Chapter Text
I looked down at Laverna, feeling that familiar, heavy thrum of gratitude in my chest. I’m the luckiest man alive; there’s no other way to frame it. As she reached up to adjust my tie, her fingers nimble and sure, I found myself getting lost in those bright blue eyes. They still had the same spark they did eight years ago.
"There," she said, smoothing the silk against my chest and beaming up at me. "You look great. Sharp enough to actually run that office."
"Thanks, hun," I murmured. I leaned in, catching the faint scent of her perfume before pressing my lips to hers. She kissed me back with a quick, playful pressure that left me grinning like a teenager.
Being with Laverna is like living in a permanent state of grace. She’s effortlessly charming, the kind of person who commands a room without even trying, and easily the funniest human being I’ve ever encountered. She has me so thoroughly wrapped around her finger that "no" has practically exited my vocabulary. It’s been that way since the jump—since I was twenty-four and she was twenty-six, making me laugh so hard at a bus stop that I literally couldn't catch my breath.
I still remember that day with ridiculous clarity. I was just trying to commute to my soul-crushing entry-level job. I saw her standing there and, trying to be a gentleman, stepped aside to let her board the bus first. She’d flashed me a smile that felt like a lightning strike and whispered a simple, "Thank you." When I saw the empty seat next to hers, I didn't hesitate. By the time we reached my stop, we’d exchanged numbers. We were dating within the week.
"Wait, I have to tell you something before you head out," Laverna said, pulling back just as I was reaching for my briefcase.
"What is it?" I asked, my smile lingering.
"Dolion is moving back. He’s leaving England to come home to Portland."
I blinked, trying to place the move in my head. "I thought Dolion was settled there? I thought that finance position was a long-term thing."
"It was, but he got an incredible offer back here. He's officially coming home."
"That’s great!" I said, and I meant it. "I’m finally going to meet the high school legend in the flesh."
Dolion Smith had been a constant, ghostly presence in our relationship. He was the quintessential high school hero—the star quarterback to Laverna’s head cheerleader. They were thick as thieves, the kind of bond that survived graduation and a literal ocean. She was devastated when he moved to London three years ago; the time zones and the distance meant their marathon catch-up sessions became few and far into between. To Laverna, Dolion was a hero, a partner-in-crime, and the protagonist of every "you won't believe what we did" story from her youth.
"I hope you don't mind, but I already told him they should come over," Laverna said, her voice dropping into that sweet, persuasive lilt. "I invited him and his fiancée for dinner next Saturday."
My eyebrows shot up. "He’s engaged? When did that happen?"
"Yep," she popped the 'p' and leaned back against the counter. "Very recently. Some whirlwind British romance, I guess."
"What's her name?"
"Rey."
"Rey," I repeated, the name feeling short and sharp on my tongue. I nodded slowly, testing the sound of it.
I noticed Laverna’s smile falter. She rolled her eyes, her expression shifting into something unreadable for a split second. I furrowed my brow. "What's with the face?"
She sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "Nothing. It’s just... yeah, her name is Rey. Rey something."
"Rey something?" I laughed, amused by her sudden vagueness. "You don't know her last name?"
"Dolion told me, okay? I just forgot. It was probably something very British and complicated." She straightened my lapel one last time, though it didn't need it. "I'll ask for the full credits when we actually meet them."
"So, next Saturday?" I asked.
"Is that a problem?" Laverna tilted her head, flashing me that specific 'please say yes' smile—the one she knew I had no defense against.
"No," I said, shaking my head and grabbing my keys. "No problem at all. It’ll be good to finally see the man who lived up to all those stories."