Page 87 of Clark's Bully

“Not at all. Rip seems so chill about it, it’s kind of hard to believe. And I think Mars was relieved. He hasn’t hooked up with anyone outside of our relationship, and I honestly doubt he will again, at least not anytime soon. But it probably makes all the other commitments easier for him, now that we’re moving forward.”

Before I could say anything else, Mars rolled into the bar, strolling around with his hands shoved in his pockets until he found us by the table. Soon enough, Ezra and his boyfriends followed, with Rip and Grace turning up last. We all shared drinks and laughs for a while, same as we did every week.

“Are you still going to have time for pool night once you start school?” Ezra asked, appearing by my side. “You’re basically the champion player in this bar now.”

I linked my elbow with his and looked out across our friends. Brick and Rip were talking pool and gesturing at the table, while Grace, Valeria, and Irving laughed off to the side. “They said that getting a PhD in English should involve reading three to four books a week,” I said. “Considering I get to focus on science fiction from the start, that means reading approximately the exact same number of books I already read.”

Ezra giggled. “Dr. Clark. I’m so excited.”

“Best way to get other people to treat something seriously,” I said, “is to treat it seriously yourself.”

“Just so long as you’re sticking around the store part-time, I’m not complaining.”

“I wouldn’t leave it for the world,” I said. “Not this one, or any of the others.”

Valeria took off first, disappearing into the night with some vague excuse about redecorating. Soon enough, Ezra, Irving, and Brick followed, clearly headed home for some steamy fun. When our little group was left, we grabbed a table near the bar and settled in.

“Aunt Grace,” Rip said. “We actually had some good news to share with you.”

Grace widened her eyes, then glanced across us. Getting to know her had been such a gift over the past year. Once she started piecing her life back together, it had been easy to find a place for her in our social life, same as she offered me a place in her home for breakfast most mornings.

“Go on,” she said. “What’s the surprise this time?”

Rip grinned, then took her hands across the table. I could tell he was so excited, and my heart started thumping. “Now that you’re back to work,” he said, “and now that we’re getting the tattoo shop off the ground, we all have more money coming in.”

She nodded quickly. “That’s great, Rip, and I understand. I didn’t think you’d spend the rest of your life crammed into that tiny apartment above me, after all.”

“Close,” Mars said, “but do you honestly think we’d move away from you, Grace? Who else is going to lend me a record when I need it?”

She squinted her eyes. “What are you saying, then, sweethearts?”

“We’re moving in together,” I blurted out. “The three of us.”

“And we’d like you to join us,” Rip said.

Grace’s eyes lit up. Then she shook her head quickly. “Boys, I simply couldn’t! You need more privacy than that.”

“There are plenty of homes with a carriage house out back in Seattle,” Rip said. “And with all four of us contributing, we’ll all have more space for our dollar than we ever got alone.”

“You can have your rock and roll hideout in the back,” Mars said. “And the three of us can geek out in the front all day and all night.”

Grace looked between us one more time, then turned to me. Her eyes were warm, almost searching. “You’re sure about this, Clark? I love spending time with you, but are you sure you want to make a commitment to me, too?”

I reached out and placed my hands on top of hers and Rip’s, and a moment later, Mars joined us in the center of the table. “I’m so sure,” I said. “When things were rough with my mom, I realized how special it was to build the connection with you. She might be back in my life full time, but that doesn’t mean I need you any less.” I paused, then let out a slow breath, realizing that the future was only days away.

“Families grow,” I said. “And so does love.”

Grace nodded. “I love you, too, Clark. And I’m so glad you’re part of our family.”

I turned to Rip, then to Mars. “I love you, Rip,” I said quietly. “I love you, Mars.”

“Love you,” Rip mouthed back.

“I love you, Clarkle.”

A moment passed in silence, and rock music drifted through the bar. When we finally released our hands, Mars laughed warmly. “Okay, okay,” he said. “Enough of the mushy stuff. Let’s get to the fun part.”

“The fun part?” Rip asked.

Mars grinned. “We get to go house hunting, babe. I never dared to think that was a thing guys like us could do.”

I pushed my glasses back on my nose and blinked back a few tears. There was a chill in the air, the cold Seattle wind blowing through the door and reaching across the bar, but I just felt warm.

This was the life I was giving myself. It might have taken me years to find it, but I wasn’t mad about losing that time any longer. I had loved those years, actually. That time had allowed me to find myself and to forge friendships that would last the rest of my life. It had made me who I was, just like Rip and Mars had been shaped by their years together, facing their own challenges and battling their own demons.

As we stepped outside, I leaned into Rip, and he dropped his arm across my shoulder. Mars nudged me with his hip, and I opened my embrace, tucking my arm across his back. And just like that, we walked to Rip’s car, the streetlight flickering above us and the wind whistling through the trees.

Three guys, off into a future together, and ready for whatever came next.

The end