TJ
I pulled into the driveway of the little blue house, a smile lighting my face at the sight of it. I’d left two days ago to make a quick trip to New York to take care of some loose ends that I’d left dangling for far too long, but now that they were handled, I could say I’d officially closed that chapter of my life.
It had been a good chapter. The experiences and opportunities I’d had in New York were ones I’d always be grateful for. But the happiness I’d felt since returning to Nebraska—since returning to Jimmy—nearly a year ago, had far outweighed anything I’d felt those five years away. And after closing my New York bank account and officially turning over the lease on my apartment, I’d been eager to return home.
The door opened and Jimmy stepped out onto the front porch, smiling in that sweet way he did that made me want to pull him into my arms and never let go. He was shirtless and barefoot, with his jeans riding low on his hips. He threw a small wave then shoved both hands in his pockets, pulling the denim even lower, exposing the gray waistband of his briefs. Jesus.
After grabbing my duffel out of the backseat, I hurried to greet him, pulling him into a hug and lifting him off of his feet. He let out an oof as I took his mouth with mine, kissing him for all I was worth.
At length, I pulled away and rested my forehead against his. “I missed you.”
“Me too. I missed you too, I mean. The house was lonely.”
“I told you that you could come with me.”
“I know. I think I just…I needed you to do it on your own. I needed to prove to myself that I could be without you for a couple of days. And I…” He buried his head in my chest, refusing to look at me.
“Hey.” I pulled back, tipping up his chin and forcing him to look at me. “What’s wrong?”
“I think there was a part of me that worried you might decide you wanted to stay. That you might come to your senses and realize how much you sacrificed when you left New York. And…” He took a deep breath and straightened his spine, as if he was trying to find his resolve. “If that happened, I didn’t want to be in the way.”
“Oh, sunshine.” I kissed his forehead. “Baby. Coming back to Nebraska a year ago was coming to my senses.”
“Logically, I know that. You’ve told me so yourself. And you’ve shown me over and over again. I just…I guess some habits die hard. I’m sorry.”
I pulled him back into my arms, unable to resist the need to hold him close. “No need to be sorry. But would it help to know that from the moment I got there, I couldn’t wait to get back on the plane to come home?”
“It does help, actually.” I could hear the smile in his voice, and pulled away so I could see it.
“I love you, sunshine. That’s never gonna change.”
His smile deepened. “I love you too.”
* * *
Jimmy
We planned to head over to the cookout Jason and Zach were hosting this afternoon, but TJ decided he wanted to shower first. So while TJ was occupied with that, I reached into my sock drawer, digging around in the back until I found the little box I’d hidden there yesterday. It was true that there’d been a part of me worried TJ would get to New York and have a change of heart. I thought I’d probably have that worry for the rest of my life. It was a me-problem, something my therapist and I had been working on for a long time. But I’d also used TJ’s absence as an opportunity to go ring shopping.
TJ had let me take the lead in every step of our relationship. He’d always seemed to understand what I needed before I did, and that included allowing me to take charge of the pace. But that meant that it had to be me who did the proposing. It made my palms sweat just thinking about it.
I’d dragged Sammy with me yesterday, looking at band after band until I’d nearly been cross-eyed. TJ was perfect in my eyes, so therefore, his ring also had to be perfect. Which led to a lot of overthinking and a near-panic attack until Sammy had pointed out that the thing TJ wanted most was me, and that the type of ring really wouldn’t matter so much as what it represented. I’d rolled my eyes at Sammy’s little pep talk until I’d realized he was actually right, and in the end, I’d chosen a simple silver band.
Now it was burning a figurative hole in the back of my sock drawer and I hadn’t come up with a plan of how to actually do the proposing. Much like the overthinking I’d done about finding the perfect band, I’d also done the same about executing the perfect proposal. He deserved something grand. Something big and showy and romantic. But that wasn’t me. TJ was the romantic one, not me. And I definitely wasn’t comfortable with big and showy. But he deserved the best, so I’d just have to come up with something.
Strong arms, damp from his shower, came around me from behind and I froze. I’d been so lost in thought, I hadn’t heard the shower turn off.
“What’re you looking at?” TJ asked, nuzzling into my neck, his damp chest pressed against the bare skin of my back.
“Uh…”
I felt his head lift off my nape. “Wait. Is that…?”
My heart sank all the way into my stomach, then popped right back into my chest, beating at a frantic pace. Slowly, I turned to look at him, my thoughts racing as I tried to come up with an explanation.
“Sunshine?”
“Will you marry me?” I squeaked out.
“You’re proposing?”
“Not very well,” I muttered.
He chuckled. “Can I see the ring?”
“Oh, um, yeah.” I handed him the box. “Do you want me to get on one knee?”
He opened the box and pulled out the ring, then placed it on his finger. He admired it a moment, then looked at me with a twinkle in his eye. “Look in the back of my underwear drawer.”
“What?” Whether it was to my proposal or the question of getting on one knee, I’d been expecting him to give me an answer of some kind. Asking me to look in his underwear drawer had not been on my radar.
Smiling, he nodded his head in the direction of the drawer in question, and I turned and did as he asked. It didn’t take much digging to find a box, similar in size and shape to the one I’d just handed him.
I spun back around to face him, eyes darting between the box and his face, which was fully lit in a smile now. “Seriously?”
“Open it.”
It held a similar silver band, though this one wasn’t quite as wide as the one I’d given him.
“When did you…? How long have you had this?”
“I bought it in New York.”
“You bought it this weekend?”
He shook his head, taking the box from me, and pulling the band out. He took my hand in his and slid it on my finger. It fit perfectly. “I bought it before I moved back last summer.”
I was flummoxed. “You were that confident?”
“No, sunshine. I was that hopeful.”
I melted, my heart turning to goo as I leaned forward and kissed him. “So, that’s a yes?” I said, grinning like a loon as I pulled back.
“It’s a fuck yes.” He grinned back.
“Woah. You reserve ‘fuck’ for the really big things.”
“I think this qualifies as a really big thing.”
“So we’re doing this? We’re getting married?”
He picked me up and carried me over to the bed, tossing me down and climbing up to straddle me. He’d lost his towel in the process, while I was still wearing my jeans, but I figured he was about to rectify that problem. “Do you have a date in mind?” he asked, as he began unbuttoning my pants.
“Summer. Before school starts back up.” I lifted my hips so he could slide my pants and underwear off.
“That soon?” He nuzzled my groin, making my cock jump and sending lust humming insistently through my veins.
“I think we’ve waited long enough, don’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
* * *
Sammy
“Standing on the front porch isn’t going to make him get here any faster.” Will stepped up beside me, passed me a beer, then took a sip of his own.
“I know. But it’s not like him to be late. What if TJ turned him down? Or he chickened out?”
“First of all, we don’t even know for sure that he was going to propose today. You said he was still debating his plan. Secondly, TJ adores Jimmy. There’s no way he’s going to say no.”
“I’m sure you’re right, but I can’t help but worry. I just want him to be happy.”
“I know you do. You’re a good brother.” Will pulled me in with his free hand and pressed his lips to mine. I melted into him, opening my mouth and allowing him to slip his tongue inside. The kiss quickly became heated, as it always did with him. He’d been back in Nebraska for two years now and I thought we were still trying to make up for lost time.
The rumble of an engine had me pulling away as I turned to see TJ’s Jeep coming toward us. I waited as they found a spot a little ways down the block and began walking toward us. “Be cool,” Will said as they approached. “Remember, he may not have proposed yet. Don’t spoil it for him.”
I shot him a look. “I’m not that much of an asshole.”
“Of course not,” he said, his tone dry.
“How was New York?” I directed the question to TJ once they were close enough for conversation.
“Good. Glad to be home.” He grinned at Jimmy like a love-sick puppy and I relaxed. Proposal or not, he clearly loved my brother. That’s what mattered.
“Well, everyone’s out back. I think Jason was just getting ready to pull the burgers off the grill.” I turned to head inside, thinking to cut through to the deck, but Jimmy stopped me.
“We have some news.”
“Yeah?”
“We’re engaged!” I’d been expecting the announcement, but when Jimmy and TJ both held their hands up with rings glinting in the sunlight, I paused for a moment, the sight in front of me not computing.
“You look like you’re trying to do Algebra.” Jimmy rolled his eyes.
I shot him the finger. “You both have rings?”
“Turns out TJ bought one for me ages ago.”
“So who proposed to who?” Will asked.
They turned and looked at each other, a flicker of humor passing between them. “It was kind of a mutual thing.”
“How does that even work?” I asked, but before they could answer, Will stepped forward offering his congratulations and holding out his hand for TJ to shake.
I pulled Jimmy into a hug. “I’m happy for you. He’s a great guy.”
“Thanks. He really is.”
“There you are. We wondered where you went. Oh hey, guys.” Drea stepped out onto the porch, looking the four of us over curiously. We were obviously having a moment. “Jason wanted me to tell everyone that the food’s ready.”
We followed her through the house to the deck where our friends had gathered. Everyone went through the line, piling food on their plates and finding a spot to sit. Our group had grown, so folks were spread out across the deck, the lower patio, and around the fire pit, while some of the kids sat on towels down by the water.
Will and I found seats next to Jimmy, TJ, Drea, and Sarah, while Jason, Zach, Mandy, Jeff, Rafi, and Elise sat at a table nearby. Everyone ate and talked and laughed over each other, in the way we always did when we were together. As most of us were finishing up with our food, Zach stood and cleared his throat, calling everyone to attention.
“So, we have some news.” Jason had also risen to stand next to him, and Zach looked at Jason, who nodded, and then Zach took a deep breath and said, “We just got the call yesterday. There’s a little girl in Lincoln up for adoption. We’re going down there on Tuesday to meet her and if all goes well, we get to bring her home.”
“You guys!” Drea and Mandy hopped out of their seats at the same time, though Drea was faster since Mandy had her ten-month old in her lap. Both girls made their way over to their brothers to give them hugs while everyone else shouted their congratulations.
“Since we’re sharing stuff,” Rafi said next, “Baby Salgado number two is due around Thanksgiving.”
More hugs and congratulations were issued, but my eyes were on my brother. He generally avoided the spotlight, but if everyone else was sharing big news, would he share his?
His eyes met mine, color staining his cheeks. I raised my brow in challenge, then smiled when he let out a breath and rose to stand. “We have news as well.” And then he held his hand up, flashing his ring for everyone to see.
More gasps and squeals rang out among the crowd and Drea and Mandy came over to dole out more hugs to the happy couple.
Eventually, everyone settled down, finishing their meals and carrying on with their conversations. After we’d eaten, I found myself sitting alone, content to watch as the kids jumped off the dock while the sun made its way closer to the horizon. Will had put on his suit and was sitting on the shore with Rafi and Jason, watching as Rafi’s daughter toddled about in the sand.
As I watched the kids play while the adults chit-chatted around them, I marveled at how different my life had turned out than what I’d expected.
The summer I’d fallen in love with Will, I’d been a loner just trying to keep Jimmy and myself afloat. My life had seemed hopeless, entirely centered around making sure Jimmy had more opportunities than I did. And I’d done it. I’d sent him to college. He had a career and a man who loved him. He was thriving. But the surprise of my life was that I was thriving too. I had a successful career making art and had married the love of my life six months ago. And while Jimmy and I didn’t have any family, we had friends who’d become our family and I thought that was so much better. Because these people loved us by choice, not obligation. They showed up for us and we showed up for them, over and over again, because that’s what you did for the people you cared about.
Will turned my way and hopped up, crossing over to where I was sitting and dropped into the empty chair next to mine. “You okay?”
I turned and looked at him, smiling wide. “Yeah. Amazing actually.” I bent over and kissed him on the cheek. “Just thinking about how great my life is.”
He returned my smile. “I like seeing you so happy.”
“Same to you.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too, golden boy.”
The End