by HJ Welch
Joey’s legs were stiff when he emerged from the kids’ bedroom. He stretched and jogged down the stairs. Max was waiting for him in the entrance hall, wagging his tail slowly, like he still wasn’t quite sure what was going on. All he knew was that his pack had almost doubled in size the last couple of days and he had to look after them all. Even if one of them was especially noisy.
Hai was still crying and flailing in Gabe’s arms when Joey walked into the den, but at least he wasn’t outright screaming. Gabe looked up at Joey with tired eyes, his shoulders sagging as he cradled their small boy to his chest.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered tearfully. “The stroller didn’t work this time. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.”
“Hey, no,” Joey said firmly. He marched over and cupped Gabe’s cheek with his palm. Even though Joey was shattered from his first day back at work, the commute, and putting Jia Li to bed, he suddenly felt a fresh wave of energy for his husband and his son. “None of that. You’ve done an awesome job. This place would look like a war zone if I’d been home alone with them all day.”
Gabe gave him a small smile. “They were good as gold, honestly. We had lunch and played in the yard and the den. Jia Li did numbers with me while Hai had his nap and then they had dinner – Jia Li isn’t keen on peas, either,” he added with a chuckle.
Joey laughed, too. “Just like her Papa,” he said.
“Then Hai got in a mood and he just won’t stop crying,” Gabe said, shaking his head.
“Give him to me,” Joey said, already slipping his hands around Hai’s small, rotund body. “You go take a bath, okay?”
“Do I smell of puke that much?” Gabe asked, a twitch of a smile on his lips as he allowed Joey to take the squirming, hiccuping Hai.
“No, baby,” Joey said patiently, even though Gabe did maybe have a bit of vomit lingering on his back where he must have burped Hai earlier. But Joey didn’t care about that. He was so full of love, seeing how much his husband was worrying himself into knots over their kids after just a couple of days. “We installed that big tub for a reason. Go make the most of it without anyone asking to play Lego or needing their diaper changed.”
Gabe laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, making it click loudly. “I love you, gorgeous,” he said, kissing Joey’s cheek. “And you, chubba buba,” he said with a lopsided grin, stroking Hai’s hair. Hai looked around, blinking at his Papa as he snuffled his cries down for a moment.
“There we go,” Joey said, pleased at such a small victory. “We’re going to be asleep in no time, aren’t we, champ?”
Hai’s lip wobbled.
“Run while you still can,” Joey said with mock urgency. He and Gabe grinned at each other, before Gabe bolted up the stairs.
Joey walked with Hai into the kitchen as he began to cry again, Max following by his knees. Joey fetched one of the facecloths off the side that had already gone through the wash – he was going to have to get used to the levels of laundry they had to do now – and wiped away Hai’s tears and around his nose. Hai arched his back and kicked his legs, gearing up to start wailing once more.
“Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Daddy’s gonna buy you a mockingbird,” Joey began to sing.
His voice was tired from recording on the show today, but Hai didn’t need a Grammy award-winning performance. In fact, at Joey’s croaky effort, he calmed and blinked his big, brown eyes at Joey’s mouth.
“Oh, you like that, huh?” Joey asked with a smile. He bounced Hai on his hip and started walking back toward the stairs. “And if that mockingbird don’t sing, Daddy’s gonna buy you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring turns brass, Daddy’s gonna buy you a looking glass.”
Hai leaned his head onto Joey’s chest, then surprised Joey by popping his thumb into his mouth. He thought it was only Jia Li that did that, but it seemed her brother took after her.
As Hai had already had his bath, Joey walked them into his and Gabe’s bedroom, Max dutifully trotting along by his legs. He seemed happier now the small, pink pup was no longer bawling. Joey glanced around for Duchess, but he could just make out her outline on top of the dresser in the kids’ room, watching over Jia Li. He smiled, feeling relieved.
“And if that looking glass gets broke, Daddy’s gonna buy you a billy goat.” Max whined and tilted his head. “Not really,” Joey whispered, sitting on the bed and winking at Max. “I think this house is full enough for now.”
Max grumbled in agreement and laid himself down on the carpet.
“And if that billy goat won’t pull, Daddy’s gonna buy you a cart and a bull,” Joey continued to sing, even though the lyrics were kind of nonsense.
He’d learned them by heart weeks ago on the off chance one of the kids would actually respond to a lullaby. He rested his head on the pillow, lying on top of the comforter with Hai snuggled on his chest. Joey straightened out Hai’s onesie covered with little sheep, hopping over fences.
“And if that cart and bull turn over, Daddy’s gonna buy you a dog named…Max!”
Max lifted his head and wagged his tail with a small, doggy grin.
“And if that dog named Max won’t bark, Daddy’s gonna buy you a horse and a cart.”
Joey closed his own eyes, turning so Hai was on the bed, cuddled up to him, safe and sound. Hai’s breathing was light and steady. Joey stroked his impossibly soft hair, inhaling that particular baby scent that he was still getting used to. Tiredness washed over Joey, but he was also happy. It was the kind of contentment that had he’d first experienced when he’d first met Gabe, and was only growing now as they continued on their life journey together.
Joey was a dad. This was a no-takesy-backsy sort of deal. And yet…Joey found he was becoming less terrified. He wanted this with everything he had. More than fame and fortune, more than a big, beautiful wedding, even though he had been lucky enough to have all those things.
Knowing that he was going to be a parent until the day he died was unimaginably thrilling and daunting and the most wonderful gift he could imagine. He was never going to stop trying every single day to try and be the very best dad he could be.
Of course, some days were going to be awful. Some days they were going to scream that they hated each other, and there would be tears and slammed doors. But as sleep began creeping over him, Joey had faith it would be okay. That he and Gabe were in this together.
Forever.
“And if that horse and cart fall down,” Joey mumbled with a happy sigh, “you’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.”
In the quiet of the house, Joey drifted off to sleep, never forgetting to be careful of the precious little one cradled to his side. When the bed dipped with a heavy weight, Joey stirred, but Gabe shushed him, urging him back to sleep. He smelled of their shower gel and something spicy that was always Gabe.
Joey felt him shift around, thinking he was angling himself next to Hai. But then another little body dropped down on the mattress. Joey cracked his eye just enough to see Jia Li worming her way next to her Papa in the dark.
Joey smiled as Gabe pulled a blanket over them all. Joey expected some fuss from one of the kids, but all he heard as he slipped back into a light sleep was a chorus of soft breathing.
Then some purring by his head.
Then he felt the bed dip for a final time as a big, fat golden retriever hauled himself up to join the rest of his pack at Joey and Gabe’s feet.
This was why they’d gotten the super king-sized bed, Joey thought with a soft chuckle.
For so many years, he’d felt so alone. Like he didn’t belong anywhere. Now he had so much family his heart was overflowing with happiness.
He kept hold of that thought as sleep finally claimed him for good, his most treasured loved ones snuggled around him.
This was his idea of heaven.
Blaze
Homecoming Hearts #5
Sneak Peek
Corey
Corey hesitated in the dark corridor, the pl
ush carpet tickling his bare feet. Was this a stupid idea?
Well, he knew the answer to that. Yes. This was a really dumb idea. But could he minimize the fallout?
He hoped so. Because he couldn’t stop himself from taking the last few steps to stand outside Reyse’s bedroom door. He looked up and down the corridor, but there was no sign of anyone.
It wasn’t like Corey to get nervous about things once he’d made his mind up. He didn’t usually worry about other people’s good opinion of him so much.
But he cared a lot what Reyse thought.
Which was why he had to do this. He had to try. Because otherwise, what was the point of anything? If you were too afraid to seize the day, you might as well just live under a rock.
Corey knocked on the door.
There was a pause for a moment, then Reyse’s voice came through the wood. “Hello?”
Corey didn’t want to risk raising his voice and being heard by anyone else, so he opened the door a crack, hoping Reyse wouldn’t mind, and peeked his head inside. “Uh,” he said. He wondered if he should have put more on than just a T-shirt over his boxers. Too late now. He swallowed and gave Reyse a little smile, trying to hide his nerves. “May I come in?”
Reyse looked somewhat stunned to see him, but he nodded anyway. Corey slipped into the room, closed the door, then dashed over to the bed that Reyse was in. Reyse bunched the blankets up around his waist. His upper body was naked.
Corey tried not to let that realization go straight to his groin as he perched on the end of the bed.
He and Reyse looked at each other for a second.
“Hi,” Reyse said eventually. “What are you…are you okay?”
Corey crossed his arms over his chest, then immediately uncrossed them, placing his palms down on top of the bed sheets. “Me?” he asked, his voice kind of a squeak. He cleared his throat and his lips twitched in a nervous smile. He needed to get a grip. He was the one that had barged into Reyse’s room, after all. “I’m fine, dude. I wanted to check on you.”
Their day had been unexpectedly intense. Reyse had a lot to deal with his family and Corey wasn’t sure if he’d helped or not. He traced patterns with his finger on the comforter, feeling awkward. He knew in his heart he didn’t belong in a place like this, but he couldn’t seem to make himself leave or pull back.
Because of Reyse.
God he was gorgeous. It was hard to look at him in the dim light of his room and not remember how his skin had tasted before. How good he’d felt in Corey’s arms.
“Hey,” Reyse said. He reached out and placed his hand over Corey’s fidgeting one, interlocking their fingers. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Corey swallowed, not wanting to look up from their entwined hands for a moment.
“Here at the house, or…” he asked, unable to finish the question. Was Reyse okay that he’d come into his room? Or had Corey just made things ten times more complicated than they already were?
“I’ll take what I can get from you,” Reyse said in a small voice.
That was pretty much how Corey felt. Taking that as a good sign, he shifted a little closer to Reyse, their hands still linked. “Do you mean that?” he asked, glancing at Reyse’s face.
He swallowed and looked unsure. “Before…” he said evasively. “When we…Well, I asked you not to hurt me.”
Corey nodded. “I remember.”
“And you didn’t,” Reyse said. “But…my heart hurts anyway. Seeing you. I…” He trailed off, biting his lip.
Corey rubbed his thumb against the back of Reyse’s hand. “I’ll be honest, man,” he said, shaking his head. “I can’t stop thinking about you. And you’re right here.” He sighed and licked his lips. “I tried to sleep, I really did, I swear. But then I thought I’d just come and ask you how you felt.”
“About what?” Reyse asked.
Corey lifted his gaze so they were looking at one another. “About one more night together,” he said evenly. “I know we can’t…it’s not possible. In the long run. But for the next few hours?” He exhaled and gave Reyse a shaky laugh. “It’s killing me thinking about the time we’d be wasting when no one would ever find out. But if that’s cruel, if you don’t want that, I’ll leave right now. I’m not going to put you in a position where-”
He didn’t get to finish, because Reyse launched himself forward, grabbing Corey’s face and kissing him deeply.
Corey’s hands flew up to hug his bare torso to him, returning the kiss with gusto. Fuck, he’d been craving this.
“I’d give anything for one more night,” Reyse whispered into Corey’s mouth.
Corey couldn’t agree more.
He knew their time was limited. He knew they could never date. But right then and there he didn’t care. Reyse was back in his arms and he wasn’t going to waste a second deliberating whether it was a sensible idea anymore.
Reyse didn’t make him sensible. He made him crazy. And he was going to make the absolute most of just one more night together.
1
Reyse
Reyse Hickson felt like an alien from outer space. He sat in the corner of the room, watching the wedding reception unfold joyfully around him, wondering desperately how to join in with the festivities. It was like he had totally forgotten how to be a real person.
Luckily, the room had been darkened for the evening, so he had the shadows to protect him. He could observe in relative safety as flower girls chased one another around the tables and couples slow danced on the floor, colored lights swirling over their heads. Music and conversation filled the air, enveloping him like a cocoon.
Reyse forced himself to take a deep breath and sip his glass of Champagne. All things considered, the day had gone very well. The guests had either been too afraid to approach him or had varying degrees of celebrity status themselves, so they knew how to talk to someone like him or at least try. One little boy had stood for a full five minutes gaping at Reyse until his mother had bustled him away, too embarrassed to even look Reyse in the eye. But Reyse had endured far worse reactions over the years.
The point was, he desperately didn’t want this day to be about him. It was about one of his dearest, oldest friends. Reyse smiled, feeling some of the pressure release from his chest as he watched TJ rocking gently back and forth on the dance floor with his new husband, Ashby.
They looked so impossibly happy.
Last year, it had been Reyse’s sincere advice to TJ that he follow his heart. Reyse hadn’t met Ashby at that point, but having finally been introduced today, Reyse knew without a doubt that TJ had done the right thing. Ashby was like a bright beacon, lighting up the room with his easy cheer and delightful smile. Plus, Reyse liked his fashion sense.
It was difficult not to be envious of their happiness, but Reyse tried his hardest. Jealousy was so ugly and it wasn’t really what Reyse was experiencing as he glanced around the room, seeking out his other blissfully married friends. It was more like a pang of sadness.
How could he be sad, though? He watched as the music changed to something more upbeat and Blake dragged his husband, Elion, onto the dance floor. Elion was hopelessly outmatched. Blake ran his own dance studio, not to mention starring on the reality show based around it and hosting another competition show to find up-and-coming dancers. But that was what made Blake and Elion perfect. Blake danced with Elion like he hung the moon and stars, never wincing once when Elion stood on his toes.
“Penny for your thoughts?” a perfectly refined English accent asked.
Reyse pulled his gaze away from the dance floor and his friends to smile at his companion as she sat down beside him. “Oh, nothing,” he said evasively with a smile.
Bella Dalton was almost as well known as Reyse himself was. She elegantly crossed one long, slim leg over the other and regarded him with her big brown eyes that had helped make her such a Hollywood starlet. “Oh, come now,” she scoffed, reaching over and helping herself to one of the mini-quiches Reyse hadn’t eaten f
rom his plate. “I know that face.”
Reyse sighed and rolled his eyes at her, but there was no malice to the gesture. She was right. She did know that face.
“I am perfectly content,” he said, mimicking her accent.
She scoffed and covered her mouth. Once she’d swallowed her quiche, she sipped from her own Champagne flute. “Don’t do that, it’s disconcerting,” she teased.
“Sorry,” he said, back to his regular Californian twang. “I was trying to fit in with the locals.”
She wagged a long finger at him playfully. “Then you want to try something like ‘och aye, ya wee bastard!’” Her Scottish accent was flawless and made Reyse laugh. It felt like the first time he had truly relaxed all day.
She was right. They were currently located in a picturesque castle in the Scottish Highlands. Reyse normally spent his time surrounded by the most modern of luxuries, so he had to say he was basking in the beautiful and awe-inspiring history of the place. The wedding breakfast had been in an honest-to-god stone banquet hall complete with stag heads mounted on the walls and flickering wax-candle candelabras. TJ had arrived on horseback like some kind of knight and Ashby had unearthed a family tartan on his dad’s side of the family for the kilt he and his other groomsmen were currently wearing.
The whole idea for having the day in Scotland had come from the kilt. Apparently, Ashby had struggled with the idea of wearing a suit for his big day, but a white wedding dress had equally felt like it wasn’t quite right. When his mom had reminded him of his Celtic heritage, the problem had been solved.
The two grooms were currently speaking to a gaggle of guests Reyse thought might have come from the resort Ashby ran. A plump woman stood arm-in-arm with a man Reyse was almost certain was TJ’s dad. Next to them were another younger man and woman. Reyse had definitely seen the guy juggling wine glasses earlier in the evening, amusing several of the children tearing around.