The Christmas Proposition

by K.A. Mitchell

  As Bryce started acting like a kid on the playground, I gave the car a little gas, the pine branches crunched underneath and I zoomed back, straight for the tree. And Bryce.

  He dove off the chain and I stopped the car.

  “Are you okay?”

  He stood up covered in snow. “Depends. Were you trying to kill me?”

  “Ditch the chain before we get stuck again. C’mon.” I rocked the car a little while he unhooked the chain, dropping it to the ground and climbing in. As soon as his belt clicked, I rolled us back onto the road and we both took a deep breath.

  “Are you sure you weren’t taking courses in engineering instead of ecology?” Bryce asked.

  “Really sure.” Warmth that had nothing to do with the dual climate control bubbled through my chest.

  “It was a good plan, but let’s not do that again.”

  “The sex or—”

  “You running me over.”

  “Depends on whether or not you keep calling me angel.” I grinned.

  Chapter Eight

  We got home to a relieved family, assorted guests and the news that Tiff was having hysterics because her Aunt Bernice was stuck in the Cincinnati Airport and couldn’t get here for the wedding.

  I found her in the study, soaking my grandfather’s recliner with snot. It had probably been through worse.

  She looked up at me as I came in. “She’s the only one I really wanted to be there—I mean besides Kurt. And you. But, she—”

  Tiff didn’t have to explain. The aunt and uncle who’d raised her hadn’t dumped her into the foster system, but they had given her a home out of duty. Her grandmother’s sister Bernice was all Tiff knew of love as a kid.

  “Listen. Everyone else was already here until Saturday.” As I knelt next to her, I looked up to see Bryce in the doorway. “Why can’t we just shift it all to Saturday?”

  “But that’s Christmas Eve. The minister—”

  “If he can’t do it, we’ll get a judge or—” I gritted my teeth for a second then said, “—the mayor.”

  Bryce was already on his phone, giving me an okay sign as he walked away from the door.

  “But…”

  “Tiff, you pulled all this together in a week. Are you going to let a little weather mess with you?”

  “No.”

  “Okay then. Let me drive you home.”

  “No, Kurt has his truck. And now it’s not the night before the wedding anymore.”

  Bryce met us at the door. “The minister can’t but I got the judge. He loves the idea of doing it Christmas Eve at Holly’s Tree Farm.”

  Tiff murmured a soggy word of gratitude.

  “Baby, it’s perfect.” Kurt put his arm around her. “I’ve wanted to write our own vows.”

  “Really?” And the way her face suddenly changed when she looked at her fiancé would have melted the Winter Warlock’s heart to a puddle faster than a toy train.

  I swallowed and went back into the study. I was staring out at the few cut trees we had left leaning against the barn when Bryce came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders, rubbing my neck.

  “We can still use the Brookview Restaurant. What time do you close on Saturday?”

  “One.” For some families in the valley, it was tradition to wait until Christmas Eve to cut their trees. “But they start coming at eight.”

  “So we’ll have the service at one. You know what this means?”

  “You get to spend two nights on an air mattress in the attic.”

  He laughed. “We get to spend two nights on an air mattress in the attic. But I’ll bet there’s some other furniture up there we can get some use out of.”

  I would never look at a rocking chair quite the same way again. We slept late, but when I tried to get up to go help out, Bryce pulled me back down. “It’s what your brother and sister are here for.”

  That and the hand on my balls was all the convincing I needed. I did manage to stagger to the kitchen on unsteady legs and make another vat of hot chocolate so Allie didn’t have to, then carried some sandwiches and cans of soda back up to the attic. Christmas Eve was bright and sunny, and a little dusting had fallen overnight so everything sparkled as if coated in diamond dust.

  We dredged paths with a board dragged behind the four-by-four when it snowed to make it easier for people to get around, so it was no problem to flatten things out in front of the platform. There were enough chairs for any guests like Aunt Bernice who might not want to stand the whole time.

  All of our Christmas Eve regulars had come and gone by eleven, pausing to compliment the little stage with its flowers and evergreens draped around it, and I went in to shower, shave and dress. Bryce, Kurt and I were in identical tuxes, and Tiff had sent red scarves for us each to wear. I was thinking gloves would be more appreciated but we looked pretty good. Tiff had the entire upstairs roped off to herself and Aunt Bernice. I called up to see if I had permission to board.

  Aunt Bernice gave me the Aye-Aye, and I climbed up to find them in my parents’ room. I’d never been able to move my stuff in there—or their stuff out. Bal and Allie were using it for their visit.

  Tiff looked like a princess, but I couldn’t help thinking she was going to freeze in a dress that had been designed for a beach wedding.

  “Look what Aunt Bernice brought me.”

  A cloak was spread across the bed, white velvet lined with white satin. Aunt Bernice was awesome and I told her so.

  “You look pretty good yourself, Melchior.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Oh. Here.” Tiff straightened up from the cooler that held her bouquet, holding a rose corsage.

  She pinned it to my lapel while Aunt Bernice took pictures.

  “You’re responsible for these.” She handed me a folded piece of paper and the ring.

  “I’m good for it.”

  “I know.” She kissed my cheek. “Thanks for everything.”

  “Piece of cake. Besides, we had lots of help.”

  “Be sure to thank Bryce for me too.”

  “I think you’ll see him.” I reminded her. He’d be standing pretty close on the platform anyway. I got a little dizzy at the thought of standing up there, even if it was for Tiffany’s wedding. It wouldn’t be the same as being in the robes with everyone laughing at me, and hopefully everyone would be looking at Tiff.

  I peered outside, saw Bryce and Kurt walk down to the platform where they joined a man in a suit. “All systems are go for launch.”

  We settled the cloak around Tiff’s shoulders and fastened it, then I handed her the bouquet.

  “Okay.” Tiff said into the mirror. “Let’s do this before something else happens.”

  “I don’t want to hear anything else about me being a jinx.”

  Bernice and I were both walking her down the aisle. As we came out on the porch, “Pachelbel’s Canon” began to play over the speakers, then Cas darted from the barn and rejoined Bal and Allie.

  When we got to the platform, Bernice went to sit in the chair Kurt’s brother was holding for her and I walked Tiff up the steps. I stepped back as Kurt took her hand.

  The judge started talking, and I had a few minutes to look around. Someone had stood up the last remaining cut trees in a little arc around the platform and they were beautifully frosted. My family was there, and Bryce, who looked almost hotter in a tux than he looked naked. And—Holy shit. I almost fell backward off the platform and Tiff would never have forgiven me. Stuart stood in the back and gave me a quick wave. I hadn’t seen him for three years, and it had been seven years since he told me he’d met someone and wasn’t coming home the way we’d planned when he finished college. I’d met the guy at the diner when Stuart brought him to visit once. Bobby or Robby. There wasn’t anyone with Stuart now.

  My gaze shot straight back to Bryce who was watching me with a concerned expression. I smiled back at him, and patted my pocket with the ring and the vows. He grinned and nodded.

  Kurt
repeated the standard “I take you Tiffany Lynn Meuller” stuff, then went into his own vows.

  Somehow as he said them, with Bryce standing across the platform looking at me, I heard the words not in Kurt’s voice.

  “I’ve never believed in Fate, but when I saw you that first night at the diner, I knew you were something special. And every day, in every single way, I know that more and more. You are the only one for me, and I want you to always be yourself with me. The day you agreed to join your life to mine was the happiest day of my life. As we walk on this path together, I want to be your shoulder to lean on, a rock that you can rest on and trust, a tree to shelter you when you need it.”

  Kurt’s voice had tears in it and I could feel my own throat burning.

  Bryce’s eyes never left mine.

  Kurt took a deep breath and continued, but my heart had started to pound so loudly I could barely hear. “I pledge this as your husband, your lover and your friend for all the rest of our lives.”

  Tiffany flung herself into his arms and they were both crying. I wasn’t sure if there was some attendant job in this, so I stood there helplessly, no longer able to meet Bryce’s gaze. I choose you.

  Aunt Bernice signaled me with a few tissues and I collected them and passed them to Tiff. She pulled herself together and handed me her flowers as I passed her the paper with her own vows on it.

  I glanced at Tiff’s flowers as she spoke, promising patience and respect and unconditional love and support, telling him that he’d been making her dreams come true since the day they met.

  Then Bryce and I handed off the rings, they made more promises and kissed before they faced the crowd.

  Cas darted in to the barn again and the speakers blared out “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” as Tiff and Kurt boogied their way off the platform.

  “Really?” I said to Bryce.

  “She picked it. I think we’re supposed to dance too.”

  He held out his hand. I took it, but I was stiff as a board. I could not dance, dip or otherwise shake my way back past all of these people. When Bryce realized he was practically dragging me, he stopped and leaned in close to my ear. “Every gay man can dance, Mel.”

  But people took that as their cue to wander around, and with the worst possible timing—except of course for when he dumped me, Stuart came over.

  He was still cute, damn him. Still had the smile that had made my heart turn over the first time it had been directed my way.

  “Hi.” I said. “I’m just going to check to make sure there’s enough hot chocolate—”

  Stuart stopped me with a hand on my arm. “Wait a second.”

  “And you are?” Bryce put an arm behind me that would have landed on my back if I didn’t edge away.

  “Stuart.”

  “Stuart?” Bryce looked at me with a confused frown and then back at Stuart. “Bryce.” Neither of them offered a hand.

  “Where’s Robby?” I asked.

  “Bobby.” Stuart corrected. “We broke up a year ago.”

  Why hadn’t I ever learned how to disappear on command?

  “And Tiffany invited you to the wedding?” Bryce said.

  “No. I didn’t know anything about it. I came home for Christmas and thought I’d come out and say hi. Knew you’d be open.”

  Yeah, that was me. Something you could count on finding around Epiphany when you needed a little home cooking. Funny how it pissed me off when Stuart did it and not when Bryce made the assumption.

  “Your sister told me about the wedding. Said I could hang around.”

  There was nothing like a sibling for a knife in the back.

  Stuart looked from Bryce to me. “So who’s this guy Tiffany married? I heard he’s one of these gas workers that are crawling all over town.”

  Tiff would never forgive me if there was a brawl at her wedding, and I was coming to the conclusion that if Bryce didn’t take a swing at Stuart, I was about to.

  I gave Stuart a little shove in the direction of the cars. “Walk with me for a second. I have to get back for pictures.”

  I felt Bryce’s eyes bore a hole in my back as I walked.

  “Why are you here, Stuart?”

  “I only came out to say hi. We go back a long way, Mel.”

  “And a long time ago.”

  “Is he your boyfriend now? The best man, another gas worker?”

  “I don’t know.” Boyfriend carried a whole bunch of connotations, like the not fucking other people, which somehow Stuart had forgotten when he went away.

  “Christ. Whose car is that?” Stuart stared at the Range Rover.

  There were a few scratches on the paint, maybe some little dents in the fender but overall, it had come through all right.

  The smile on my face felt evil. “Mine.”

  “C’mon, I’d have heard it if you won the lottery.”

  Yeah, and you probably would have been here not long after.

  “Bryce gave it to me.”

  “He gave you that car and you don’t know if he’s your boyfriend? What the hell is going on?”

  “Bryce doesn’t work for the gas company, he owns the gas company.”

  “Shit. Don’t you know—how can—do you know what they’re doing to the water table?”

  “Do you?”

  “I’m doing a study. For my PhD.”

  “Well, if you figure anything out, send it to Bryce.”

  Stuart stopped at a Toyota that had seen better days. “So after all these years and you wouldn’t leave the valley, you’re fucking the guy who’s out to wreck it? Because he bought you a car?”

  I didn’t want to talk to Stuart anymore, couldn’t figure out why he’d ever seemed so important in my head. “Absolutely,” I agreed cheerfully. Even if I was too embarrassed to dance, I wanted to watch the party.

  Stuart sank down into his Toyota. “It’s like you’re a completely different person.”

  Thank God for that.

  I didn’t bother to watch him drive away. Bryce let me get near the platform on my own before cutting me off. “What did he want?”

  “Nothing he stood a chance of getting.”

  “Good.” Bryce smiled. There was a little evil in his smile too.

  Kurt’s brother was acting as the official photographer, and it didn’t take long. I thought they’d come out pretty good with the platform and the snow and the mountains in the background. Bal and Cas went through the crowd explaining how to get to the Brookview. I found Aunt Bernice next to me. “Hear you got yourself a fancy car. I’m riding with you, kid.”

  “Melchior Halner.” Bryce’s voice rang out over the people on the snow. My stomach sank like I’d swallowed a jar of buckshot.

  Everyone stopped moving toward their cars and turned to see Bryce, standing on the Nativity platform. To my horror, he was pulling on my purple robe.

  “Mel.” Bryce waved me forward. I stood frozen.

  “I know this family has a thing about the feast of Epiphany,” Bryce kept talking, “but I don’t want to wait that long.”

  No, my grandparents had a thing about it and my parents thought the names would be funny.

  “Today is about families getting together.” Bryce slapped the crown on his head. Did he think putting that on would make the memory less humiliating? Cas and Bal joined him on the stage.

  I still hadn’t moved.

  “I messed this up last time, and now I want to make sure there are no misunderstandings,” Bryce said. “I want to share in your family traditions, be a part of—”

  I couldn’t fucking breathe. Why didn’t someone else say something? It wasn’t like everyone in the whole town didn’t already know I was the queer Halner kid. I thought I was long past that being able to bother me. But I wasn’t. He’d bought me the car. It didn’t get more public than that. He didn’t have to stand up there and say something in front of everyone I knew.

  “Mel, you know what I want to say. Will you get up here so I can say it?”
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  Tiff was going to kill me for screwing up her day. There was really only one possible answer. But what came out of my mouth was a whispered, “I can’t.”

  Chapter Nine

  I couldn’t stand people staring at me anymore so I went into the barn and gathered up some of the cups people had been drinking hot chocolate from.

  “Are you out of your fucking mind?” My sister came in and yanked the cups out of my hand. Fortunately they were empty and I didn’t get sticky hot chocolate all over my rented tux.

  When I didn’t answer her, she said, “The best thing that’s ever happened to you wants to say he’s crazy about you in front of everyone and you run and hide? What is wrong with you?”

  “You don’t know what it’s like. You haven’t had to live here with everyone—”

  “Knowing you’re gay? They already do. And nobody cares, except a couple of assholes. So what does it matter?”

  “I know.” I did. “It’s just—the robes and the people all staring—”

  “You want to know what’s humiliating? Realizing you stole from the only family you had left so you could get high. Getting caught with fake prescriptions and getting arrested and having to go to court-ordered rehab. Not some stupid old dress-up game.”

  “I’ll talk to him. After the party.” When he’d had a chance to cool down.

  “He’s not going to the party. He’s packed what he had and Kurt’s brother is driving him—”

  I ran out of the barn, sliding over the fresh snow in my dress shoes. Most of the cars were gone, but I saw Bryce come out through the back porch and even if I ended up doing a triple lutz and landing on my ass in front of him I was going to catch him before he left.

  He had to see me coming, arms windmilling as I fought for my balance but he didn’t slow down.

  “Wait. Bryce, wait.”

  He opened the door of Kurt’s truck, and I wasn’t sure I was going to get to him in time, but he only tossed his computer bag and duffel inside and shut the door before he faced me as I skidded to a halt.

  “I think I’m done waiting for you, Mel.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Yeah? How else is there to take it?” His voice was raw-edged, colder than the air making our breath puff white. “Is it because he came back?”