Page 115 of A Hard Fit

Davis appeared with a tray of fizzing flutes, Lainey at his elbow.

“Who wants some more cake?” Lainey asked. “We’re celebrating!”

* * * *

It was late when they finally left, the streets still and silent as they pulled into their driveway. Finn dropped his keys on the kitchen counter while Rory fell into a chair at the table. “What a weekend, hey?”

Finn poured glasses of water and set one in front of Rory. “It sure was.” It was hard to believe it had been only a little over two days since Cali and Bryson had arrived. “So…Jackson? Are things going to be okay?”

Rory lifted one hand in a ‘what are you gonna do’ gesture. “Jackson is going to be Jackson. But now that everyone has to admit what a dick he is, I imagine he’ll shut up about it.”

“He’s going to hate me forever.”

“Hey. You’re amazing, and if he doesn’t realize that, it’s his loss.”

Finn leaned over to give Rory a kiss. “I just don’t want to make every family gathering…messy.”

Rory shrugged. “Families are messy.”

Finn reached into the tin on the table and took out an extremely dense peanut-butter chocolate-chip cookie. He took a bite, relishing the flavor melting over his tongue, heavy and delicious. “I’ll say.”

* * * *

The Monday morning alarm was early and jarring, but once he remembered he was now engaged to the warm lump next to him, Finn couldn’t wait to spring out of bed and get the day started—after a kiss and cuddle for Rory first, of course. Finn sang in the shower and whistled while he scrambled eggs.

“Good morning, my beautiful betrothed,” he said when Rory joined him in the kitchen.

“Morning, love.” But they seemed a little distracted as they sat. Rory ran a hand through their damp hair, frowning at their phone.

“What is it?” Finn asked.

“My mom sent me a list of twenty-five florists.”

“Twenty… Are there even that many florists in Oakport?”

“It would seem so.” Rory continued to scroll. “Plus, twelve bakeries, eighteen photographers and…and thirty-three bands?”

Finn’s heart rate had doubled as Rory continued. “Good God.”

Then an idea came to him. An idea so huge, he had to drop the spatula, turn off the stove then sit down before his legs betrayed him.

“Do you…” He took Rory’s hands. “What if we got married…today? At City Hall, after work? If you’d like to. No pressure.”My palms are so sweaty,he thought as his idea hung in the air.

“Today?” Rory repeated, the idea crashing over them.

Finn studied their expression, looking for a sign to backpedal. “Sorry, that’s probably crazy. We don’t have to—”

But a smile erupted across Rory’s face, their eyes sparkling. “We’ll need witnesses.”

Finn’s heart pounded now for an entirely new reason. “So yeah?”

“Fuckyeah.”

Finn pulled Rory in for a hug. “I love you so much.”

“I love you.”

They sat entwined in Finn’s little kitchen, the room that had seen them from first kiss towill you marry metolet’s get married today. He wondered what other memories they would make there.

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