Page 32 of Rules We Break

“Yes we are!” he bellows so loudly I think the glassware in the kitchen cabinets rattles.

“Wesley!” Zoë yells, her footsteps stomping back into the house. “You promised we would tell them together!”

“Sorry, babe.” He smiles and shrugs. And I think for a moment she’s really going to let him have it in front of all of us, but before she can, the girls come running, asking to see the ring. And she’s quickly pulled back outside in a fit of laughter and squeals over the ring.

“Congratulations, Wes,” Owen says, pulling him in for a hug. Hudson follows, and then Jack and I join in. It becomes quite the sappy hugfest between all five of us for a moment.

“Since when?” Pyro asks.

“About a week ago,” he tells us. His face is lit up with happiness.

“Look at all of us,” Jack says, handing Wes a beer. “All paired up. All happy. Can you imagine what our younger selves would say?”

“Mine would be shocked I was in a throuple,” Owen deadpans, making us all burst out laughing.

“Mine would be thrilled,” Hudson adds, wagging his eyebrows at Owen as he pulls him in for a kiss. Owen’s face turns a bright shade of pink, but damn does he look happy as shit.

“Mine would be shocked I was thinking about marrying my boss,” I say.

“Ex-boss,” Wes points out.

“Fair,” I agree.

“I think mine would be shocked I actually got someone to stay with me,” Jack adds.

“I think we’re all a bit shocked by that one, bro,” Hudson says, laughing. “With those…tendencies you have.”

Jack shoves him, making him almost topple over with Owen still wrapped in his arms. We all laugh for a second before going quiet, taking drinks from our beers and just kind of sitting with the moment.

It feels weird, all of us being here but no longer alone. All of us have those beautiful women outside. Our friend group has literally doubled, and it feels like we’re moving into a different phase of our lives. One where we’re still friends, and always will be, but where we all have someone else that comes first now.

“Fuck it,” Jack says, downing the rest of his beer. “I told Greg, but…Quin and I have filled out the paperwork to adopt.”

I smile as I watch everyone hug and congratulate him. And I’m glad he decided to tell everyone. He and Quin don’t have to be alone in this.

“We’re here for you,” Wes says. “Literally, here. Because Zoë and I have decided to put down some roots. We’re tired of traveling and being away from you guys all the time. We’re moving home.”

“Oh, fuck yes!” Pyro shouts. “Back together! Back together!” he chants, bouncing on his toes.

“Hey! A toast,” Jack says, holding his bottle in the middle of our circle. “To the original five and the other four that saved us.”

“Five,” Owen corrects, winking at Jack. “Don’t leave out your niece.”

“To the five who saved us,” he amends.

We all clink our bottles together and then take a swig.

“Who’s ready to eat?” Aurora sings as all the girls come back inside.

“Me! Fucking starving!” Wes says, and I don’t miss the glare Zoë throws his way.

“Quin is trying to adopt!” Ivy whispers when she comes over to me.

“Jack told us. How awesome is that?”

She pushes up on her tiptoes and kisses me.

“And Wes and Zoë are moving home,” I tell her.

She gives me the sweetest smile.

I look around the kitchen, watching all of my friends with their partners laugh and joke, fighting over food and who gets to hold Lucy. We’re so different than we were five years ago.

But I can’t say I’m sorry about it.

“All back together again,” she murmurs, stealing my attention back to her.

I smile back and kiss the tip of her nose.

“All back together again,” I agree.