Harry’s deep chuckle came from somewhere behind him. “Don’t get too excited. We didn’t do all this for us. It’s for the farm, to raise money for a new stable block. You’re the one who said Cornish weddings were big business, remember?”
“I was drunk-reading Vogue. That’s not the best time to take me seriously, mate.”
“Noted.” Harry laughed again and slung his arm around Angelo who was still painfully bemused. “I was kinda surprisedyoudidn’t figure it out, though. You answered the phone to the registrar last week, and she thought you were me.”
Angelo shook his head. “I remember that, but I thought I’d misunderstood, then I lost my phone when we were trying to find Jevon, and... fuck, I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Give me a break, Harry. I never have a clue what’s going on around here.”
“Neither do I, apparently.” Emma joined them. “When you said it was happening in the barn tonight, I pictured us all huddled up in the rain in our coats. Harry, this place is incredible. How have youdonethis without anyone noticing?”
Harry shrugged as Joe appeared seemingly out of nowhere and wound his arms around him from behind. “It was easier than you’d think, actually. Angelo, by his own admission, is pretty oblivious, and you don’t come out this way. Toby and George were in on it from the start, and we did most of the work at night.”
“Were you planning your own wedding all along?” Rhys asked.
“No.” Harry shook his head. “That only came up a few weeks ago when you said you’d try and get here for Christmas. With Dylan coming too, we figured it was probably the only time we’d get with all of you here. That Jevon’s with us too is more than we dared hope for.”
Rhys beamed and gave his crutches up to Jevon to hug his brother. Warmth bubbled in Dylan’s gut and threatened to burst out of his chest. He clutched Angelo’s hand, eyes burning, and yanked him away from the touching scenes.
Outside, concern marred the happiness lighting Angelo’s gaze.
Dylan frowned. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
Dylan pulled him close and found solace in Angelo’s neck, burying his face there a long moment before he found the composure to look up again. “I’m just so happy for them, you know? Harry was so lonely when we met him, and Joe is everything to him. It’s how life should be.”
“You don’t think life is like that for us?”
“Of course I do.” Dylan sniffed. “It’s the reason I know Harry was lonely. Because he told me once that he wanted to love someone like you loved me... like I didn’t already know I was the luckiest man in the world.”
“Dylan—”
“Don’t.” Dylan clamped a hand over Angelo’s mouth. “Don’t tell me you’re the lucky one, that you’d be nothing without me and all thatbollocks, because I’mtiredof it, Angelo. People don’t find what we have as a given, and it wouldn’t mean anything if it wasn’t hard sometimes.”
Angelo freed his mouth from Dylan’s hand. “I bloody know all that, you fool. I just forget sometimes, like I forget everything else except the fact that I love you more than anything.”
“Stop it. You’ll make me cry for real.”
“You started it.”
“Not true.Theydid.” Dylan jerked his head at the barn. “I feel so emotional right now, I might literally cry for the rest of the night.”
He was joking... mostly, and Angelo seemed to know it. He kissed Dylan like it was their wedding night and then took his hands, entwining their fingers together like ivy clinging stubbornly to weathered bricks. “I’m so happy for Harry and Joe, it just makes me love you more. Iamhard work, Dylan... perhaps we both are, but it’s worth everything to be with you.”
“I know, baby.”
“Good.” Angelo kissed the very tip of Dylan’s nose. “Now let’s go inside and watch our best friends get married.”
* * *
Laughter, tears, and joy—there was plenty of all three as Harry and Joe married each other in front of their family and friends. Even Harry’s mother got a look in through a carefully placed phone camera.
Angelo sat between Dylan and Sal—who’d arrived at the last possible moment, crying and swatting Joe upside his head—passing tissues and trading hugs when emotions bubbled over.
“My precious boy,” Sal said. “All I’ve ever wanted for him is to see him so loved.”
Angelo smiled. “I think he loves Harry just as much.”
“Of course he does. He wouldn’t understand if he didn’t. You can’t take that kind of love from someone without giving it back.”
