“Love you back. Yeah. Completely. I love you too.” This time felt more real than the other times I’d said it, because he’d said it back and it meant something. And we had the start of a plan for the future. All those big dreams meant nothing if there wasn’t love to back them up, and I’d known there was, but hearing him say it was a rush, a sudden kick of adrenaline making me even more certain that this was the right path for me. For us.

He leaned in, giving me plenty of time to turn away, but no way was I going to. Party? Who cared? Jasper loved me and he wanted to kiss me right here and so we would. There was a low whoop. Might have been Conrad. I still didn’t care until Jasper deepened the kiss and I had to break away, laughing.

“Hey, now, I’m wearing a toga. None of that.”

“You’re my favorite prince.” He trailed his fingers down my smooth face. I’d done the shave-and-haircut thing for the event, wanting everything perfect for tonight. For him.

“Better be your only prince,” I growled.

“Only one I’m ever going to want,” he shot back before smiling tenderly.

“Promise?”

“Always.”

I caught sight of us in the big window, Prince Neptune and the Frog Wizard, having a moment. We were as cute as our characters. But we were also Jasper and Milo, two guys in love. Two guys meant to be together, meant to be here in this place, at this time, no matter what had gone before us. I wasn’t ever going to stop regretting high school, but when I saw us side by side like this, what I saw was my future, not my past. Jasper wanted us to dream big. And I did too, but I also knew that no matter how far we went, nothing was ever going to rival that feeling in my chest when he said he loved me.

“Say it again,” I whispered.

“I love you.” His eyes met mine in the reflection. Yup. Always and forever, this was right where I was supposed to be.

Chapter Forty-Three

Jasper

August

“Your prince is here,” Kellan announced loudly as he joined us on the patio, plunking down a six-pack of good beer and a tray of cookies. He was looking tan and shaggy after his stint at a summer stock production, and Jasmine was hanging on his arm in a way that showed off the engagement rock she’d gotten graduation weekend.

“Ha. Very funny. My prince and I came together.” I gestured at Milo who was across the table from me in the professors’ backyard, which was rapidly filling up with all our friends.

“We do that now.” Leaning back in his lawn chair, Milo nodded archly.