Page 115 of Out of the Shadows
EPILOGUE
THE FOLLOWING SPRING
COSMO
“To James and Perry,especiallyto Perry, because he’s going to need all the luck in the world when he marries my overbearing and annoying cousin.”
James glowers at me, but the good humoured sparkle in his eyes gives him away.
“We invite you here to drink champagne and all you can do is say cruel and unfounded things about me.”
“I wouldn’t say they’re unfounded as such…” Elliot tries his best to keep a straight face, but the corners of his lips are twitching.
Perry tilts his head. “Not cruel, but you are annoying. Irritating. Exasperating. Irksome. Hmm, yes, that’s a good word. Irksome.”
“If I’m so disagreeable — there’s another you can add to the growing list — why are you marrying me in seven days, two hours and however many minutes and seconds time?”
“Because you’re the best thing in my life and I love you even more than I love cake and chocolate. Doesn’t stop you being irksome, though.”
Perry’s smile is brighter and warmer than the sun shining down from a deep blue, cloudless sky into the garden of his and James’ Highgate house. James is looking distinctly gooey eyed, as he wraps his arms around his fiancée’s waist and hugs him tight.
We clink our champagne flutes, amidst congratulations and wishes of good luck.
“I’m going to check on lunch — no, you stay here and do your best to be a good host. If that’s possible,” Perry adds, smiling at James, before he dashes into the house.
“This is good.” I take another sip of champagne, and glance at Daniel, sitting next to me at the garden table. I catch his eye, and he smiles. We both know it’s not only the champagne I’m talking about.
Across the table from us, James, Elliot, and Freddie have fallen into intense conversation. Daniel and I aren’t excluded, but talk of loft conversions and garden design isn’t exactly our thing. For now we’re left to entertain ourselves, and I’m more than happy with that.
“You okay?” I rest a hand on Daniel’s thigh.
“Of course I am.” Daniel keeps his voice low. “Everything’s sorted and settled. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here and I certainly wouldn’t be accompanying you to the wedding. As your partner.”
Daniel’s warm gaze alone is enough to send a thrill racing across my skin, but it’s the word he’s used that makes my heart sing. Partner. Not boyfriend, but partner. It’s a serious, grown up word. It’s solid and sure. It’s everything we are, and will continue to be.
“Cosmo, don’t worry. Honestly, there’s no need for it. It was all sorted out over some very good scotch.” His gaze flickers briefly to James before it comes back to rest on mine.
I edge in closer and rest my head against Daniel’s shoulder, closing my eyes and letting out a contented sigh as he brushes his fingers through my hair. The hum of bees in the warm air, the murmur of voices, the alcohol, but most of all Daniel’s steady, rhythmic touch is hypnotic. My mind calms, and drifts.
Daniel’s right, I don’t need to worry. He’s been accepted whole heartedly and pulled into the warm embrace of the people who mean the most to me — the men gathered here in this sunny garden. My family, I suppose.
Just before Christmas, I’d phoned both Freddie and James and told them Daniel had come out publicly with something of a flourish. Everything that had been broken had been fixed, everything that had fallen apart had been put back together. I would also, I said, be spending Christmas with Daniel’s family. Freddie had been both pleased and relieved. Daniel had made the stand Freddie had known I’d needed. James’ response, however, had been muted.
I’d been disappointed, although not surprised, and accepted I was going to have to confront the cousin who’d dangled me on his knee when I was a kid — and remind him I was no longer a child but a grown man who knew what he was doing.
I never got the chance.
James had called on New Year’s Day, and asked to speak to Daniel, who’d taken the call in private in his home office. He hadn’t divulged what had been said, but he and James had met that evening, alone. Whatever was said, over good scotch, I’ve never found out. All I know is it worked. Thank god for that, because if I had had to choose between them, I would have.
I didn’t have to.
“Daniel, I don’t think you’ve seen the plans for our place, have you? They’re pinned up in my office. Come and take a look.”
James’ voice brings me back to the present, where I’m very happy to be, as I push the past away.
“Why would anybody want to spend half their time buried down in Devon? Everybody knows once you travel beyond the tube network it’s impossible to get a decent cappuccino. It’s completely and utterly uncivilised.”
I make it sound like a joke, although I’m not sure if I really mean it as such. I’m a London boy through and through and I make no bones about it.
