Besides, Max would have won that. So easily that it wasn’t evenworth Connor competing.
He had no idea how pretty he was. That was one of the thingsConnor loved about him. He moved through the world with so much humility, somuch innate kindness.
Loving Max was like loving a puppy. It was practically impossiblenot to.
Connor pushed that thought aside. Max had talked about how muchfunhe’d had and how grateful he was, but not about wanting whatever they had to belong term.
He could take a hint.
Connor pushed that thought aside, focusing on cleaning himself up.His eyes were still a little red, but that’d clear up within a few minutes. Hecould head down, grab himself a glass of water, and then go back.
He trusted Max to have solved everything by the time he got back.Max was a man of his word.
Everything was going to be fine.
ChapterTwenty-Four
“Dearly beloved,” Riley began, smiling out at the crowd. He more thanpassed as a celebrant in his neatly-pressed suit, even if he normally lookedlike he’d just rolled out of bed.
Max squeezed Connor’s hands, giving him a quick wink that no onebut him would have the chance to notice. Connor smiled in response, his tightshoulders relaxing.
He’d been wary when Max had told him the plan, but this wasworking out just fine. They didn’t need a licensed celebrant, and they’d neverintended to actually file any paperwork. The timeline of the competition meantthere was no way anyone would have time to check on anything like that.
“We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two of HopeSprings’ most beloved sons, Max and Connor. We’ve all watched the two of themgrow closer, and I think I speak for us all when I say it’s a delight to seeboth men living fuller, happier lives together than they did apart.”
Max wasn’t sure that was exactly how this was supposed to go, butgoing a little off-book wasn’t a bad thing. Thisdefinitelymade thewhole deal seem more personal. They should have gotten a friend to do it in thefirst place.
“Max and Connor have chosen to write their own vows,” Riley said.
Max’s stomach dropped.
They hadn’t. Not at all. It hadn’t even crossed his mind, althoughit probably should have if they were going for wedding of the year.
Riley gave him a tiny, sheepish smile.
He’d obviously forgotten what they were supposed to be.
Max looked at Connor, who was staring at him wide-eyed, his handstrembling in Max’s. He hadn’t been expecting this, either.
Max cleared his throat. They were here now, Kelsey was watching,there no point throwing in the towel at the last minute.
“Well…” he began, scrambling for something intelligent to say.“First of all… I want to thank everyone who’s helped to bring us together tocelebrate today. Weddings are more than weddings in Hope Springs. They’re arite of passage, and one I was never sure I’d get to experience. And then I metConnor, and he changed my entire life pretty much instantly.”
That sounded good. Max felt as though he was on the right track.“Just like marrying him is going to change my life,” he added. That was true,or at least he sincerely hoped it was.
He didn’t want to lie his way through this. He wanted to tellConnor how he felt.
“I’ll never stop being grateful to Connor for everything he’sgiven me, for everything he’s shown me, and for everything we’ve been throughtogether.” He paused to squeeze Connor’s hands.
“I want him in my life forever,” Max said, his voice breakingtoward the end.
This was it. Their arrangement was over after today, and there wasso much more he wanted. So much more he wasn’t going to get, because he’d takentoo long to realize it.
He could feel his chance slipping through his fingers even as hespoke.
“I love him,” Max added, shocked by how right the words sounded inhis mouth.
Was he in love with Connor?
