Epilogue

Luca

Harp and I were up early, ready to seize the day. It was June, but the crisp morning air, barely in the fifties, promised that the ocean would be freezing. We ran across the beach into the water, our shouts and shrieks far from what you'd expect from professional athletes. The cold water was an awful shock, so we met in a tight hug to share our warmth. Naturally, we had to heat up our chilly lips, too.

"What a fucking way to start our first morning in Maine," I yelled over the roar of the waves. A mighty shiver on the last word made Harper laugh, and although I was afraid my heart might seize up from the water's icy grip, I laughed too.

"It woke me up, that's for damn sure." He reminded me of a lab we had when I was growing up—all wide eyes, open-mouthed grin, and panting for breath. The goose pimples on his chest gave away how cold he was.

"What kind of tough guys are we, anyway?" I tried to force myself to stop shivering. "Let's swim."

"You're on."

We ran farther out and dove into the water, and the exercise was the perfect remedy for the cold. I was so happy we'd finally made this trip, even if it was ten months late. We'd driven all day yesterday to get here. It was the first extended road trip we'd made together, and we turned out to be a perfect match, as we were in so many things. We traded off driving, and between talking about anything that came to mind, eating the worst kind of junk food, and snoring through short naps, we had a fantastic time. When we got bored somewhere in Massachusetts, Harp put on a playlist of classic rock Eckie had made for us, and we sang ourselves hoarse. Laughing hysterically, we decided neither of us should give up our day jobs.

And then there was the road head. We played with each other for at least an hour, starting with simple squeezes through our shorts. Before long, we had them open so we could get to our dicks. I was driving Harp's SUV, and when he leaned across the console and took me into his mouth, I realized we needed to stop. We were off the interstate by then, so I pushed his head away and looked for a turnoff. It didn't take long to find one, and when we were finally camouflaged by trees, he leaned back over. My eyes crossed with pleasure when I came in his mouth. Since it would have been evil to leave him hot and bothered, I returned the favor. His sighs and moans escalated into a loud cry when he came, and we shared a long kiss before getting back on the road. Our Maine vacation had definitely gotten off on the right foot.

An especially cold wave broke over my head, bringing me back to the present. Harper wasn't far away, so we swam toward each other and treaded water while we indulged in another kiss.

"Race you back to shore," he yelled, then took off before I could say anything.

"Cheating fucker!" I called after him, kicking with everything I had while I tried to catch up.

An amazing swimmer, Harp beat me back to the beach, where we wrapped up in our towels and headed back to the B&B. After a long, hot shower, we had breakfast and then walked around the village of Harbor Pointe. About five miles north of Bar Harbor, Harbor Pointe was a year-round residential town that catered to tourists during the summer.

Holding hands, we walked down the sidewalk past a row of businesses. When we reached a bookstore, Harp raised his eyebrows. "Want to go in? It's not part of a chain, so it might be fun."

"Let's go for it. Maybe we'll find something good."

The store turned out to be larger than it appeared from the outside, with two stories and a basement packed with books, magazines, art prints, and hundreds of knickknacks. While we were in the basement, I found a carving of a famous starship. "Look at this," I said, holding it up.

Harper came over from where he was examining a shelf of classic sci-fi books. "Wow." He used a fingertip to examine the figure's detail. "Is this soapstone?"

"I don't know soapstone from a rock in the road, but it's amazing."

He looked at me, his hazel eyes amber in the fluorescent light. "Then consider it my gift to you."

I turned it upside down and gasped at the price tag. "I can't let you do that. It's four hundred dollars."

He took the carving from me. "And you are the man I've waited for all my life. I can afford it, and it'll look great on our mantle."

In the spring, we'd bought a nineteenth-century house in one of Buffalo's historic districts. The previous owners had restored it, and we were scheduled to move in as soon as we returned home. I couldn't keep a grin off my face. "Thanks, baby. It will look terrific there." I brushed my lips against his. "You're the best."

By the time we made it to the second floor, we'd picked out several books, plus the starship carving. "Ah," Harp said, "fantasy at last."

An entire wall was lined with fantasy books, while a nearby table offered games and memorabilia. Harp and I got to work—he started at one end of the wall, and I took the other. I was flipping through one of Garth Nix's books when Harp called out, "Luca, come here!" The excitement in his voice had me hurrying to him.

"Look at these." He pointed at a stack of books he'd moved to the table holding the games. "You'll die."

He'd found a collection of all the McKinley Dragons of the Shifting Stars books in hardback. I picked up the first one and examined it. "Gosh, it looks brand new."

"They all do. Check out the inside."

Reluctant to look away from his brilliant grin, I turned my attention back to the book and opened it. On the title page, an inscription was written in large, clear handwriting with black ink:

To my fellow star shifters, make the most of life!

Marshall McKinley

"It's signed." I glanced between the book and Harp. "This is beautiful."

"They're all signed first editions."

One by one, Harp showed me the books, and I had to admit they were an amazing find. "You like them a lot, huh?"

"Yes. He did a book signing once in D.C., but the Cudas were on the road, so I couldn't go."

I picked up the stack of books and smiled. "Then these are my gift to you."

His eyes widened. "No, Luca. These make that starship look cheap."

"Like someone I know said, I can afford it, and you are the man I've waited for all my life."

"But I…"

"Remember those built-in oak shelves in the study? They're just waiting for these."

"I guess they are. Thank you, Luca."

"No worries. McKinley's books were one of the first things we bonded over, and I can't think of a better souvenir from this trip."

He nodded at the starship on the table. "That's a pretty good one, too."

I set the stack of books down and cradled Harp's face in my hands. "It's okay to have nice things. We came here to celebrate our relationship, so let's treat ourselves and not worry about it."

"One condition."

I chuckled. "What is it, Blanton?"

"Kiss me, sweetheart."

And boy, did I ever.

Harper

The week passed in a whirlwind, and on our last night in Maine, we went out for a nice dinner. I couldn't even pronounce the name of the restaurant Luca had found in Bar Harbor, much less anything on the menu.

"What looks good, babe?" he asked, hooking an eyebrow.

"Hm. The raggledegoop looks promising, and I'm sure I'd love the wazzydupple." I rolled my eyes. "I should've taken French instead of Spanish."

"Nah. You'll be our translator next year when we go to Spain."

"I'd rather go to Mexico."

"Hell, let's do both. We'll have the whole summer off."

"I still think you should let me buy dinner. The goalie of the national champion Buffalo Steamrollers shouldn't be paying for his own meal in a fancy restaurant."

He shook his head. "If I remember right, the Steamrollers' goalie got treated to the fanciest spot in Buffalo—by his sexy boyfriend, the night after we won."

A thrill shot through me at the memory. "God, I'm still so proud of you. It was a blast raising hell in the stands, cheering you on."

"Just like I'll be doing next year when the Warriors win the Cup."

"Don't know about that, but we'll give it our best try." I looked at the menu again, as if I could understand anything there.

"Harp?"

I glanced up.

"You had the fifth-most points in the entire league last season. Because of you and what you inspired your teammates to do, the Warriors made it to the playoffs for the first time in twenty years."

"But I wasn't?—"

"You've got to learn to take compliments, babe. Be proud of yourself, because those are outstanding accomplishments. Remember what Nick said to you at the awards banquet?"

I didn't answer because I was afraid I might cry.

"Nick looked at you and said, ‘They used to call me the new next one. And now, you're the one who's already arrived.'"

Fuck, even hearing it made me teary. "That was really nice of him."

Luca reached across the table and took my hand. "It was a hundred percent deserved. My man, the league's new golden boy."

The pride on his face had my heart doing wild things in my chest, and I couldn't help grinning. "I love you, sweetheart."

"Love you too, babe." He squeezed my hand and let it go. "Why don't I tell you what's on the menu? First, there's lobster…"

After a delicious steak and lobster dinner, topped off with humongous servings of crème br?lée and chocolate soufflé, we went for a walk. It had been a warm day, so the evening was pleasant. After loosening our ties, I reached for Luca's hand and led us down Main Street. The shops were closed, but I wanted to enjoy the beautiful night with him.

Whenever we stopped to look at something, he nuzzled my throat or kissed me, making me wonder how I'd survived without him for so long. Sometimes at night, when I couldn't sleep, I'd wonder how we made it through such an awful time. Our relationship had been brand new, and we'd both been fragile. But the fact that we survived as a couple was living proof of how strong true love is, and how inescapable our connection was. Now, after almost a year of therapy, I could look back and realize that all my past hurts, as painful as they were, strengthened me. They made me stubborn enough to get over myself and realize I'd better not lose the best thing that ever happened to me.

After passing another bookstore—we'd raided it earlier in the week—we turned onto Newport Drive and wound our way down to Town Beach. We both loved the ocean, and Luca suggested we take off our shoes. The cool sand was refreshing after dress shoes and socks, and the water wasn't too cold. It was incredible to be in such a wonderful place, walking hand-in-hand with the man of my dreams while the waves lapped at our toes.

Luca brought us to a stop and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Look up."

It was the last night of a full moon, and it hung huge in the sky. The shadows looked as if they'd been hand-painted, while the moonlight danced across the surface of the water. Glimmering silver rays stretched toward us, reminding me of a similar effect we'd seen on Lake Erie Beach the previous year. Just as I had then, I felt they were beckoning to us, inviting us to join their perfect beauty.

He slipped his arm off my shoulders. "Harp?"

I turned to face him. His tan skin was radiant in the moonglow, which highlighted every chiseled angle of his face.

"I… uh…" His voice wavered, and his lips trembled before they curved into a smile. It started slow but then spread, growing through his dimples and lighting up his entire face until his dark eyes sparkled.

I gasped when I realized what was happening, and the world faded to just the two of us and the sound of crashing waves. Slowly, he sank to one knee in the damp sand, his eyes locked on mine. The sight of him—so strong, yet so vulnerable—made my chest tighten. The moment was so perfect I could hardly breathe.

"What are you doing?" I already knew, but it was like my mouth was on automatic pilot. "Get up. You'll ruin your pants."

"It's why they have dry cleaners."

My heart pounded, the rush of blood in my ears drowning out the waves. "Sweetheart…" I wanted to say more, but the words caught in my throat.

He reached for my hand and gazed into my eyes. "It took us almost a year, but we made it. Here we are in Maine, and I can't think of a more perfect place to tell you how much you mean to me."

I was still breathless, and my heart galloped like a Thoroughbred in the race of its life. "You're everything to me."

"You're my world, babe. I was not much more than a shell before you—great career, empty person. But everything changed once we met. My reason to get up in the morning had a name: Harper. My thoughts were focused on one thing: Harper. The best sex of my life was with one person: Harper. We went through hell for a while, but remembering that makes me appreciate how good things are now."

"You're all I want, Luca."

"You've got me. And because of you, I know what it feels like to have someone living in my heart. Even when we can't be together, you're still there, the power that makes my heart beat." He paused to clear his throat, and I couldn't miss the tears welling up in his eyes. He swallowed and went on. "I don't want to live without you, so will you marry me? Will you make me the happiest man ever by being my husband?"

I'd thought my heart was racing before, but now it pounded wildly, leaving me dizzy. Luca's hopeful gaze remained locked on me, and I realized he was waiting for my answer. "Yes." I sniffled and wiped a few tears off my cheeks. "Marrying you will be the happiest day of my life."

He let go of my hand and removed a small box from his pocket. When he opened it and held it up, there was a gleaming gold band inside. "Will you wear it, Harp?"

I nodded and extended my hand. Luca fumbled with the ring, nearly dropping it, and I held my breath as the box tumbled to the ground. But he'd held on to the ring, and now he slipped it on my finger. It was heavy, and while Luca got to his feet, I admired how it caught the moonlight.

"Let me see." He took my hand and held it up again, then brought it to his lips for a kiss. "The ring's even more gorgeous now that it's on your finger."

"I love it. We'll have to get one for you, too."

"All in good time." Pulling me into a powerful hug, he kissed me, making me weak in the knees. Our tongues touched, but he drew away too soon. "Want to head back now? I've got a lot more kisses where that one came from."

"I hope you've got a lot more than kisses."

"Hey, I even brought some new toys along. Been hiding them all week."

I bounced my eyebrows. "What are we waiting for? Back to Harbor Pointe, quick."

He kissed me again, and after we found our shoes and socks, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders for the walk back to the SUV. We took turns leaning against each other, as I was sure we would for the rest of our lives. "Thank God we ran into each other a year ago," I said.

"Thirty seconds either way, and we'd have missed it."

"We'd have still met that day at the Jitterbug."

"If not there, then another time." He opened the passenger door and smiled as he helped me in. "We're meant to be, babe. And I can't wait to see what the future has in store."