“I’m reasonably sure he’ll approve of you going with me. Your virtue is safe.” He laced his fingers with Liam’s. “How are you doing?”
“Moody.”
“I hear you. Telling Coach I was leaving was hard. I meanhehelped me get the job, but it still wasn’t easy to say goodbye.”
“One door closes, another opens.” It sounded great unless it applied to him. “I think I’m going to miss living with Pop and Helen the most.”
“I love them both, but honestly? I’m so looking forward to getting our own place.”
“Oh, come on.” Liam didn’t try to hide his smile. “It had its perks.”
“Don’t get me wrong. Living with them helped us a ton, but I’m twenty-six. I’m ready to have our own place.”
Our place.He pulled their hands up and kissed the back of Coury’s. “Me, too.”
They’d rented an apartment near the University of Pittsburgh where Liam would be attending. It was a place they could afford until Coury found a job because Pop hadn’t taken more than a token amount of rent. Now they could look for something better.
“Tell me about the job. How did I not know you were this close to getting hired?”
“You’ve been busy teaching, and grading, and applying, and writing. I’m pretty sure you grunted twice for great when I told you I had a callback.”
Liam frowned. He hadn’t been the most supportive the last couple of months. If anything, he’d leaned too hard on Coury, who was already working two jobs. “Sorry.”
“Nope, don’t be. I’m so freaking proud of you, Liam. And when I need you, you never fail to step up. I’m glad I got the chance to help you.”
His rock. “Back to you. What’s the job? Head Coach?”
Coury snorted. “I wish. Maybe one day. Assistant head coach in charge of pitchers and catchers. But the job comes with a side of assistant athletic director.”
“Seriously?” That was way better than assistant coach.
“It sounds grander than it is. There are ten assistants and five deputies. It’s a lot of admin work, but it’s what I want to do.”
“Working for the Senators must have helped.”
“Yeah. Turns out Mr. Johnson, the majority owner, is friends with the current AD. Pretty good reference to have.”
“That and you’re awesome.” Liam smiled as they walked toward the café. It had been their little meet-up so many times the last four years. He didn’t know when they’d be back. Harrison would always be special, but now that Coury was going to be a Carnegie Mellon Tartan, they were going to be doing a lot more things there and a lot less at Harrison.
He hated getting so maudlin. It was time. They needed to move to grow, professionally and personally. Coury wasn’t wrong about their own place.
Glancing over, Coury was as lost in thought as Liam. If anything, leaving Harrison was harder on him. Coach Brophy had helped him get a foothold in baseball.
“You okay?” Liam asked.
“Nervous. You know how I get.”
He rubbed Coury’s arm. “Don’t be. You’re going to be awesome.”
They rounded a building and the coffee shop was just ahead. Coury pulled him to a stop.
“I’m not nervous about the job or the move.” Pivoting, Coury faced Liam. “I need to say something.”
Before Liam could speak, he dropped to one knee. “I can’t imagine my life without you. You are the most amazing man. Kind, sweet, loving. I love you so much.
Coury pulled out a box and opened it. A thin silver band sat nestled in the deep blue velvet. Someone noticed them and said, ‘Oh my God, look!” but Liam couldn’t take his eyes off Coury. This man he’d loved for so long always found a way to make things better.
“Marry me, Liam?”
