by T C Heffer
"Pete…"
Jeremy removes the last of the wrapping paper from the frame and continues to stare down at the photograph. It features the entire King family gathered around a sofa in their old living room, and judging from how old Jeremy appears to be in it, it must have been taken not long before the break-in. Jeremy's parents are in the middle, his Dad the spitting image of him. Jeremy himself is on the left side of the sofa with a grumpy frown, while Julia and Jess take up the right, both smiling. Lily King and her husband stand behind the sofa, both looking into the camera with a palpable sense of pride and smugness.
"I can't believe you did this," Jeremy says quietly.
"Can't believe it as in I did a good thing or…?" Pete prompts, bracing himself.
Jeremy finally wrenches his gaze away from the photograph to meet Pete's, and his green eyes are slightly glassy. "I've got a few family photos in storage in my basement. I never got them out because they've always been hard to look at."
Pete deflates, fearing that he fucked up. "Oh."
"But…maybe that's changed," Jeremy goes on. "It's been years and it doesn't hurt as much to see their faces anymore. Maybe it's time."
Cautiously perking up again, Pete puts a hand on Jeremy's bicep. "Really? You're not just saying that to spare my feelings, right? 'Cause if you don't like, you can tell me. I can take it."
"I'm not." Jeremy chuckles wetly. "None of the photos I have are as nice as this one. Especially the frame. It must've cost you a lot."
"Yeah, well…it was worth it, if you swear you really like it."
Jeremy sets the frame on the floor, leaning it against the side of the coffee table, and turns sideways to face Pete. "I swear, I really do like it," he says. He cups Pete's face in his hands and brings him forward so that he can place a kiss to his forehead. "You did good."
Satisfied, Pete's awareness of the rest of the room returns and he's startled to discover that it's now empty. Apparently, his Dad, Fiona and Steve cleared out while he and Jeremy had their moment together, and he's grateful because it makes him feel significantly less awkward about it.
For another couple hours, Pete and Jeremy remain at the Brooks' house playing a few board games and hands of cards. Then it's time for them to go back to Jeremy's place, after they spend far too long figuring out the best way to transport the picture frame in the back of Jeremy's car. They wave goodbye to Fiona and the Chief, and to Steve, who is on his own way out to see Mia, before getting into their respective vehicles and driving to Jeremy's house, Pete tailing the Porsche in his Kia.
When they arrive, Pete is the first to the front door, and his chest is full of all sorts of wild emotions as he uses his brand-new key to unlock it.
"It works," he says to himself. He didn't doubt it would, but something about actually using it surprises him.
"Did you think it wouldn't?" Jeremy enquires as he walks up the path behind him, the photo frame in his hands.
"No."
"Good, 'cause there's no way I'd give you a fake key. It has to work. After all, this house is going to be your home too, eventually. If you want it to be."
With that, Jeremy walks past Pete into the house, and Pete stares after him feeling like his life couldn't get any better. Of course he wants Jeremy's home to be his, and already he's counting down the days until prom and then graduation, when he can move in for real.
He's happy, and he can only see his life going further up from here.
Roll on June.
— EPILOGUE —
- Friday, June 6th, 2014 -
Pete takes a deep breath as he checks himself over in the mirror in his bedroom. It's the evening of senior prom and as such, he's dressed in a sharp suit that his Dad helped him pick out and got professionally tailored a couple weeks ago. He had some formal wear already in his closet that they got a few years ago for special occasions such as weddings or funerals, but it didn't fit the best anymore, especially see as Pete is a bit more fit than he was before he met Jeremy and began using the home gym in Jeremy's basement a couple times a week. Plus, as he finished growing into his adult body, his shoulders just got broader and his legs are slightly longer than they were back then. So a new suit it was, and Pete was dumbfounded when his Dad told him to pick out whichever one he liked, regardless of the price.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, son, so we're going to splurge a bit," his Dad had said. "Don't worry about the money. We can afford it."
The suit Pete selected was the classic black and came complete with a white dress shirt, a black tie and a black cummerbund. Pete smooths down the lapels of the jacket and titivates his hair, putting each blond strand in the perfect place. He actually has product in his hair this evening to tame his curls into something orderly.
With perfect timing, almost as soon as Pete decides that he's good to go, his Dad appears in his open doorway and knocks on the doorjamb. "You ready, son? Jeremy's already here."
Pete gasps. "He is? But I didn't hear him pull up!"
The Chief chuckles. "Guess you were distracted. I was standing here for over a minute before I knocked and you didn't notice me either."
"Damnit."
"It's okay. You've still got a bit of time, and I kept him busy for you." The Chief walks over and places his hands on Pete's shoulders. "Now, are you ready?"
Pete nods and is dismayed when he feels a blond curl come out of place, falling down over his forehead. He spins back toward the mirror and attempts to fix it, but his Dad stops him.
"Relax, son, you look fine." Still, the Chief reaches up and sets the lock of hair back in its place for him. When it's done, he meets Pete's gaze again, and Pete is dismayed to see that his Dad's eyes are slightly watery. "You look very handsome. I'm very proud of you."
"Dad…" Pete groans. "Don't start with that. You're gonna set me off and I'd really rather not cry tonight."
"Hey now, this is a proud Dad moment and you're just going to have to deal with it," the Chief says, poking Pete gently in the chest.
Pete rolls his eyes. "Whatever you say. It's not like this is gonna be the only time you're gonna see me in a suit, y'know," he points out.
"Oh really? Am I hearing wedding bells already?" the Chief says with a laugh.
"We haven't talked about it and it's way too soon right now, but eventually, yeah, I'd like that," Pete responds with a casual shrug. He's glad that his Dad is now comfortable enough with him and Jeremy to play along and crack jokes like this.
"I'll be eagerly awaiting my invitation in the main, then."
"Please. We'd totally invite you in person."
"Damn straight."
"Anyway, I guess I'd better get a move on, huh?" Pete says, checking his reflection one last time. Everything's in order again.
"Sure."
The Chief leads the way downstairs and into the living room, where Jeremy awaits sitting in the middle of the sofa. He rises to his feet as soon as Pete enters the room, and Pete's breath is stolen from him. He swears Jeremy gets more and more handsome every time he sees him, and tonight is no exception. In fact, this might be the most handsome Jeremy has ever looked.
The older man sports formal wear that's very similar to Pete's. The only thing that differs is the colour of the suit jacket and trousers. Instead of being black like Pete's, they're a dark grey with pinstripes.
"Hey," Pete greets, stepping closer.
Jeremy greets him back with a kiss, kept chaste because the Chief is present too. "Hey yourself."
"You look…" Pete attempts to come up with an adjective that's enough to describe his opinion of Jeremy's outright, but nothing seems prodigious enough.
"You too," Jeremy agrees with a dashing grin.
After a few more seconds of staring, the Chief ushers both of them into the foyer and toward the front door, saying they'd better leave before their sickening cuteness makes him throw up. Pete hugs him before following Jeremy outside and down the front path to where Jeremy's Porsche waits for them on the curb. Wh
en they're halfway there, Pete sees movement out of the corner of his eye and glances at his neighbour's house to see Mrs. Wilkinson watching him and Jeremy out of her living room window, clad in an open robe and a lacy white nightgown. He gapes when she makes a sexual gesture at him, obviously telling him wordlessly to have a fun night.
"She's an interesting lady," Jeremy comments, seeing it too.
"Yeah. She's great, though."
"Well, she helped convince your Dad to give us a chance, so I'll have to agree with you there."
Reaching the Porsche now, Jeremy plays the chivalrous date and opens the passenger door for Pete. "After you," he says.
Pete giggles. "Thanks, Daddy."
"You're welcome, baby."
Once he's in and the door is shut, Jeremy walks around the hood, gets in behind the wheel and buckles up. Just before he drives off, Pete turns his head to find his Dad watching them from the front porch.
He waves, and then they're off.
* * *
The atmosphere is electric once Jeremy has found a parking space in the school lot and they get out. Other seniors and their dates flow like water toward the main entrance, the guys decked out in stylish suits and the girls in dresses of all colours and designs. Pete and Jeremy turn a few heads as they join the throng, but everyone else is too excited about the evening to question what Pete is doing on the arm of a middle-aged man.
In the hallway now, Pete can already hear loud music coming from the gymnasium and wants to get there already so he can see all the decorations.
"Pete!" a voice calls.
Spinning to look behind them, Pete spots Steve coming up the front steps with Mia. He's in another black suit but no tie, and she wears a simple white dress that goes down to her knees and forms to her body like a second skin. Her makeup is more elaborate than usual too, with dramatic smoky eyes and a bold red lip that matches Steve's cummerbund.
Pete notes all of this quickly as Jeremy leads him to the side of the hallway, clearing space so that other people don't have to walk around them.
"Lookin' good, buddy!" Pete says when Steve and Mia reach them.
"You too." Steve bumps his fist against Pete's before shaking Jeremy's hand.
"Are you excited?" Pete asks Mia, resuming their journey toward the gymnasium.
Mia eyes him askance and then grins. "Duh. What kind of question is that?"
For the rest of the walk, Pete bickers playfully with Steve and Mia, and Jeremy puts in his two cents every now and then but mostly seems content simply to listen. Once they reach the entrance to the gymnasium, they all shut up and gape in awe as they step inside.
"Wow!"
Pete has never seen an event so elaborate. It seems a bit much for a high school prom, but since it's the last one his glass is likely to ever attend, he supposes they have the excuse.
Garlands of pink, red and white hang all around the ceiling, joined here and there by small clusters of metallic balloons. Across the room is the DJ booth, and above is a banner congratulating all the seniors there on a good job. The middle of the floor is open space that's already mostly filled by moving bodies as people dance to the music blasting from the speakers. To the right, there are a bunch of circular tables with bouquets of flowers in the centre of each of them, the colour scheme of the garlands continuing in the petals. Finally, on the left side is a long table with a spread of food and drink so massive that Pete's stomach aches just looking at it. There's even the stereotypical punch bowl and red solo cups right in the middle, near which a chaperone stands guard to make sure it doesn't get spiked.
"This is a lot nicer than my senior prom," Jeremy opines, eyeing it all with approval.
"Really?"
"Yup. Or maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace to appreciate it back then." Jeremy directs Pete toward the refreshments. "Let's get a drink first."
"Sure."
With Steve and Mia behind them, Pete walks with Jeremy toward the table and the chaperone ladles out four cups of the fruit punch for them. She regards Jeremy with suspicion, but Pete just waves her off and moves further along to peruse the selection of food.
"Ooh, finger sandwiches!" Steve cries, nearly bowling Pete over in his hurry to get them.
Helping him stay upright, Jeremy leans close to Pete's ear and whispers, "He really likes those, huh?"
"Oh yeah. They've always been his favourites. Especially ham."
Pete eats a few things there too, a mini quiche or two and a handful of chips, and then Mia asks Steve if he wants to join in with everyone else dancing. They split off, and Pete catches Jeremy's gaze and raises a questioning eyebrow.
With a feigned put-out sigh, Jeremy sets down his empty solo cup and offers his arm. "I guess I've still got a dance or two in me. Just don't be surprised by my outdated moves."
Pete grins. "I'll probably be even worse. I've got crappy coordination."
They dance.
* * *
After a few songs have gone by, the music changes. The next song isn't upbeat and suitable for the lively dancing that everything else has been up until now, but for slow-dancing.
"This is more my speed," Jeremy says, pulling Pete close.
Pete drapes his arms over Jeremy's shoulders and clasps his hands behind the man's neck. "Oh, yeah? You gonna sweep me off my feet?"
"Do I need to?"
Pete hums and pretends to contemplate it seriously for a few moments, even as Jeremy gets them slowly swaying from side to side, but he gives up the act swiftly and shakes his head. "Nah. You already landed me ages ago."
"Thought so."
Eventually, Pete rests his head on Jeremy's shoulder and observes all the other couples around him. Steve and Mia are nearby, and he gives Pete a quick thumbs up before returning his attention to Mia. Every other couple is in their own world, either out on the dance floor like Pete and Jeremy or sitting around the tables talking and laughing quietly with each other. There are even a few standing around the edge of the room, looking bored and lonely, but Pete doesn't let them being him down. He feels a bit bad for them for either not having dates or being abandoned by them, but it's not his concern. He turns his head the other way, nuzzles the side of Jeremy's neck and shuts his eyes, still swaying to slow, saccharine music the DJ has put on.
"You looking forward to graduating in a couple weeks?" Jeremy asks him softly, his arms tight around Pete's back.
"Mmhmm," the eighteen-year-old hums. "I'm excited to get started at the Police Academy. It's gonna be tough, but I know what to do."
"The perks of having the Chief of Police for a Dad, huh?"
"Yeah. And that's not even the best part."
Jeremy's arms tighten briefly. "And what's that?"
Pete lifts his head pulls back just enough to meet Jeremy's gaze. "I'll be officially moving in with you. Right?"
Smiling fondly, Jeremy kisses him right in the middle of the dance floor for everyone to see. "Right," he confirms. "I can't wait to wake up with you in my arms every morning."
"Me neither."
"And go to sleep next to each other every night."
"Are you gonna list every thing?"
Jeremy winks. "I'm damn tempted. You're not the only one who's excited."
"I suppose. It's gonna be difficult, so I'm gonna need my Daddy there to help me."
"And there I'll be, whenever you need me," Jeremy promises, kissing Pete's forehead.
What a whirlwind seven months it's been, Pete thinks, resting his cheek back on Jeremy's shoulder, still swaying. At the end of last year, he was alone, stressing about college applications and being jealous of Steve and Mia's relationship. Now he's got a solid plan for his future, he's going to graduate with a 4.0 GPA—something that only a handful of other students in his year have achieved—and most importantly, he's got Jeremy, his Daddy.
His everything.
Life is good.
— AUTHOR NOTES —
Thank you for reading Daddy's Boy. I spent a lot of time writi
ng it and making it as good as I could. I wanted it to feel a bit different from the standard fare of Daddy/boy books out there (which I love too!) and I hope I succeeded in creating something you enjoyed. If you liked it (or even if you didn't) don't forget to leave a rating and/or review on Goodreads! Criticism that can be used to improve future books is always welcome—and while you're over there, follow my author page so you're made aware of said future books.
I'm very excited about what's to come, and I hope you are too.
— ABOUT THE AUTHOR —
T.C. Heffer is a new M/M romance writer living in England.