The Harder They Fall

by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

“Oh thank God! I thought you weren’t happy.”

  “Are you crazy? We’re having a baby!” Jacob palmed her face.

  “So really — you’re okay with this?”

  Jacob got down on one knee. He pulled out a small box and opened it. Isabelle’s eyes went wide. “I love you, Isabelle Youngblood. Will you marry me?”

  “Are you asking because I’m pregnant?” Isabelle eyed him suspiciously.

  “Yes, I figured tonight you would tell me you were pregnant so I stopped at the ring store a month ago.”

  “What?” Isabelle’s mouth dropped open.

  “Yes, I’m sorry it took me so long to actually ask after buying it — but I want to marry you, like now!” Jacob smiled.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you, Jacob!”

  Jacob smiled. He slid the ring on her finger and picked her up. “I love you, Izz. Shit, should I be picking you up?” He put her down.

  “I’m fine, and by the way, we have phone calls to make.”

  Jacob laughed. “My mom is going to freak!”

  “Yeah? So are my dads.”

  ~*~

  Bethany showed up at Stefan and Jordan’s with Trent in tow. She plopped down on the couch and looked at them.

  “Any idea what’s going on?”

  “Nope, just got a call saying they were coming to visit.” Stefan shrugged. “Kind of spur of the moment for a 500-mile trip.”

  “Agreed. How’s Charlie, by the way? Last time I talked to her, they were celebrating her birthday.”

  “Steve wanted to take her to a baseball game; it was her first. I think she’s addicted now,” Jordan laughed. “She’s going to be an intern soon. She moved up rather quickly.”

  Trent smiled. “Well, hopefully her bedside manner is much better than yours.”

  “Pfft, as long as she’s a good doctor, bedside manner is a non-issue.”

  “Charlie will be good at both. She’s already caring, so being a neurosurgeon won’t change that too much,” Stefan laughed.

  They heard the door open and Isabelle and Jacob walked in, both carrying small suitcases. Isabelle put hers down and hugged her fathers. Bethany was attacking Jacob.

  “So what’s so important we had to take the day off?” Jordan smiled.

  “You’re going to need to take a few days off.” Jacob smiled. “Izzy and I are getting married.”

  “OH MY GOD!” Bethany screamed and clapped her hands. “My baby is getting married!” She hugged Jacob and Isabelle.

  Isabelle smiled. “Oh and by the way — you’re going to be grandparents.”

  Stefan and Jordan froze in place, shocked. Bethany’s shrill scream broke the silence.

  “A baby? You’re pregnant?” Bethany squealed.

  “I am! About sixteen weeks.” Isabelle smiled.

  “Oh, honey!” Bethany hugged her hard. “I’m so happy for you two!”

  “Dad, you okay?” Isabelle looked at Jordan; she could see the tears forming.

  “Just — shocked a little. It’s not every day you get marriage and baby all in the same time frame. Of course, your father and I are thrilled!”

  “Well, you have one week to get a wedding together. After that Jacob and I are off to Italy for six months.” Isabelle smiled.

  “Italy? Why?” Bethany looked at Jacob.

  “Just a last minute assignment, and then I’m out of the Army for good.”

  “Well, let’s get cracking then. We have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it.” Stefan smiled.

  ~*~

  The wedding took place at Skyline, a posh event hall. Isabelle was in the back room arranging her dress and veil.

  “Oh, honey, you look beautiful.” Bethany teared up.

  “Aunt Bethany, please don’t cry. Then I’ll cry.” Isabelle hugged her.

  “I knew you two would be together, I just knew. Even when you were babies, you were always together. And you can call me Mom, if you want.”

  Isabelle threw her arms around Bethany. “I always thought of you as my mother, Mom,” she whispered.

  The music began and Stefan and Jordan entered to get her. They looked at their daughter lovingly. Stefan took her hand.

  “You ready?” He brought her veil over her face.

  “Yes. I love you both so much. You’re wonderful parents; thank you for everything.”

  Jordan kissed her. “Just be happy,” he whispered.

  Stefan and Jordan walked her down the aisle and then took their places. The ceremony went off without a hitch.

  At the reception, Bethany stood up and clapped to get everyone’s attention.

  “I want to show you all a video I made when Jacob was a baby. It shows me that these two were meant to be together.” Bethany smiled.

  Everyone looked at the big screen expectantly. It was video of Jacob and Isabelle as babies. Jacob was trying to give her a bottle. Everyone was “awing” at Isabelle pulling Jacob’s hair. As the video progressed, they witnessed Jacob trying to teach Isabelle to walk and then holding her when she fell on her butt and cried; Isabelle and Jacob in their teens, their first kiss caught on video when they thought no one was looking.

  “Hey, that was a private moment, Mom!” Jacob called out.

  “Nothing’s private in this family.” Bethany grinned.

  The evening wound down and soon Jacob and Isabelle were leaving for the airport.

  “I’ll be back; I plan to have this baby here. Jacob will join me as soon as he can.” Isabelle kissed Stefan and Jordan.

  “Be careful, baby, and take good care of each other,” Stefan murmured as he kissed her cheek.

  Bethany was hugging Jacob. “You call me, okay? I want to know how Isabelle and my grandchild are doing. Oh, and you, of course.”

  Jacob rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, Mom, I will.” He and Isabelle said their goodbyes and left amid a shower of soap bubbles.

  Bethany, Stefan, Jordan and Trent relaxed around a table, suddenly tired after the adrenalin had faded. They talked about the kids, and what it the prospect of becoming grandparents meant.

  “Well I don’t feel old; I’m eternally young.” Jordan smiled.

  “Eternally a jackass, too,” Trent laughed.

  “Oh, how your attempt at wit amuses me.”

  They talked until Bethany yawned, then said goodnight and headed home.

  Stefan stripped down and got in bed; he could barely keep his eyes open. Jordan watched him as he rolled over and hugged a pillow. After all the years, Stefan looked just like he did at twenty-three. He was absolutely gorgeous.

  Jordan smiled and climbed into bed; he pulled Stefan into his chest and wrapped his arm around him. He heard Stefan’s comfortable sigh and smiled. He kissed the back of his husband’s neck and closed his own eyes.

  ~*~

  Tyler had been reading the same line repeatedly; he was so tired. The teacher looked like she was sleepwalking anyway. He felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned to find an attractive girl looking him over.

  “Yeah?” he whispered.

  “Hey, I’m Jessica. I just got back to school. You been here awhile?”

  “Yeah, I got here last year.”

  “You have a girlfriend?”

  “Nope, I have a boyfriend.” Tyler smiled. He loved doing that.

  “Oh for fuck’s sake, are all the hot ones gay?” Jessica sighed and sat back.

  “Sorry,” Tyler whispered, and shrugged.

  Class let out and Tyler ran straight into Damon in the hall. They hugged and Damon whispered in his ear.

  “Well hello, Damon.” Jessica was propped against the doorway, a hand on one curved hip.

  “Jess, I wish I could say it was good to see you.”

  “So I see you have yourself a boyfriend. I leave for a few months and the school goes to shit.”

  “Actually, it was a lot better with you gone. No one was drugged and sexually assaulted.” Damon raised an eyebrow.

  “Wow, very funny, Damon. You know your fathers got me six months of
probation?”

  “Yeah? Should have been longer. In fact, you should have been behind bars. Later.”

  As she watched Damon and Tyler leave hand in hand, her eyes narrowed. She felt someone come up behind her.

  “Jess, what are you thinking?” Heather knew that look never ended well for anyone.

  “I swear he’s going to pay.” Jess looked at Heather. “This time I won’t be so nice.”

  “Pay for what? What we did was wrong, Jess. They could have died. Just let it go.”

  “Oh, I’m not going to touch Damon Youngblood.” Her lips curled.

  “Jess…” Heather looked worried.

  “Let’s get to class.” Jess grabbed her hand.

  Heather watched Damon and Tyler during the next class. Damon whispered in Tyler’s ear, and he smiled. They were cute together; Heather had to give them that. Now she was worried about what Jess had planned.

  At lunch, Tanner was talking about going to the warehouse club that night. Mark was watching Heather and Jess over at another lunch table.

  “What do you think they’re talking about?” Mark narrowed his eyes at Jessica.

  “Who knows?” Damon snorted. “Hopefully not another attempt at having their way with me.”

  Heather caught Tanner’s eye, stood up and made her way to the table.

  “Tanner McKinley?”

  Tanner stood up and hugged her. Damon, Mark and Tyler exchanged looks.

  “Oh, my God! I didn’t know you had started going to school here!” Heather hugged him again.

  “Yeah, when I came out at Sabino, I kinda got banished.” Tanner smiled.

  “Wow,” Heather mused.

  “How do you two know each other?” Mark eyed Heather with suspicion.

  “We dated my freshman year,” Heather announced.

  Mark started. “Dated?”

  Heather grinned. “Yeah. I kinda knew Tanner was bi, but when we met…” She trailed off.

  Tanner looked nervous. “Well, it was only for a few months.”

  “Try six,” Heather laughed. “I gotta go, but let’s talk soon, okay?” She hugged him again and went back to the table with Jess.

  Everyone stared at Tanner. Mark was the first to break the silence and ask the question everyone at the table wanted to know.

  “Bi?”

  “Well I didn’t think it was important, seeing as how we’re in a committed relationship.” Tanner took Mark’s hand.

  “You didn’t think it was important to tell me?” Mark asked incredulously.

  “Yeah, that’s our cue to go. See you guys after school.” Damon pulled Tyler by the hand.

  “But it’s just getting interesting, Damon,” Tyler whispered.

  “Did you sleep with her?” Mark inquired, not really wanting to know the answer.

  Tanner looked at his hands.

  “Oh God, you did.” Mark looked away.

  “Look, it was a long time ago, Mark.” Tanner tried to take his hand, but Mark pulled away.

  “I have to go.” Mark grabbed his books and arose.

  “Mark, please — we need to talk about this.”

  “Not right now, we don’t.” Mark left, leaving Tanner sitting alone.

  “Shit.”

  ~*~

  Damon and Tyler arrived at the club and looked around, but Tanner and Mark hadn’t shown up yet. They ordered their sodas and sat at the bar.

  “Do you think they’ll show up tonight?” Tyler looked around.

  “I don’t know. Mark seemed really hurt.”

  “Well, finding out your boyfriend slept with a girl would be a little hard to take.”

  They watched as Greg approached, holding hands with a kid who looked like a freshman.

  “Well, well, if it isn’t the lovebirds.” Greg smiled a greeting.

  “Hey, Greg. Who’s your little friend?”

  “This is Jay. He’s a sophomore. No one understands him, do they, Jay?” He grabbed the kid’s ass. “He’s gay, and he gets picked on.”

  “Must be from Sabino.” Damon figured the kid was probably fourteen.

  “I am. How did you know?” He looked at Damon, eyes wide.

  “Lucky guess.” Damon smiled.

  Greg bit Jay’s bottom lip. “Isn’t he just the sweetest thing?”

  Jay blushed and put his hand back in Greg’s. Greg perched on the stool and motioned Jay between his legs.

  Damon spotted Mark when he got there. Mark looked around until he spotted Damon and Tyler.

  “Hey, guys.” Mark smiled, and then he saw Greg. “Greg, how are ya?”

  “Like I was telling these two, I am great.” Greg smiled and pulled Jay in closer.

  “Yeah, all right then. Tanner been in?” Mark looked around.

  “Not yet. Did you guys resolve your issue?” Tyler asked.

  “I said we would talk tonight.”

  “Look, Mark, I don’t know the whole story, but it’s obvious to me Tanner cares about you. Who cares if he’s bi? He’s with you now.” Damon took Mark’s hand.

  “Tanner’s little secret came out did it?”

  “You knew?” Mark glared at Greg.

  “Who didn’t? Oops — obviously you.” Greg smiled at Mark. He looked toward the door and smiled even bigger. “Well, holy hell! Paul Greystone showed up.”

  Eyes swung in unison toward the door. The guy standing there would make any other man look plain. He was at least six feet tall, had muscles everywhere, bright green eyes and jet-black hair.

  “Who is that?” Jay stared in awe.

  “Forget it kid. He doesn’t date young’uns. Paul comes here to relax. He’s a senior, and he fucks college boys.” Greg smiled. “Actually, you ought to know him; he and your brother have been best friends forever.”

  Jay eyed the man again and gasped. “Holy shit! I didn’t even recognize him.”

  Paul smiled when he caught sight of the group at the bar. He walked over, and Damon could have sworn he moved so smoothly it looked as if he glided.

  “Hey, what’s up, Greg? Going to introduce me?” Paul eyed everyone.

  “You bet! This is Damon and his boyfriend, Tyler; and this is their friend Mark. Mark dates Tanner. And you know Jay.”

  “Damon, as in Damon Youngblood?” Paul scrutinized Damon.

  “Yeah, that would be me.” Damon sat back on the bar and took Tyler’s hand.

  “I’ve heard of you. In more ways than one.” Paul eyed Tyler. “Aren’t you a tasty little thing?”

  Mark spoke up. “So, what school do you go to?”

  “Sabino, and before you say it, no one fucks with me. The fact that I’m gay causes me no problems. The bigots stay away from me.” Paul eyed Mark. “You date Tanner? How is he?”

  Mark looked antsy. “Let me guess — you dated him?”

  “I played with him. He’s a good kisser.” Paul smiled.

  Mark’s cheeks heated. “Was that all?”

  Paul smiled again. “I didn’t fuck him, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  ~*~

  Tanner walked in and noticed the group at the bar. He noticed Paul immediately and winced. This was going to be bad. His older brother, Jason, and Paul Greystone had been friends for a long time. When Paul had hit on Tanner, Jason had thrown a fit. It didn’t stop Tanner from grabbing Paul later on just to take a little taste of the man everyone wanted.

  “Hey, guys.” Tanner walked up and mustered up a smile.

  “Hey, Tanner, glad you could make it.” Damon did his best to keep his voice even; he wasn’t happy with Tanner but he did think they guy cared about Mark.

  Paul turned his attention to Tanner. “Well, long time no see, cutie pie.”

  Tanner blushed. “Paul.” He nodded.

  “I’ve just met your boyfriend. Although, from the way he’s avoiding making eye contact with you, it seems there may be trouble in paradise. Did you keep your dirty secret from him?” Paul’s lips twitched.

  “It’s not a dirty secret! I had a relations
hip with Heather. Yes, I had sex with her, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Mark.” Tanner tried to take Mark’s hand.

  Mark put his hand in his pocket. “You didn’t think having sex with a girl was something you should tell me?”

  “Can we not do this right here?” Tanner looked at the group.

  Mark grabbed his hand and pulled him outside.

  He spun to face the man he had been falling for. “You didn’t tell me. I told you we needed trust between us. How could you not tell me? And what’s worse is look how many people DID know!”

  “It was three years ago! I’m with you now. I have never cheated or looked at anyone else. Doesn’t that count for something?”

  “I don’t know, Tanner. I think we need a break.” Mark sighed.

  “You’re breaking up with me?”

  “Yeah, I guess I am. I feel like you kept this from me on purpose. People I’ve never even met know!”

  “Mark, please.” Tanner tried to take his hand.

  “I need time to think about this, Tanner. I think if I had fucked some chick and not told you…”

  “Okay fine. Take all the time you need. Just know that I care about you.” Tanner kissed him softly and left.

  Mark stood outside feeling hurt and angry. How could Tanner have kept something like this from him? It wasn’t as if he’d had a relationship with another guy and not told him. He hadn’t told Mark that he was also attracted to females. That was completely different. It hurt. And it hurt even more because that girl he was attracted to was Heather. Someone he saw every day.

  “Hmmm, bad break up?” Paul came outside and stood next to Mark.

  “Something like that.”

  “How about a beer? We could go to my place.” Paul eyed him, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

  Mark looked up and took in Paul’s appearance. Jesus, but he looked incredible. Part of Mark was sending up a warning flag, the other half was hurt and upset. “Maybe that’s just what I need.”

  Paul had a one bedroom apartment and it didn’t take Mark long to take it all in. He saw the king-size bed and his hands began to sweat.

  “So how come you have your own place if you’re still in high school?” Mark looked around.

  Paul was grabbing two beers out of the fridge. “I’m filthy rich and didn’t want to stay at home anymore.” He smiled and handed Mark a beer.