Epilogue

Carl would never think of himself as a Dead-End Dude again. Even if someone came up and said it to his face, criticised his selection of magazines for their lack of journalistic integrity, he'd simply let it go. Forget it.

He ran his own convenience store. It had all the daily—and emergency—necessities for his beloved Earnest Pointers, and townies loved to come in and share all the local goss with him. Not only did he have a stable job as his own boss, and have friends, and an—even bigger—family, he had Grayson.

Who had left Wellington to be with Carl. Who'd quickly won the hearts of the locals. Who, between an eclectic array of jobs, always popped into his store for some PDA.

How much more exciting could his life get?

Carl smirked and flipped the page of the mag he was perusing for the next set of horoscopes. He and Cora had been giggling over them during a coffee break, and Carl was still going strong. "Oh, this is relevant. I really do have a courageous Leo coming to visit soon. He and his mum are arriving next week."

"You talk about this Leo like you've half adopted him."

"I suppose I have. I'd like it if he thought of me as his fun uncle."

"His troublesome one, you mean."

Carl pretended he didn't hear that, and smirked.

"Read out Grayson's," Cora said, rubbing her hands eagerly. "Let's see what it says about your man."

Carl held up the magazine and cleared his throat. "Scorpio. Totally smitten with his Capricorn boyfriend and committed to love him for a lifetime."

Cora laughed, shaking her head. "It does not say that."

"It might as well." The voice came from the door, and Carl snapped himself around, gazing at Grayson as he came in. He blinked, and shook his head. Unreal. Absolutely unreal. How was it sunshine actually glittered behind this guy of his?

Good thing Grayson had moved here, leaving his groupies behind, or there'd be swooning left and right. Carl had enough of a job making sure everyone in town knew this man was his. His lips were chaffed dry.

Cora snagged the mag from him. "I'll see myself out." She hurried past, giving Grayson the biggest smile on her way, and Grayson returned it, murmuring she should pop around for dinner later.

Carl's heart went berserk, beating all the way up his throat. How easily Grayson fit in here. How comfortable they were.

Grayson's dark gaze hit him; Carl leapt over the counter in a flap of flannel and catapulted into opening arms—

Oof. The tackling hug was more enthusiastic than either anticipated; Grayson toppled with the force of it and they crumpled into a laughing heap on the store floor.

Carl stared down at his man admiringly, while Grayson's laugh vibrated warmly through him.

"Since the first time we met," Grayson murmured, "we haven't stopped falling."

"All part of our journey."

Grayson lifted up and kissed Carl softly. "And look where we ended up."

"Happy."

"Home."

THE END