Epilogue

JOHN

CHRISTMAS EVE

The riverfront cabin I'd rented for the Christmas holidays was decorated with warm white lights and smelled like pine and cinnamon mixed with cranberries. The fresh balsam fir we'd bought was decorated with colored lights and ornaments I'd picked up at the store. This was our first Christmas together and I intended to make it special for him.

Brent had stepped outside onto the deck to call his Uncle Pete to wish them a merry Christmas. Since his father's funeral six months ago, Pete had stepped into the role of Brent's father. They talked at least once a week if not more, and my husband's wounds were beginning to heal.

I also kept in contact with Pete like he'd asked. Brent was my first priority, and making him happy was all I wanted because he sure as fuck did it for me.

I'd just removed a tray of his favorite ginger cookies from the oven, making the huge house smell even more like Christmas. And as if he could smell them from outside, he and Winston came through the sliding door that overlooked the river below and headed straight for me.

"I'm starting to think maybe I know why we chose that Santa Claus drive-thru."

"We? You mean you . You chose the Santa Claus option. I wanted the Star Trek wedding with Spock marrying us."

Brent threw back his head and laughed as he stuffed hot cookies into his mouth, then slipped one to Winston.

"Well," he said around a swallow of milk I'd poured him, "Thank you for giving me a choice."

I glanced at him as I added to the massive pile of baked goods I'd been creating all day. He stared back at me with his head tilted to the side.

"Are you planning on us eating all these things? We're gonna have to run twice a day to burn all these calories off."

"Or we could fuck them off."

He smiled and pointed his cookie at me. "Now you're talking. Let's start now!"

He whipped his long-sleeved henley over his head before I could get a word out.

"Not yet, big boy," I said. "Later."

He whined a bit and looked over at me. "Why not? We have this huge cabin and the fireplace."

My husband slid around the granite countertop and pressed his body against mine. Placing kisses down my neck, he slipped his hand into my sweats and took hold of me.

"Fuck," I breathed as he pressed his constantly hard dick along my crease. Ever since that first night in Colorado, I'd found I liked giving myself to him. But not right now.

"Stop," I groaned. "You're going to derail my plans."

He did as I asked and dropped his forehead onto my shoulder. "Then what am I supposed to do with this?" He was talking about his erection.

"You could jack off for me while I watch. Or you could behave and pretend you have self-control like a grown-up."

He laughed. "You're so mean to me."

"And you love it when I'm mean to you." I turned and pulled him in for a kiss. "Normally I would be all over that, but I want to give you your Christmas gift first. Then we can fuck all over this huge cabin if you want."

Brent grinned and nodded. "Okay. I'm holding you to that."

He took another cookie and returned to the stool at the bar. "Why did you choose this big house? We don't need this much space."

"I know, but the location directly on the river where we can fish from the deck was too good to pass up. I know it doesn't look like much on the outside, but when I saw the listing online, I thought it was perfect for our first Christmas."

My husband smiled and nodded. "It is kinda perfect. The gas fireplace and wall of windows is amazing."

When I finished plating the cookies, I went to the fridge and pulled out a charcuterie board I'd made for us for Christmas Eve. It was filled with meats and cheeses, fruits, pickles, chicken skewers, chocolate, and even Red Velvet Christmas cookies. Everything he loved and enough to feed an army or two former Navy SEALs.

"Can you get the wine and meet me on the sofa? The game starts in half an hour."

"On it, babe," he said, heading to get the glasses.

"Oh, bring the red too, would you? And we're going need more wine glasses."

"Why? It's just more to clean up."

I sighed. "We are not mixing white and red wine like it's some Witch Doctor soft drink concoction. It doesn't work that way. Just humor me."

"Fine," he said, returning with four glasses and two bottles of wine.

When he sat down on the sofa, I checked the time. Eyeing the box under the tree wrapped in solid gold wrapping paper, I grinned at my genius. This was going to be epic.

I'd been ordering shit for delivery all day, so when the knock came on the door, he wasn't phased.

"God, would you give the credit card a rest? The car is only so big, babe!"

I laughed and got up to answer the door. "Turn on the game, would you?"

The Pirates were playing in San Diego, then flying back tonight. It was the next to last regular season game for them, so we'd catch it in person next week.

When I opened the front door, I motioned for our guest to be quiet. He knew what I'd planned, and had played along perfectly.

"Sweetheart," I called to him as he surfed channels.

Brent turned to look at me but found Pete smiling at him. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

He bolted from the sofa and hugged his uncle. "What are you doing here? I just spoke to you. You were on the way to church."

Pete laughed. "No, I was on the way here. Jean stayed in Colorado with your mother because I wanted to be with you. We've been planning this for a while. John thought it might be good to spend Christmas together."

My husband looked at me and smiled. "You are something else, you know that? Now I'm surprised Dare isn't here."

I laughed as another knock came on the door. Brent's eyes went wide as Dare and Greer walked in. He burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

"Well Merry Christmas to you too, asshole," Dare laughed, then pulled him into a hug.

"Why aren't you two in San Diego?" He turned and pointed to the TV.

"It was a simple decision," Greer said, "we wanted to be here."

Before Brent could unravel that thought, another knock sounded from the door. I hurried to answer it.

"Hey Dad." Laura walked into my open arms.

"Hey to you. I'm so glad you're here," I said, almost choked up.

She pulled back to look at me. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Come on," I said, beaming at her. "Let me introduce you to the rest of the family."

When everyone had settled in on the sofa with a glass of wine and something to eat, I got up and went to the tree. I pulled out the box wrapped in gold paper. Dare and Greer pulled the coffee table out of the way as I got down on one knee in front of my husband.

"John," he said as I took his hand.

"Brent, we didn't have a fairytale beginning. You don't even remember what happened when Santa pronounced us husband and husband and we've never gotten around to buying rings. So I wanted to make it right. I want a memory we can tell our kids about being surrounded by the people we love the most."

Pete reached into his bag he'd brought in and handed it to Brent.

"What's this?"

He smiled at his nephew. "Something I thought you might like."

Brent looked at me as if he didn't know whether to open it now, or let me finish. He didn't know I'd orchestrated all of this. Not yet anyway. "Open it, sweetheart."

Reaching into the bag, he pulled out an eight by ten photo frame that held a picture of the three of them. His brother, his father, and him.

Clutching it to his chest, he bent forward as tears filled his eyes. When he could speak, he looked up at his uncle. "Thank you, Uncle Pete."

"If they were still with us, I know in my heart they'd be here for this," he said, motioning back to me.

Brent looked into my eyes, then placed the frame on the table, making me smile.

"You were saying?"

I took his hand in mine. "Brent Trainor, love of my life, and my ride or die. Would you please do me the honor of remarrying me?"

His face split into the most beautiful smile, his eyelashes damp from tears. "I'd love to remarry you."

I kissed him and handed him the box. "I think we need these to get things started."

Like a kid at Christmas, he ripped the paper open and opened the ring box that held two gold wedding bands. When he went to pull them out, I stopped him.

"We're going to do this right without Santa Claus this time."

I looked over at Pete who already knew what I wanted. I'd planned this meticulously.

Taking him by the hand, I looked into his eyes. "We're going to renew our vows tonight before we exchange those rings."

Brent nodded as I got to my feet and pulled him up.

"Pete, would you do the honors? Laura, I need you by my side."

My husband looked at his friend with tears in his eyes. "I guess that means I need you by my side, asshole."

Dare flipped him the bird, making all of us laugh, while Greer pulled out his phone. He was going to serve as our photographer.

So in front of the people we loved most in the world, we renewed our vows to one another.

When I saw him again that night in Vegas, I knew he was meant to be mine. And I'd spend the rest of my life proving it to him.