This. This was home. Everything he ever needed or wanted or wished he had—it was here, with Ollie.
Sam rubbed one hand up Ollie’s back and then brushed a light kiss against his cheek. “I love you,” he whispered, his chest tight with emotion. He felt Ollie smile.
“I love you too. So much. Always.” Ollie lowered his head to Sam’s shoulder, leaning into their embrace.
They stayed there for a few more minutes, until the sun was well on its way up over the top of the mountains, brightening the sky and bringing a hint of warmth to the crisp air. Then Ollie straightened up and grinned, his smile brilliant and... uninhibited. Sam’s heart fluttered, and he dipped down for another brief kiss.
As they parted, Sam grinned again. “Race you home? I’ll totally let you win.”
Ollie’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, and then he laughed, shaking his head. “That’s not how it works! You’re not supposed totell meyou’re gonna let me win. You’re just supposed topretendto be too slow.”
“Oh. Right. Of course. So, uh, race you home? So I can totally... beat you?” Sam said, putting on his best serious face.
Ollie laughed again, the sound like music to Sam’s ears, and he stepped out of Sam’s embrace and took his hand. “How about we just walk? Take our time.”
Sam smiled and reached up to touch Ollie’s cheek. Then he nodded, leaned in, and pressed a gentle kiss to Ollie’s lips. “That sounds perfect, love.”
The End.
Epilogue
Sam
Ten months later
“It’s perfect, isn’t it?”
“It’s incredible, Mom. Sam, what do you think?”
Sam couldn’t bring himself to answer, so he just nodded mutely and followed as Ollie, Katherine, and their real estate agent toured the much-too-large two-story house. It had five bedrooms and three bathrooms. And then a full, 1,200-square-foot detached mother-in-law unit in the backyard. And a private dock. On a private shoreline along the southwestern edge of Lake Sammamish.
It was their dream—everything they’d talked about wanting.
Ollie squeezed his hand, and Sam felt the still-unfamiliar solidness of the wedding band on Ollie’s ring finger. He let his thumb rub over it, and his heart stuttered in his chest.
“You okay?” Ollie asked quietly. “You look a little... stunned.”
Sam laughed inwardly. That was an understatement. “Um, well...”
Ahead of him, Katherine was nodding at something the real estate agent said, and then she glanced over at him and grinned.
This was their wedding present, she’d said. She’d owned her house in Redmond outright, and with housing prices as they were, she’d been able to sell it for more than enough topay cashfor this place. It needed a little work, some renovations and a few fixes, but with the detached mother-in-law unit, a big yard for the pups, and the view...
“It’s a lot,” Sam said, his voice low. He and Ollie stopped together in the middle of the hallway as Katherine and the real estate agent continued into one of the smaller bedrooms at the far end of the hall. Ollie stepped in front of him and took Sam’s other hand, then brought it up to his lips, kissing the dark metal band on Sam’s finger.
“It’s not what you want?” Ollie asked.
“No, it’s perfect. It’s absolutely everything. But your mom—giving this to us? It’s so much...”
“You know how much my mom has always just wanted me to move back in with her? She’s totally getting exactly whatshewants here.” Ollie’s soft, teasing smile sent a warm shiver through him, and Sam couldn’t help smiling back.
“I know, I know. And it’s... incredible. I guess I’m just a little overwhelmed. It’s everything we’ve talked about. Even the east-facing balcony in the main bedroom. And the yard, and, um, the extra rooms for...”
“Oh, you can be sure my mom chose it specifically because of that,” Ollie cut in, grinning again. “Plenty of room for all the grandbabies she wants us to give her.”
Sam’s heart skipped several beats as he looked down the hallway again. He could just barely see into the bedroom where Katherine had gone. It was one of the smaller rooms. The perfect size for a nursery.
“God, I never thought I’d want that, love. But now...” A strong tug in his chest forced a shuddering breath from him, and before Sam could even react, Ollie’s arms were around his waist, holding him tightly. He breathed a kiss on Ollie’s cheek, and his voice was a little raspy as he whispered in Ollie’s ear, “Now, I can’t think of anything I want more.”
