Finally, our overbearing family pulled away, and it was just Manny and Aiden. And that was when my man completely broke down. Our group stood in a semi-circle around the two men, giving them some privacy as they clutched onto each other and just cried. I knew it was happy tears from them both. The moment meant so much more than Aiden getting a diploma. It was proof that they were finally free.
The rest of the night was just as emotional. Eventually, we left the football field where the graduation took place and went out to dinner. Dinner kept flip-flopping from laughing and jokes to happy tears.
About fifteen times, I second-guessed my plans. Maybe today wasn’t the best day. Everyone’s emotions were at the surface. Should I add another element to it? But one look at Manny and I knew I was doing it right now.
When I first bought the ring, I figured I’d propose privately, maybe with Gray but not the whole lot of us. As time went on, I changed my mind. Aiden had lacked anyone, besides Manny, for so long, and I knew he loved his newfound family. It seemed important that they shared this moment with us.
Our meal was done, and everyone was settling down. I could feel every pair of eyes on me, anxiously waiting for me to make the move. Aiden was sitting next to me, deep in a conversation with Bronx, but even still, he was holding my hand under the table. That was one thing that hadn’t changed over the years. We were always touching each other whenever we could. It was like we needed that physical connection to make us whole.
I swallowed hard and dug in my jacket pocket with my free hand. Gray noticed what I was doing first and perked up, a huge smile on his face. I was a little worried what Gray would think when I told him I wanted to propose to Aiden, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. He was fucking thrilled. It made sense. He had considered Aiden family from the very beginning, so why wouldn’t he want to make it official?
I clutched the ring box in my hand but didn’t remove it from my pocket. I tugged on Aiden’s hand, bringing his attention to me.
“Tokki.” My voice sounded off, didn’t it? Fuck, why was I nervous?
Aiden spun around and immediately narrowed his eyes in concern. Oh, what did I look like?
“Max, are you ok?”
I cleared my throat.Get it together, Max.“Yes, love. I’m fine.”
“Ok . . .”
“Aiden, I’ve spent the last few months going over exactly how I wanted this moment to go. I planned out every single second repeatedly in my head. But nothing could prepare me for how I’d feel right now.”
Aiden scrunched his face, still looking worried. I didn’t give him a chance to speak. “I love you, Aiden. You have made everything in my life better. Even before Gray got our heads out of our asses and you were just the barista at the café, I was always drawn to you. Seeing you was the highlight of my week for a long time. And now, I get to see you every single day.”
Realization began to dawn on Aiden’s face. I kept talking. “I know the last two years haven’t always been easy, but I wouldn’t change a damn thing if it meant I wouldn’t get to be with you. I never thought I’d find love or find someone worthy of being Gray’s other parent, but I found both with you.”
I slid off the chair and down to one knee, but I still held onto Aiden’s hand. There was a collective gasp throughout the whole damn restaurant. Apparently, we garnered a crowd. Aiden’s mouth was wide open, and his eyes were just as big.
“I love you, Aiden. I love you more than I ever thought was possible. I want to spend the rest of our lives together, through the good and the bad. I want to be by your side through every step of the way. So, Aiden Sewell, will you marry me?”
Aiden sobbed as he fell to his knees next to me, both of us on the floor of the restaurant, shoved in between two chairs. He didn’t answer though. He clutched the back of my head, and before I realized what happened, Aiden smashed his lips against mine, kissing me like we were the only two people in the room, not in public.
“I guess that’s a yes?” Laura called from where she was casually sipping her wine across the table. Pulling away from Aiden, desperate for air, I glared at my sister, while my man burst out laughing. “Yes. It’s a yes.”
And then we were kissing again as cheers broke out around us. The road may have been rough, but the hard times only made this moment more special.
