by Lisa Worrall
“I know how hard it’s been,” Todd said softly. “I wish I’d been there for you.”
“You were. Anyone else would have hung up when I called at 3.00 a.m.” Will’s smile didn’t quite have the wattage of Todd’s but, like he said, he was getting there. “Apparently, time’s a great healer.”
“Is it?”
Will shook his head. “Not really.” As Todd clasped him in his arms, Will bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from giving way to the sudden rush of despair that slammed into him. He relaxed in Todd’s comforting embrace just for a moment, then stepped back. “C’mon,” he squared his shoulders and straightened Todd’s jacket. “Marcus will think you’ve stood him up.”
“Hey, I won the toss fair and square,” Todd griped, turning back to the mirror to fuss with his hair—again. “He could just have easily been up here keeping me waiting. Five minutes won’t kill him.”
“It’s been twenty, Todd.”
“Oops.” This time Todd’s smile was sheepish as he checked his reflection one more time.
“Are you ready?” Will asked softly.
“I’m ready.”
Will followed Todd out onto the landing of Todd and Marcus’ beautiful ranch house. When he’d arrived yesterday, speechless didn’t quite cover his reaction on seeing the home his friends had built for the first time. Twenty-four hours had not desensitized him even a little bit. The house belonged on an episode of homes of the rich and shameless, not that Marcus and Todd could ever be put on the same list as some of those assholes. Although Marcus, who worked in the music business, had represented a few, if Will remembered correctly. The two-story cabin-like house sprawled over ten thousand square feet, with four beds, four baths and a kitchen that Will’s entire ground floor would fit in with room to spare. Decorated in coffees and creams, with pale wood accents and an open fireplace in each of the downstairs rooms, the house had a cozy feel about it, despite its size. It was flawless. A work of art. His lips twitched as they approached the sweeping wooden staircase. A flawless work of art currently covered in enough flowers to keep every hay fever sufferer in a fifty-mile radius breathing easy ‘til Christmas, because he was pretty certain there were none left in the locale.
“Shut up,” Todd said, as Will was unable to contain his amused snort. “Remember I said I kept locking myself in the bathroom? Well, when he was ordering the flowers was one of them.”
“It’s very…,” Will searched desperately for the right word, “… flowery?”
“Will Harrison, everybody,” Todd replied sarcastically as they slowly made their way down the stairs. “The wordsmith of White Plains.”
“Why thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” They reached the last step together. “Now, shut up and walk me down that rose covered abomination of an aisle.”
“With pleasure.” Will held out his arm and Todd slipped his hand in the crook.
“Okay gentlemen, quickly, quickly.”
Will did his best to smile pleasantly as the wedding planner Marcus had insisted on hiring to make sure their day ran smoothly, motioned for them to follow her. As she walked ahead of them, with her six-inch heels clacking across the solid oak floorboards, Will thanked the God of French Polishing that Marcus couldn’t see the black marks the rubber tips were leaving behind her. If he had, she’d have been going home barefoot after he’d stuffed her Jimmy Choo’s down the waste disposal.
She walked them through the open plan living area to the huge bi-folding doors that led out onto the decking at the back of the house and stopped them on the threshold. He watched her give a nod to the guy she had introduced earlier as “sound production”, complete with quotes, and the peppy beat of Abba’s “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” flowed from the speakers dotted around outside. He turned to Todd with eyebrows raised and mouth open.
“Seriously?”
“What?” Todd shrugged, nonplussed. “Did you think I was going to agree to the doves without a little something for me?”
Will shook his head and led Todd outside onto the decking at the back of the house where the altar had been set up at the head of, as Todd so succinctly pointed out, a rose-covered aisle. Either side of said abomination were rows of chairs where friends and family had turned to watch Todd make his entrance. Curling his fingers over Todd’s, Will walked him down the steps and sedately down the aisle, both out of reverence for the occasion, and necessity to ensure they didn’t slip on the abundance of rose petals beneath their feet.
Ignoring the sympathetic glances of mutual friends in the congregation, Will didn’t stop walking until they’d reached Marcus, who had watched Todd’s approach with absolute adoration. He took Todd’s hand, placed it in Marcus’ then pressed a kiss to the cheeks of both men before taking his seat in the front row.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the minister began. “We are gathered here….”
After a few minutes, the minister’s voice faded into the background as Will studied the two men gazing into each other’s eyes. He was so happy for them. If anybody deserved their happy ever after, it was Todd and Marcus. Everything they had been through would have split a lesser couple, but it had driven them closer, and even more determined that nothing and no-one would destroy them. Tears pricked at the back of his eyes and his breath caught in his throat as they began to exchange their vows. Even Scott, Mr. Cynical, always said they were made for each other. He started when a tissue was pushed into his hand and he felt the rush of warm air on his skin as lips were pressed to the side of his head.
“I believe that’s twenty bucks you owe me,” Scott said, his voice a low rumble.
“Shut up,” Will whispered back, dabbing at his traitorous tear ducts with the tissue. “Anyway, Damon was sobbing like a baby before we even hit the aisle, so I don’t owe you anything.”
“Please, Damon cries at the opening of an envelope, he doesn’t count.” Scott’s chuckle sent a shiver down Will’s spine and raised the fine hair on the nape of his neck. “You owe me, Harrison, and you will pay up. One way or another.”
“Ssh, Unca Scott!” a small voice hissed from the row behind. “The man in the dress is talking.”
“Sorry, Grace,” Scott hissed back.
Will’s lips twitched as his big brave detective turned around, suitably admonished by the younger of their twin nieces. It had given Will hours of endless amusement to know that the great Scott Turner had been tamed by two tiny girls with crazy hair and even crazier personalities, who had deftly wrapped Unca Scott around their little fingers from their very first meeting. When they’d told Todd and Marcus about Ally and her family, they’d insisted they come to the wedding. Ally had been a little surprised by the offer but, after ten minutes of badgering from Scott and some puppy dog eyes from Will, she’d soon caved, and they’d all flown out together.
Scott put his hand on Will’s thigh and Will curled his fingers around Scott’s, the warmth of his skin comforting and familiar, and so nearly lost forever. He hadn’t disagreed when Todd had remarked on how hard the last two months had been. Hell, Todd didn’t know the half of it. Will tried to tune out the memories, but they refused to be quieted and he was forced to stand on the sidelines and watch as they replayed like a movie reel in his head, so vivid that he could feel the weight of Scott in his arms.
When the paramedics arrived, Will and Kelly had been performing CPR on Scott for close to ten minutes. He wasn’t breathing and he had no pulse. Will had clung to his hand while they worked on him, promising God, Jesus, who-the-fuck-ever, anything and everything, if they’d give Scott back to him. They managed to get a pulse but, in the ambulance, they lost him again. Will had to follow the gurney into the emergency room with one of the paramedics straddling Scott, desperately trying to get his heart started again. He’d never been so terrified in his entire life or felt so utterly helpless. All he could do was sit in the waiting room with Ally, Matt and Kelly, not knowing if Scott were alive or dead. It was three hours before a doctor
came to give them an update. Scott was out of surgery. During the beating he’d received several broken ribs, one of which had punctured his lung. They’d repaired the damage, but there was a lot of swelling on the brain, so they’d put him in an induced coma to give him a chance to heal. A coma that lasted ten days. Ten days of watching and waiting, hoping and praying. They woke him up and when his first words were, “Who the hell died?” it was apparent Scott was back. Battered, bruised and a little bewildered, but back. It was over—or so Will thought.
The nightmares had started the second night he was home. Horrific replays of the torture he had suffered at Noah’s hands that left him sweating and screaming for Will in the dark. Then there was the self-doubt, the lack of confidence, the guilt. How could he have not known? How could he have allowed Noah to get so close to them? If he’d taken it seriously from the off, he could have saved Kimberly. Then came the violent outbursts, fueled by the rage of inadequacy and paranoia. Getting him to even admit he needed counselling had been hard enough. Getting him to go had taken a full-on intervention.
Will’s fingers tightened on Scott’s as he remembered the look of complete betrayal on his face when he’d walked into the room to find Will, Ally, Matt, Glenn, Kelly and even Kimberly waiting for him, with Marcus and Todd on video chat from Montana. He’d been so angry, until he’d opened the door to Gracie, his former partner, and best friend. He’d crumpled in her arms, unable to believe she’d driven hundreds of miles to offer him her support. Of course, the breakdown had been followed by another glass-breaking outburst, but it was worth every shard.
The only good thing to come out of this whole mess, was the fact that Scott and Kimberly had finally sat down and really talked. Kimberly’s anger was based more on what she felt was Scott’s inability to just man up and clear the air as soon as she arrived, instead of letting it fester between them. For her, losing his friendship had been the most painful part of their break-up.
Scott had been seeing the department shrink for just over a month and he was doing much better. It was a long term, ongoing process, but the nightmares had eased a little and the outbursts were fewer. Like Will said, they were getting there. The road ahead was still long, and no doubt had more than a few bumps in it, but Will was going to be beside Scott every step of the way.
“Stop thinking,” Scott growled in his ear. “I’m right here.”
“Get out of my head,” Will mumbled back, ignoring Scott’s low chuckle. “You—”
“By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and husband,” the minister chimed in a sing-song voice. “You may both kiss your groom.”
Will and Scott surged to their feet, quickly followed by everyone else as Marcus grabbed Todd in his arms and kissed him, very thoroughly, to the sound of wolf whistles and catcalls. Clapping wildly as their friends began to make their way down the aisle, Will found himself pulled against the comforting solidity of Scott’s chest, and the warm puff of his breath brushed Will’s cheek as he spoke.
“They did it.”
“Yes, they did,” Will sighed happily. “Yes, they did.”
“Glenn and Kelly are next,” Scott murmured. “Can’t imagine their wedding with these many flowers, though.”
Glenn and Kelly had made up in spectacular fashion. Although, Kelly had insisted on going ahead with his transfer, Glenn had decided to be out and proud and fuck everybody who had a problem with it. Kelly moved back into the house and Glenn was easier to be around at work. Thank God.
“I’m not sure Todd imagined this one with this many flowers, either,” Will pointed out.
Scott chuckled into his neck. “Don’t tell, Todd, but Marcus may be regretting the amount of foliage.”
“Oh, really?”
“Uh-huh,” Scott replied, pulling him even closer. “I believe the exact words were, “What the fuck was I thinking?””
Will laughed out loud then he dragged an imaginary zip across his mouth, “My lips are sealed.”
“Wow, Todd and Marcus married, Glenn and Kelly next. Our boys are growing up.” Scott sighed heavily.
“Yep,” Will said wistfully. “It had to happen sometime.”
“Maybe we should, too.”
“Good God, no,” Will nuzzled his cheek against Scott’s.
“No?”
“No,” Will repeated. “Who the hell wants to grow up?”
“I meant the wedding part.” The words were hesitant, with more than a little uncertainty.
Will turned in Scott’s arms and stared at him, open-mouthed, sure the lump in his throat was his heart. “W-what did you say?”
“I said,” Scott leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to Will’s parted lips. “I meant the wedding part.”
“I-is that a proposal?” Will searched Scott’s gaze, but the sun was in his eyes and he couldn’t quite read it.
“What?” Scott replied, quirking an eyebrow in surprise. “A proposal? No. That was not a proposal.”
“Of course, it wasn’t,” Will blushed. Well done, Will. What the fuck is wrong with you? “Of course, it—”
“This is.” Will’s eyes widened as Scott took Will’s hands in his. “You’re everything to me, Will. You’re what kept me alive in that room. I knew you’d find me. That no matter where I go, or what I do, you’ll always be with me. I love you, Will “big-beautiful-and-all-mine” Harrison. Will you marry me?”
Will didn’t care that he was blubbing again, he’d give Scott every scent in his pocket. He pulled his hands free of Scott’s and wrapped his arms around Scott’s shoulders. “Scott “steel-on-the-outside-marshmallow-in-the-middle” Turner,” he said softly. “Damn straight I will.” Scott leaned in to kiss him and Will halted him with a finger to his lips. “On one condition.”
“What’s that?” Scott murmured, nipping at the pad of Will’s finger.
“No flowers.”
THE END
About Me
My home is in Leigh on Sea, a small seaside town just outside London on the coast of Essex, about ten minutes from Southend, which boasts the longest pier in the world. I live with my husband and two ever-growing children, who I let think are the boss of me; along with a mad-as-a-box-of-frogs fat dog, who actually is.
I adore horror movies and thrillers with more twists and turns than a helter skelter. I also have a penchant for tattoos and singing at the top of my voice in the car – to the constant embarrassment of my children – and my guilty pleasure is the Antiques Roadshow and the occasional custard cream.
I have written for as long as I can remember and, from the moment I received my first gold star from my Headmaster, Mr Crouch, way, way back in my youth, I’ve known this is what I wanted to be. Building worlds and giving voice to the many characters vying for attention in my – sometimes a little disturbed – mind is all I want to do.
As the wonderful Beatrix Potter said, “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a new story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” I know exactly what she means and hope you’ll join me for the ride.
Website:
http://lworrall.blogspot.com/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.worrallauthor
Twitter:
Lisa_Worrall
Email:
[email protected]
Also Available
Available from White Stiletto Press:
Always Hope
Is Love Still Enough?
Summer Heat
Not Just for Christmas
'Tis the Season
Too Much Christmas Spirit
A Nanny for Nate
Westford Hall
In the Heat of the Night
Halfway House
New York Cowboy
Behind the Mask
U.S. Male
Ed & Fred are... Dead
Follow My Lead
What’s the Worst that Could Happen?
Forever Dusk
Marshall’
s Park
Solo Honeymoon
Running from the Past
Mr. Popsalos – Book One and Two
Unshakeable Faith (Re-release coming soon)
Thirst (Re-release coming soon)
I Can See for Miles (Re-release coming soon)
Before Sundown (Re-release coming soon)
Laurel Heights Series:
Laure Heights
Laurel Heights 2
Laurel Heights 3
Left at the Crossroads Series
by Lisa Worrall & Sue Brown:
Book 1 - Un-Expected by Lisa Worrall
Book 2 – In-Decision by Sue Brown
Book 3 – Un-Deniable by Lisa Worrall
Available from Triskell Edizioni
Una Tata Per Nate
Hope
Laurel Heights
Laurel Heights 2
Available from Juno Publishing
Enquête à Laurel Heights
Enquête à Laurel Heights 2
Crépuscule éternel
Available from JMS Books LLC:
"Frozen Angel" in Tea and Crumpet
Available from UK Mat Publishing:
"Reunion" in British Flash (Free Read)
Available in print:
Always Hope
Summer Heat
Westford Hall
A Nanny for Nate
New York Cowboy
Marshall’s Park - The Complete Series
Laurel Heights
Laurel Heights 2
Follow My Lead
Awards:
Unshakeable Faith
Rainbow Awards 2012
Honourable Mention
and One Perfect Score
Laurel Heights 2
Rainbow Awards 2015
Honourable Mention
Table of Contents
Copyright
Prologue