Nobody's Prince Charming

by Walker, Aimee Nicole

  “You’re not pressuring me,” Wren assured me. “I just don’t want to add stress for anyone by being here.”

  “You’re not,” I assured him.

  “I told Jimmy and Danny that we were going away for the weekend, so they weren’t planning on coming over anyway.”

  “Okay, but if you—” Wren silenced me with a tender kiss.

  “I’m right where I want to be…with you.”

  “Okay.” I returned my head back to his chest, and Wren wrapped his arm tighter around me like he was trying to shield me.

  My parents and sister returned fifteen or twenty minutes later. No one was in much of a chatty mood, not even Kristy. I suspected that my parents had a harsh word with her about bugging Wren when they were gone. Time seemed to crawl by and it was almost dinnertime before a nurse told us that Grandpa had been moved to his room.

  I wanted to rush into his room to assure myself that he was okay, but I also wanted to hide in the hallway. I didn’t want to see him hooked up to tubes and looking weak, but I knew he would want to see me. I pushed my fear aside and pasted a smile on my lips before I opened his door.

  Grandpa’s eyelashes fluttered but didn’t fully open. He had an IV in his arm and a thin breathing tube looped around his ears and secured beneath his nose. Grandpa looked pretty good all things considered.

  “He’s on some pretty strong pain medicine right now, so he’ll be a little groggy,” his nurse said. “He might seem confused but try not to be alarmed. He’ll become more alert once we start dialing back his pain meds. His vitals look really good though.”

  “That’s good to hear,” I told the nurse. “Thank you.”

  “Is that my Dare?” Grandpa asked weakly from the bed. He sounded higher than a kite.

  “I’m here, Grandpa.” I went around to the side of the bed and covered his hand. Don’t cry and upset him. Don’t cry and upset him.

  “Dare, I saw your grandmother.” His eyelashes fluttered more, but his bright blue eyes remained hidden.

  I looked up at the nurse and she mouthed, “Anesthesia.”

  “Like in a dream?” I asked him.

  “Yes,” he replied sleepily. “She looked like an angel.”

  “That’s good, Grandpa.”

  “Everything is going to be okay, Dare. She said so.”

  I rubbed his hand gently. “Okay, Grandpa.”

  “Be sure to take care of the house for me, will you?” His voice trailed off until it was nothing more than a whisper. I would’ve panicked if his chest hadn’t been moving up and down at a steady rhythm.

  “I will, Grandpa,” I promised even though he didn’t hear me. I kissed his forehead. “I’ll be back later to see you.”

  Mom, Dad, and Kristy took turns kissing his forehead too. Then Wren approached the bed and gently patted his hand.

  “Get plenty of rest, Ralph. I’ll be back to play rummy and you’ll need your energy to cheat,” Wren said. My dad snickered because we all knew it was true. We just let Grandpa get away with it.

  “I know it’s difficult, but I’m going to recommend that you all go home and get some rest,” the nurse said. “We’ll call you if there are any changes in his condition. He’s heavily sedated and will sleep throughout the night. Tomorrow morning is when he can use some smiling faces.”

  “I’ll be here,” I told her.

  I didn’t say anything on the ride home until we pulled into the driveway. I sat staring at the house for several seconds after Wren shut off the engine.

  “I don’t think I’m ready to go in there without him.”

  “Then don’t,” Wren said softly. “Come home with me.”

  There’s a saying that home is where your heart is. My heart was conflicted between two places and two people. One represented the foundation that molded me into the man I became, and the other was the one I wanted to build my future on. That night, I chose my future when I accepted Wren’s offered hand and followed him up to his apartment.

  I had returned to the pre-Dare, dark and dismal place when he had first taken the call from his dad that Ralph had fallen and broken his hip. I knew that, once again, I was the reason for someone else’s misery. I was the reason my mom was rejected by her family and a living reminder of the man she lost. I was the reason a young guy nearly lost his family when I couldn’t keep my hormones under control as a teenager. I was the one who took Dare away for a weekend getaway and upset the balance in Ralph’s life. Maybe if Dare had been there on Sunday morning, he wouldn’t have fallen and broken his hip. Dare was convinced that Ralph would die if he was forced to live in a nursing home for an extended period, and I didn’t want to think about Dare’s devastation if his grandpa died.

  Would he blame me? Would he see me as the person who caused the biggest heartache he’s ever known instead of the one to give him the greatest pleasure? The thought of Dare turning away from me in disgust stole my breath and nearly induced panic on our drive to the hospital. It was selfish of me, I admit, but all I could think about was losing Dare and the sparkle and joy he brought into my life. Against all odds, and my better judgment, I had lowered the drawbridge and let Dare into my soul. I teased that he stormed the castle and took me by force, but that wasn’t true. I wanted him—needed him—in my life. I craved his vibrancy and adoration as strongly as anyone would desire a substance or habit.

  I felt myself pulling away from Dare with every mile that brought us closer to the hospital. I tried to maintain that distance even when Brian explained the procedure and the doctor gave a good prognosis, but then Dare leaned into me in the waiting room seeking comfort from me, and I knew that my resistance was futile. I would be his until he told me otherwise. Pulling away to protect myself was an act of selfishness when the person I loved most in the world needed me. I would do, and be, anything Dare needed for as long as he wanted me in his life. Wasn’t that the best anyone could do and hope for in return? There were no damn guarantees in life beyond I would be miserable if I didn’t give everything I had, physically and emotionally, to Dare.

  I felt the tension fade inside me when I came to that realization and put all my energy in to supporting Dare instead of resisting him. Seeing Ralph in that hospital bed was a hard blow. I knew he was nearing ninety years old, but he had seemed so full of life during the many conversations we had. I’d come to love the man like I would a grandfather and it was just fucking painful to see him doped up and confused. I could see how hard Dare fought not to cry in front of him because Dare always put the needs of the people he loved first. Ralph and Dare’s bond was a beautiful thing.

  When we arrived back home, I saw Dare struggle with the idea of going into his house knowing that Ralph wouldn’t be there. I had planned to spend the night with him regardless of which bed he slept in, but I loved the idea of having him in mine all night long. It was big and spacious and… Down, boy! Not the time.

  Dare wasn’t really in the mood for talking or eating, but he did eat a little bit of the soup I warmed up for us and nibbled the crusty edges of his grilled cheese sandwich.

  “I admit that I don’t like Andy sniffing around you, but he sure does excellent work,” I said, looking around the remodeled kitchen. The only things left to do were paint and put on the finishing touches.

  The first thing the carpenter did was make sure I had a temporary kitchen set up while the cabinets and countertops were installed. Of course, I made sure Andy knew that I shared my meals with Dare and Ralph. I didn’t let Dare cook for us every night either. I treated the guys to diner cuisine or pizza a few nights a week. I even surprised them with a chicken and stuffing casserole I had learned from watching my mom. It was her favorite meal and the McCoy fellas enjoyed it a lot. It felt good making people happy with my mom’s recipe.

  Dare had looked up from his soup and smiled for the first time since answering the phone call from his dad. Then he shook his head like it was the most ridiculous thing that Andy could find him attractive. “I love you, Wren.”
/>   “I love you too, Sparkles.” Which was why I was keeping my eye on that wily carpenter. Dare had told me a dozen times that Andy was hung up on Milo, the guy who owned the bookstore and coffee shop with his sister. I wasn’t taking any chances.

  That night in bed, I held Dare as tight as he wanted while doing my best to ignore my body’s urges. The man I loved was naked and pressed against my side, so it was only natural that my dick would be on high alert. Dare had felt my body tense when he lay his hand on my stomach and knew the cause. His body reacted to my arousal, but I was more than willing to grit my teeth and ignore it.

  “Why are we pretending we’re not horny?” Dare whispered in the dark, pressing his cock against my outer thigh. “I could come from just this.”

  “I’m trying to be sensitive and caring,” I replied through gritted teeth. “You’re not just someone I fuck.”

  Dare threw back the covers and straddled my hips. “You know what makes someone feel special and loved?” Before I could answer him, he said, “An orgasm.” Dare made quick work of preparing my cock and stretching his hole before he rode me until we both came hard enough to see stars, but even those didn’t shine as bright as him.

  The next morning, we went to see Ralph as soon as visiting hours began. He wasn’t exactly sitting up and chatting easily like he normally did, but his blue eyes were open, and they lit up when Dare walked into the room.

  “There’s my boy,” Ralph said, sounding weaker than I liked. “Tell me about your weekend.”

  Dare looked like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He stood taller and walked confidently to the bed where minutes before he slouched slightly and his steps were more hesitant.

  “We had a great night, Grandpa,” Dare said, holding Ralph’s hand between his.

  “Hi, Wren. It’s good to see you,” he said when I joined Dare beside his bed. His other hand shook when he extended it to me.

  I clasped it in both of my hands too and smiled warmly at him. “Can we get you anything, Ralph?”

  “I think it’s time you call me Grandpa,” Ralph said. “You come to mind every time I think of Dare now. I used to wonder what Dare was up to and now its Dare and Wren. You know what that means, don’t you?”

  “That you’re still high on pain meds,” Dare teased.

  “Yes, but I’m still of sound mind,” he whispered. “I remember the days when I went from Ralph to Ralph and Norma Mae. It wasn’t long after that before we became Mr. and Mrs. McCoy.” His eyes took on a faraway look as he smiled happily.

  “Neither of us will ever be a Mrs.,” Dare teased.

  Ralph cackled softly. “I know that, silly. I’m just really happy that you’ve found that special someone. I’d always hoped to live long enough to see you settled.”

  “You will, Grandpa,” Dare said. “This is just a bump in the road.”

  “You’ll be back to beating us at rummy in no time, Grandpa,” I told him. He smiled when I didn’t call him by his first name.

  “I was thinking about starting poker nights,” Ralph said. “Then I fell.” Ralph narrowed his eyes at Dare and added, “Don’t you be mad at your father. This wasn’t his fault.”

  “It’s no one’s fault,” Dare said. “I just want you to get better, so we can take you home.”

  Ralph smiled sadly at Dare. “I think we both know that won’t happen, Dare.”

  “I know nothing of the sort,” Dare said boldly. “You’ll have to go to the rehabilitation unit at the nursing home, but you can come back home once you’re mobile again.”

  “Dare, it’s not fair for you to spend all of your time taking care of me. That should never have been your role in my life. I was selfish and silly.”

  “No, Grandpa. I wanted to move in and help you.”

  “I should never have let you though,” Ralph countered. “Let me get this out before the next dose of pain medication knocks me out, okay?” Dare nodded. “My Norma Mae came to me in my dream while I was having surgery. She assured me that I was going to be all right and that it still wasn’t my time. The love of my life told me I needed to be a little bit more patient and a whole lot less selfish.”

  “You’re not selfish,” Dare said, sounding panicked.

  “Allowing my grandson to move in with me and assume responsibility for my care at twenty-four years old is the definition of selfish. Don’t you argue with me.” Ralph’s voice got louder with agitation. “This is how it’s going to be, Dare. I’m moving to that nursing home and I will stay there until the good Lord calls me home and reunites me with the love of my life.”

  “But…”

  “I’m not going to go in there moping and pouting like Norma Mae said I would either. I’m going to make the best of it and maybe make some new friends my own age,” Ralph said proudly. “I only want you to do one thing for me, Dare.”

  “What’s that, Grandpa?”

  “I want you to bring me the box of letters from my closet. They’re the letters that your grandmother and I exchanged during the Korean War. They are my most precious treasure and define what home means to me.”

  “I can do that,” Dare agreed eagerly.

  “But not until I get settled at the nursing home,” Ralph clarified. “I shouldn’t be here much longer. They can give this bed to someone who will need it.”

  “That’s the spirit,” I told Ralph.

  “The house is your home, Dare. I want you to feel free to do whatever you want with it. Remodel it to make it feel like your home, or you can even sell it if you want.”

  “Are your pain meds kicking in?” Dare teased.

  “No, smartass,” Ralph said with an ornery gleam in his eyes. “I legally signed the house over to you through my attorney on your eighteenth birthday so that I wouldn’t be forced to sell it in this situation. The look back period is five years and you’ve owned it for seven. It’s your home and the vultures can’t take it from you.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “It wasn’t relevant until now,” Ralph said practically. “I’m saving your grandmother’s jewelry for Kristy. I know that’s what Norma Mae would’ve wanted.”

  “Kristy will cherish it, Grandpa.”

  “I was going to wait until I died, but I’d like to see Kristy’s reaction and maybe see her wear a few pieces.” Ralph thought about it. “I’ll wait just a little bit or your dad will think I’m preparing to die. I think there’s a lot of life left in me still.”

  “I know there is,” Dare told him. “You look like you’re getting sleepy. Wren and I will step out for a while, but we’ll be back. Ask one of the nurses to call me if there’s anything you need in the meantime. Dad, Mom, and Kristy will be by a little later in the day. Dad said they were only working a half-day and bringing Kristy for a visit between school and ballet.”

  “I’ll be right here when you get back.” Ralph’s eyelids fluttered a few times then remained closed.

  Once we were back in my truck, Dare said, “I hate to leave him, but I need to get a lot of things done that I would’ve normally done yesterday. Do you mind if we stop at the grocery store on the way home? I can make it a quick trip now and get the rest of the things I need for the week later.”

  “Dare, can I share a secret with you?” I asked. “It’s something I’ve never told anyone before, but I think I can trust you.” My voice sounded ominous and he looked nervous, but he nodded his head anyway. That, my friends, is love. “I like grocery shopping.”

  Dare gasped loudly, and his eyes bugged out of his head. “No! Who the hell likes to shop for groceries? And you of all people?”

  “Why shouldn’t me ‘of all people’ like grocery shopping?” I asked.

  “I mean, um, you just kind of look too…” His words trailed off as he tried to find an adjective that wouldn’t offend me.

  “Uncouth?”

  “No!” Dare exclaimed. “I wasn’t going to insult you, you big idiot.”

  “You mean like that?”

&n
bsp; “Well, I wasn’t going to insult you the first time,” he clarified. “You just look too cool or badass to do something as mundane as buy groceries.”

  “My mom hated grocery shopping,” I told Dare. “I tried to find ways to make it fun for her, and later, after she got sick, I took over the job. I got a lot of satisfaction from buying things that made her happy, especially if I found a coupon to save money.”

  “Coupons?” He sounded like I’d spoken a language he’d never heard.

  “Why wouldn’t I save fifty cents on something I planned to buy anyway?” I asked. “That’s the key to couponing. Only use ones for something you already planned to buy or save money on something you want to try. Otherwise, you’re spending money you didn’t plan to and buying things you don’t really want or need.”

  Dare had grown silent so I briefly took my eyes off the road to look at him. His mouth hung open in an adorable way. I could only think of a few times when he was speechless. Even when my dick was in his mouth, he made little humming noises that vibrated up my cock and zapped my balls.

  “What’s the matter with you?” I asked, refocusing my eyes on the road.

  “Are you one of those crazy coupon people? Do you go into the store and get three carts of groceries for eleven dollars and forty-nine cents?”

  “That’s a very specific number, Sparkles.”

  “It’s the first number that came to mind,” he said casually. “I need to know before this relationship goes any further, Wren. Will you someday back your truck into the driveway and unload enough toilet paper to wipe our asses for a hundred years.” He gasped dramatically again. “Are you a prepper too?”

  “Unless you’re talking about condoms and lube, the answer is no.”

  “To which part?”

  “I don’t do extreme couponing or have a doomsday plan. I do believe in having extra condoms and lube on hand. That’s as prepped as I get,” I told him.

  “I could bust your balls about the extra condoms and lube,” Dare told me.