Alibi (Brantley Walker Off the Books #5) - Nicole Edwards Page 0,89

to admit he couldn’t go another. Not without a nap first.

As they’d done the other days, they spent the afternoon down by the water. Every now and again, someone would brave it and race in only to race back out. Reese didn’t care for the water even during the heat of summer, so he opted to watch and enjoy everyone else’s pain.

Now, as he sat on the back deck looking out over the ocean, Brantley and Trey inside cooking dinner while the other four took a stroll down the beach, Reese picked up his phone, opened his text messages.

He pulled up the one he’d received two days ago, read it for what felt like the hundredth time.

I heard you were gonna be in my neck of the woods. Thought maybe you’d want to grab some dinner while you’re in Dallas. It would be nice to catch up. I’ve missed you, Reese.

Honestly, he had no idea why he didn’t simply delete the text message from Madison Adorite. It wasn’t like he was reading it to reminisce or because he harbored old feelings for her. He wasn’t enticed by her invitation, didn’t even look forward to meeting with her.

But something kept him from doing so. A feeling he got, perhaps. Or maybe it was a feeling he no longer had that worried him.

Although Reese was no longer having doubts about what he wanted, accepting that he had fallen in love with a man, he wouldn’t deny he had some mixed feelings. Not about Brantley. No, his feelings for him were sound. His doubts had more to do with his own sexuality.

Basically, he still wondered how he had lived his entire life without ever having so much as an attraction to a man, yet he was now in what was proving to be a long-term, committed relationship with one. As though he was a different person entirely.

Truthfully, that—the uncertainty about what prompted his choice—bothered him from time to time.

He understood what it meant to be bisexual, to want both men and women, but Reese wouldn’t categorize himself that way. And he knew it wasn’t a switch that could be flipped. He loved Brantley, but at the same time, if something ever came between them, he couldn’t see himself with another man.

Did that mean he was still on the fence? Did it mean he shouldn’t write off who he had once been? It wasn’t like he and Brantley were talking about marriage or forever. They were living together, sure, but at times it seemed more for convenience than anything.

“Dinner’s almost ready.”

Reese jumped, turning his phone over and resting it on his knee, hand firmly over it.

“You okay?” Brantley asked, eyes narrowed as he walked around to stand in front of him.

He picked up his beer. “Perfect. Why?”

“You get a call?”

Reese took a drink, shook his head. “Just my mother. She texted to check in.”

Brantley continued to watch him closely. “She doin’ all right?”

“Yep.” He let his gaze shift to the waves below and lied through his teeth. “Said she looks forward to us bein’ up there. Wants to make us dinner.”

“Sounds like a great idea.” Brantley started toward the house. “Five minutes.”

Five minutes would’ve given him more than enough time to delete that text message.

And yet he did not do it.

Epilogue

Saturday, March 20, 2021

From the moment Travis told his family that he intended to officially marry Gage, they’d come up with a dozen suggestions as to how they should do it. At the church, at the resort, in the park. Full wedding party, half wedding party, no wedding party. Decorations, a big reception afterward, color schemes, themes. He’d pretty much heard every variation there was from small and basic to a wedding to rival the royal family.

As was the case with most of the debates with his siblings, there’d been some arguing and bartering, maybe a little bit of bribery thrown in. Admittedly, Zoey was pretty good at that, but Travis had stood his ground.

In the end, his idea was simple: him and Gage by the magnolia tree at his parents’ house. He gave them the option of getting on board with the idea or making themselves scarce for the big day. They eventually gave in, realizing he wasn’t going to back down.

Travis wasn’t looking for some grand gesture; he only wanted to fulfill his wife’s wish, and he wanted his husband to know he was committed for the long haul. As far as he was concerned, no one had to attend except for