Page 136 of The Way Home

His whole body felt hot.

Caleb must have seen the complete bamboozlement on his face, because his dimples appeared. He shrugged, eyes trailing over Jamie’s darker suit. “I guess not. But I didn’t like the idea of JB seeing you all dressed up without me.”

“Caleb!” Jamie smacked him lightly on the shoulder. “I am quite literallymarryingyou today.”

“Yeah, well, I was going to see you eventually.” He reached for Jamie’s hand, pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles. The gold band had been on Jamie’s finger since the moment he’d asked Caleb to marry him in the shitty waiting room of that lousy hospital in Youngstown.

As Caleb held his hand up, the emerald caught the light. When Jamie shifted, the sapphire on Caleb’s finger did the same.

They both knew the engraving etched on the inside. A promise to love each other no matter what life threw their way. In every universe, no matter what, they would find each other.

Caleb lowered their hands and pulled Jamie into a hug. “You ready?” he asked in his ear.

Jamie pulled away and met Caleb’s hazel eyes as more of their guests began to arrive.

“I can’t wait another minute, love.”

Somehow, the next stretch of time slipped through Jamie’s fingers. Guests found their seats. String music drifted across the venue.

One moment, he was being led down the aisle by his mum, the next he was standing across from Caleb at the altar, his heart lodged somewhere in his throat.

Jamie was grateful they decided to splurge for the videographer because his vision was blurry for the entire ceremony.

Caleb’s vows were so beautiful, so full of love and devotion, and Jamie was lucky to make it through his at all. He’d spent days agonizing over what he wanted to say,howhe wanted to say it.

Maybe a few years from now, he and Caleb could sit down and watch the wedding video together because, if he was being honest, Jamie couldn’t tell you what had actually come out of his mouth.

One minute he’d been looking into Caleb’s eyes. The next, everyone was applauding and he was apparently married.

Now, after the ceremony, their friends and family were all gathered in the garden, enjoying drinks and music and each other’s company.

Jamie ducked away from the crowd to get his bearings. Getting married at his childhood home had been Caleb’s idea, and he was grateful for it now—it felt so right to be here.

In the kitchen, he placed his hands on the counter and leaned forward.

He was married.Married.And when Caleb undoubtedly got accepted into an amazing medical school program, they would be moving to the States—

“Jamie? You alright?”

He looked over his shoulder to see Caleb leaning against the doorway, the top buttons of his shirt undone and open. His cheeks were flushed from dancing, and Jamie was so in love he might pass out.

“I’m more than alright.” Jamie smiled. “I’m amazing.”

A soft smile gave away Caleb’s relief as he swooped in behind Jamie and hugged him.

“Your vows were perfect, my love,” he said in his ear. “Youare perfect.”

His hands slid down to Jamie’s arse and froze.

“What’s this?”

He reached into Jamie’s pocket and pulled out the thick, cardboard sleeve.

“Oh.” Jamie spun around, suddenly embarrassed that he was still carrying it. “When I was writing my vows, I went through my desk drawer and read all the notes you left for me.”

Caleb’s mouth fell open in shock as he carefully unfolded the small takeaway coffee sleeve. Written in his messy scrawl were the words:I love you no matter what.

“You… you kept this?”