The Making of Matt (Souls of the Knight 3)

Most people were gathered outside where Ivan, the Back Door Studios founder, was showing off his barbecue skills. I spent the first hour or so mingling, exchanging general chitchat with people I hadn’t seen for a while and sipping on a glass of wine Jake had someone handing out.

I was sitting with Elle by the hexagonal pool bar when Jake approached us. “Anyone heard from him yet?” He didn’t need to say his name for us to know he was talking about Matt.

Elle shook her head. “Not since this morning. While I was cutting his hair he said he was going to Kaleidoscope to put some of his stuff in the office, but I don’t know his plans after that.”

“He never made it to the club,” I interjected. “I spoke to Gary earlier.”

“It’s getting late,” Jake said, sighing as he looked down at his watch. “Maybe I should do this another night.”

“Don’t you dare!” Elle chided, slapping Jake’s arm. “Right now Matt’s probably wasted and balls deep in some blond. It’s his own fault if he misses it. Besides, I spent too many years watching my best friend be miserable without you. He deserves tonight. Don’t you dare make me, I mean him, wait!”

I forced a small laugh but I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it. I knew about Matt’s reputation, but he wasn’t that person anymore. I couldn’t pinpoint the moment he calmed down, or even why, but the last few weeks he would definitely rather settle down on the couch watching old movies than be out drinking till the small hours. Maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to but, regardless, I knew he wouldn’t miss tonight for something as frivolous as a quick fuck. Sawyer was one of his best friends, his brother, and he loved and respected him way too much to let him down without a second thought.

“You’re probably right,” Jake agreed. “I’m so bloody nervous.”

“Good,” Elle said, grinning. “That proves how much you want him to say yes.” Elle and Sawyer had been best friends forever and every so often you’d see the feisty mama-bear come out in her when it came to protecting him. It was kind of adorable.

“He has to say yes. I’m not letting him go again. Ever.”

“Then gather everyone round and let’s do this shit!” Elle squealed like a kitten being strangled and clapped her hands together. If she bounced any harder in her seat I was sure she would take off into the air.

Jake disappeared into the house and soon returned with a small following, including Sawyer who wore a confused expression. Jake took Sawyer’s hand and led him to the decked area beneath the palm trees that overlooked the hills before standing in front of him and taking the other hand, clutching them both to his chest.

He coughed nervously, never taking his eyes off Sawyer. “Sawyer Antony Knight, I’ve been lying to you. Tonight isn’t just a get together to catch up with old friends. I planned tonight for this moment; the moment I stand in front of our friends and tell you how much I love you.”

“Jake…” Sawyer whispered, a tremor coating his voice, but Jake shushed him by placing a finger over his lips.

“We lost so many years, and in those years I never once stopped thinking about you, stopped wanting you, needing you. The first time I saw you again in that hotel room in London I knew I could never let you go again. I had to have you, Sawyer, and when I got you…” Jake sighed, the words getting lost in his throat. “Well damn you made me the happiest man in the world. Every day when I wake up to see you sleeping next to me, when you smile, when you puff out your cheeks while you’re concentrating… I feel that same happiness. I always will. So-”

Even from a few feet away I could see the glisten in Sawyer’s eyes as Jake dropped to one knee in front of him, flipping open the little silver box he pulled from his jacket pocket. “Will you promise to wake up next to me every day for the rest of your life? To keep me feeling like the luckiest man ever to be born, by being at my side, always? Sawyer Knight, will you marry me?”

“You know I will,” Sawyer murmured, his hand trembling as he held it out to Jake. Jake slipped the platinum band over Sawyer’s finger quickly before jumping lithely to his feet and enfolding Sawyer in his arms. A furor of clapping and cheers erupted around the pool, with Elle taking it one step further and racing over to the engaged couple and throwing her arms around both of them.

The whole scene was beautiful, but although I was insanely happy for the guys, I couldn’t stop my mind wandering to Matt. He should’ve been here. Where the hell are you?