“So,uh…” Marcus sat forward, clasping his hands together. “Did you ask him to marryyou, or…?”
“Hekinda floated the idea first, but I asked him eventually,” Declan said, figuringit was the truth. Marcus didn’t need to know that they’d kissed for the firsttime a few days ago.
Marcusnodded, licking his lips. “So how did you…?”
“Actually,it was a condition of the will,” Declan said, trying to stick close to thetruth. “My great uncle’s will, I mean. I had to be married to really own thebookstore, but… I wouldn’t have done it with anyone but Ash. I asked him whenwe saw the place.”
Thatwas all true. Declan knew he couldn’t have done this with anyone else.
“Weren’tyou terrified he’d say no?” Marcus asked.
Declanfinally understood where this conversation was going, his eyes widening inresponse. “You’re gonna…?”
“AskLexi?” Marcus said, keeping his voice low. “Yeah, I mean… not right now? But…someday. We only got together over Halloween last year, but he’s…”
“Theone,” Declan finished for him. “I get it. And yeah, I mean… I knew he might sayno, especially because I was asking him to move all the way out here, but… hesaid yes, and it was fine. He’s my best friend. I trust him not to hurt me.”
Thatwas all Declan needed to know, really. Ash was his best friend. They’d gottenthrough everything life had thrown at them so far and come out the other sidejust fine.
He’dknown Ash might say no to this whole big adventure, but he was glad he’d saidyes. The future felt full of possibilities right now.
Declanhadn’t felt this alive in years.
Whichwas why the chance to reallybe withAsh was so exciting.
“Yeah,Lexi’s… he was one of the first people to be kind to me when I moved here, andI guess I sort’ve imprinted. Love at first sight. But I was scared to sayanything for years.”
“Iget that, too,” Declan said. “I met Ash in college and it took me a while tofigure out what I really wanted.”
Hedidn’t need to mention that he’d onlyjustfigured it out.
Marcuswas making him feel less ridiculous right now. Maybe he didn’t have to beathimself up for not having figured everything out earlier. Maybe that wasnormal.
Ashhad said as much, but Ash had been trying to comfort him then. It had beenharder to believe when he’d said it.
Nowthat he was starting toseeit, though, it wasn’t so hard to believe.Maybe he wasn’t too late.
Declanhad no idea whether he and Ash would even work together romantically, but hewanted to give it a shot. That was a surprise, but now that he’d finallymanaged to have the thought, everything seemed a whole lot clearer.
Marcusclapping from beside him startled Declan out of his train of thought, making himlook up to see that Lexi had gotten yet another strike.
Heand Marcus both seemed to have the coordination of a newborn giraffe, but Ashand Lexi were on fire.
Thatmade it a good matchup. He was glad now that they hadn’t gone with thesuggestion of putting Ash and Lexi on one team and Marcus and Declan on theother. They would have been obliterated to the point where it wasn’t even funanymore.
“Youshould hang onto him,” Declan said after a moment. “He’s got talent.”
“Iwant to,” Marcus looked down at his knees, blushing. “Thanks, man. Forreassuring me.”
“Noneed to thank me. Just invite me to the wedding.” Declan beamed. He wantedMarcus to be happy. Marcus was the first friend he’d made in a long time.
Marcuschuckled. “Deal.”
Declangrinned at him and then stood, stretching his arms high above his head as hisname came up on the screen.
Ashbrushed past him, setting off a wave of tingles over Declan’s skin that radiatedout from where they’d made contact. It took him by surprise, but he didn’t hateit at all.
Hehoped Marcus felt like that when he touched Lexi. He wanted this foreveryone,now that he had it for himself. It was really,reallynice to beexcited by another person.
