The Golden Rule

Epilogue

Six Months Later

"Eric, I'm home!" James called as he exited through the portal from the office. As soon as his feet touched the mansion floor, James felt his second wind. Just being home was electric. The four grocery bags in his hands felt weightless. He ended up on the second-floor closet, already smiling.

He couldn't help himself, talking a mile a minute, "Today was incredible! We had two people come in today. They apparently just had the same feeling to finally come in and guess what?!"

"James," Eric answered back. It was like a game. The louder Eric's voice grew, the warmer James became.

"They were a match!" James announced as he rounded into the upstairs kitchen. It was smaller than the one downstairs, a private space for just the immediate family complete with a fridge covered in family pictures, which included Izzy's most recent sonogram of their future niece and one of James and Eric's wedding pictures, kissing under the gazebo.

"James-"

"Oh!" Still calling out to Eric, James sat the bags down. No sign of Eric here either. "Oh! And I'm sure you'll be happy to know Macy quit! She got into Harvard! So..." James stuck his head out as Eric called his name again. It was then James realized the house was empty. "So! I thought that maybe if Leo wanted extra money, he could be our temp-"

"James!" Eric said a little louder this time, followed by one of his exasperated laughs. James did a full turn, finding the stairs. His hurried steps slowed to a hesitant creep as he approached the front door. There was the faintest glow, not from the porch light, but something else. Cautiously, he pushed the door opened and walked outside. There was a trail of rose petals that began at the front door to the steps. Candles of all colors, what must have been the collection of candles found at the home were placed on the railing. They flickered and swayed from the night air. They looked like hundreds of huddles stars.

"Sorry," Eric said at the bottom. His scruff lined his jawline and his dark hair wasn't styled. He wore the clothes from the day, dark jeans and a baseball T-shirt. It was James' favorite look. It was sexier than if he threw on a Tuxedo.

Eric shrugged his shoulders. "It's a little cliched."

"Who are you and what did you do with my husband?" James asked, hesitant to leave the top steps. This felt like a song he loved from a long time ago, a story he had heard before, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the words. James' brain couldn't buffer fast enough.

With his soft smile, Eric wiped his hands on his jeans. The great Alpha laughed nervously. "I'm still not very good at this stuff but... but I'd do anything to make you happy."

"What are you..."

"Six months ago," Eric said and his deep voice was a magic spell that lured James down the stairs, slowly like in a dream. Eric said, "We got married and that was the happiest day of my life, but I know it wasn't what you wanted."

"No, Eric," James shook his head. "It was perfect-"

"It wasn't your dream wedding."

"But it had my dream groom," James smiled as he closed the space between them. His heart raced, knowing Eric could hear it. Eric became close enough to touch and James cupped his husband's chin, giving him the quickest kiss on the lips. He didn't lift his head, resting against his forehead.

"Still, I think you owe that little kid still inside of you the best wedding this world has ever seen," Eric backed away. Lowering onto his knee, Eric reached into his pocket and James' heart jumped up to his throat.