Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“It sure the fuck can’t,” Wells promised. “I’m yours.”
“I don’t want it any other way.”
A grin pulled at Wells’s lips as Matty caressed his nose with his. Nothing was promised, not tomorrow, not the future, nothing. Everything could change in an instant, but Matty knew that no matter what, Wells would be there.
Beside him.
Loving him.
And that was all he’d ever need.
Epilogue
“Marry me.”
“What?” Wells glanced briefly at the house he hated before looking back to Matty. “What did you say?”
Matty’s mom was standing in the doorway, waiting for them. They could hear Ashlyn in the back with Jace, and they also knew that Laurence, Seth, and his dad were inside, but Matty’s eyes were serious and dark.
“Marry me.” Matty turned, facing Wells, while Wells gawked back at him. “I know this is sudden.”
“You can say that.”
Matty shot him a grin. “But no matter what happens in that house, marry me.”
Wells didn’t even think, he just nodded. “Yes.”
Matty’s grin grew as Wells leaned over, pressing his lips to his, their fingers threading together. Pulling back, Matty looked at Wells, then to their hands. “I’ll never get used to the thrill of holding your hand in public.”
“Yeah, you will,” Wells teased, kissing his cheek. “But I’ll never get over the thrill of being with you, ever.”
Matty flashed him a wide smile as they headed toward the house. “Ready?”
“Nope,” Wells answered, and Matty stopped.
“We can leave—”
“No, I’m not ready ’cause you didn’t get me a ring. I mean, shit, Matty, aren’t you a gentleman?”
Matty tried to glare, he really did, but then he couldn’t help but start laughing hard. “I hate you.”
“I know,” Wells said, leaning into him and bringing Matty’s hand up to kiss the spot where a ring would go. “I’m a pain.”
“But my pain,” Matty confirmed. “And FYI, this is my first time proposing, and since you’re a dude, I thought you wouldn’t want a ring yet.”
“It’s your first and last, Mr. Haverbrooke, and I don’t need anything. I’ve got you.”
“That’s the damn truth,” Matty agreed as they came to the steps where his mom was beaming down at them.
“I’m so excited you guys are here!” she gushed as she held the door open. “Come here,” she demanded before bringing them both down for kisses on the cheek.
“Hey, Mom,” Matty said while Wells hugged her tightly.
“Thank you for having me. These are for you,” Wells said, handing her the flowers he had insisted on bringing. It was sweet. Though, it made Matty look like a jerk since he’d never brought Wells’s mom flowers.
“You’re the sweetest, I swear it,” she said, patting his cheek as they walked in before her. “So Ashlyn and Jace are outside, I’m sure you heard them. Seth and Laurence are in the family room since, apparently, they haven’t eaten in a year, and I’m not sure where Avery is… Oh, here is your father.”
Matty tensed up a bit as his father stopped in front of them. Benedict looked from Wells to Matty before nodding. “It’s nice you two could make it.”
And then he walked away.
His dad wasn’t a hugger, but still, he could have shaken their hands or something. But what did Matty expect? It had only been a few days since his dad had found out, and he was already being bombarded by the press for a statement on his gay son. Matty found himself worried for Wells, though. But when he looked up at him, Wells shrugged and said, “At least he tried?”
Matty started laughing as he leaned into him. “Yeah, I guess.”
“He drives me insane,” his mother complained as they all headed toward the family room. “I need to drink more.”
Matty smiled widely. “Mom, you’re a hoot when you drink.”
She waved him off. “Everyone says that.”
When Avery came out from the bathroom, a smile crossed her lips before she hugged Matty and then Wells.
“I feel like it’s been eons since I saw you two!” She smacked Wells’s arm and beamed. “I saw on Facebook your sister had her baby. Markus had posted a congratulations. Did they make it home from Vegas yet?”
Wells rolled his eyes. “Not yet, they’re leaving at the end of the week. Letting my nephew get a little older before they fly home.”
“Oh, good. Matty had said it was an ordeal.”
“My whole family is an ordeal.”
“Aren’t all families?” she asked, and they all laughed at that.
Wasn’t that the damn truth?
Heading into the family room, they saw that the table was full of food. Wells’s mouth started to water as Avery moved past them, heading outside to get her husband and daughter. Coming around the table, Seth held out his hand. “Good to see you again, Wells.”
“You too, man. How are you?”
“Good, thanks. Are you going to be in the city for long?”
“I think we’re going to head back to Colorado for a while before training camp starts. We want to hang with my parents for a bit.”