by Peter Styles
She wiggled out of my arms. “Yeah, Dad. I know. I just mean—it doesn’t matter. I didn’t care what Kirk and his mom said about you and Mr. Waite dating or whatever. I cared that they were saying you had cheated on Mom. That you were bad people. But you’re not.”
“Well, thank you for that little ego boost,” I chuckled. “I’ve been wondering lately.”
She gave me a half grin before her expression sobered once more. “If you don’t want to be alone, that doesn’t make you bad. I’m twelve. I know people need someone to be with. I’m just a little surprised you haven’t figured that out.”
Okay, so my status as super dad had once again been knocked down to dumb dad. However, I had to laugh. “You are absolutely right, Tempy, and exceptionally smart and perceptive… just like your mother.”
Her smile made it plain how much the comparison to her mom meant to her. I looked down at the picture of the two of us again.
“You were only a few weeks old in this, I think. Every day, about the same time, you would fuss, want to be fed, then get a little sleepy. I would lie down and wait for you to fall asleep. Sometimes I fell asleep before you did, but most of the time I would lie there for hours with you, even if I had to pee or got thirsty or hungry because I knew that I would never get these moments back. There wouldn’t be that many of them, and I planned to save up every single one of them that I could.”
“Mr. Waite said he took this picture.”
I nodded. “Yeah. He took a lot of them, actually.”
“I bet he still has all of them.”
“You’re probably right that he does,” I said, stroking the picture with my thumb. “Vance’s family wasn’t all that close. He used to tell me how important it was to cherish the time you had with your family.” I looked up at her. “Are you really okay with the whole idea of Vance and me? I mean, he is your teacher, after all.”
She tilted her head to one side. “Well…even though I don’t think it’s going to get me a better grade, I guess it’s all right. I’m not going to live at home forever. Eventually, I’ll probably have a boyfriend, and something tells me that will go a whole lot easier if you’re not hovering over me all the time.”
I laughed and mussed her hair. “Uh huh. So it’s all just long-term planning, hm? Clever brat.” Of course, it could be worse. I didn’t tell her that. Vance was likely to already know any boy around town that would want to date her. Between the two of us, her prospective boyfriends would have a tough time. “So… do you want to help me get Vance back? I have the feeling I have a whole lot of making up to do. He finally got mad enough at me that he kicked me out.”
Tempy’s eyes went wide before a slow smile spread across her face. “I think I know just the thing, Dad.”
19
Vance
The takeout from the bistro that had seemed such a fantastic option on my way home from school now sat nearly untouched on the counter. No doubt Upton would have devoured it, but I could have saved my money for all the interest I had in food lately.
I started to close my eyes. So not a good idea. Every time I did that, I saw Wyatt, eyes full of tears, and heard myself telling him to leave. Guaranteed to tie my stomach in knots and take my breath away.
I turned away from the food, digging in my backpack for the folder of quizzes I had brought home with me to finish grading. Concentrating on checking all the work required my full attention, so when I heard voices outside, I tried to ignore them. But I had lived in my quiet little apartment complex long enough to recognize things that didn’t fit the normal pattern of life.
It was a man’s voice. Was I imagining things, or was the voice also familiar? After setting the stack of quizzes to the side on the couch, I straightened and padded over to the door in my bare feet.
It felt just a little creepy sneaking over to stand there and listen. Someone was definitely talking. I opened the door. To my utter confusion, Wyatt and Tempy were both out front, a water hose connected to the spigot beside my patio and a boom box perched on Wyatt’s hip. I had instant visions of John Cusack… a boom box.
Did they even make those anymore?
“Wyatt?” I asked slowly. “What’s going on?”
Tempy stepped in between us and waved her hands at me. “Go back inside,” she ordered, giggling just a bit. “We’re not ready for you yet.”
The mischief in her expression was infectious, and I found myself laughing too, even if I was massively confused about what they were doing out in front of my place in the gathering darkness. But I did as I was asked. A moment after I shut the door, I heard a song. Definitely not the Peter Gabriel tune I was expecting with the whole boom box thing. Was that…Metallica?
Tempy knocked on the window, so I opened it. She rolled her eyes. “Sorry about the music. It was the only CD my dad still had. Just try to imagine it being a more romantic song.”
Romantic? My heart began to thud. What was going on? I didn’t even want to speculate. After so many disappointments, I refused to let my stupid heart begin to hope.
Tempy spun on her heel. “Okay, Dad… say it!”
Even in the somewhat uncertain light I could see Wyatt was embarrassed. Lights next door and across the narrow parking lot were going on, but Wyatt ignored his increasing audience.
“You walked into my life…” I could barely hear him over the heavy metal pounding from the boom box. With a look of exasperation, he set it down on the sidewalk and took a few steps closer, raising his voice so I could hear him. “I wasn’t ready for you twelve years ago, Vance. Certainly didn’t deserve or appreciate you. I was stupid enough to walk away from the best thing that had ever happened to me,” he glanced at Tempy, “next to being a dad, of course.”
It was right about that time that Tempy finally got the hose going, landing a spray of cold water on Wyatt that made him jump. I couldn’t help laughing as it suddenly dawned on me what they were trying to do. This was supposed to be rain. The rain…the boom box… I had to swallow the lump in my throat.
But I couldn’t get too caught up in the moment. Wyatt was talking and coming closer.
“What you made me feel scared me. How happy I was when I was with you made me feel guilty. I had just lost Elaine. How could you, hardly more than a boy, make me feel whole again?”
Wyatt stopped about three feet away. “I don’t know that I can ever let go of Elaine entirely, but I’ve discovered something since I first saw you again at the school—I don’t have to forget Elaine in order to be with you. I have room enough in my heart for both of you.”
As I stared at him, he swiped at the water running down his face. I wasn’t totally sure it was entirely from Tempy dousing him with the hose. He took another step closer, the uncertainty on his lean face almost more than I could bear. Wyatt swiped a hand over his mouth and chin. “I love you, Vance. I don’t want to hurt anymore. I don’t want to do this alone.”
Oh my god. Screw the window. I yanked open the door and stepped out onto the porch. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Space in your heart and a chance to help you drown out some of the hurt.”
I wanted to reach for him. My heart was crying out for me to do just that, but I jammed my fists in my pants pockets. “I can’t be your secret.”
Wyatt laughed, looking more carefree than I had ever seen him. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem anymore, but just in case…” he marched back out to the end of the sidewalk and faced all the apartments in my building. Raising his arms, he shouted, “I’m in love with Vance Waite, and I am not ashamed of it.”
Tempy joined in with a chant of “We love Vance!”
I watched them both for another second, my heart so full I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What I did instead was jog down the sidewalk and join them.
“I love Wyatt and Tempy!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.
There was no doubt about it now. About half the neighbors were staring out their windows or doors, laughing or shaking their heads, or scowling a
t the noise this time of night. Wyatt yanked me into his arms and covered my mouth in a kiss that I was sure made steam rise from both of us. I pressed my hand against his muscular chest, feeling the heavy, frantic beat of his heart. Wyatt pulled back just a bit to whisper against my lips, “I love you so damn much, Vance. We are totally playing Metallica at the wedding.”
Epilogue
Wyatt
The wedding day was finally here—not mine, at least not yet—this was Grayson and Dylan’s big day, and the MacNamara estate was decked out in its Texas finest. The bright blue autumn sky and a canopy of brightly colored foliage had created the perfect backdrop for the classic Texas barbecue that Worthington’s Downtown Diner would be serving up right after the ceremony was over.
I turned a lot of the day-of duties over to Todd and my most experienced crew. Grayson had asked me to be in the wedding party, so I couldn’t very well show up in an apron smelling like the barbecue pit.
Seemed like a lot of us had ended up getting wrangled into taking part in this fancy ceremony. Whatever. It was a great excuse for a party.
I glanced over to where Tempy was huddled up with Vance. Ever since that night at his place, she had latched onto him as firmly as she’d ever been attached to me. Was it possible that somewhere in the recesses of her brain she remembered how carefully and lovingly he’d cared for her when she was first born?
Just watching the two of them made me choke up. Sure, I could blame it on the festivities. Seeing Grayson and Dylan get married was going to be pretty emotional, but the truth was I had to pinch myself every time I gazed at my new family. Then I wanted to kick my own ass for ghosting on Vance all those years ago. I was an idiot.
But I was going to make up for it today.
As I glanced around, it seemed that about half of Worthington was on hand. Certainly Grayson and Dylan had ordered enough food for half the town.
“You look so handsome, Dad,” Tempy said, standing on tiptoe to kiss my cheek.
That was another big change since Vance and I had gotten together. Bitchy Tempy had all but disappeared in a puff of smoke. I didn’t hold out hope that I had seen the last of her, but I figured I might be safe until she turned fifteen. I’d heard a rumor that was nearly as bad as the terrible twos.
“Thanks, baby. And you look so beautiful. So grown up. You’re sitting with Caleb and Ethan and their crew, right?”
She nodded. “It’s so cool that you and Vance are both in the wedding.”
The first strains of music began, my signal to get my ass over to where Grayson was standing beneath the wide branches of a live oak tree. The tree was one of two near the house and stood out now because it still retained the green of its waxy leaves while all the other trees were a riot of bright colors.
Everyone had gathered there. Most of the older guys were in Grayson’s party, while Dylan’s crew was younger. What I saw between the two groups was a whole lot of love. Landon and Nico. Parker and Noah. Vance’s friend Upton and Tristan. Oliver and Quinn. Then there were James and Sawyer. James stood to one side with a scowl on his face.
“I see you’re in a festive mood, James,” I murmured as I stepped up to his side.
“Bunch a bullshit, if you ask me. Don’t see why we can’t just go ahead and get to the eating and drinking.”
I laughed.
“Gentlemen!” Finn MacNamara was attempting to get everyone’s attention. “The minister is waiting!”
We managed to get everyone lined up and ready to go. Finn and Houston had staged everything so that Grayson didn’t have to walk too far. He’d wanted to get through the ceremony without having to use his cane. The fact he could was a real testament to how far Dylan had helped him progress from his war injury.
My stomach was rolling a little nervously as we paraded to our places in front of the other guests gathered on this warm fall afternoon. As I looked at our surroundings, someone had stacked pumpkins and straw bales to one side and used colorful arrangements of autumn foliage and sunflowers to make the whole area more festive. The florist had mixed mums and some of those waxy deep green oak leaves to create boutonnieres for everyone.
It was a great day for a wedding.
The music stopped and the guests hushed. A soft breeze rustled the leaves as the minister began speaking. Grayson and Dylan turned toward each other, framed along with the minister inside a rustic arch overgrown with ivy and interwoven with more sunflowers.
As Grayson finished reciting his vows, he added, “And I promise, Dylan, that I will stand by you always.”
Dylan’s fingers tightened on Grayson’s. “I will be the balm for every ounce of bitterness, and the healing for every hurt.”
As the minister began to speak again, Grayson held up his hand. “I believe there are two more people who would like to speak.”
The minister arched a brow and looked from left to right as Landon and Nico split off from the groomsmen and came forward. Grayson and Dylan moved to one side, Grayson surreptitiously taking the cane that I had strategically stashed next to a bale of straw.
“Nico and I want to get married too.” Landon made the pronouncement as though no other option was even remotely possible. Very few people would challenge him.
Nico grinned. “After tarnishing his virtue, I have to make an honest man of him.”
Landon blushed. But when it came to the promises they made to each other, it was all about honesty and practicality…even if Landon’s cheeks were still flushed.
I rolled my shoulders. It was about time to wrap things up and eat. I could almost taste the burnt ends and tender brisket with just the right amount of smoke.
Parker and Noah had just stood, though. Parker was signing as he spoke to the minister. “We’d like to join in. I have our license. That is if you don’t mind, reverend.”
The minister spread his hands only slightly wider than his smile. “Of course, gentlemen! The more the merrier, it seems.”
“The wedding party has turned into a party of weddings!” Finn laughed and clapped his hands together. “I can’t think of a better way to host the biggest event yet at our estate.”
Laughter from the guests soon turned to amazement. The insanity was spreading. After Parker and Noah promised with words and gestures to love and honor each other, Upton and Tristan came forward. As usual, Upton’s tendency to upsize his vocabulary left a few of the spectators scratching their heads. While they might not have understood every word, they did get the gist. Their sons were laughing together, obviously not at all surprised by the turn of events.
By this time, I was trying to figure out who would be next. Finn, maybe? No, it was Oliver and Quinn who were next in line. Oliver took Quinn’s large hands in his. The younger man blushed slightly as he gazed into Oliver’s dark eyes.
“Every sunrise and sunset,” Oliver murmured, “I think of you and cherish the freedom I have found only with you. You will always be the only man for me.”
Quinn looked a bit like a deer in headlights until Nico gave him a not-too-subtle nudge.
“Me too,” Quinn managed to choke out. “I mean, I love you…and I always will.”
“Well, hell, reverend,” James said as he and Sawyer stepped up. “If everyone else is gettin’ married, we might as well too.”
I had to close my eyes and shake my head as James turned to one side and spit. I glanced at Vance and saw him trying to smother a laugh. Ever-practical James would never let a little thing like a minister and a wedding prevent him from saying and doing exactly what was on his mind.
“So, you two would like to say your vows, too?” the minister asked just a bit tentatively.
Sawyer nodded. James turned to him. “You already know every promise I’ve made to you, and I’m going to keep every single one of ‘em until the day I die.”
I heard a snort of laughter from where the guests were sitting, but my eyes were still on Vance, watching his reactions to this outbreak of wedding fever. His eyes were bright, his face flushe
d, and when he looked at me, the sparkle in his blue gaze burned even brighter.
Sawyer took James’s work-roughened hand in his, raised his gaze to the older cowboy and smiled. Not a lot of words spoken between these two, but I had the feeling they would fill in any blanks in private.
Just as I started to open my mouth, Finn’s sharp tones rang out. “Well, if everyone else is getting married, I don’t see why we should be left out. It’s our place, after all.”
He was dragging Houston, who looked slightly embarrassed but certainly not unwilling with him.
As the minister went through yet another abbreviated version of the wedding ceremony, I tugged Vance’s hand and whispered, “Come on, let’s do it.”
Vance’s eyes widened. “What? Get married?”
“Yeah.” I tugged him another step closer. “We can get the license tomorrow. We’ve already talked about it. Why not today? I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Vance. It’s been a long time coming, and I know that was my fault, but now we’re together… let’s do it.”
Vance, always so smooth, so ready to do things off the cuff, looked flustered. “I don’t have any vows or anything. I’m not prepared for this, Wyatt.”
I laughed. I must have been catching the fever infecting everyone else. “No one’s ever ready to get married. Come on.”
Vance swallowed. “Fuck,” he breathed, but his smile widened and his eyes misted over. “Okay. Yes, of course. I’ll marry you, Wyatt Worth.”
I waved to Tempy for her to join us. If we were going to get married, we could at least have our best girl with us. With her standing next to us, I twined my fingers with Vance’s and turned to the minister, my heart pounding.
“We’re ready.”
The minister began, still smiling, very amused, but also very ready to get off his feet from the way he shifted a bit on them. “We’re gathered here today to witness the joining of these two lives, also…”