“In this glass are the fruits of God, humankind, and Mother Earth. The years of our lives are like a cup of wine that is poured out for the sake of labor, honor, and love. Many days you will sit at the same table and eat and drink together. Many are the experiences you will share. As with a glass of wine, one of you may find it sweet, the other dry. Let the drink you share todayserve as a reminder that while you may see the world through different eyes, being right is never more important than being happy.”
He offered the wineglass to Trent, who took it. Trent paused, his gaze locking onto Jeff’s as if the world had narrowed to just the two of them. For a long moment, he stared, emotion flickering in his eyes—love, reverence, the sheer weight of this moment settling between them.
Then, with quiet deliberation, he lifted the glass and took a slow sip, never breaking eye contact. Turning it gently in his hands, he offered it to Jeff, who cradled it with the same reverence before bringing it to his lips. As he drank, his fingers briefly brushed Trent’s, a silent promise passing between them.
Colin took the wineglass from Trent and set it on the table. “May this wine remind you that love is to be savored, cherished, and shared. May you always find joy in each other’s friendship. Strength in each other’s love. And gratitude for the life you build together. And may you, together, watch your beautiful daughter grow to womanhood, guided by the strength of your love and example.” He paused for a moment. “And with that, I now pronounce you two loving and devoted husbands.”
He leaned toward Trent. “You may now kiss the bri—er—thegroom.”
A soft ripple of laughter moved through the guests just as Trent captured Jeff’s face between his hands, drawing him into a deep, lingering kiss. Cheers and applause erupted around them, but neither seemed to hear—wrapped entirely in the moment, in each other.
As they finally pulled apart, both men turned just in time to catch Sophie as she flew into their arms, her joyful laughter ringing through the air as the three of them embraced.
Chapter 23
Reception
Saturday
Overwhelmed with happiness, Trent and Jeff embraced Sophie and Jeff’s parents, then stepped from the gazebo to greet the Camp Pride youngsters who surrounded them, cheering and applauding wildly.
But for Colin, the gathering behind him didn’t even exist. He spun to Joshua and swept him into his arms, burying his face against his husband’s neck, his breath catching, overwhelmed by emotion. Joshua’s arms tightened around him, gripping tight, his fingers threading through Colin’s hair in a silent, possessive gesture.
“You OK?”
Colin exhaled a slow breath, then pressed a kiss to Joshua’s lips. “Yeah. It’s just that—” He pulled back enough to look into his husband’s eyes, and saw that their dark brown depths were shimmering with unshed tears. “Hearing them making those promises—saying those words,” he kissed Joshua again, his breath a slow tremble in his chest. “It hit me like a sledgehammer. How much I love you. How blessed I am to have you by my side.”
Joshua’s lips curved in a tender smile. “I felt the same thing.” He cupped Colin’s face, brushing his thumbs across Colin’s cheekbones. “Every day, Colin. Every day I’ll choose you. Again and again. Forever.”
Before Colin could respond, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see the two grooms standing behind him, smiling as they reached to embrace him. “My god, Colin,” Trent murmured, his voice thick with tears. “It was just—just so damned beautiful. There are no words.”
Jeff, who had hugged Joshua before turning to Colin, kissed his cheek. “Just perfection, buddy. You took my breath away. I will never, ever forget it.” He leaned back, tears still sparkling on his cheeks. “Thank you.”
Colin embraced both men, then captured Joshua’s hand in his as the campers surged toward them, surrounding them, pulling them into the joyful chaos of celebration. But even in the midst of the merrymaking, Colin clung to Joshua’s hand, anchoring himself in the one thing that mattered most—this love, steady and unshakable through every storm and every sunrise. Always his.
As the wedding party and guests drifted toward the dining room for the reception, a half-dozen volunteers stayed behind with David and Nate, breaking down the chairs and storing the decorations.And as the boys lugged the gazebo toward its storage shed, David and Nate moved to stand, hand in hand, on the dock gazing across the lake to the mountains beyond. David’s hand moved up Nate’s arm and slid around his shoulders. “Great day,” he murmured, then kissed his husband’s cheek.
“Perfect day,” Nate replied, then drew in a long, trembling breath.
David gave a gentle laugh, reading his thoughts. “It’ll be wonderful, my love. Your boys have written a beautiful, touching piece. It will be the perfect conclusion to an amazing week.”
Nate lifted his hand in front of David’s eyes … with fingers crossed.
In the dining hall,now transformed into a wedding reception hall, a late reception luncheon was being served. Again and again, the guests tapped spoons on their glasses, demanding a kiss—and the two grooms were happy to oblige, each kiss met with laughter and cheers from their guests. Trent, ever the showman, dipped Jeff dramatically during one of the kisses, earning an uproar of applause and a playful eye-roll from Jeff, who nevertheless melted into the moment.
David had insisted on being in charge of this very special meal. He meticulously checked every recipe and reviewed the ingredients multiple times to ensure the Verdun cooking staff had everything they needed. He and Nate now sat at the head table with their friends, sipping champagne.
Near them, Colin sat with his broken ankle propped on a chair, Joshua beside him, their fingers loosely intertwined. Joshua leaned in, murmuring against his ear,“I swear, if they start tapping their glasses forusnext?—”
Colin smirked. “What? You’ll refuse to kiss me?” Joshua threw him a disbelieving look and Colin laughed out loud. “I wouldn’t worry. We’re not the center of attention atthismeal.” He nodded toward Trent and Jeff who were once again sharing a kiss as the campers cheered.
By four p.m., the meal had been consumed. The guests had toasted Trent and Jeff at least a dozen times and had demanded that they kiss at least a dozen more. Now they moved to the wedding cake, smiling as they prepared to cut it, laughing asNate danced around them snapping photos and shooting videos with his phone.
“Mush it in his face, Jeff!” Nate called out. “Make a great picture!”
Trent laughed and shook his head. “Oh no, no way. I am not ruining this masterpiece.” He gestured toward the beautifully decorated cake, the creation that David and his cooking class had made with such love and pride.
Jeff smirked, eyes glinting with mischief. “You sure about that?” Before Trent could react, Jeff swiped a dab of frosting onto his fingertip and smeared it across Trent’s nose. The room erupted in laughter with the campers cheering the loudest.
