Epilogue

Reece

 

One year later

 

Reece trotted downstairs in a ratty T-shirt and loose basketball shorts. At Tate’s insistence, he had showered after getting back from returning the moving truck with Tate’s brother Derek, and now he was ready to eat the Chinese food Darlene had run out to pick up about twenty minutes ago.

“Oh my god, I’m so hungry I could eat my arm,” Reece said as he rounded the corner from the hallway into the kitchen to find the room bursting with bodies and conversation.

“Ew, Dad. That’s called cannibalism, you know.” LJ frowned as she opened a box of plastic forks.

“Boy, stop talking about gross stuff and find those plastic cups so folks can help themselves to something to drink,” Darlene said over her shoulder as she set out the white cardboard containers full of fragrant noodles, rice, meat, and vegetables. Reece and Tate were treating their families to dinner after the Robinson brothers, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, Dani, Darlene, Kam, and Michelle had helped them move from their apartment into a three-bedroom townhouse. 

“I’m in my own house, and she still manages to boss me around,” Reece mumbled under his breath as he searched through the paper bags that had been dumped in front of the pantry.

“Young man, it doesn’t matter where you are or how old you get, she’s still your mama, so she’ll be bossing you until one of you leaves this earth,” Mr. Robinson said to him from the sink where he was washing his hands.

“Yeah, man, it ain’t no different for me,” said one of Tate’s older brothers, Aaron, who was waiting behind Tate Sr. at the sink. “Mother shows up to me and my wife’s place and bosses us around right along with the grandkids.”

Mrs. Robinson shrugged from where she was setting out paper plates and napkins on the kitchen island. “Honey, what can I say? There is no immunity from a mother’s love at any age or location.”

“Amen, Nell,” Darlene said. Reece snorted and moved on to another bag, still looking for the cups. It had been a year since Jenna had brought LJ back to him and almost two years since Reece and Tate had gotten together.

They kept their two apartments for the entire year after LJ had come home, but it made no sense to pay rent on two places when they spent most of their time together at one of their apartments or the other.

“Yes!” Reece turned around to the rest of the occupants in the kitchen, a sleeve of red plastic cups in each hand. “I got them.”

“What do you want, a trophy?” Dani asked, grabbing the sleeves from Reece and opening one. She headed toward the fridge and filled cups with ice from the ice dispenser before handing them off to Kam.

“Where should I put these?” Kam asked.

“Over by the sodas.” Dani jerked her head toward the counter where Kam’s girlfriend, Michelle, was setting out several two-liter bottles of soft drinks. Dani looked back over at Reece. “Took you two long enough to move in together. Just make sure that Tate actually unpacks his boxes in this place, not like last time when it took him years to get settled.”

Reece shook his head, walking over to the kitchen island and grabbing a plate only to have Darlene smack his hand. “Ow, Mama. Dang!”

She pointed a serving spoon at him. “Guests first,” she said, then stuck the spoon in the rice.

LJ sidled up to her dad, grabbing a spring roll when her nana’s back was turned. “Dad already gave Tate a talk and told him he has two weeks to unpack everything or else Dad is going to put his stuff where he wants it to go.”

Reece remembered Tate shuddering at that proclamation. Reece had okay taste, but Tate was particular about where things went. Speaking of Tate…Where was his boyfriend? As though he knew Reece was thinking of him, Tate walked into the room from the direction of the downstairs bathroom, dressed in a pair of black basketball shorts and a gray T-shirt.

They caught each other’s gaze from across the room, and Reece’s belly flipped, the same way it had the first time he’d seen the man.

“Okay, y’all,” Darlene said, addressing everyone in the room. “Everything is set up. I think we’re ready to bless the food, so come around the island here.”

Reece’s and Tate’s families and friends gathered around the island, and Reece found himself across from his boyfriend who gave him a wink before looking over at his father.

“Dad, would you say grace?” Tate asked. Tate Sr. nodded, instructing the family to bow their heads and close their eyes. Neither Reece nor Tate were religious, but their families were, so allowing Tate Sr. to pray over the food was a huge gesture and show of respect.

Tate Sr. asked that the hands that prepared the food be blessed as well as Reece and Tate’s new home. Reece cracked open his eyes, surveying the crowd, his heart expanding. In the past year, Tate and his father had gotten closer, and Sr. had started including him in fishing trips and King’s games, and he always welcomed Reece and LJ at Sunday dinner.

Reece closed his eyes again as Tate Sr. wrapped up his prayer. Everyone served themselves and passed around containers of food. Reece’s stomach growled in anticipation as he picked up a short rib, ready to chow down.

“Uh, babe.” Tate’s voice stopped Reece mid-motion, and he reluctantly set the short rib back down on his plate. “Where are your keys?”

Reece smacked his lips, and LJ sniggered on the other side of the island.

“They’re in my pocket,” Reece answered, picking up his short rib only to be stopped again.

“But where are they supposed to be?” Tate asked before biting into a dumpling. Reece released an exasperated breath. Okay, so he had lost his keys a few times.

Seven times.

In the last four months.

But he was a grown man, he could keep track of his own damn keys until after dinner. But Tate’s raised eyebrow told him otherwise, and Reece wiped his fingers.

“Where is the key holder? Have we even put it up yet?” Reece asked.

Tate nodded toward the door off the kitchen leading to their garage. “I put it up while you were in the shower. Go on. Hang them up.”

Reece pushed between Kam and Kent who both teased him about being scatterbrained as he walked over to where the brown key holder was affixed to the wall, the keys and ring jiggling in his shorts pocket. He paused when he saw a strange look pass between Dani, LJ, and Darlene and then stopped completely when he saw Mrs. Robinson elbow Mr. Robinson and nod toward the key holder.

What the hell is going on?

He turned toward the key holder, walking more slowly, glancing over his shoulder a few times. As he got closer, a glint of gold on the holder caught his attention, and the hum of conversation faded behind him.

“What—” Reece stopped, unable to breathe momentarily, and then his heart nearly beat out of his chest as he took a plain yellow-gold band off the hook and turned to find Tate down on one knee before him. Reece hadn’t even heard him approach, but the man reached up and grabbed Reece by the hand.

“Reece Christopher Evans”—Tate grinned up at him—“it wasn’t love at first sight, especially after you and the ladybug crashed the shop at closing and then interrupted my episode of Drag Race with all your stomping and banging upstairs.”

Reece huffed and smiled, tilting his head back as everyone at the island laughed.

“But with every braid in ladybug’s hair, every meal you cooked, every touch and every glance, you and LJ curled around my heart.”

A lump grew in Reece’s throat as he looked down at Tate’s smiling face and hopeful eyes.

“LJ already gave her approval, so now I’m asking you. Can we be a family forever? Will you marry me?”

Reece nodded, smiling down at Tate. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.” Then Tate was in his arms and the room exploded with cheers and congratulations.

A year ago, Reece would never have thought his life would be so full or that both their families would be here together. As he hugged his fiancé, he was grateful he’d found Tate and that they had a life full of love and support and that today was the first day of forever.

 

The End