by Shea Balik
He had no clue why they needed to speak to him in Kaylee’s office and it was freaking Lowen out. Normally, anything either of them had to say, was done so in the tasting room. Or, if it was something they didn’t want guests to hear, they would tell him in the back room.
The only time Lowen had ever been in Kaylee’s office was for his interview. That was over a year ago. Any time after he’d been hired, he’d expected to be called back in to be fired, but not now. He thought he’d been doing well.
Out of all the tasting assistants, his sales were always on top and his customer ratings were consistently in the high nineties. Maybe not today, as he’d spilled a glass of their cabernet on a woman’s white top, whic, is something that had happened to all of them, but he’d made it ten times worse when his already raw nerves had him doing the unthinkable.
He’d grabbed towels and started dabbing her shirt. Maybe if it had been on her shoulder, or her side, he wouldn’t be at risk of being charged with sexual harassment. But the spill had been right over her chest, which he blotted over and over again without any thought as to what he was doing.
It wasn’t until her friend said, “Do you think he’d feel me up too, if I spilled my glass on my chest?”
Lowen had been mortified.
He just prayed no one actually pressed charges. Both women had laughed and teased him for his actions, so he hoped things would be okay. If that had happened before Kaylee told him he was to meet with her and Brogan, Lowen would have known for sure he was going to be fired. But his accidental groping had occurred after.
As Lowen sat in the chair Brogan had gestured to, he found himself unable to remain quiet. “I’m so sorry if there’s anything I’ve done to get me fired, but I swear, if you give me another chance, I’ll do whatever it takes to prove I can fix my mistake.”
It would help if he knew what he had done wrong. But since he didn’t, Lowen tried to show he was ready to do his best to correct any missteps he’d taken.
Brogan held up his hand, stopping Lowen from continuing with his apology. “Lowen, you aren’t here because we’re going to fire you.”
Lowen was sure he was about to throw up as all the anxiety that had been building within him jolted to a stop at the words. “You’re not?” he got out around the bile that was trying to rise.
“No,” Kaylee said, smiling at him. “We brought you here to promote you.”
“Promote?” Lowen said dumbly, sure he hadn’t heard that right.
“We’d like for you to be the assistant manager for the vineyard’s tasting room,” Brogan told him.
Lowen didn’t know if it was the knots that had been twisting in his stomach all day, or the sudden relief that he wasn’t about to lose his job, but his stomach rolled – hard. Too hard to stop it from expelling everything within it.
He clamped a hand over his mouth but it was too late. Right there, in front of his boss and one of the vineyard’s owners, Lowen threw up. The only good thing, if there was one, was that he’d been sitting next to Kaylee’s garbage can and avoided the carpet.
“Not quite the response I’d expected,” Brogan said. “But I’m going to take that as a yes and leave.”
Kaylee chuckled. “Yeah, why don’t you take my trash to the bathroom, clean up, and come back so we can discuss the details.”
Lowen did exactly as she suggested, practically bolting from her office. No way was he ever going to live this down. Then again, he’d just been promoted. No amount of teasing would diminish that fact.
***
Blue’s laugh was like music to Lowen’s ears. They were on a blanket on the lawn just outside of the tasting room, where he would be assistant manager starting in two weeks, and not even telling Blue the events of what happened in that office diminished his happiness at the moment.
“You really threw up in front of them?” Blue asked when he’d gotten his breath back from laughing so hard.
Even Lowen was chuckling now that he was over being mortified. The entire time Kaylee was telling him about his new position, Lowen was sure he was going to combust because his cheeks were on fire from blushing so hard. “Yeah. It wasn’t my finest moment.”
Blue’s eyes danced with merriment. “I don’t know, feeling up that woman might have been worse.”
“Until that moment, I don’t think I’ve ever touched a woman’s breasts before.” Telling Blue about his day had made things better. Not that the promotion hadn’t already done that, but with Blue, it was as if he were on top of the world. His gaffes were just blips that didn’t really matter.
Even the anxiety of why he’d planned this date no longer plagued him. Blue and he were soulmates. Knowing they belonged together eased any worries he’d had.
Blue lifted his glass of sparkling wine that he’d insisted on buying when Lowen told him about the promotion. “To you,” Blue said. “A promotion that was well-deserved.”
Lowen just knew he was beaming as they clinked their glasses and took a sip. “Thank you,” he said. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”
Blue leaned into his side. “You work so hard. I’m glad you were rewarded.”
As good as it felt to be recognized for doing his best to make sure every guest has a great experience when they came to the tasting room, that wasn’t the reason he’d asked Blue to meet him at the vineyard. Nor was it the reason why Lowen was on cloud nine.
“The realtor called,” Blue said, his body practically vibrating with excitement. “The Timmons accepted our offer.”
Lowen felt his eyes widen. “We got the house?”
Blue nodded.
Between Blue’s business doing so well the past year, Lowen’s own job going well – now even better with the promotion – and Lowen only having one more semester left before graduating, they had decided it was time to buy a house instead of living in the apartment near the square.
“I’m so glad I met you.” Lowen sealed his lips over Blue’s, enjoying the taste of wine mixed with Blue’s unique flavor.
“Mmmm,” Blue moaned as their tongues slid together when they deepened the kiss.
Lowen slipped his hand around Blue’s nape, his thumb brushing along the base of his skull. There was nothing better in the world than kissing Blue. They just fit together, making everything they did so much better.
He’d never thought he’d be a person who owned a house, yet with Blue, it had been a natural step that had seemed right. Even looking for the house had been far easier than he’d ever imagined. They’d started searching two months ago.
The first couple of houses hadn’t been what they’d wanted. After discussing it, both of them decided they weren’t willing to settle and would wait until their realtor could find them what they wanted.
When they’d gotten the call that a house had just come on the market that was two bedrooms, two bathrooms, with a decent sized back porch overlooking a fenced backyard, neither of them had gotten their hopes up. But the moment they’d pulled up to it, they had looked at each other and smiled.
It was only the outside, but they’d both felt the same way. They’d arrived home. When they’d gone inside, that feeling intensified. They’d gone straight from the house to the realtor’s office to fill out the paperwork to make an offer.
They hadn’t dickered, offering full price. “We’re going to have a real home,” Blue whispered against his mouth. “I don’t think life could get any more perfect.”
Lowen hoped it could.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the ring he’d bought a year ago when he’d decided he was going to marry this man. Lifting it up, he smiled as his own special turquoise started to flood Blue’s eyes.
“One year ago, I told you I wanted to marry you,” he said. Then he twisted until he was kneeling in front of Blue. Since Blue was also kneeling, it wasn’t quite the same grand dramatic gesture as men usually made when they went down on their knees, but then again, that wasn’t really their style.
“Every day that I have spen
t with you since then has only cemented my desire to be your husband.” He wiped away the tear that rolled down Blue’s face. “Blue Moon, would you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”
Blue’s lips quivered as he smiled at Lowen. Turquoise eyes shone at him as he said, “Yes.” Then he threw his arms around Lowen’s neck and kissed him.
Lowen had no clue how he had ever gotten so lucky as to convince this amazing man to give him a chance, but he would do everything in his power to never let Blue doubt his choice. “I love you, my sweet Blue,” he said with every ounce of love he felt for this man, who made him happier than Lowen had ever thought possible.
CHAPTER 18
Another Year Later
“I can’t believe you let Lowen work today, of all days,” David mumbled. “I mean, I get that the vineyard needs all hands on deck, but it’s your wedding day.”
Warmth permeated Blue’s entire body. It was his wedding day. His. Blue Moon was going to marry Lowen Delany. Closing his eyes, Blue couldn’t stop the smile that formed as peace flowed through him.
In just a few hours, he would officially be joined with the man he loved. He was sure there couldn’t be anything better than that. It was as if the entire puzzle of their lives was falling into place all at once.
They’d closed on the house they’d bought last weekend. After a thorough cleaning, and painting two of the rooms, they’d moved their stuff in during the week with the help of their friends. That right that there had been cause for celebration in Blue’s mind.
Not so much the moving in, although he and Lowen had spent the rest of the week doing their best to christen every inch of the place, but because Lowen had been right, friends could become family. He hadn’t been sure that would be the case, but during the past year, Blue had seen it for himself as they all took care of one another.
As much as he wished the past year had been nothing but sunshine and roses, one of their chosen family had suffered greatly. It had blown Blue away when he watched as their made up family of friends had rallied together in ways that defied anything Blue knew of family dynamics.
His own biological family wasn’t there, nor did they even call to wish him well. Then again, he hadn’t heard from his mother at all in the past year, but as she had remarried, he wasn’t entirely surprised. From what he heard, her name was now Candy Cane.
It hurt to know his own family cared so little, but at the same time, he understood even better what Lowen had been trying to tell him. So, when it was time for them to move, even though it was during the week, allowing them to be in their new home when they got married, their friends came through. Proving once more, family was about love, not biology.
“We tried to give him the day off,” Andrew complained to David as he opened yet another bottle of wine while they got Blue ‘ready’ for his ceremony. “But they both refused.”
Blue wasn’t entirely sure what drinking bottle after bottle of wine, or in Shine’s case, moonshine, did to help him get ready, especially when he was already dressed. However, he decided it was more important to allow his friends, who were more like brothers to him than his own twin, to feel like they were helping than protest. At the rate they were drinking, they’d be drunk off their ass by the time the ceremony started.
Thankfully, they had yet to notice Blue had only had one glass and was only nursing his second. No way was he going to be too intoxicated to remember this day, no matter what Andrew, David, and Shine wanted.
Shine, even though he’d already had an entire bottle of his high octane moonshine, didn’t seem nearly as drunk as the others. “Leave him alone. It’s their wedding day. They can celebrate any way they want.”
Blue smiled at Shine in gratitude. “Thank you, Shine. It’s just, with the new house, we can’t really afford for Lowen not to work today. Last year he made a killing, and since the crowds are even bigger this year, I imagine he’ll do even better.”
“Then why get married on the fourth?” Nolan said as he dumped most of the wine Andrew had just poured into his own wine glass onto the grass. Smart man. Nolan, who had gastric bypass and had lost a tremendous amount of weight – over a hundred and fifty pounds – couldn’t tolerate as much alcohol as the rest of them could. But no matter how often he tried to remind his friends, Andrew, especially, keep pouring him more wine.
Then again, that was usually because Andrew tended to be drunk a lot, lately. Now that Blue was more involved in their lives, he got that Andrew was having a hard time dealing with the fact that Brogan still refused to get involved with him romantically.
Apparently, they had tried a relationship during college that had nearly ended their friendship. Brogan refused to do anything to jeopardize that again, although, if he had eyes in his head, he’d know keeping his distance was hurting Andrew far more.
For both their sakes, Blue hoped Brogan and Andrew would get their head out of their asses, soon. He feared, if things continued as they were, one of the two of them might end up killing the other. Just not today. Today was all about Blue and Lowen.
Well, and the country, since it was the Fourth of July.
There was a knock on the pole of their tent. “Is everyone decent?” Brogan called as he opened the flap.
Andrew snorted. “Like it would matter to you.” All eyes swung to Andrew, who was too drunk to have any clue. “You wouldn’t know what to do if I was stripped naked and tied up.”
It was as if all the air had been sucked from the room as they waited, too afraid to even breath, for Brogan’s reply.
“Watch it, boy.” Brogan’s voice was more of a growl than anything else. “Unless you’re looking for that spanking you’ve been practically begging for.”
If Blue had thought the air had been sucked out before, things had just gotten worse. It was like one of the space vacuums, where even the air within the bodies was forced out. Sexual tension hung in the air as everyone witnessing the exchange kept ping ponging their heads from Andrew to Brogan, to see who would break first.
“That threat is getting old, just like you, old man,” Andrew slurred some of his words and just like that, the spell was broken. Even if Brogan might have taken Andrew over his knee, there was no way he’d do it when Andrew was drunk.
Brogan turned away from Andrew, the concern clearly showing in his eyes before he was able to hide it as he glanced toward Blue. “We’re ready to begin.”
As much as Blue felt for both of his friends, this was his wedding day. Standing up, Blue looked down at his outfit. He and Lowen had decided casual was best, especially since it was July Fourth and the temperature had reached ninety-five that day.
It might be starting to cool off as they sun went down, but it was still hot. They both had decided to wear shorts. Blue would be in red with a white and blue striped polo shirt, while Lowen would wear blue shorts with a white and red shirt, although he’d refused to wear a polo. He hadn’t explained his reason, or what kind of shirt he would be wearing, but Blue didn’t really care.
They were getting married. That was all he cared about. If it wasn’t in front of a huge crowd of people, Blue would have been happy in a bathing suit. What did clothes matter when he was finally going to say, ‘I do,’ to the man he loved?
“I’ll see you at the altar,” Brogan said as he left. Lowen had asked that Brogan perform the ceremony. Brogan had been so honored, he’d gone online the same day and gotten ordained.
“You ready for this?” Shine asked with a knowing grin. He glanced at his own wedding ring, his smile turning sappy and added, “I promise this is one decision you’ll never regret.”
“Thanks for rubbing that in,” Andrew groused. Then he went up to Blue and hugged him. “I’m so happy for you. I’ll see you out there.”
David, Shine, and Nolan also gave him a hug as they made their way to the altar. All four men were standing up for Blue. Macalister, Montague, West, and Kaylee were standing up with Lowen. Since Brogan would perform the ceremony then kick off the fireworks,
pretty much the whole town would be in attendance, as well as hundreds of people they didn’t even know.
They hadn’t necessarily wanted a bunch of people, other than their friends, but the day, the event, was what was so special to them. For both of them had truly known one year ago today that they would become husband and husband, bound together forever.
With a smile plastered on his face that he’d couldn’t have gotten rid of if he’d tried, which he wasn’t about to do, Blue exited the tent and made his way to the altar. Lowen already stood there, his face beaming with happiness and pride as he watched Blue step toward him.
Instead of the polo shirt like Blue wore, Lowen was wearing a white button up shirt, except it was open to show his chest. A bandage with tape around the edges was showing, and Blue grew concerned that the man he loved had been injured.
Quickening his steps, he reached out to touch Lowen’s chest just to the side of the bandage. “Are you okay?” His heart hammered with worry.
The only thing stopping him from being frantic about the site was that Lowen was standing there smiling as if he couldn’t be happier. That had to mean he wasn’t too badly injured, right?
Lowen leaned in and kissed Blue right on the lips, even though that was supposed to happen at the end. But Blue didn’t care. Feeling Lowen’s mouth against his was like a balm to his soul, which he badly needed at that moment.
“I’m fine,” Lowen assured when he pulled back. His hands opened his shirt a little wider. “I have a surprise for you, but I need you to take off the bandage.”
Blue frowned, unsure any injury could be considered a surprise, or a good thing for that matter. But he did as Lowen asked, carefully removing the tape so as not to cause Lowen further harm.
As he peeled back the bandage, his heart stopped and his breath caught in his throat. Tears sprang to his eyes as he saw the turquoise ink that spelled, Blue’s, with a heart made out of a daisy chain, his favorite flower.
“I love you, Blue Moon,” Lowen whispered as Brogan said, “Today we come together not just as a community, but as a family, to join these two people in matrimony.”