Rules of Play (The Script Club 2)

George beamed. “I know, ya weirdo.”

“Good. Also…I told Simon about us.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I wanted to come out to someone I trusted and…I quit the garage and told my uncle to shove it. I have a very promising lead on a dream job. We’ll see if it comes through. If not, I’ll find something else.” I traced his earlobes and pressed another kiss on his forehead. “I want that fresh start, baby. With you.”

We kissed again, slow and sweet in broad daylight. I held him as close as possible, savoring the weight and feel of him…my lover, my best friend, my genius vampire.

The gift of an awakening was a powerful one. I was done letting circumstance determine my direction. I was done letting my past dictate my future. Trusting my instincts didn’t always come naturally to me, but I trusted us. George was my touchstone and the most honest part of me. I couldn’t wait to begin a new chapter in the story of us…with new rules of play.

Epilogue

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”—A.A. Milne

George

The crisp December air carried the slightest breeze. It was cool outside but pleasant. The sun was shining, and fluffy white clouds dotted the blue sky and clung to the San Gabriel mountains, setting a perfect backdrop for the romantic occasion—aka, nerdy nuptials.

I pulled my herringbone suit coat from the cleaners’ bag and shrugged it on in front of the full-length mirror. I didn’t have many opportunities to dust this relic off, so I wasn’t sure I’d like the fit, but honestly…it wasn’t half bad. And if my boyfriend’s lecherous once-over was any indication, it might even be kind of sexy.

“Damn, baby. I still think your birthday suit is hotter, but this is nice. Very nice,” Aiden purred.

I met his reflection and grinned. He didn’t look so bad himself. He sat on the edge of the king-sized mattress with a towel around his waist, his hair damp from the shower. My man was a sexy beast.

“Thanks. I like your birthday suit too.”

Aiden flashed a devilish grin and flicked the end of the towel, revealing his sexy self in all his glory. “How much time do we have?”

I bit my bottom lip and shook my head “Not enough. You need to get dressed. We can’t be late. If Newton notices, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“All right, all right,” Aiden groused, hopping off the bed. He sauntered to the walk-in closet and popped his head out a moment later. “Did you move my dry cleaning?”

“Yes. It’s on the left side, closer to your shoes. It makes more sense for your shoes and shirts to be on the same end. Don’t you agree?”

“Yeah, sure. But let’s not move anything else. You’re confusing me,” he grumbled. “I’m gonna end up wearing one of yours to work and when I pop all the buttons in the middle of a meeting, you’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Noted.”

I snickered as I spun on my heels to study Aiden’s new master bedroom, which as of January first, would be my new home.

Last September, Aiden bought a two-bedroom bungalow in need of some TLC in South Pasadena. It was originally meant to be an investment property that he was going in on with Simon to flip for profit, but when the work was done, it seemed like the perfect beginner house for us. It was small but well-appointed with a good-sized yard and a great location. Best of all, with my new salary, I could afford to pay my share and handle the car payment on my used Prius. Geez, I felt like such a grown-up.

No doubt Aiden felt the same. He was a homeowner and a junior sports statistician at a respected university with a premier baseball program. He loved his new job from day one. Immersing himself in game analysis and history and finding connections that helped predict the future was literally Aiden’s dream. He could tinker on cars as a hobby again and actually did a little work on the side with his cousin, Timmy, the only member of his family who stuck with him when he came out last June.

Aiden wasn’t surprised by the ex-communication at all. In fact, he seemed relieved. According to him, it was extraordinarily freeing to be open and honest about who he was and who he loved.

And he wasn’t alone. Not even close. He had the Murphy clan and a ton of friends. Hell, my friends loved Aiden too.

The Script Club welcomed him with open arms. They invited him to house dinners and SyFy movie nights and only occasionally asked him to fix one of their cars or play handyman around the house. My friends were good people. In a way, they were like another set of brothers. I was grateful for them.