As Heather and Channing left, I knew we’d be seeing each other or talking very shortly. They were lifers with us.
Then there were five.
Nate (his date had slipped away to their hotel room for the night already), Logan and Taylor, and Mason and me.
I don’t know who started it, but we all stood and moved out to the lobby. We stopped there, and I curved into Mason’s side, his arm around my waist. Taylor had curled into Logan, and Nate’s hands were in his pockets. Their tuxedo jackets were long gone, as were the slim black ties they’d worn, and the ends of their shirts had untucked from their pants.
Mason’s eyes were tired, but alert, and his hair had been raked through so it stood up a little bit. It suited him. He could’ve been a CEO after an all-nighter, and one day, I was sure he would be.
I knew he would eventually tire of football. He and Logan were already talking about business ventures, starting up a tentative idea, and I had no worries about it. I was certain that eventually they would be CEOs, rivaling their father. Until then, they were going their planned routes. The NFL for Mason, and law school for Logan.
“This is it.” Nate glanced around the group, a twinge of sadness in his eyes.
I wasn’t sure what Nate was going to do. He’d followed Mason to Massachusetts and was working in a business there, but he’d kept quiet about his plans for the future. I had a feeling that wherever Mason was, Nate would be too.
Mason’s hand tightened around my waist; I felt good and anchored, and I needed it. The tiredness was getting to me. I yawned.
Mason nodded. “This is it.”
Nate looked at Logan. “I’m going up to wake my date. You’ll be at the house later?”
That house was the one I’d moved into and started this whole process. James and Analise had kept their promise. They’d moved out, and it was left for us to use whenever we wanted. Everyone had stayed there this past week, but some got hotel rooms for tonight. And I knew Mason had plans for us.
We were heading to Europe for a month of backpacking. We’d stay in hostels unless they were too nasty, then we’d spend the money for a nice hotel. But we had plans to stay as grassroots as possible. I was excited about the honeymoon trip, but I knew tonight Mason was intending to take us somewhere else completely.
“Yep. We’ll be there,” Logan told Nate. “We’ll see you later.”
Nate nodded and pointed toward the elevators. “I should get up there before I can’t wake her up anymore.”
There was another round of hugs, but we’d see Nate tomorrow evening.
Nate was family. He’d never venture far from our side.
Logan and Taylor walked beside us out to the parking lot. Once we got to Mason’s Escalade, Taylor didn’t linger. She broke from Logan’s side, coming to hug me and whisper, “He’ll stay forever if I don’t do something. Love you, sister, and I’ll see you guys tomorrow for dinner.”
We hugged once more, then she hugged Mason and turned to Logan. “I’ll be in the car. Not too long, okay?”
He nodded, and their hands swiped as he handed off the keys.
Then there was three.
We looked at each other, and Logan blinked back a few tears. A crooked grin showed, and he sighed, “The Threesome Fearsome.”
He looked at Mason, then me, and I matched his crooked grin, saying, “Always.” I slipped my hand back into Mason’s, but I gave him some space.
This was it. This was the final hug goodbye. In some small sense, things would be different after this. Mason was my husband.
I grinned up at him, feeling the same breathlessness I always did when he entered a room. But I also felt flutters in my chest and stomach today for the same reason Logan was trying not to tear up.
Mason was my husband now. My real family. It was him and me. Husband and wife. God, I was someone’s wife. I was Mason’s wife. I felt a whole new tingle at that thought. I’d never get used to it. It was all so surreal, but that was our Twosome Fearsome.
The Threesome Fearsome would remain, but it was different. Logan had always been on Mason’s other side, but after this, he would stand behind us. It would be Mason and me, side by side. We’d follow our own trail, and eventually Logan would start off on his own path with Taylor.
Logan cursed. “Fuck. Why am I sad all of a sudden?”
“Logan.” I opened my arms, and he moved in, hugging me tightly and burying his head in my shoulder. I smoothed a hand down his head and brought him closer.
Then he turned, and Mason gripped him in another hug. They stood together for a long time. When they stepped back, both wiped a hand over their eyes, and Mason reached for me again.