winery, they’re acting different. Something happened.”

Rachel nodded. “See. I told you they were, and now we know why. They had a secret.” She threw her arms around Tate’s neck and smacked a kiss on his cheek. “Oh my God. You’re finally going to be my brother-in-law. Ahh! This is the best Thanksgiving ever.”

“It’s definitely going to be a hard one to beat,” Logan said as he ran his eyes down over Tate.

“So, you know the next question, right?” Rachel said, looking at everyone now retaking his or her seats.

As they all settled in, Tate looked down at the ring on his hand and touched the shiny surface, realizing just how much he loved seeing it there.

Then Rachel asked, “When’s the wedding?”

* * *

AROUND FORTY MINUTES later, Tate’s legs were entwined with Logan’s beneath the table, much as they had been since they’d sat back down for nonstop talking, eating, and drinking.

Ever since they’d shared their big announcement, Tate had made sure they were touching in some capacity at all times, as though he thought Logan might up and vanish on him—and Logan knew the feeling.

Now that they’d told everyone, it almost didn’t feel real. Like the secret was out, and now what? But there was plenty to talk about on that particular subject, as wedding chatter overtook all discussions around the table.

“So you’re thinking a winter wedding?” Rachel said, and sipped at the wine she had switched to.

Tate nodded, as he finished off his second helping of mashed potatoes. “Yeah, we were thinking the end of January after everything for the holidays dies down.”

“Yeah,” Logan said. “And it gives us a little more time to plan things.”

“I think that’s perfect,” Jackie chimed in. “Chicago can be beautiful when it snows. What kind of wedding are you thinking? Formal? Casual?”

“We still haven’t decided,” Tate said as he looked over at Logan. “What do you think?”

“I don’t know. I’m still wrapping my head around January.”

Jackie laughed. “Oh, you’ll be fine. You could even rent out a property overlooking the lake. It’s gorgeous down there when it snows. Imagine the pictures? That as a backdrop would be stunning.”

Logan had opened his mouth to say they hadn’t gotten that far when Rachel said, “Oh yes. Imagine you two in tuxes. The snow falling. Logan with his dark hair. You with your curls. Ah, it’s so romantic I can hardly stand it. Lena had a beautiful wedding at Promontory Point. Maybe you could do something like that? I could ask her.”

“Uh, sure,” Tate said as he looked to Logan for some guidance.

“Are you thinking big or small?” Rachel asked.

“Um, again, we’re still going over details,” Logan joked, hoping that would stave off some of the questions—it didn’t. The questions kept coming, the talk didn’t stop, and about an hour later after the main meal had been eaten, everyone was still discussing the upcoming nuptials.

Logan was looking around the table for the bottle of wine, and when he realized they were all empty, he pushed his chair back, thinking he would head out and find a new one—or something stronger.

“I can help with invitations and seating plans whenever you’re ready,” Rachel said to Tate. “Oh, and the cake. I would love to make the cake.”

“Cake!” Lila said, and clapped her hands together as Thomas asked, “Can it be chocolate?”

Logan reached for his wine glass then, all of the questions and decisions whirling around in his head making his anxiety about anything wedding-related return tenfold.

He downed his remaining wine—fast—and then almost spat it out when Tate’s father said, tongue in cheek, “So, you’ve definitely nixed a church wedding, huh?”

Both Logan and Tate turned to him at the same time and said, “Yes.”

Cole lost it then and started laughing, and Logan got to his feet in the guise of collecting empty plates.

He made his way down one side of the table, and when he got to his brother, Cole said, “You sweating yet, brother?”

Logan aimed a shut up look in his direction and then continued until he had all the plates. “I’m fine. I’m just clearing the table. You want dessert sometime this year, don’t you?”

“I sure do,” Cole said with a shit-eating grin.

Logan glared at him. “Then you better let me clean up so we can get that for you.”

Logan left the dining room like his ass was on fire and could’ve sworn he heard Cole laughing, and when he put the plates down on the counter, he took in a deep breath.

In and out, he told himself, as he did it several times. In and out. He’d known it was going to be like this, so he wasn’t sure why he was so surprised. But all of the questions about when, where, and how had his head spinning, and any pleasure he’d gotten from telling everyone about their engagement had now morphed into a full-on freak-out about the upcoming nuptials.

Logan shut his eyes and took another deep breath. They’re just excited, he told himself. Hell, he was excited too. But he needed a timeout—or a Xanax—if Tate expected him to sit through an entire afternoon/evening of that. Or maybe he could just drink something stronger than wine.

Heading for the shelf where they kept the whiskey, Logan came to a stop when Tate walked into the kitchen, a slightly frazzled expression on his face.

“Hey,” Logan said.

“Hey.”

Logan looked over Tate’s shoulder to where he could still hear the animated talk in the other room. “They still at it out there?”

Tate nodded.

“I told you shit would go crazy, and that’s just the beginning,” Logan said. “They aren’t even really drinking yet.” That had Tate chuckling, and Logan took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “You feeling as overwhelmed as I am?”

“I didn’t think I would. But…yeah, I kinda am.”

Logan leaned in to brush a kiss over Tate’s lips, and then he had a thought. “Hey. Want to get out of here?”

“Like…leave?”

Logan nodded quickly, a mischievous grin lighting his face.

“We can’t leave,” Tate said. “This is our house.”

“Wanna bet? Your coat is in the office. We’ll slip out the back.”

Tate’s eyes widened, but then he looked over at the coats piled up on Logan’s desk, clearly contemplating the idea. “What will we tell them?”

“Not a thing. We’ll just slip out like two thieves in the night.” Logan grinned, and then jogged around the counter to go and get their coats. When he came back, he gave Tate his and then said, “Can you take mine? I’ll meet you out back in the garage in a minute.”

“Wait a second. Where are you going?” Tate asked, a scandalized look on his face.

“To get the keys for the Mustang. They’re on the table in the foyer, but if I go in wearing a coat, they’ll be suspicious.”

Tate chuckled as he stopped by the back door, and when he opened it, he said softly over his shoulder, “I can’t believe we’re leaving them here. On Thanksgiving.”

Logan walked backward to the other room and said, “Oh please. They have food and wine, they’ll be fine.” As Tate grinned, Logan waved and then watched him shut the door.

This was the perfect idea and exactly what they both needed—a timeout. With a grin on his face, Logan turned to go and get his keys and ran straight into Cole.

“Going somewhere?” Cole asked, making Logan walk back into the kitchen. Logan shook his head as Cole slipped his hand into his pocket and looked around. “Where’s Tate?”

“Huh?” Logan asked, trying to think of how he was going to get around Cole and outside in the next five minutes.

“Tate? Where’d he go? He said he was coming in here to help you.”

“Oh…umm… Well—”

Cole cocked his head to the side and then pulled his hand out of his pocket, where Logan’s car keys were dangling on his finger. “You’re going to need these.”

Logan’s eyes went from Cole to the keys, then back to Cole. “Why would I need those?”

“Do I look stupid to you?” When Logan opened his mouth to answer, Cole said, “Be nice.”

“You don’t look stupid…right now.”

Cole’s eyebrow arched. “You’re going to need these so you can escape.”

“I—”

“Yes?”

“You don’t mind?” Logan asked as Cole held them out to him.

“I would be doing the exact same thing if I were you.”

Logan chuckled and wrapped his fingers around the keys. “Will you be okay in—”

“Logan?”

“Hmm?”

“Go and be with your fiancé.”

When the word rolled off Cole’s tongue, Logan didn’t even think twice—he pulled his brother into a tight hug. As he thought about everything he’d been through with Tate from the beginning to now, Logan realized just how important Cole and Rachel had been to him—to them—and held on a little tighter. “I can’t believe he’s really going to be mine,” he whispered.

Cole returned the hug and said, “I’m pretty sure he already was.”

“But not like this.”

“No. Not like this.”

Logan turned and walked to the door, and just as he reached it, Cole called his name.

“Yeah?” Logan said as he looked back.

“You deserve this happiness,” Cole said. “You both do. Enjoy it tonight, but know that my wife isn’t cleaning this place up—so get some kind of rest before you head back here tomorrow.”

“Of course. We really appreciate this.”

Cole nodded. “I know. Just try to keep in mind that all of this crazy”—he gestured to the other room with his thumb—“is because we love you.”

“We know you do. We love you guys too,” Logan said. Then he gave a quick wave and then disappeared out the back door.