Page 183 of The Husband Game

“Thanks.” Charlie gave him a big smile.

“You … you really love Dustin, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.” Charlie let out a little sigh. “He’s … well, I hate the word perfect and Dustin and I agreed it has no place in either of our lives but he is all of the things I didn’t know I needed or wanted.”

“Good.”

“But enough about me!” Charlie said. “How are things going with Jamie? I am honestly surprised you two aren’t engaged yet. I figured he’d propose this summer.”

“Well.” Taylor bit his lip. “We kinda got married last weekend.”

Charlie stared, mouth agape. “Shut the fuck up. You did not!”

“We did. We went to the courthouse. It was super small. The two of us and Ava, of course. There was no way we were denying her a chance to wear a pretty dress and fling rose petals everywhere.”

“Oh. My. God.”

Charlie set his drink on the coffee table, then plucked Taylor’s from his hand to do the same to it. He reached for the nearest pillow and whacked his best friend with it.

Hard.

“What the fuck? How could you not tell me!”

Taylor laughed, putting his arms up as he tried to squirm away from the onslaught of Charlie’s repeated smacks. “You little hypocrite. You did the same thing to me when you got hitched!”

“But I was drunk at the time and my marriage was totally unplanned!” Charlie whacked him again. “This was sober and pre-meditated! And if you’d just waited a week I could have been there!”

“Ugh.” Taylor grabbed the pillow, pinning it against his knees. “You’re right. Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad mad,” Charlie said, letting go of the not-very-deadly weapon. “But kinda miffed, yeah. You could have at least live streamed it.”

“Fair.” Taylor slumped back with a sigh. “I’m sorry. We …”

“You wanted to keep it private,” Charlie said softly.

“Exactly.”

“You know, I’d have been pissed before the whole Dustin thing but I think I get it now,” Charlie mused.

“Yeah?”

He reached for his glass of sangria again. “So I told you about the necklace Dustin gave me after the gala and him telling me he wanted to keep me forever?”

“Mmhmm. Very over-the-top but sweet.”

Charlie laughed. “That pretty much sums him up.”

“You love it.”

Charlie smiled into his drink. “Guess I do. Anyway, we talked about renewing our vows next summer but I—I kinda said my vows to him again then. And on the surface, it doesn’t seem that meaningful to stand in a hockey arena and say you want to be with someone in sickness and in health but … but it was. So if going to the courthouse with Jamie and Ava was right for you, I am glad you did it.”

“God, you’re great.” Taylor sighed.

“I know I am.” Charlie drained the rest of his glass and held it up in triumph.

Taylor held out his arms. “C’mere, you ridiculous person, you.”

“Okay.” Charlie snuggled in beside Taylor and they were silent for a little bit.

---