III. Adam

PART 3

ADAM

My hands trembled as I straightened my tie in front of the mirror, the knots of anxiety in my stomach tangling tighter with each passing second.

My reflection stared back at me, a man on the cusp of one of the biggest life changes a person could make, if you discounted the tiny detail of my late sexual awakening, of course.

The room hummed with the silent energy of anticipation, the tropical breeze from the open window doing little to cool my flushed skin.

I tried to focus on the simple task before me, but my mind was a whirlwind of memories, the ghost of an alternate reality where this wedding never came to be lingering in the periphery of my thoughts.

“Steady,” I whispered, watching my lips form the word without sound. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, inhaling the salt-tinged air.

I could almost taste the sweet floral notes that wafted from the arrangements outside, intermingled with the faintest hint of citrus from the trees dotting the resort grounds.

When I opened my eyes, there was a conviction that hadn’t been there before. It wasn’t just about standing here, about waiting to walk down the aisle toward River. It was about every step we’d taken together since we were kids, every late-night talk and shared laugh, every kiss, touch, or promise.

A soft knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I called, smoothing down the front of my shirt one last time.

The door opened, and though I expected to see my mother or perhaps Lex, ready to offer brotherly encouragement or step into his best man duties and re-straighten my tie, the sight of River standing there stole the breath from my lungs.

There was an unspoken rule, a superstition really, about not seeing each other before the ceremony, but in that instant, none of it mattered.

“River,” I exhaled, hearing the relief in my voice.

“Hey,” he replied, his own nerves apparent in the tightness around his eyes. “I just… I needed to see you, just for a second.”

And with those words, any remaining doubts or uncertainties about the future collapsed. Because no matter what tradition said, it was this—our connection, our ability to turn to one another in moments of need—that was the essence of our relationship.

“I love you so much, Adam,” he said, caressing my cheek.

“I love you too, River. Meet me at the altar?”

He stole a quick kiss and smiled. “You bet.”

Moments later, laughter from River’s adjoining suite, muffled but unmistakable, drifted through the walls, wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.

The nerves that had settled in my stomach since I’d woken up calmed a fraction at the reminder that River was just as caught up in the whirlwind of emotions as I was.

A gentle tap on the door announced my next visitor.

“Adam?”

“Come in, Mom,” I replied.

The door opened and in stepped my mother, her smile serene and radiant. She held out her arms, and I met her halfway into the kind of hug you could only ever receive from your mom.

“Look at you,” she breathed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “My son, about to start a new chapter in his life. You look so handsome.”

“Thanks, Mom.” My throat tightened as I took her arm.

“Remember, love is like an anchor,” she said as we began to walk out of the room, her voice steady and sure. “It holds fast against any storm. And I’ve never seen two people more anchored in each other than you and River.”

I nodded, swallowing hard. I allowed myself to be led and comforted by her presence as we made our way down the hall toward the room where the ceremony would be held.

“Almost there,” she whispered.

As we rounded the corner, the foyer opened into an expanse of expectant faces, all turned toward us. But it wasn’t the sea of guests that caught my breath, it was Lex, standing off to the side, his role as best man worn like a badge of honor. His eyes met mine, and as it always was with us, there was no need for words. We’d been able to read each other’s thoughts since before we could walk. There was no one else I would rather have standing by my side today.

The music started, so I held my mom’s hand in mine, and we walked down the aisle, ready and excited to see my future husband again and make the promises we’d already made all those years ago when we were still kids.

We would always be each other’s best friends no matter what.

Enjoying getting naked with him was a bonus.

When we reached the altar, Mom kissed my cheek before doing the same to Lex. She sat beside Dad and Grandma, pulling a small handkerchief from her purse and dabbing her eyes with it.

The music picked up again, and through the double doors, River made his entrance.

River’s mom, a beacon of maternal elegance, took his arm, and together, they stepped into the sun-drenched aisle.

Time, traitorously, didn’t stand still but seemed to pulse with the rhythm of my heartbeat.

My eyes followed their slow progression, each step a measured beat. This man who had patiently loved me from afar for so long and, when given the opportunity, loved me even more up close.

His hand rested delicately in his mother’s, a silent testament to the nurturing love that had shaped him into the man he was today—the man I was about to call my husband.

He moved with a grace of a deep-seated certainty that whatever happened next, it was right—it was meant. And as he approached, my heart raced faster, but only because it always did when we were this close.

“River,” I breathed his name like a prayer. A promise of forever love.

“Adam.” His voice was a gentle wave washing over me.

“Hey. Told you I’d be here.”

His smile was my undoing, and as a tear ran down my cheek, I looked into the depths of his eyes and found our future.

“Ready?” he asked, reaching for my cheek and pushing the stray tear away.

“Let’s get married.”

“Let’s begin,” the celebrant announced.

And as I took River’s hand in mine, feeling the familiar yet exhilarating pulse of his heartbeat against my skin, I knew that every challenge we faced, every doubt we conquered, had led us here—to each other, this moment, this love that I had no doubt would endure beyond the final pages of any story we might write.

Thank you