Several months later, I was proudly standing next to Jamie in front of the city of Oakview’s newly constructed nanopore water treatment plant.

Jamie had me outfitted in a sharp, classic tuxedo like the one I sported at the expo--something that felt like it happened a lifetime ago--albeit with a blood-red bowtie instead of black. It certainly wasn’t the first time I’d worn a tux since then, thanks to Jamie, and I had to admit, I was getting used to it. Of course, I wasn’t on official bodyguard duty anymore, but nothing was technically stopping me from filling that role.

Jamie wore a matching outfit, but somehow, he made it pop in a way that nobody else in front of the grand opening ribbon could hope to. We were surrounded by not only some of the most important government officials in the state, but by dozens of news stations and hundreds of citizens in the crowd surrounding us. It was a media frenzy in the best possible way, and Jamie’s PR department had plenty of time to make sure the public was informed and involved with what was happening from start to finish. I hadn’t thought it possible to get a facility like this up and running in this short a time, but it had all gone smoothly.

My eyes panned over the crowd. I gave subtle nods to the plainclothes security personnel in the audience as they moved around. I wasn’t about to let my man run into trouble on his big day. Even Susan was toward the front of the audience, with a rare smile on her lips.

The faces I kept going back to, though, were the four in the front row who were staring at me the whole time with even bigger smiles. Carla had been slow to accept my help, but when she caved, it was heartwarming to see what a difference it made in their lives. She stood there holding Harry in her arms, while Madison and TJ stood at either side of her. TJ had his nose in a handheld video game, while Madison seemed enchanted by staring at the other faces in the crowd. All of them were wearing brand-new clothes that suited them impeccably, and it was far more satisfying to know that thanks to Jamie, each one of the kids had a growing college fund in savings accounts that were only gathering interest over the years.

“We’re not here because of simple charity,” Jamie said into the mic on his lapel as he addressed the audience. “We’re here because countless, hard-working Americans got to work and made this come together for the betterment of everyone. People--not just New Yorkers, not even just Americans, but people--are far better off when we work together, collaborating and building a better and brighter future for our children. It’s every good parent’s hope that their children enjoy a better world than they did, and that’s why we’re here today.”

A hearty applause came from the audience, and Carla even started a shouting cheer that rippled through the crowd. Jamie beamed, and I couldn’t stop grinning at him. I had never felt so proud of anyone in my life, not even myself.

“Moreover,” Jamie said, giving me a wicked grin, “in the spirit of that philosophy, I’m also proud to announce that my partner, Mr. Damon Hunt, is taking the helm of the Oakview Young Engineers of Tomorrow foundation, a community outreach program jointly funded by myself and the city of Oakview to bring the community’s inner-city kids into promising careers in environmental science and biology. Through scholarships, afterschool programs, and community-driven outreach, the foundation means to sow the seeds of a brighter future to grow out of the waters we’re purifying, starting today!”

With that, Jamie cut the ribbon that stretched across the entrance to the colossal facility, and the audience erupted into thunderous applause. Jamie spent the next few minutes moving from official to official, shaking hands and getting pats on the shoulder as everyone congratulated each other on a job well done.

I didn’t fail to notice that Jamie kept pointing over to me and smiling, too. I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t keep the smirk off my lips. I knew he was telling everyone about the kids’ club he just announced, trying to spread interest. A huge ad campaign wasn’t going to be enough, apparently. Jamie said endlessly that word of mouth was the best ad there was.

Really though, it was Carla’s kids who gave me the idea. I had never thought of myself as the type who’d end up running a project like this, especially not a kid-oriented one. But as the months went on and I stayed up with Jamie on late nights, reading reports on how the city’s youth was being affected by the tainted water supply, I knew that the first step to keeping our kids from turning into jaded adults like me was to give them a chance at really growing while they were still young.

After making the rounds, Jamie made his way back to me as officials started trickling into the facility. Of course, there was going to be a guided tour of the whole building, but first, everyone was being treated to champagne in the lobby. Jamie waved off news reporters vying for his attention and slid up to me, and before he could speak, I wrapped my hands around his hips and pulled him into a kiss.

I didn’t even care that the camera shutters were going off like fireworks all around us.

“You did fantastic, honey,” I said into his ear as he hugged me back, sighing contentedly. “How do you feel about it?”

“I feel spectacular,” he said, smiling up at me with shimmering eyes. “Better than I have in years. This wouldn’t have been half as good without you here, Damon. You know that, right?”

“I was thinking the same thing about you,” I said with a smile, and we kissed again. “My apartment might be cozy, but it feels like a manor when you’re around.”

“About that…” Jamie said, glancing away for a moment and smirking. I quirked an eyebrow. “I was waiting for the right time to ask you, and I think this is a pretty good one. No pressure, of course, I don’t want you to feel like you’re on the spot, but just so you know the offer is on the table – ever thought about a bit of an upgrade in your living situation?”

I blinked, staring blankly.

“You know I don’t need much,” I said, chuckling.

“True,” he said, fixing my tie for me this time, “I was just thinking you might like a view with a little more me in it,” he said with a wink. My eyes widened as I finally caught on.

“Wait, you mean, move in with you?”

He rolled his eyes, laughing and bumping me on the hip as he took my hand and started walking with me to the facility.

“Well, now you said it, not me! But yes, since you asked, I think I’d love to have you move in with me.”

It was my turn to laugh, jogging up to walk at his side, pulling him closer to me and pecking him on the cheek.

“I think that sounds great,” I said, leaning in to add in a husky whisper, “and I think when we get home tonight, I’ll know just the way to thank you.”

Jamie shivered in delight, looking up at me with a blush as we stepped into the building that represented the project that brought us blissfully together. He made his way over to one of the servers and picked up a couple of champagne glasses, handing me one and holding his up.

“For once, here’s just to us,” he suggested, holding his glass out.

I beamed, and in that moment, I knew that this was exactly where I wanted to be for the rest of my life. I raised my own glass and looked into Jamie’s emerald eyes with more love in my heart than I ever thought myself capable of.

“To us.”