The Endgame (Atlanta Lightning 1)

“I know.” She squeezed my hand, knowing what that had meant to me without me having to say a word. “Now let’s go find our Super Bowl champion. It sounds like the two of you have some celebrating to do.”

When we met up with Anson in a room full of Lightning team, staff, and family, Anson didn’t hesitate to pull me into his arms. “You fucking did it, Bashful. I’m so proud of you.” He’d proven wrong anyone who’d doubted him.

He gave me a loud, smacking, playful kiss. “Hell yeah, I did. Was there any doubt?”

“Not on my end.”

We stood there, arms wrapped around each other, Anson’s gaze turning serious. “Thank you for sitting beside me at the bar that night…for believing in me, for supporting me, for never walking away.”

“Shh. No getting sappy in public.” I kissed him, and he kissed me back. Darren teased us when we pulled apart. Cheryl hugged Anson and cried. Carly and Elias congratulated him. When everyone went out to celebrate, I was right by his side as he’d said I would be, where I always planned to be from then on.

Epilogue

Anson

One year later

April

Carly and Elias had wanted a spring wedding. I was my brother’s best man, and there was nothing quite like the feeling of watching him say I do to the woman of his dreams. Mom had spent most of the day crying tears of joy, and it was easy to see how happy she was. She finally had another woman in the family, and she was enjoying the shit out of that.

Next up would be baby talk. It didn’t matter that they’d only been married a few hours, when her eyes got that gleam while we were all together at a table, I figured it would happen in three…two… “Now when are you boys going to tie the knot?”

“Huh?” jumped out of my mouth just as West choked on his drink. That was…not what I’d expected. Not that I didn’t want to marry West. I really fucking wanted to marry West. I already had the ring to propose and everything, but yeah, even though she’d become our biggest supporter and had harsh words for anyone who had anything negative to say, I hadn’t expected the wedding question. “Aren’t you supposed to ask Carly and Elias about babies?” I teased.

“Great. Way to throw us under the bus, Ans,” Elias said.

“We’re young and finishing grad school. We’re not ready for babies, and who knows, maybe we’ll never be,” Carly replied. “Kids aren’t the measure of happiness. Elias and I just want to enjoy each other.”

Okay, well, now I felt like a dick. “I know. Just, I would rather the attention be on you guys than me.”

“You don’t want babies?” Mama asked Carly.

“Oh, no, I didn’t mean that. But we have time to figure it out…” Carly turned to us. “So, when are the two of you getting married?”

A round of laughter erupted at the table. Mom, bless her heart, pretended to pout. “I’m feeling very ganged up on.”

“Don’t. We love you.” West reached over and squeezed her hand. I loved watching the two of them together. They’d gotten close. His parents had never come around. His mom called once in a while, but that was it. West was part of our family now, and we would love him enough for all of them.

“That’s why he’s my favorite,” Mom replied.

We laughed again as the reception went on around us. It wasn’t long before it was time for Elias and Carly’s first dance. It was perfect, and Mom cried again as she watched them. They’d had a special dance choreographed, and as they moved, holding hands, Elias turning Carly before pulling her down on his lap as if to dip her, I felt a tear escape too.

There was quite a bit of partying after that. We drank, ate, laughed. Darren and Mia were both there. We hadn’t won the Super Bowl again that year, which sucked, but we’d still had a great season. Darren and I had both gotten new contracts in Atlanta. I had three years left on mine.

“How’s everything going?” Mia asked West. He’d been doing speaking engagements, something he’d told me he enjoyed not long after we met. He’d passed the Georgia bar and had a small client list. His main goal, though, was getting his new project off the ground. He was in the middle of starting an organization for queer youth and young adults, with a special program for those who’d been through conversion therapy. He had big plans to help with schooling, medical care, housing, jobs, and sports programs. West’s goal had always been to help people, to make a difference, and now he’d found a way to do that on his terms.

“It’s good. There’s still a lot to do, but now that it’s the off-season, I plan on putting Ans to work as much as I can.”