A Beautiful Disaster

by Marguerite Labbe

  “I suppose if he’s unadoptable, we’ll have to keep them.” The wish had solidified after Aden carried Inkheart off. Brenden missed that sweet blue-eyed stare. Two cats were manageable, especially when they each had bonded with one of them, and it gave them someone to play with when Brenden and Dakota were out.

  “They’re going to claw all the furniture. That will drive you nuts.” Dakota chopped as Brenden pulled out a barstool and sat at the island.

  “No, they’ll claw me. I’ve talked to Morris, did my research, and ordered some things online. It’ll keep them occupied. We are going to make this house into a cat utopia. Just think, Toothless can be your mascot for the podcast.” Brenden propped his chin on his hand as his body sighed in relief that he was idle again. The cough was gone and he was mostly on his feet, but he still hadn’t recovered all his energy.

  “Speaking of Morris, did you know he’s eloping?” Dakota tossed up an avocado bit and caught it in his mouth. “I’m not supposed to tell, but you’re my other half. Those rules don’t apply.”

  “What do you mean he’s eloping? Isn’t the wedding at the end of next month? We just did the shower, and his sisters didn’t say anything about that.” Not that Brenden had been all that social. It had been his first outing since he’d been blindsided with the con crud that mutated.

  Dakota never came down with con crud. It was unnatural. But he’d risked it, taking care of Brenden without complaint. He’d even kept the house neat. Damn, Brenden loved him. Every time he thought he’d gotten over Dakota and was ready to move on, the man did something to make Brenden fall all over again.

  “I didn’t get the details. If I remember right, it’s supposed to happen this weekend.” Dakota tossed the sliced avocado into a bowl, then moved on to the tomatoes, scallions, and peppers. “Once is enough, don’t you think? Why get married twice? Morris seemed pretty stoked over the idea, though, so I didn’t want to give him a hard time about it.”

  “At least they’re marrying the same people twice.” Brenden took a sip of his water as Dakota bustled around.

  Between their biological parents, they were working on seven weddings? Brenden had lost count. His dad just ended marriage number three, and he was pretty sure Dakota’s momma had gotten remarried recently a fourth time. Not that either of them had attended any of the latest weddings. Dakota at least had sent his momma a congratulatory email. Brenden didn’t see any reason why his dad felt the need to keep him in the loop. After college, his dad had tried making amends. He’d even offered a little money, as if cash would make up for the years of abandonment. Brenden had told him where to shove it, and if it wasn’t for the influence of the Nyes, he would’ve cut off all contact.

  At least Evelyn and Trev were going strong. Now that was a rock-solid marriage.

  Dakota grimaced and chopped with unnecessary force. “It would be nice to see more of that.”

  Brenden had never considered the impact all those marriages and divorces had on Dakota and his views toward long-lasting relationships. By the time Trev and Evelyn had won custody of Dakota, he had been used to a long string of boyfriends coming in and out of his house. It had given him a jaded view on weddings and commitments. After the loss of his dream career, he’d become even more of a live-in-the-moment kind of man, not anxious to plan too far into the future.

  Maybe if Brenden laid the groundwork and pointed out all the couples who did last and all the weddings that didn’t end in disaster a couple of years later it would get Dakota thinking about the possibilities. Dakota could be mecurial, changing his mind in what seemed like a quicksilver flash and moving in an opposite direction. Though often those reverses were the result of months of Dakota arguing and hashing it out in his head without talking about it until he announced his decision.

  Brenden tamped down the hope that Dakota would do that with them. If he kept trying to keep his dream of them alive, he’d only hurt himself more. He couldn’t keep looking at Dakota with a what-if mentality. He had to take him for what he was, his best friend, nothing more, nothing less.

  “I wonder how long they think they’ll be able to keep it a secret before it gets out.” Brenden reached over and snagged a bite of tomato.

  Dakota snickered as he slid the scallions into a bowl. “I bet they won’t get through the day before it comes out. I mean the big wedding day. Somebody will slip up and say something.”

  “Nah.” Brenden shook his head. He pulled out his phone and went through his messages. He was behind on his correspondence, but considering he hadn’t been able to do any work for too long, he was lucky it wasn’t worse. “They’re going to be so busy that day doing all the traditional stuff they won’t have time to blab. Then there’s the honeymoon. I’d say the earliest it’ll come out will be during the next big family holiday, but by then there might be other news to distract them.”

  Brenden stole a slice of avocado before Dakota put his concoction in the blender and considered the elopement. “I bet it’ll come out during their anniversary. They’ll forget and post the elope day online or something.”

  Dakota burst out laughing. “Okay, that I can see. Remind me to stalk their social media next spring because I want to watch it unfold.”

  “What’s in the Crock-Pot?” The aroma seriously made Brenden salivate. He liked to give Dakota a hard time about his menu choices, but he did work to switch things up so it didn’t seem like they were always eating the same thing.

  “Shredded pork, carne style.” Dakota glanced at his watch. “We should be ready to assemble these in about fifteen minutes.”

  Brenden toyed with his water bottle as he watched Dakota work. “I have to say something.”

  Dakota went still, and then he nodded, going back to chopping peppers without looking at Brenden. “I’m listening.”

  “I know we, meaning me, Aden, and Zach, give you a hard time about being focused on yourself. But I know you’d do anything for any of us if we needed it.” Now Dakota looked at him, his expression curious, and Brenden had to force himself to keep his gaze steady. They hadn’t met each other’s eyes much since Kent Island, and that had to stop. “I guess I want to say thank you for taking care of me.”

  “It was a sacrifice,” Dakota said with a smirk. “I had to pick up after your sorry, cranky ass, and you know how much I hate that. And take care of four hissing spitballs of black fur that didn’t want me anywhere near you.”

  “Why do you always do that?” Brenden asked with a frown.

  “Do what?”

  “Downplay it when you do something unselfish.”

  Dakota did it more often than he realized because he never sought acknowledgment. Unless it was like he just did now, in a teasing way like it hadn’t been a hassle when Brenden knew it had been a serious pain on top of the situation being uncomfortable. Dakota didn’t like uncomfortable, but he’d stuck around.

  Dakota rolled his eyes. “Why do you always try to hide the fact you are not as anal retentive and a hardliner rules lawyer as you make yourself out to be? You let precious few see the softer side of you, and it’s a nice side.”

  Brenden shifted uncomfortably on the stool. This edged toward more intimate talk that they’d been avoiding. Not sexy talk, but the confidences they’d shared before, and he wasn’t sure he was quite ready for that. “I don’t let many in.” He shrugged and briefly met Dakota’s eyes again. “And I’m comfortable with the number I have let in.”

  Silence fell, a strained quiet they had not shared since the first time Dakota laid his mouth on Brenden when they were teenagers. A nervous titter stuck in his throat. In their case, three times might implode them for good instead of being the charm.

  “Hey, we’re good, right?” The uncertainty in Dakota’s eyes and voice tugged at Brenden’s scabbed heart.

  “Yeah, we’re good,” Brenden said with relief to have the words finally out. Maybe they wouldn’t have to be so careful around each other anymore. He had known the eventual outcome and dove in anyway. He
’d had his one night. It was better this way, a clean break without it dragging on. Now they could go back to annoying the hell out of each other and being themselves.

  Dakota nodded with an expression of equal relief. “Okay, good.” He returned to his prep, his brow lined with thought. It wasn’t the look of a man who was finished with the topic, and the reaction intrigued Brenden. Maybe that night had meant more to Dakota than he let on.

  Brenden quashed that notion before it could take root. Dreaming and longing had caught him up in this mess in the first place. He was smart enough to not repeat mistakes.

  “Do you regret it?” Dakota asked in a soft voice, turning his attention back to Brenden.

  Brenden looked him square in the eye and steeled himself. “No. Do you?”

  Dakota hesitated. “I regret you being hurt.”

  Brenden knew that wasn’t bullshit. Dakota wouldn’t deliberately set out to do that, no matter how much he wanted to test the heat between them. At least he didn’t know how much it had hurt. Brenden wasn’t sure he could handle that. “I wasn’t expecting it to go anywhere. Don’t worry about it.”

  Dakota frowned, and it looked like he was about to say something else when Brenden’s phone rang. “I’ve got take this. It’s the convention center in Annapolis. I want to negotiate for that extra space.” Brenden hopped down and scooped Minime off his shoulder before heading to his office. If this convention took off the way he envisioned it, he’d need every foot of that space.

  He felt like he was deserting Dakota, but when he glanced over his shoulder as he left, he saw the same relief on Dakota’s face. Ugh, how that could be a good thing and still sting made no damned sense.

  But it was a step in the right direction. Brenden had to remind himself of that. They’d addressed the one topic they’d been avoiding and set it aside. It would all go back to normal now.

  The door opened as Brenden finished his call. He swung his chair around as Dakota stuck his head in. “Dinner’s ready. You up for watching the new wrestling PPV?”

  Brenden looked at Dakota’s hopeful expression. He’d been trying to get Brenden to hang out with him since he’d moved in, and Brenden had been dodging him. That wasn’t right. Dakota was his friend first, always.

  “Sure. It doesn’t start for another hour, though. How about that video game to get us in the mood?” Brenden turned his head and lifted his eyebrow in a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson impression. “I’ll whip your candy ass.”

  “In your dreams.” Dakota tapped his chest, then posed with his arms outstretched. “I’m phenomenal.”

  Brenden’s gaze dropped down to Dakota’s ass as he walked away. Wasn’t that the damned truth…. One more ogle couldn’t hurt. One more sigh of happy remembrance of that night they shared. Okay, he was done now. Done.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “IF YOU don’t stand still and let me make sure this cape is hanging right, you’re never going to make it to your wedding because I will fucking brain you and toss your body into the creek,” Felipe declared as Morris shifted toward the door.

  Morris tugged on the collar of his Superman shirt as the door opened and Laila poked her head into the office that had been turned into his changing room. “Almost done, Uncle Morris?”

  “Felipe promised to murder me if I move,” Morris complained, lacing his fingers together before he really twitched.

  “Scottie threatened the same if Theo didn’t get out of the kitchen and start getting ready.” Laila wheeled inside with a grin. “Hey, does this mean I can call him Uncle Theo?”

  A surge of panic hit Morris’s already frayed nerves. “Not until after the big wedding. We don’t want your Aunt Makayla questioning why.” He just wanted to be standing with Theo already. All this fuss beforehand made him mental. Every day as the plans wound toward the big wedding, he was more grateful they had decided to do this on the sly or else he wouldn’t make it. But if his sisters found out beforehand, he was a dead man.

  “Okay.” Felipe straightened with a glare toward Morris. “I’ve fixed the hem. Don’t snag it on anything else.”

  Morris nodded and went to go check out the effect in the mirror. He should feel silly in the cape, the blue tartan kilt he’d worn to the Renn Faire, and his Superman shirt. After all this wasn’t a normal day; this was his wedding. But he didn’t. It fit him, and the fact Theo was willing to marry him in this awesome getup meant more to him than he could say. He couldn’t think of another man in his life who would do this and not roll his eyes. Theo would go with the fun. He was the perfect fit for Morris.

  He was getting married. This seriously had to be the most awesome day of his life. The big wedding would be cool too. He’d have his entire family there and the rest of their friends. But there would be so much going on, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on what was important, which was him and Theo. With this small group of the people they loved the most, they could get as emotional as they wanted to. The big one would be one huge joyous party, and if everything went wrong, it wouldn’t matter because they were already married.

  He turned toward Felipe and Laila, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “Are they ready? Time to do this?”

  “Lincoln said he’d come get us when Theo was done.” Laila carefully adjusted her golden tiara so it centered across her forehead. “How do I look, Uncle Morris?”

  Morris eyeballed the Wonder Woman skirt and shirt Felipe had made her. A gold lasso hung from the side of her wheelchair, and a deep blue cape nestled around her. “Beautiful and ready to kick all our butts.”

  “You know it.” Felipe clasped the golden cuffs around her wrists and stepped back to take in the full effect. “You should enter contests with Abby and me, girl. We’d win them all.”

  “Thanks, man.” Morris turned toward Felipe as he swung his black cape around his shoulders. He’d opted for a Batman shirt. Morris hadn’t planned it like this, but the fact they were all Justice League had him stoked. “All this work you put in means a lot to me.”

  Felipe gave him a pleased smile. “I don’t know which part I like more, the fact that you’re actually doing this or that I got to have my hand stamped all over this day. You sure you’re okay that I brought Trask?”

  “Dude, you’re a thing. My best man should be able to bring his date. It would be weird if you didn’t. Besides, even though it still makes me quake in terror, Scottie brought Rose as his date.” Morris didn’t believe Rose would tell Makayla. Rose had been discreet about Theo’s love life in the past, but they were friends; something could slip. Makayla would understand why he eloped, but she’d throttle him. Twins didn’t hide secrets like this from each other. It was a twin principle.

  Felipe patted his pocket and the telltale bulge of the ring as a knock came on the door. “You ready, Morris?”

  A quick spate of nerves attacked Morris again and then eased off as Morris thought of Theo waiting for him. “Yeah, man, more than ready.”

  Laila and Felipe exchanged conspiratorial winks, but before Morris could question them, Lincoln opened the door and stuck his head in. Felipe had done him up as Dr. Strange, and the look suited him, studious and mystical. Poor Theo and Scottie were going to be outnumbered unless their lone two guests opted to forgo capes.

  “Theo’s good to go,” Lincoln announced. “And the officiant, or whatever you call it, is all set up. Let’s get moving. I’m hungry.”

  Morris bit back a laugh. “Hey, that’s my line.”

  Felipe nudged Morris’s arm. “I think food is the last thing on your mind. You’ll get hungry again after the I do’s are said. Speaking of which, you do realize you’re going to have to step up your game for my wedding. The sewing for today is not the end of my best man awesomeness. Wait till you check out what Dakota and I came up with for May.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” Morris tapped his knuckles against Felipe’s and shifted from foot to foot with impatience. The strains from John Williams’s Superman theme drifted down the hal
l, and Morris grinned as Lincoln and Laila headed out side by side. It was over-the-top perfect. Morris couldn’t wait to see Theo and kiss him senseless for giving him this day. It was going to be the best wedding ever.

  He followed Laila and Lincoln out as Felipe stepped up beside him. Sunlight streamed through the windows into the empty bistro. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a table loaded down with goodies, and on the deck, Trask and Rose waited next to the lady they’d picked to marry them. She had been delighted by the idea of a double wedding. Then all thoughts of anything else dropped away as Scottie and Theo appeared from the kitchen.

  “Oh my God.” Morris stopped midstep, his eyes widening as his heart squeezed. Theo had dressed up as Spiderman without the mask, and Scottie wore a Black Panther T-shirt. Theo stopped too, and gave Morris a delighted smile.

  “Hey, I said I wouldn’t wear a cape, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t get in on the fun.” Theo glanced down at his red-and-blue costume and held out his arms. “I wanted to surprise you.”

  “You… I….” Morris stopped as his throat tightened, and Laila and Lincoln turned toward them with impish grins. Morris looked over at Felipe, who openly laughed. “You knew!”

  “Hell yeah, I knew. Who else was going to advise them and make sure they had everything they needed?” Felipe gestured toward the deck where the officiant was waiting. “Are we going to get on with this?”

  Theo came forward and took Morris’s hands. “We’ll be out there. Give us a minute.”

  Morris was not the kind of guy to break down and get all misty-eyed, but he felt on the verge of doing so now. Theo’s arms came around him, and Morris closed his eyes, holding on. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” he said. “I really am happy we’re getting married.”

  Theo chuckled softly. “If you don’t take it the wrong way that the only reason I haven’t shed any tears yet is because I’ve been so excited for your reaction. And here I am, in this getup, and it feels perfect. I’m just so happy to be here with you.”