“You don’t have help clean up,” Ollie said as Finn folded the last of the table linens with the same care he brought to everything. “You’ve done more than enough today.”
“I want to,” Finn replied simply. “This is your world. I want to be part of it.”
The simple declaration made Ollie’s chest tight with emotion. After years of keeping his worlds separate, Finn was choosing integration. Choosing him.
As the last volunteer said their goodbyes and the store finally fell quiet, Ollie and Finn stood together in the middle of the transformed space. The success of the day hung around them like a warm blanket—not just the sales and the turnout, but the sense of community, of celebration, of love in all its messy, complicated glory.
“Thank you,” Ollie said, the words carrying the weight of everything he couldn’t yet articulate. “For today, for trusting me with the truth, for stepping into the light when I know how much you prefer the shadows.”
Finn moved closer, his hand finding Ollie’s. “Thank you for making it safe to step into the light.”
They stood like that for a moment, fingers intertwined, surrounded by books and the lingering energy of the day’s celebration. The familiar scent of paper and coffee mixed with something new—possibility, maybe. Hope.
Then Finn’s expression grew more serious, the vulnerability he’d shown earlier returning.
“There’s something else,” he said. “The award ceremony I mentioned before—it’s next weekend. My agent’s pretty adamant I show up since I’m nominated for an award, and I’m pretty sure I don’t have any excuse after today.” He gestured around the store. “I can’t hide anymore. I don’t want to.”
Ollie nodded, understanding the magnitude of what Finn was saying. Going public at a local bookstore was one thing. Appearing at a major industry event was another level entirely.
“I want you there,” Finn continued, his voice quiet but certain. “With me. Not as my friend or my plus-one, but as my partner. I want both parts of my life in the same room, finally. I want you beside me when I step into the literary world.”
The invitation hung between them, loaded with possibility and promise. Ollie felt his heart skip, excitement and nervousness warring in his chest. It would mean stepping into Finn’s world in a way he’d never imagined, being part of something bigger than their small-town romance.
“It’s a big ask,” Finn added quickly, misreading his silence. “I know it’s a lot to?—”
“Yes,” Ollie interrupted, the word escaping before he could second-guess himself. The certainty of it surprised him, but it felt right. Inevitable, even. “Yes, I want to be there. With you. For you.”
The smile that spread across Finn’s face was radiant, transforming his entire expression. “Really?”
“Really,” Ollie confirmed, feeling his own smile match Finn’s intensity. “Though I should probably warn you that I have no idea how to behave at formal events.”
“Neither do I,” Finn admitted with a laugh that was pure relief. “I guess we’ll figure it out together.”
“Together,” Ollie repeated. “I like the sound of that.”
As they turned off the lights and locked up the store, Ollie felt something settle in his chest—not the end of their story, but the beginning of a new chapter. One where secrets became shared truths, where hiding became celebration, where two people who’d found each other in the pages of their own complicated lives finally learned to write their story together.
The future stretched ahead of them, uncertain but bright with possibility. And for the first time in longer than he could remember, Ollie wasn’t afraid of what came next.
TWENTY-FOUR
Finn’s hands trembled as he surveyed the Chicago Lakeside Hotel’s grand ballroom. The buzz of conversation, the sparkle of evening wear, the unmistakable energy of literary celebration—it all felt surreal, like he’d stumbled into someone else’s life. His fingers found his collar again, tugging at his tie.
“If you keep fidgeting with that tie, it’s going to surrender and crawl away in protest,” Ollie murmured beside him, his voice steady despite the nervous energy Finn could feel radiating from him. It was adorable how Ollie was even more nervous than Finn had been all day.
Finn’s hand dropped, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “Sorry. I’m just not used to”—he gestured vaguely at the spectacle surrounding them—“any of this.”
“You mean you don’t regularly attend black-tie events?” Ollie’s eyes crinkled at the corners, the teasing gentleness in his voice settling something in Finn’s chest. “I’m shocked.”
A month ago, the thought of standing here, of anyone knowing his secret, had been his worst nightmare. Now, with Ollie besidehim, the fear hadn’t disappeared, but it had transformed into something manageable. Something he could breathe through.
“Finn!” A sharp, enthusiastic voice cut through his thoughts. Meredith appeared before them, resplendent in a midnight-blue dress, her usual business attire abandoned for the evening. “There you are! I was starting to worry you’d changed your mind.”
“I considered it,” Finn admitted, accepting her quick hug. “But it’s time to quit hiding.”
Honestly, he felt a bit silly for keeping his writing a secret for so long. The world hadn’t stopped turning once people knew. If any of Brooklyn’s classmates had caught wind of what he wrote, they either didn’t care or she hadn’t mentioned anything to him. No one approached him on the streets of Maple Hill to castigate him for not setting a good example for his daughter. The worst he’d dealt with was some good-natured ribbing from Keaton and the rest of the guys.
“And you must be Ollie,” Meredith said, turning her attention to the man at Finn’s side. “I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Meredith Tremblay, Finn’s long-suffering agent, who’s been trying to drag him into the spotlight for years. If you had anything to do with him being here, thank you.”
