Beau’sexpression turned serious.
“It’sgood. I swear.”
“Congrats,man!” Brendon interrupted, coming up to slap Beau on the back as he staredbetween the two of them. Ethan forced a smile, hoping his brother would move onso he could continue his conversation. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for himto move along.
“Youtold themall?” Beau repeated the same question, although this time hesounded even more disbelieving than before, if that was at all possible.
“OnTuesday, I had my first counseling session,” Ethan admitted, noticing the wayBeau’s face fell. They’d had a brief discussion about counseling over dinnerthe day before Ethan went, and Beau had offered to go with him when and if heever decided to go that route. “Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty more in myfuture, and yes, I want you right there with me. I just needed to take thefirst step alone.”
“Whydidn’t you tell me?”
Ethancocked his head to the side, studying Beau. A lot had happened on Tuesday,including Beau’s falling out with his parents. Although, he knew he probablyshould’ve mentioned it before now, there had been enough to worry about.
Heknew he would be explaining himself in depth later, so for now, Ethancontinued, “And last night, I met with my brothers.”
Beauglanced away, and Ethan looked over to see his father talking to Travis, buthis gaze was on the two of them. Curtis offered a brief, reassuring head nod,so Ethan continued, “It’s not going to be an easy road right away. I know that.But I’m not willing to do it alone anymore.”
Beaulooked back at him, and Ethan smiled. “This is it for me.Youare it forme.”
Beauactually grinned as he tipped his beer to his lips, his eyes locked withEthan’s. He didn’t say anything right away, and Ethan held his breath, waiting,wondering.
“Sothis is a celebration?”
“Yeah,”Ethan said, looking around at his brothers, his cousins and his father.
Beauleaned in closer. “Well, I’d say it’s time to start celebrating then. But Idon’t intend to finish it up here. Just wait until I get you home.”
Ethanlaughed, and they moved into the throng of men now laughing and joking in theback. Zane was apparently trying to convince Sawyer to side with him aboutwhatever they had been arguing about earlier and everyone was watching inamusement.
Thiswas what Ethan had been missing. What he thought he would never find. He hadmanaged to bridge the canyon he had personally dug between himself and hisfamily over the years, and he had finally managed to find true love.
Hedidn’t expect it to be an easy road, but he had decided he was going to be theone in charge of his destiny from here on out. It was high time he lived, notjust existed.
Movingin closer, he laughed when Zane insisted the best place to have a large partywas at his club, while Gage and Sawyer argued that the conference center wouldbe a better bet.
WhenTravis clapped Ethan on the back, he felt as though he might actually be on theright path.
Andyes, he would be the first to admit, it was certainly long overdue.
Chapter Forty One
??
Beauhad been talking to CJ, Sawyer and Zane for the last half hour. While he triedto keep up with them, his head was still spinning from what Ethan had done.
Theywere there to celebrate.
Notthat Beau had any cluewhatthey were celebrating. He figured it wasanything from the fact that Ethan had finally come out to his family, or thefact that the two of them were together. At first he suspected that Ethanmight’ve mentioned marriage because of Zane’s reference earlier, but he foundthat difficult to believe.
Notto mention, he wasn’t going to believe that because Beau fully intended topropose – and he planned to beat Ethan to the punch as well. Although, based onthe side of Ethan he saw tonight, he might need to kick his ass into high gearor he’d be the one saying yes.
“Woohoo!”
Beauswiveled around at the loud yell that erupted near the front door.
“Lookslike a queer convention up in here, boys! What d’ya say we get the partystarted?”
Beaurecognized the voice, although Jimmy was facing away from him as he continuedto rant loudly to the group of rowdy men sitting at the table.
