And now, he was heading to Cosmic Bowling Alley for a boys’ night out with the Brothers Stone. Once he parked and headed inside, Caleb made a beeline to the counter to pick up his bowling shoes.
Hanging out with his brothers never got old. It didn’t matter where they were or what they were doing. Xavier and Landon were his best friends, and there weren’t two other people in the world he would rather spend time with. Sophia’s face flashed before his eyes. She was rapidly becoming one of his favorite people. She was probably a master bowler who won every single game she played. The thought of her bowling a perfect ten and jumping up in the air with excitement caused a grin to tug at his lips. He could honestly say that he wished Sophia were here tonight.
When he’d finished getting his shoes, Caleb heard Xavier calling his name. He made his way over to lane four, where his brothers were waiting.
“It seems congratulations are in order,” Xavier said, holding up a can of Yukon Cider in the air. “Raise your cups, boys.”
Landon and Caleb held their cans of hard cider in the air and clinked them together.
“To Caleb, who never met a mirror he didn’t like,” Landon quipped, earning him a jab in the ribs by Caleb.
“Hey, play nice,” Caleb protested.
Xavier chuckled and continued by saying, “To Caleb, who always thinks he’s the best-looking guy in the room.”
“Charming. Is this a surprise roast or something?” Caleb asked, fighting off feelings of annoyance. “You two are hilarious.”
“No, seriously, we’re really proud of you, and we want you to know that,” Landon said. “Wherever this takes you, we support your dreams.”
“Here, here,” Xavier said, letting out a loud whistle. “Way to represent for the Stone family, Caleb.”
Caleb’s cheeks flushed with pleasure at the sincerity in his brothers’ voices. He could hear the love and respect emanating from them. More than anyone else other than their mother, Caleb valued their praise above all. They both knew how Caleb had struggled to find a sense of purpose and pride in himself. And they knew his dreams too—the ones he’d confided in the hours after lights out when secrets had been whispered and shared.
Xavier cleared his throat dramatically. “So, I wanted to ask the two of you knuckleheads if you wanted to be my best men.” Although Xavier tried to lighten the ask by injecting a little humor, Caleb could hear the raw emotion in his voice.
Caleb and Landon shared a glance. They both knew how monumental this moment was. Xavier had been on the cusp of getting married once before, only to have his entire worldcrash and burn. He’d come to Moose Falls jaded about love. His journey to finding happiness and love everlasting with True had been epic. Even though it was their tendency to joke around as brothers, they both knew this wasn’t the time or the place.
“I thought you’d never ask,” Caleb quipped, reaching out and hugging Xavier.
Landon followed suit and said, “It would be an honor. We love both you and True.”
The three of them hugged it out for a moment, knowing that soon things would shift in their lives. It was inevitable, since Xavier was settling down and devoting himself to True and Jaylen. Caleb was ecstatic that his older brother had found his other half, but he couldn’t deny the tiny part of him that hated the idea of losing Xavier. Sure, they had always been close, but he’d been living in California while Xavier was in Arizona. Being in Moose Falls and living under the same roof had been a bonding experience.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” A honeyed voice rang out, causing the three of them to pull apart. True was standing there with Jaylen, a huge smile gracing her face. Xavier’s face lit up with the purest smile Caleb had ever seen. If he hadn’t known it before, he knew it now with a deep certainty. Xavier was deeply in love.
“I was wondering when you would show up,” Xavier said, reaching for True and pulling her into an embrace. True stood on tiptoes and placed her lips on Xavier’s.
“Get a room, people,” Jaylen said in a raised voice. He rolled his eyes dramatically.
Caleb and Landon burst out laughing. Jaylen was one of the coolest kids around. He was sweet and loving. Clearly, he’d seen a lot of PDA between his sister and Xavier. Whenever the newly engaged couple was together, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
Xavier and True pulled apart. Xavier’s lips were twitching with suppressed laughter. Xavier always took Jaylen’s comments in stride. Caleb knew he and Jaylen got along really well, with Xavier being the coach for Jaylen’s football team.
“Jaylen,” True said in a warning tone.
“What? I’m just keeping it real,” the young boy said. He looked over at Caleb and Landon. “Am I right?” he asked, seeking support. He held up his hand, waiting for a high-five. At the risk of True’s displeasure, Caleb slapped his hand, followed by Landon.
“Seriously?” True asked. “Ganging up on me, huh?”
“No worries,” Xavier said, encircling her waist with his arms. “I’ll always be team True.”
A chorus of groans erupted from Jaylen, Caleb, and Landon as Xavier dipped True into another kiss.
“Not again,” Jaylen griped. “We know you two are googly-eyed over one another. We get it!”
At least one of the Stone brothers had his future carved out. Caleb still felt as if his own was a big question mark.
“Look who’s here,” True called out, looking at a spot in the distance.
