“I’m surprised that’s up to your standards.”
“Well, no. But at least it matches.” Kit got the boutonnieres he’d made from the wildflowers Wiley bought and pinned them on.
“I still say you should let me wear my tool belt.”
Kit rolled his eyes. Any quip he had in return got lost in rising commotion outside. “Police again, maybe? Ooh, perhaps the robbers brought everything back.” He hurried from the room and down the hall.
Wiley looked to Holt, who shrugged and caught his hand as he passed to follow.
The mansion had emptied of crew and early invited guests. They were all clustered on the porch watching a veritable parade start up the driveway.
“Whatever is this?” Kit went down the stairs to the lawn and the group assembling there.
Wiley recognized the mom and daughters from the bakery the other morning. “Holt, we kind of know them.”
She saw him pointing her out and elbowed her daughters and waved. They each had a vase of flowers or a vase without flowers or flowers without a vase. As did the rest of the group.
Kit gestured Wiley and Holt over. As they neared, Elaine and company arrived with folding tables and a notepad.
Elaine held up a pen. “Everyone, if you’d like, please sign here and we’ll be sure and thank you on social and figure out something more. And stick around, because we’re putting together a lunch garden party—Chef Cortez is bringing his food truck!”
The fans cheered as Elaine marshaled the group into a line, and as the line passed, fans took selfies with Kit and went to pose on the porch with the crew and then set off to wander the grounds. As the table filled with flowers and vases bought at the pop-up store, Wiley noticed a growing random assortment of village figurines.
“Please tell me you’re getting this,” Kit murmured at Janet between selfies.
She gave the thumbs-up and kept filming.
“I don’t like the price paid. My beautiful plans and layers, gone.” Kit eyed Holt and Wiley’s suits with disdain. “But if I’d have known the buzz and drama some bumbling real-life criminals would bring to the proceedings, I’d have planned it myself.”
“Yes. With arrangements for acceptable backups just-so-happened to be tucked away in your B and B room or something to save the day. What a missed opportunity,” Wiley said, wry but light enough to tease, and smiled at Kit’s put-upon sigh.
He and Holt stayed until the last fan donated her vase.
After that, they were firmly but politely scooted out of the way, and he watched as Kit and the crew descended and tried to make sense from the mishmash of his frantic purchases, mansion pieces, the slightly battered but still blowsy flowers, and odds and ends sent by various stores and friends and fans.
Pete had brought plates. Along with every baked goodie Carla had in the store.
Carla tracked them down.
“Wiley. You figured it out. I’m proud and happy and weepy and on the verge of destroying this incredible makeup. How dare you.” She pulled him into a tight hug. “Best, craziest yes ever said, in the history of yes-saying. I think after this one you can quit and go back to careful nos.”
“I might. Not.” He pushed back so he could get a look at her. “But hey. Good thing you pestered me—again and again and again and again—after all.”
“I’m looking forward to our next adventure being remarkably staid.” She dabbed at the threat of tears but grinned.
Wiley tugged her close again. “Thank you.”
“Congrats, Wiley. I’m so happy for you,” she whispered. She hugged Holt next. “And? Starting after your honeymoon, you have to come in more than mornings, because there’s so many online orders, we’ll be baking around the clock for months.”
“Ever thought of hiring someone and teaching them the ropes?” Wiley shrugged. “I am happy for you, and the bakery, but I’m not doing more than mornings or Sundays.” He looked at Holt and back to Carla. “I’m kinda making plans for other things.”
“Valid. And maybe the best no you’ve ever said. Also, yay.” Carla hummed. “Hire an apprentice baker. I like that.” She held up a finger, went to grab a bakery box, and handed it to Wiley.
“I kept it separate so it didn’t get damaged in the transfer. Unforeseen quality move.”
Their cake topper—the coconut-cherry top tier of their actual cake—stood on an alternating stack of danishes and bear claws.
Holt pinched a bite of danish. “Awesome. Thank you.”
“They both freeze great, so you can have one of each on your first anniversary.” Carla checked her phone. “Yeah, I gotta go figure out how to display and serve everything from croutons to cupcakes.” She kissed Wiley’s cheek and then Holt’s. “Save a dance for me. Both of you.”
Holt eased the topper from the stack and wrapped a danish and a bear claw in a tissue sheet, tucked them in the box, and bit through one of the others.
“I was just standing here thinking we’d missed lunch.”
Wiley took a hunk of bear claw. “And breakfast.”
Holt stopped chewing and smiled as he watched Wiley.
“What?”
“It’s hard to explain.”
“Try.” Wiley wiped icing from his chin. “Please.”
Holt leaned in to lick the spot and kept hold of Wiley. “I always liked coming to GB’s house and doing work and talking with you. Even as a kid you were smart and funny and seemed to think I was the same. I never thought of you as anything but Kit’s friend, but also as the best of Kit’s choices in friends.” His gaze fell to Wiley’s hands on his chest. “I went away to college and got on with life, but whenever I visited, there you were. Still smart and funny, but you’d also grown up to be cute as heck, and I couldn’t shake how adorable you were and how Kit didn’t deserve you.”
“Ugh, you creep,” Wiley said, but he couldn’t stop grinning.
“It wasn’t like that,” Holt protested.
“I know.” Wiley patted him. “You stayed with me when you left too. Lingered on the edges, and then I moved back here and there were so many reminders in the house. You were always kind and helpful and talked to me like I was a real person. Which, nice. And I had the worst crush on Kit. I’m sure you realized that.”
“I might have had an inkling,” he underplayed. “I’m not sure Kit ever realized.” Holt shrugged. “He’s like that.”
“Ugh, too real. But it’s long, long gone. After you left, but before he hightailed it to Hollywood. You know, I thought I wanted to see him again. That’s mostly why Carla and I went to the announcement.” Wiley realized something as he was saying it. “But one look at you and I basically forgot about him.”
Holt growled something and dragged Wiley into a long, demanding, sharing kiss. It told Wiley everything Holt had said would be hard to explain.
“You were a vague, fond memory when I thought about Odalia. But then on announcement day I had one look at you—grown, gorgeous, smarter and funnier you—and I slowly admitted I’d put you out of my mind on purpose.”
“Whoa. Really?” That almost winded Wiley. “Is that why you agreed to fake marry me?”
“No. It didn’t all occur to me at once. I just knew I had to protect you from Kit’s machinations, but it was more than that. It was easy to agree and keep up the pretense and very much not think of any way out because it felt good and right being with you, at your house. That was like coming home. And….” Holt grabbed them another pastry. “It made me think how glad I am that I get to have breakfast for dinner with you every day.”
“Let’s redo the kitchen.”
“Okay.”
Wiley laughed. “Sorry, total non sequitur except in my brain, where I was imagining getting dusty and paint-spattered and learning how to grout so I could wind up with a huge double bench we’ll both fit on overlooking the backyard and ivy while we eat.”
“I like that idea.”
“I like you. And what you told me.” Wiley kissed Holt. “Thank you for te
lling me. And for wanting to protect me and falling in love with me almost as much as I fell in love with you in the process.”
“I believe we’re even,” Holt whispered, and kissed Wiley into delirious silence.
They gave in, eventually, to parting so they could finish the show. Wiley stood with Holt in the darkened conservatory that led to the get-married porch. Considering he’d had zero sleep and tons of stress and a marathon sprint, he was remarkably serene.
“Remember how I said the days felt like years?”
Holt squeezed Wiley’s hand. “That’s because they did.”
“Well, today has felt like a minute. At the most.”
“Thank goodness we have eternity afterwards.” Holt kissed Wiley. “Remember how I said I love you and will you marry me?”
Wiley bit his lip and smiled hugely anyway. “I might.”
“Marry me?”
“Love you.” Wiley’s whole being sang when Holt grumped and dragged him close, surrounding him entirely in his kiss and embrace.
They didn’t jump apart when light flooded the room, but Holt did raise his head and scowl.
Kit and the camera crew walked toward them, Kit midsentence. “…and it’s pep talk time with my couple. Usually I let you all in on that because that is the true final toss of glitter on all my gorgeous layers, but not this episode.” He shooed at the camera. “Don’t despair, the real show is about to start, but I want a special moment with my wonderful brother and best friend. Off you go!”
Kit blew a kiss as Rick walked back and then cut away.
“A special moment?” Holt fiddled with his tie. “Make it brief. Please.”
“The sincerity, the kinship, the charm. But seriously, his anxiousness is adorable,” Kit said, more to Wiley. He cleared his throat. “You two are about to get married—for-real married—and once you walk down that aisle it will all be a glorious blur, so I wanted to tell you how well you’ve done and I’m so proud and that we really have, out of such an inglorious beginning, pulled together the best episode of this show.” He pressed his fingertips under his eyes and inhaled-exhaled deeply. “You may thank me now.”
Holt’s lips flattened. “Do not tell me you’re going to take credit for this.”
“Why I most certainly am.” Kit nodded knowingly and waved a finger around. “When Wiley started asserting himself with interest on details and choices and you checked out and let it happen, I knew for sure. I had an inkling from almost the very start, and some oh yes they’re goners antenna twitches, but that?” He snapped his fingers. “Cinched it.”
“Cinched what, exactly?” Wiley had more than an inkling but wanted to hear it.
“My dears, my doves. I know people in love when I see them—it’s kind of my spectacular expertise. Same as I know we’ve married more than one couple over the years who aren’t.” Kit patted their cheeks. “And you two? Tip the scales for the most incredibly in love as I’ve ever had the pleasure to plan a wedding for, and it’s been as plain as the noses on your oblivious faces. So thank the goddess I got you all the way to here—and oh, my stars, what a gauntlet that proved to be—before one of you could mess it all up.”
Wiley knew the best thing to do. He didn’t mind it a bit.
“Thank you, Kit.” He leaned forward from Holt enough to give Kit a hug. “It’s been good to reconnect. I mean that, and not only because I got this guy in the process.”
“Samesies. You’re the only person I’d trust with my Holty.” Kit’s voice quavered, and he stood and fluffed Wiley’s suit jacket. “And you.” He hugged Holt. “Are going to take such good care of my bestie. You better continue to deserve him, and I promise I’ll visit, but we will not do holidays, only because you know I travel for me-time over those, and okay, enough before I ruin my subtle yet killer smoky eye.” He stepped away and tugged his shimmering rose-gold blazer back to perfection.
“I got you this as a wedding gift.” Kit pulled a long flat envelope from his breast pocket. “It’s the least I could do, since you gave me our highest-rated show and the likely launch of my next one.”
“Already?” Holt asked as he took the envelope.
“Let’s just say I’ve had some ideas percolating for a while, and that everyone at the network is very, very happy.”
Wiley watched Holt’s reaction as he unfolded the crisp, thick packet of letterhead paper. There was amazement and a flicker of annoyance and then a faraway I-got-plans look.
“Kit?” Holt said, elongating the syllable.
“It’s nothing. Wait, no, it’s a nightmare and a headache. A decades-long headache.”
“A headache I can’t wait to get started on. Thank you.”
“You’ll owe so much in taxes and repairs, you’ll be cursing my generosity in no time.” Kit sounded dry, but his eyes sparkled with delight.
Holt passed the papers to Wiley. The deed to Sinclair Hardware in Holt’s and Wiley’s names. Wiley was genuinely surprised. Kit had a knack for grand gestures, but they weren’t usually as thoughtful and lasting and expensive as this.
“When I called the town council about interest in funding a restoration for the building or even buying it, they said it was under confidential contract.” Holt shook his head. “You bring me in there, you give me ideas, then you buy it out from under me. You’re so sneaky. Always. You’ve always been so sneaky.”
“And thank goodness I am.” Kit tucked the deed in the envelope and back into his pocket. “I’ll keep it safe until later, as you two are going to be quite otherwise occupied. Wiley, I also got you a whole new drafting table setup and markers and such that my adorable art store expert said were a must, but they don’t fit in my pocket. We’ll talk about that later too.”
“What later?”
“Your storied design and comic or whatever career, obviously.” Kit pulled in a long breath and held it. “Now. Time for the final act. Good?”
“Perfect,” Wiley said, and Holt tightened his hand.
Kit nodded, did a few voice exercises, and disappeared out the door onto the porch. “Who’s ready to Marry Me?” reverberated over the sound system and the guests cheered.
“How does he do that? I feel suddenly indebted to him for life.”
“All part of his magic, I guess.” Holt leaned back. “Hey, I just realized you still haven’t picked a big trip destination yet. For our honeymoon. Where do you want to go?”
“Camping,” Wiley said without hesitation.
“On the coast.”
“Definitely on the coast. With mountains nearby.”
“I think that can be arranged.” Holt turned and took hold of Wiley’s other hand, beautiful and tall and everything in his plaid shirt, dressy work pants, and corduroy blazer. “Are you ready to marry me?”
Wiley grinned. “Yes.”
“LADIES and gentlemen, I present our newlyweds, Mr. Wiley Grey and Mr. Holt Leydon.”
Holt kissed Wiley before they stepped onto the larger porch chosen for the reception from the relative quiet of the connecting room. He kissed Wiley after they came to a halt on the porch three steps later.
“Ahem, happy couple? This way. Everyone, if you could please allow them passage, thank you.” Kit waved them toward the large oval patio. “In case anyone doesn’t know, I was a rather mischievous little brother and best friend and assigned them to learn and perform a dance at the reception. And here we are. A reception made by each of you, and our amazing fans, and dear Odalia. If it’s wonderful, all credit to Miss Sarah, their teacher, and Wiley, the apt pupil. If they’re slightly less than wonderful….” He paused dramatically. “It won’t happen. They’re going to be wonderful.”
Kit winked, looped the mic cord, and gave them the floor.
“I’m more nervous about this than when I asked you to marry me in front of everyone at that gazebo. And when we agreed to fake it. And when I realized it wasn’t fake. And when we walked down the aisle. And when I said I do.” Holt tried to control his breathing.
Wiley laughed indulgently. “Catch me and I’ll kiss you.”
Holt’s nerves went up in smoke. He growled and started forward. Wiley caught him in an approximation of the frame, their song began to play, and Wiley stayed an arm’s reach and a step ahead of him the entire dance.
“This is when I knew. That I loved you. It was happening anyway, but having the dance studio to ourselves, holding you in my arms, walking you to the corner in the dark, this music I couldn’t get out of my head. Sealed the deal and you into my heart.” Holt drew Wiley’s hand to his heart’s thunder. He wasn’t supposed to, but the song was almost over and he didn’t care. “Never, ever tell Kit.”
“On pain of his being even more insufferable than he already is, because, same.”
Holt laughed and stared at Wiley’s laughing mouth.
Wiley might have missed a step on purpose.
Holt might have stepped on Wiley’s foot.
Whatever happened, Holt managed to catch Wiley as the song ended and kissed him until cheers and catcalls finally penetrated his awareness and made him let go.
They stood at the center of the oval with Wiley tucked against his side as Kit brought him the microphone.
“Yeah, I don’t…,” he said under his breath, but Kit ignored him and sailed away again.
Wiley squeezed the hand he had at Wiley’s hip, and he gave in.
“Well, you can thank Miss Sarah for that. She was incredibly patient while shaping me into an almost not-terrible dancer.” He nodded in her direction and waited through a smattering of applause. He tried to keep his tone light, but emotion tugged at it. “I’m not one for speeches, so this mic is going right back to Kit, but marrying Wiley means everything to me, so you being here to share it means everything to us.”
The guests laughed and awwwed.
“This morning when we discovered the robbery, I was a mess trying to rescue a bigger mess.” Holt shook his head at the continuing laughter. “Believe me. I know I’m cool and composed and Mr. Fix-it on the show but, definite mess.”
Wiley nodded, which prompted even more laughter and awwws.
“And then somewhere in that mess and Wiley and I agreeing we could get married without any fanfare and trying to talk Kit into it, the town and fans and all of you came together as my fix-it.” Holt smiled. “So. Kit helped us plan the wedding of our dreams, that got wrecked beyond my repair, and in the end, it turned into the wedding of our life.”
Say Yes to a Mess (Dreamspun Desires Book 103) Page 19