In Pieces

by Alexa Land

  Suddenly, my breath caught.

  In the fourth row on the right was the gorgeous guy from Christmas Eve, the one that had kissed me under the mistletoe. Now there was something positive to focus on. He’d exchanged Rudolph for a tasteful pale grey suit and tie, and God he looked good. Though really, he’d been handsome even in that slightly insane sweater.

  I realized after a moment that I was completely staring at him. And surprisingly, he seemed to be staring right back. I was tempted to glance behind me and check if maybe someone else was in his line of sight. But that couldn’t be the case, given where I was standing. I grinned just a little, and was rewarded with a dazzling smile. Wow. I almost said it out loud, but thankfully stopped myself in time.

  I forced myself to drag my attention away from the total hottie, and tried to focus on the wedding official instead. He was still on a roll with his speech, and was now up to the middle ages in the history of marriage. Apparently, in parts of Europe at the time it was customary for the wedding guests to rush the bride at the end of the ceremony and tear off pieces of her dress, which were considered good luck. Awesome. I was so glad I knew that now. I almost rolled my eyes, and glanced at Dante and Charlie. I didn’t think they were listening. They were still staring into each other’s eyes with such amazing love and devotion, as if the whole room had fallen away and it was just the two of them.

  I snuck another look at Reindeer Sweater, who, it turned out, was staring at me with a lopsided grin. Damn. That was some mouth. His lips were full and sensuously curved, and a deeply defined sexy cleft ran vertically from just beneath his nose to the v-shaped indentation in the center of his top lip. Despite myself I licked my lips, remembering exactly what that mouth of his was capable of. That drew what looked like a sigh of longing from him in return. Or maybe that was just total wishful thinking on my part.

  The wedding official’s drawn out speech was finally winding to a close, and I focused my attention back on the ceremony. The vows were next, and I watched with rapt attention as Charlie and Dante pledged themselves to each other, now and always. It was so incredibly beautiful, the love between them practically a tangible thing. When they were pronounced husbands, Dante took Charlie in his arms tenderly and kissed him like it was the very first time. The kiss was so pure, so true, so full of promise.

  The string quartet began to play, right on cue, and Charlie and Dante stepped down from the little stage into a chorus of applause and cheers, all the onlookers rising to their feet and descending on the couple. Mrs. Dombruso strong-armed her way through the crowd, using her date as a battering ram, and kissed and hugged both Dante and Charlie before barreling toward me.

  “It’s ten minutes to midnight!” she exclaimed. “There goes all our careful timing. I thought that official would never shut the fuck up! We gotta get ready for phase two!”

  We leapt into action, clearing away the chairs that the guests had been using and rolling back the little stage with the help of Rodney and Dante’s brothers. When the guests saw what we were doing, several of them joined in, grabbing chairs and clearing the big dance floor beneath their feet. Meanwhile the caterers brought in tray after tray of champagne, and the DJ rolled in his equipment and quickly started setting up while the newlyweds were inundated with hugs and handshakes and congratulations.

  We got the last of the chairs cleared from the dance floor just as the crowd started chanting, “Ten! Nine! Eight!”

  I ran for the little utility closet in the far corner of the ballroom. “Seven! Six!” Mrs. Dombruso and I had one more surprise for Charlie and Dante. It had been my idea, and I hoped to God it worked. I flipped a series of switches. “Five! Four! Three, two, one!” the crowd yelled, and I flipped the last switch on the twin machines concealed in the false ceiling, sending a gentle cascade of real snow over the crowd. I listened carefully, then smiled with satisfaction as everyone gasped, then cheered and applauded. Now that was a winter wonderland. It was so over the top, but completely worth it.

  “Hi.”

  I turned toward the voice behind me, and my smile widened. Without another word, Reindeer Sweater stepped forward and scooped me into his arms, and delivered a New Year’s kiss to end all New Year’s kisses. I wrapped my arms around him, my eyes sliding shut, my lips parting for him. My God, this man could kiss! It was passionate, electric, and it made my heart race.

  He pulled back long enough to ask, “What’s your name?” before kissing me again.

  “Christopher,” I whispered against his lips. “What’s yours?”

  “Kieran.” He pushed me against the wall and ran a series of kisses along my jaw, and licked my earlobe before saying, “I was worried that I’d only dreamt meeting you under the mistletoe, that you weren’t real.” His hands slid under my tuxedo jacket and he untucked my shirt, his big hands finding bare skin as he clutched me to him.

  “You were really drunk.”

  “I know.”

  I slid my tongue into his mouth, and he sucked it gently before whispering, “Just in case you weren’t a dream and I ran into you again, I made sure I was ready.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He grinned at me, his beautiful blue eyes sparkling, and fished in his jacket pocket. Then he held up a little brown sprig of something. “I’ve been carrying this around every day since Christmas Eve.”

  I laughed and asked, “Is that mistletoe?”

  He dropped the crispy leaves back into his pocket and ran his fingers into my hair. “Yup.” He kissed me once more, then rested his forehead against mine.

  “I think mistletoe’s magical properties expire after Christmas.”

  “I was hoping if I saw you again, you’d grant the mistletoe an extension. But as it turns out, I found you right in time for the biggest kissing excuse of the holiday season. Happy New Year, by the way.” He smiled brightly, bringing out a lone dimple in his left cheek.

  “To you, too. Why do you need an excuse to kiss me?”

  “Because most people aren’t ok with a total stranger doing this to them.” His mouth found mine yet again, and it was a couple minutes before we said anything else.

  “I guess it all depends on the stranger.” I ran my hands up his broad back and held him to me, kissing him for another long, wonderful moment. But eventually, I made myself let go of him and murmured, “I really need to get back out there,” inclining my head toward the celebration going on outside the door.

  He took a step back from me, then ran his fingers through his short, light brown hair as he said with an embarrassed grin, “I know. Sorry that I’m making you neglect your duties as best man.” I tucked my shirt back in and straightened my jacket, then leaned against the wall behind me. After a few moments he asked, “So, aren’t you going back out there?”

  I grinned at him. “In a minute. What about you?” All that kissing had been more than a little stimulating.

  “I need a minute, too.” He smiled and leaned against the opposite wall, tilting his head slightly and watching me. Then he said impulsively, “Go home with me tonight Christopher, after the reception.”

  “Absolutely.” There was no debate. I wanted this man, plain and simple. Finally, I pushed off the wall and said, “Ok, I’m going back out there. You coming?”

  He winked at me. “Not quite yet. Another minute or two and I should be ready for polite company.”

  Once I rejoined the reception I focused on Charlie and Dante, and was of course at Nana’s constant beck and call. But several times, Kieran and I caught each other’s eye in the crowd, exchanging smiles of happy anticipation. I asked Charlie at one point, “Do you know that guy?” indicating Kieran across the room, talking to Jamie.

  “Sure, that’s Kieran Nolan, Jamie’s cousin,” Charlie replied. “He’s a great guy, I’ve known him since high school. I was so glad that we reconnected at the Christmas party.” One of the guests came up to Charlie then, and as he turned to speak with her I watched Kieran closely.

  He was now getting
dragged out onto the dance floor by twin girls of around ten or eleven in matching powder blue dresses, a couple of Dante’s second cousins. As the girls yelled something to the DJ, Kieran caught my eye and grinned, looking a little embarrassed. He then proceeded to dance the hokey pokey with the girls as they giggled and squealed with delight, his moves comically exaggerated, and I burst out laughing. The ‘shake it all about’ in particular almost brought me to my knees, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes as the crowd that had formed around the trio cheered and applauded. When the music ended, he bowed formally to each girl, and then smiled and tipped an imaginary hat to me, blushing a lovely shade of pink. Oh yeah, I liked this guy.

  Later on when he brushed past me, he whispered in my ear, “Admit it. You can’t wait to take me home after witnessing my mad hokey pokey skills.” I beamed at him as he smiled and winked, continuing on to the buffet.

  The reception flew by and before I knew it, Dante and Charlie were headed to the limo, off to spend their wedding night in a posh hotel before heading to the airport to begin their three week honeymoon in the South Pacific. Out on the sidewalk, Charlie pulled me into a hug and said, “I can never thank you enough for all you did. Everything was so beautiful. I still can’t believe you even made it snow!”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad Mrs. Dombruso let me help.”

  “You did more than help, you made it magical. I love you, Christopher.” He kissed my cheek.

  “I love you too.” And I was not going to start crying.

  When he let go of me, Jamie came up to us and grabbed my friend in a hug. “I wish you all the happiness in the world, Charlie.”

  “Thanks, Jamie. Same to you, by the way. I wasn’t at a place where I could say that when you got married, but I really wish you and Dmitri all the best.” Jamie had gotten married just a few months before, shortly after he and Charlie broke up. It had taken Charlie a while to get over Jamie, but ultimately things had worked out perfectly for both of them.

  “Thank you, Charlie.” They held on to each other a moment longer, and then Jamie kissed Charlie lightly on the lips before stepping back from him. He kept his tone upbeat when he said, “See you in a few weeks. Have a great time on your honeymoon.”

  There was something in each man’s eyes, an unspoken goodbye to the past they’d shared. Charlie and Jamie’s story was one of love and loss, heartbreak and healing. Ultimately, it was a story with a happy ending for both of them, each finding the love of their lives. But their happy endings had come at the price of the destruction of something beautiful between the two of them. Even knowing everything had worked out just as it should, I couldn’t help but feel a little melancholy as I witnessed their very last act of letting go.

  Dante came up behind his new husband and rested his hands on his waist, and Charlie turned and took Dante in his arms and kissed him deeply. They finally waved to the assembled crowd and got in the limo, to a chorus of goodbyes and congratulations. After they drove off and most of the crowd dispersed, I stood alone on the sidewalk for a few moments. The night was damp and cold, and I tilted my face up to the fine mist hanging in the air and shut my eyes. It’s not goodbye, I told myself. I’d been so lonely before I met Charlie, but it wouldn’t go back to being like that. In addition to becoming my best friend, he’d also brought a lot of people into my life.

  Mrs. Dombruso was one of those people. I went back inside to see if she needed help with clean-up, and found her doing the tango with her date on the empty dance floor. I grinned at that, and then my grin widened at a gentle touch on my shoulder. “I can’t wait to have you all to myself,” Kieran whispered in my ear. He was so warm and solid when I leaned back against him, and I closed my eyes again and just enjoyed the feeling of him for a few moments as he slid an arm around my waist.

  When the music ended and the DJ began to pack up his stuff, Mrs. Dombruso and her companion came up to us. “Christopher Robin, you were an angel throughout all of this,” she said. “And I’m glad to see you’re rewarding yourself for a job well done.” She gave me an exaggerated wink, then leaned in and slapped Kieran’s ass. He let out a surprised bark of laughter as the color rose in his cheeks.

  “Do you need help with anything before I go, Nana?”

  “Nope. Your hottie just helped me by bringing all the chairs downstairs so they can go back to the rental company,” she said, beaming at Kieran. “I also got my grandson Vincent around here somewhere, and a whole crew coming in tomorrow to clean up. Ah, there he is now.” Vincent had just come into the room, his jacket off and his sleeves rolled back, and began gathering up glasses. He looked a lot like his big brother Dante, with the same thick, dark hair and muscular build. There was a solemnness to him though that set him apart, his brown eyes behind their wire-framed glasses lacking that spark that his older brother had. He was a man that seemed to carry a burden, and I often wondered what that was whenever I saw him at family functions.

  I turned my focus away from Vincent and said, “Well, ok, if you’re sure.”

  “You go have fun, boys,” Nana said.

  “It was a wonderful wedding, ma’am,” Kieran said politely, shaking her hand. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

  She beamed at him and said, “A boy with manners. Now isn’t that sweet?” And then she added, “You treat my Christopher Robin right now, you hear? Because if you don’t, I’m gonna track you down and kick your ass.”

  Kieran fought back a smile and said, “I will ma’am, I promise.”

  “Bye Nana, I’ll talk to you soon.” After I hugged her, Kieran and I left, hand in hand.

  “You ok to drive?” I asked when we got to the valet.

  “I only had one glass of champagne. I want to remember every moment of tonight,” he told me. That should have sounded like a line, but he said it sincerely.

  The valet brought around a rusty light blue Ford Mustang from probably the late 1960s, and as Kieran held the door open for me, he said, “Christopher, meet Sally.”

  “Mustang Sally? Cute,” I said as I slipped into the passenger seat.

  When he got behind the wheel he told me, “My Sally girl’s a work in progress, I just bought her a few months ago. She belonged to the grandfather of a friend of mine and was rusting away in a backyard in Burlingame. He didn’t see her potential, he just thought she was a broken down piece of junk. I’ve managed to get her purring like a kitten, but outside she still needs some TLC.” The engine had sounded more like a tiger than a kitten when the valet brought it around. Kieran obviously knew what he was doing.

  He ran his thumb along the steering wheel, looking a bit nervous, and ventured, “So, I have an indecent proposal for you.”

  “More indecent than asking me to come home with you tonight?” I said with a grin.

  He nodded. “Do you have plans this weekend?”

  “No.”

  He met my gaze. “Me neither. So how about a little road trip? My house is far from romantic. But my family has a great little cabin up at Lake Tahoe, and the thought of being naked in front of a big fireplace with you for the next forty-eight hours is the best thing I could possibly imagine.”

  “But you don’t know me at all. What if you decide you can’t stand me after a couple hours? Then what?”

  Kieran smiled at me. “First of all, that’s not going to happen. But even if it did,” he joked, “then we could just stop talking to each other and make out for two solid days. I already know we’re wildly compatible in that area.”

  “It’s kind of a crazy idea, going away with a stranger.”

  “I don’t have a problem with crazy.”

  I watched him closely as I chewed my lower lip. He seemed so safe, so inherently kind and decent. But the idea of going away for a whole weekend with a virtual stranger was at the edge of my comfort zone, my past experiences and my trust issues looming large. “I’m not sure if I can do this,” I said quietly.

  “It’s your call. No pressure. We can always stick with Plan A if you
don’t want to go away with me, and get a hotel room or go to your place or something. Well, unless it’s me you’re having second thoughts about.” He looked so uncertain, an unexpected vulnerability creeping in and making him seem very young all of a sudden.

  I stared into his eyes for a long moment. And somehow I knew, just absolutely knew for a fact, that this man would never hurt me. I felt it right down to my core. From everything I’d seen of him, and the way Charlie had vouched for him, and my gut reaction right now, I knew this would be ok.

  I leaned in and kissed him gently, then said, “I’ll need to run by my apartment and grab a few things.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “Yes.”

  He looked so happy, his smile lighting up his whole face. “Awesome. This is going to be great.”

  Kieran dropped me off at my apartment with a promise to return in twenty minutes with his own packed bag. I watched him pull away, then hurried upstairs, full of nervous excitement.

  Once inside, I grabbed my backpack. It was light blue and fairly beat up, and at some point I’d sketched an elaborate, stylized sunburst onto the front of it with a Sharpie. It looked like a sixth grader’s school bag, but it would have to do.

  Into the bottom of the bag went every pack I had of the only thing I ate (I wasn’t looking forward to explaining that one to Kieran) and a few bottles of water. Some clothes and toiletries were next, and I stuffed the front pocket of the pack with lube and an obscene quantity of condoms. Well hell, judging by how hot it was to kiss this guy, I had a feeling we were going to need them.

  Nineteen minutes after he left, Kieran pulled up in front of my building. I’d already been out on the curb waiting for him for a few minutes, fidgeting nervously with the hem of the sweatshirt I’d changed into. He jumped out of the car and opened my door for me, but I hesitated and said, “Are you sure about this? You really don’t know anything about me.” I’d been thinking about that while I packed – there was a lot he didn’t know.

  “You don’t know anything about me either. Which is kind of great, when you think about it. We have no expectations to live up to, we both get a clean slate. In fact,” he said with a grin, “I think we should keep it that way and make this weekend all about living in the moment. Let’s skip the painful backstories and leave our baggage here in San Francisco. Let’s just concentrate on relaxing and enjoying each other.”