Hours later, the reception was still going strong. The East High kids had mingled in with Ashlyn's college friends and Big Red's work crew, taking over the dance floor. Even just two years out of school, the nonstop office culture at Google had seriously impaired EJ's night out stamina. He leaned into Gina, speaking directly in her ear to be heard over the music. "I'm going to go get some air, need a dance break."

"Ok, you want me to come with?"

"No, stay here. I can tell you're having a blast. I'll be back."

She kissed his cheek and turned back to Ashlyn's roommate, laughing and singing along.

There was a whole wall of glass French doors lining one side of the massive ballroom where the reception was held. He walked out of one onto the terrace that led to the courtyard below where the ceremony was held, where several guests now lingered with glasses of wine.

He heard a loud round of laughter from one end, and saw his dad and three uncles smoking cigars with glasses of whiskey in front of them, the bottle nearby.

"EJ," his uncle Pete called. "Come, join us for a drink and a smoke."

"I'll pass on the cigar, but take you up on that whisky. Got another glass?"

Uncle Dennis produced another one and poured him a couple inches. "No ice, sorry, going to have to take it neat."

"I don't want know how the conversion went that happend to get that bottle from the bar," EJ laughed.

"Father of the bride," Uncle Dennis winked. "We have our ways."

"No cigars tonight, young man? Your girl not a fan?" Pete asked.

"How come none of us knew that you and Ashlyn's maid of honor were an item?" his uncle Robert chimed in. "You've been all over each other since that blow up the other night."

"Its always been a little complicated with us," he confessed, taking a big swig from his glass. "But it feels like we're on solid ground now. We're actually both moving to Boston before the fall, finally seems like our time."

Pete raised his glass. "Well congrats, my boy. She certainly is beautiful."

EJ smiled. "And a whole lot more."

His dad cleared his throat. "Mind if I steal my son away for a moment, gentlemen? We'll be right back. Do not finish that bottle without me." He picked up his glass and walked off, and after shooting a confused look at his uncles, EJ dutifully followed, clutching his whisky for dear life.

He followed his dad down into the courtyard and sat with him at one of the small tables that had been scattered after the ceremony chairs were cleared. His dad was kind of staring off across the courtyard, and EJ stared into his glass, grateful to not need to meet his dad's eye.

"EJ, I just wanted to say… I'm happy for you. Gina's a great girl. But…"

EJ sighed "But what, Dad? How am I getting it wrong this time?"

"No, EJ. That's not it. I just don't understand why… how come you didn't want to be the one to tell me?"

Ej laughed. "Cmon, Dad. I know I said things with Gina and I are complicated, but that's a walk in the park compared to you and I."

"I know I haven't always made things easy for you, and that I probably had too many expectations about the boy my son should be." EJ just shook his head. Always the same. "But," Cash continued, "I couldn't possibly be more proud of the man you actually are."

EJ looked at his dad, half suspicious, half in shock. These were not the kinds of things Cash Caswell said. Ever. He wondered in passing just how much his dad had had to drink that night.

"I mean it, EJ. I see how you are with your friends, with Ashlyn, with Gina, even your incredibly anxious new cousin-in-law." That got a laugh out of EJ. "They care about you deeply, and it"s because of how you treat them. I know you think I want you to be great, EJ, and I do. Because I know you have it in you. But it's always been more important to me that you be GOOD. And you're a good man. I don't tell you that as much as I should, so I'm telling you now." Cash paused to take a long drag from his cigar. "Weddings always put me in a sentimental mood."

EJ, not knowing what else to do, took a big swallow of whiskey. He waited a minute before responding.

"Thanks, Dad. That… means a lot, actually."

"Anyway, I don't want to keep you from the party. I just… we don't see each other much, anymore. I didn't want to miss a chance to tell you."

"Hey, Dad… I think the Broncos are playing the Patriots in Massachusetts this year. Would you… do you want to come and visit? We can hang out, you can see the new place, go to the game?"

Cash smiled. "That sounds great. We'll make it happen."

He tipped his glass toward EJ and walked back over to his brothers. EJ sighed and drained his glass, leaving it behind as he made his way back to the ballroom. It might not be much, but it was a start.

He stood off to the side, just watching the room for a minute before rejoining the party on the dance floor. Salt Lake Slices had provided a "late night snack" to keep the party going, and he laughed watching the pizza boxes being passed around like a high school cast party.

"Hey," a soft voice called behind him. "Have you seen my incredibly handsome boyfriend, tall, amazing eyes, great suit?"

His face broke into a grin. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I can't think of anyone around here who meets that description." He turned around, meeting Gina's playful smile.

She linked her arms behind his neck. "Mmmm, well, either way, you'll do," she said, nuzzling his cheek. "You ok? You don't look like a man who just took a break."

"It was my turn to have a talk with my dad."

"Oh… how'd it go?"

"I don't really know? Certainly wasn't what I expected. But maybe you and Mom are right. Maybe I do need to give him a chance to change. I invited him to visit us this fall."

"Oh, it's an us now, is it?

"For as long as you'll have me."

The music changed, and they both laughed as "You Are the Music in Me" came through the speakers.

"It's always High School Musical around here!' Gina cried, pretending to cover her ears.

"Cmon, Porter," he said, grabbing her hand. "Let's show these leads how the Wonderstudies do it." He led her back to the dance floor.

By the time the night wound down, it was actually morning. After Nini performed for the couple (a video of which Kourtney already saw land on Tiktok), and a really beautiful sparkler send off, EJ was sitting on a couch in the lobby with Gina's maid of honor bouquet in his lap, waiting for Gina to say goodbye to Kourt before they turned in.

Gina wandered over to him, her shoes in her hand after she'd abandoned them hours before. "I am going to be feeling all that dancing in the morning," she said, landing down next to him and giving her bad knee a rub.

"You ok?" EJ asked, concerned.

"Oh, it'll be fine," she assured him. "Injuries like that get better, but never really go away completely. I'll be sore, but nothing I can't handle."

"I think the list of things you can't handle is vanishingly small."

"Unfortunately, it usually begins and ends with EJ Caswell."

"Oh you handle me just fine," he said flirtatiously, tossing the bouquet aside to lean over her and go in for a kiss.

"No, seriously, get a room!" Carlos yelled as he passed them on the way to the elevators.

EJ gave Gina a look, that half smile, half smirk appearing on his lips. "Conveniently, we have one of those here. Do you want to…"

"Yes, please," Gina cut him off. He stole one more quick kiss before gathering up his jacket and getting ready to make their way.

"EJ?"

"Yeah babe?" he asked, spinning around. She reached up from where she was still outstretched on the couch. "Carry me?" she asked, with an adorably sexy pout on her lips. EJ shifted his jacket to the other arm and scooped her up, leaning down so she could grab her bouquet off the table.

"Anywhere you want to go."