Better Than Beginnings: A Better Than Good Short Story Collection (Better Than Stories Book 5)

by Lane Hayes

  “Do you think we’ll ever move to New York City?” he asked, tilting his head to lean into my touch.

  “Is that something you still want?”

  “Maybe someday but not right away. I want to raise our kids here.”

  “In this neighborhood?” I widened my gaze comically.

  Aaron snickered and shook his head emphatically. “No, but someplace like this. And I can’t believe I’m saying this but…I want to live closer to my parents when we’re ready to start our own family. Would you be okay with that? ’Cause if you are, I know how to handle this chat.”

  “What do you mean? Are you planning on bribing them with future grandkids if they back off?” I whispered, mimicking his low tone.

  “Yes. Well, sort of.”

  “Aar…”

  “I got this, Matty. They’re my parents. I should do the talking. Thank you.”

  “I didn’t do anything.”

  “Yes, you did. I love you. If I need you to jump in I’ll give you a secret sign…like this.” He wrinkled his nose and twitched it.

  “Ha. You look like you’re gonna sneeze.” I cupped his neck and brushed my nose against his, then kissed him tenderly. “Just do me a favor and keep your speech in English so I know what’s going on.”

  “Deal.”

  “And do it right away. Let’s not prolong this, okay?”

  Aaron stepped aside and set his hand on the doorknob. “Okay. Are you ready?”

  When I nodded, he opened the door and called out a greeting to his parents. His voice ricocheted off the tile floor and echoed around the high ceiling in the foyer. I glanced at the jumble of family photos lining the walls as we moved through the formal living room to the back of the house. I could have predicted before we walked into the great room that his dad would be lounging in his favorite easy chair, watching football on the giant flat-screen, and his mom would be in the kitchen making more food than the four of us could possibly eat for lunch. There was always a chance that Aaron’s sisters or brother and their families would join us too, but I figured Aaron would know.

  The Mendezes were a tight-knit clan. Whenever they gathered for family brunches or dinners, the decibel levels rose to ear-splitting highs. It wasn’t unusual to have the television blaring on one end of the great room and music on the other while a dozen or more people competed to be heard above the din in Spanglish. The atmosphere was chaotic but always welcoming, though today it seemed relatively quiet.

  “Hola!” his mom called from the stove.

  Aaron greeted her in Spanish, then shouted a quick hello to his father in the next room. I waved to his dad and laughed when Aaron’s mom rounded the island and crushed him in a bear hug before giving me the same treatment.

  “Where have you boys been? I was getting worried. Lunch is almost ready.”

  “It smells muy bueno,” I said.

  Aaron and his mom exchanged an affectionate smile at my heavy American accent. It was easy to see that my man came by his good looks naturally. Aar was at least six inches taller than his petite mother, but they shared the same light-olive skin, dark hair, hazel eyes, and symmetrical bone structure. Side-by-side, they were stunningly beautiful.

  She pushed her bobbed hair behind her ear and gestured toward the family room. “You relax, Matthew. Watch the game. I’ll call you when the sopa is ready.”

  “Okay, I’ll—”

  “Mama, wait. I have something to tell you,” Aaron blurted.

  “Tell me while we cook. I need two minutes. Come help.” She pulled his elbow and continued in rapid-fire Spanish I had no hope of understanding.

  I mouthed, Now? when Aaron looked over his shoulder at me. He shrugged, took a deep breath, and tried again.

  “Mama, we need to talk. Por favor.”

  “What is it? Are you calling off the wedding?” Aaron’s dad joked as he lumbered into the kitchen. He stopped to shake my hand, then headed for the refrigerator. He grabbed a beer and held it up for my inspection. “You want one?”

  “Um…no, gracias,” I replied.

  He shrugged and raised his bottle in a toast before glancing expectantly at his son. “Well?”

  “Of course we’re not calling off the wedding,” Aaron huffed. “But uh…”

  His dad was a heavier-set man in his early sixties with white hair and dark, twinkling eyes. Aaron described him as a typical macho Latino patriarch when we first met and maybe that was true to a degree, but he was also a fiercely loyal family man who adored his wife and children. He could be a little gruff at times, but he was a good guy who thankfully liked me. In a way, I understood his need to keep things simple between us. He didn’t know how to discuss my relationship with his son, but he could talk sports all day and night. And he liked that I made the effort to keep up with him.

  “What’s wrong?” his dad prodded. “Did you run out of money? You have fancy tastes, son.”

  Aaron rolled his eyes. “No. Money isn’t an issue.”

  “Oh, good. Then can you lend me ten bucks?” his father quipped with a hearty laugh.

  “Very funny. I…um…” Aaron licked his lips and twitched his nose. But before I could take over, he continued. “We’re not going to use the deacon from your church. We asked someone else to marry us. We hired her a few months ago. And yes, I know I should have told you sooner, but I didn’t want to hurt your feelings or disappoint you and—”

  “What are you saying?” his father asked, cocking his head curiously. “Who is this ‘she’? I don’t understand.”

  Aaron gave me an apologetic look, then repeated his speech in Spanish.

  His mother gasped in distress and clutched her heart theatrically. “You need a blessing. A wedding isn’t just a party. You must have a connection to the church. It’s important.”

  “We know this isn’t just a party, Mama. The ceremony is important to us. The words, the readings, the songs…they matter. This is the biggest day of our lives, and I don’t want the deacon from your church to be part of it. I’m sorry, I’m just—not willing to negotiate on this.”

  Aaron’s words came out in a rush. His parents stared at him, then at each other, but no one said a word for an excruciatingly long time. The air was thick with uncertainty. Someone had to break through it, or we’d all choke.

  I cleared my throat and paced to the far end of the island and back again like a lawyer preparing to grill an important witness on the stand. I stopped at Aaron’s side and wrapped my right arm around his shoulders and cast my gaze between his bewildered parents.

  “I love him. He loves me. We know we’re lucky to have the support of our family and friends, and we appreciate it. But we also know that not everyone wants us to be happy. They say marriage isn’t for two men. They say we can’t have what they have because God doesn’t condone our union, and I’m sorry but that’s bullshit. It’s wrong and hateful and I refuse to stand in front of anyone who thinks he’s doing us a favor by bending his so-called rules to officiate our wedding.

  “We aren’t coming at this with rainbow-colored lenses. We’ve given a lot of thought and care to our decision. We know without a doubt we are worthy of love and happiness. We’re not second-class citizens. Our union isn’t less than any other couple because we’re men. You can’t tell me God doesn’t approve. I won’t believe it. Because if God is love, we’ve already been blessed a million times over.”

  I squeezed Aaron’s shoulder and swallowed hard, then added, “And just so you’re clear…I love your son. Aaron is my everything. He’s the most remarkable human being on the planet. I’m more thankful than I can ever say that he’s willing to spend the rest of his life with me.”

  It felt like one of those mic-drop moments that was incredibly therapeutic but came with less fanfare than one would think. Aaron’s folks looked slightly stunned. And Aaron was just…quiet.

  I kissed his temple just as he snaked his arm around my waist and glanced up with a smile. “Te amo.”

  Before I could respond,
his mom launched herself between us and held on tight. She sobbed softly as she swayed back and forth.

  “Sí, Matthew. El amor es el amor.” She patted my cheek and released me, then turned to draw Aaron into her arms.

  I sighed in relief and gave my father-in-law to-be a hesitant smile. He held my gaze for a few scary seconds.

  “You’re a good man, Matt. I like you. Be good to him.”

  “Always, sir. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  He thumped my back and winked. “I’m not worried at all. I see love, and that’s what matters. You want that beer now?”

  I gave a half laugh and nodded effusively. “Yes. Definitely.”

  I slipped my hands into my pockets and surveyed my fiancé and his family. It struck me out of the blue that this next step really was a leap of faith. There were no guarantees. Only a determination and the will to create a life together. Our way. I wanted the family photos on the walls. I wanted fingerprints on the windows and a dog or two in the yard. I couldn’t wait for that long-ago daydream about dogs and kids and an apartment in the city or a house in the suburbs to become a reality. With Aaron.

  Part 5-

  The stack of files and law journals on my desk had taken on a life of their own. I stared out the window at the lone fluffy cloud marring the otherwise perfectly blue sky. I’d been at my desk since six o’clock in the morning, and I was pissed I hadn’t accomplished more. Two major contracts needed to be prepared by the end of the week, but my concentration was shot.

  I glanced at my watch, then closed my eyes. I had less than two hours till I had to be home. I forgot the reason, but Aaron had been adamant about the time. Maybe it was a last-minute fitting or—

  A loud buzz ripped me from my reverie. I reached for my cell, pausing to check the caller ID before answering.

  “Hi, Shel. I—” I pulled the phone away to save my eardrums from the shrill screaming on the line. When I thought it was safe, I tried again. “Shelly?”

  “Oh, my God, are you so excited? Three days and counting! Are you ready for your big day, little brother?”

  “Uh…yeah. I think so. At least, I will be.” I raked my fingers through my hair and swiveled my chair away from my computer. “When are you arriving?”

  “My flight gets in tomorrow afternoon, but I think Mom and Dad and the rest of the fam will arrive sooner. Mom mentioned something about checking into the hotel and hitting a museum before dinner with Aaron’s folks. And of course, she’ll want to inspect the rehearsal dinner venue. I have a killer speech prepared, and I can’t wait to make you cry,” she teased.

  “I’m not gonna cry.”

  “Liar. We all will. Mom especially. You know how weepy she gets at TV weddings. She’ll be sobbing when she walks you down the aisle. You’d better have tissues on hand just in case.”

  “As long as she behaves herself, it’ll be fine,” I said.

  “She loves Aaron, Matt. We all do. I’m sure she’ll have her annoying mother-in-law moments, but Aaron can handle her. He’s become an expert at it.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t want him to have to worry about anything. He’s stressed-out enough as it is. We both are,” I admitted with a sigh.

  “Matt, it’s going to be gorgeous and amazing, and I can’t tell you how excited I am for both of you. And in her own way, Mom feels the same. Just wait until you and Aaron have kids of your own. She’ll probably want to move into your spare bedroom.”

  “Great. Something to look forward to,” I snarked.

  Shelly chuckled. “I know it’s about to get crazy for you with out of town guests and dinners and speeches and a gazillion details to worry about, but if you need me to do anything at all, call me and I’ll be there in a flash. I can get an earlier flight. No hesitation.”

  “Thanks, Shel.”

  “I love you, Matt. See you tomorrow.”

  I ended the call and stared at my computer screen for a full minute, willing my pulse to slow down and for some semblance of focus to return. Holy fuck. The lightheaded, slightly nauseous feeling seemed to get worse. Was I having a panic attack? I stood abruptly and paced from one corner of my office to the other, then back again, giving myself a pep talk as I picked up speed. You’re not nervous. You’ve got this. You won’t forget anything. And even if you do, he’ll still love you. It’s okay.

  I stopped in front of the floor-to-ceiling window and let out a rush of air. Nope. It didn’t work. If I didn’t have a million things to do on a cramped schedule, I’d take a walk and grab a latte or a dozen donuts or something. But time wasn’t on my side and I had a tuxedo to fit into. So I did what I always did when I was at my wit’s end. I called Aaron.

  “Hi, Matty, I’m—hang on a sec.” Loud voices and a crackling noise sounded in the background. Aaron barked an order to someone before addressing me. “Is everything okay?”

  “Sure. Whatcha doing?”

  “I’m at a photo shoot near the Lincoln Memorial. It’s a zoo. What’s wrong?” Aaron asked worriedly.

  “Nothing.”

  Silence.

  Well, not really. It was noisy on his end, but I could tell he was moving to get away from the cacophony so he could hear me. And now I felt like an idiot. We were both busy. Neither of us had time for meltdowns.

  “Okay, I can talk now. What’s up?”

  His breathing sounded labored. I could picture him walking fast and stopping to push his hair from his brow. It was longer than he usually wore it, but it looked sexy on him. I loved threading my fingers through it. Like this morning when I was inside him. He’d been on his knees, gripping the headboard with his ass in the air, urging me on with a steady “Fuck me, Matty, fuck me.” I had one hand in his hair, pulling his head back to lick his neck while I stroked his cock with the other. The frenzied heat had an almost manic quality that was seriously hot, though a bit jolting at five a.m. In a good way. The memory of him falling apart in my arms, then licking his cum from my fingers had me in a semi-aroused state all damn day.

  I adjusted my suddenly interested dick and refocused. “Nothing. I just…wanted to say hi.”

  “Are you going to tell me you’re having second thoughts?”

  I barked a quick laugh and sank into my chair. I knew calling him was a good idea. I already felt better. “Not a chance. Are you?”

  “No, but your ‘Hi’ sounded a like a cry for help.”

  “Wow. You know me pretty well.”

  “I should hope so. Well? Details, please.”

  “My sister called to say she was excited for us and…I freaked out. We have so much to do. So many dinners and speeches and people. Maybe we should go to City Hall tomorrow and get married in front of a judge. Let’s take care of the real thing so we can enjoy the parties without so much stress.”

  “You have no idea how tempting that is,” he said with a sigh.

  “I was kidding, but yeah…I’m feeling overwhelmed.”

  “I’ve had a few of those moments too, Matty. This morning I was in my office, going over layouts with my team for a holiday ad Marsha decided had to be completed by noon. It was going well until Vic called with twenty questions about the seating chart. We worked through half of his list before I had to cut him off when my assistant said your mom was on hold. She wouldn’t leave a message. She insisted on waiting to speak to me.”

  “My mom? What did she want?” I asked, furrowing my brow.

  “She wanted to know my mother’s favorite perfume.”

  “That’s random.”

  “Honestly, I think it was a test. She keeps me on my toes to make sure I’m worthy in-law material. She calls me all the time, Matty. Usually she’ll leave a message but lately, everything is urgent,” he huffed in amusement.

  “Why didn’t you tell me she was harassing you?”

  “She’s not. Today was a bit much, but most of the time I don’t mind. I figure she needs assurance that I love you and that I’m going to take good care of you. Like a good wife,” he said sarcastically
.

  “You’re not going to be my wife.”

  “I know, but you know how she is. I kid you not…the other day, she asked if I was going to stop working when we have children.”

  I slumped forward and banged my head on my desk. “Oh, my God. You should have told me.”

  “You have enough to worry about. Yes, I was mildly annoyed, but I wasn’t surprised that she considers me your ‘wife-to-be.’ I played it cool and told her we’d consider all options when the time came.”

  I chuckled at his businesslike tone and let out a beleaguered sigh. “Fuck, I love you, Aar. I’m stressed out of my mind and…I just needed to hear your voice.”

  “I love you too. Take a deep breath and remember, we’re almost there. In one week we’ll be on a beach in Puerto Rico, kicking back on chaise lounges with margaritas…and we’ll be married. Finally.”

  “I can’t wait,” I said earnestly.

  Aaron hummed in agreement. This time the silence on the line was comforting. I was tempted to close my eyes and sink into it. But we both had things to do.

  “Give me a brief rundown of what’s happening over the next couple of days, so I can wrap my head around where I need to be and what I have to do.” I pushed my chair back slightly and reached for a piece of paper and a pen.

  Aaron chuckled. “Okay. Tonight we’re picking up our tuxes and getting haircuts. Tomorrow, our guests start arriving. We’re having dinner with our families downtown, then drinks at Jay and Peter’s house with our friends. I’m working a half day Friday to finish up any details with Katie and Jay. The rehearsal starts at five o’clock, and dinner is directly afterward. Fifty people RSVP’d for dinner and—”

  “Fifty? Do we know fifty people?”

  “Oh my God, Matty. Chill. Yes. It’s mostly family and some out of town guests. If you have to work all day that’s fine, but you’ll need to be at the venue at five p.m. sharp. I’ll remind you ten more times, I’m sure.”