by Shea Balik
Shine waved away his concern. “Don’t you worry about my daddy, he can handle her.”
Montague snorted. “It’s her I’d be worried about.”
Shine glared at Montague. “Not funny, mister.”
“Yet true,” Montague fired back.
“Whatever,” Shine groused. “Just bring Doris.”
Soon after, Shine and Montague left to go meet their wedding coordinator at the winery. Cabe wasn’t sure about bringing Elden’s mother but he’d talk to Elden about it. In the meantime, he had plans of his own to make. Soon, he hoped to ask Elden to marry him.
His only issue was when to do it. But first, he needed to buy the rings. “Jaivon, I’m heading out. I should be back before the after work rush starts.”
His second in command waved a hand from under the bar where he was currently scrubbing the floors under the sink. Jaivon’s OCD may at times be tiresome, but Cabe had to admit, his bar was the cleanest place in town. Hell, probably all of America.
CHAPTER 21
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Elden asked Cabe as they dressed for the wedding.
His mother would be meeting them at the winery. Twisted Vine was technically in Dahlonia but it was on the way to Helen, making it easier for Doris to drive herself.
Elden didn’t want to admit it, but he was glad they wouldn’t have to drive her. Now that his mother was in therapy, she felt it perfectly acceptable to call Elden every single day. That would be fine if she weren’t more often putting him down than anything else.
Just that week, he’d met with her therapist, Paulette, a second time and, with Cabe’s urging, Elden didn’t hold anything back about their daily chats. Thanks to Paulette, his mother was only allowed to speak with Elden when Cabe was around and the phone was on speaker.
They’d had three conversations since that therapy session and all three times Cabe had hung up on her when his mother had started to pick on Elden.
Cabe came up behind him and pulled him into his embrace. He kissed the juncture between Elden’s neck and shoulder. “I have no idea,” Cabe admitted. “But, at this point, I’m willing to try anything to stop her from hurting you further.”
Sad, but true.
He turned in Cabe’s embrace and held on to the one person who had not only become Elden’s lifeline, but his everything. “I love you,” Elden whispered fiercely.
Cabe held him a little tighter. “I love you, too.” Then he pulled back just enough to look into Elden’s eyes and Elden felt his breath hitch at the emotions staring back at him.
It made no sense how he’d managed to find this amazing person to love, but Elden was going to hold onto him with both hands and never let go for as long as he lived.
“I know this probably is the wrong timing and I should have planned to take you to a nice restaurant or cook for you, but…” Cabe hesitated as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled something out. “I feel as if I’ve been waiting my whole life for this moment and I just don’t think I can wait another minute.”
Then Cabe slid from Elden’s arms and knelt down on one knee. Elden’s heart sped up so fast he was sure it would crash through his ribs and jump from his chest.
Hazel eyes stared up at him, their flecks of gold burning brightly. “From the moment you walked into my bar, I’ve been enthralled by you. As I got to know you, that feeling turned into affection. Your kind heart and loving nature managed to capture my heart as I fell in love you.”
This couldn’t be happening. Elden had to be dreaming, except he knew he couldn’t be for he’d never once fantasized anything as sweet as what Cabe was saying to him.
“Elden James Richland, will you marry me?”
Cabe hadn’t quite finished when Elden threw himself into Cabe’s arms and shouted, “Yes,” over and over again as he peppered Cabe’s mouth, cheeks, and forehead with kisses until Cabe’s hands came up to either side of Elden’s face, holding him still as he took over the kiss.
***
Needless to say, they had been quite late to the festivities. Thankfully, because they were meeting Doris, they had planned to arrive early so they only missed the very beginning.
The minister had just started the part about witnessing this joyous occasion when Elden and Cabe had taken their seats next to Doris, who glared at them both. Not that Elden cared. At this point, everyone in attendance could have stood up and told them how rude it was to be late and Elden wouldn’t have cared in the slightest.
His right index finger lightly touched the ring on his left hand. His lips lifted into a smile that he couldn’t have held back if he’d wanted to, which he most certainly didn’t. He, Elden Richland, was engaged. No. Not just engaged, but engaged to Cabe, one of the hottest men he’d ever known.
Him. Nerdy Elden. It just didn’t seem possible, yet the proof was right there on his finger.
“Do you, Montague St. Claire take this man, Joshua…”
Cabe reached over and placed a hand over both of Elden’s. Tingles danced across his skin at the soft touch. One day soon, this would be them standing there in front of minister, vowing their love to one another.
‘I love you,’ Elden mouthed so as not to interrupt the ceremony.
Cabe leaned over until his lips brushed along the shell of Elden’s ear. “I love you, too,” he said softly.
He was so lost in Cabe’s presence that Elden didn’t even realize he’d missed the ceremony until the music started and people stood up and clapped. A glance to the front showed Shine and Montague sharing their first kiss as husbands. If they didn’t stop soon, their guests would all end up seeing a heck of a lot more than just a kiss.
“I can’t believe you two were late,” Doris grumbled as the two grooms finally stopped making out and walked back down the aisle. “You made me promise to get here early and then you don’t have the courtesy to show up.”
Not even her complaints could upset Elden.
He probably should have known better than to think now was the time to tell her the good news. “Actually, we’re late because Cabe proposed to me.” Elden held up his hand to show her the platinum ring with diamonds inset in the middle.
“Proposed what?” she asked, completely ignoring the ring even though it was only a few inches from her face.
“Marriage.” Cabe was standing right behind him, his chest firmly against Elden’s back in support. “Elden has agreed to marry me. Isn’t that wonderful news?”
Cabe might have phrased it as a question but his tone suggested she was to answer correctly or else. What that ‘or else’ might be, Elden had no clue, but apparently Doris took the hint because her gaze fell on Elden’s finger.
Her eyes went wide and her mouth formed the shape of an ‘O’ as she just stood there staring at it. There was no ‘congratulations,’ or ‘I’m happy for you.’ Elden wasn’t even sure she could speak.
Thankfully, she didn’t need to, since a middle aged gentlemen, about his mother’s age, came up to them just then and introduced himself. “Good afternoon. I’m Shine’s daddy, Jeff.” He held his hand out to Doris. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Would it be alright if I escorted you to the dining room?”
Doris tittered, actually tittered, which up until that moment, Elden hadn’t believed was a thing except in those trashy romance books women read. Yet, that was what was happening.
“What’s going on?” he asked dumbly of Cabe, who looked equally shocked with his jaw dropped and his brows furrowed as if he couldn’t figure out what he was witnessing.
“I have no idea,” he said as they both watched Jeff lift his arm and Doris place her hand in the crook of his elbow. “Did we enter a time warp? Are we now in the eighteen hundreds or something?”
Elden continued to stare. “Is she smiling? Like, for real?”
He felt Cabe’s head brush against his as he moved it up and down. “I think so. Does she normally do that?”
“Do you think she had a mental break?” Elden hones
tly couldn’t fathom what had gotten into his mother. “Maybe the shock of our engagement was too much for her. Should we call an ambulance?”
“No. I think we should go to the dining room, have a nice meal, and see what happens,” Cabe suggested. “Who knows? If we’re lucky, Shine was right and your mother and his daddy might just hit it off.”
Those words caused Elden to grimace and his gut to clench. “Is it wrong to not be sure that’s a good thing?”
Cabe chuckled and Elden’s cock twitched as the worry about his mother subsided some. “Since it is Shine’s father we’re talking about, I’d be more worried if you weren’t concerned.”
It was just dinner. Not much could happen in a roomful of people. Right?
Cabe led him into the dining area and found their table, which, surprisingly, was nowhere near his mother’s table. Elden considered changing tables, but when he heard his mother laugh at something Jeff had said, he decided it was better to leave her be. Maybe Shine was right. Maybe what his mother needed was to find someone for her.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention.” Brogan, who was one of the four owners of the winery, stood in front with a microphone in his hand. “I would like to introduce the newlyweds, Shine and Montague.”
The sound system start playing “I want Crazy,” as the doors flew open and Shine and Montague came in dancing as if they were already drunk off their asses. After talking to them a little while later, they just might have been.
The night was stunning. Maybe it was just getting engaged that made it so magical, or maybe it was that it was a wedding, but Elden almost wished the night wouldn’t end. Of course, that would mean not going home with Cabe and there was no way Elden would ever wish for something that crazy.
For four hours they ate, danced, and laughed before Shine and Montague finally left for their honeymoon. Montague had planned the trip and refused to tell Shine where they were going. Shine hadn’t really cared. He claimed the destination didn’t matter when they weren’t leaving their room for any reason.
That had made Elden blush hotly, which had Cabe doing that deep chuckle thing, causing Elden’s dick to harden painfully at the sound. It made for an uncomfortable end of the evening, until his mother told them Jeff would be seeing her home.
Not only had his erection deflated like a leaky balloon but Elden couldn’t stop thinking about Jeff taking advantage of his mother. Not that she was some saint, but that wasn’t the point.
“She’ll be fine,” Cabe said as he drove them home. “It’s not like she doesn’t change boyfriends as often as she changes her underwear.”
“Hey, that’s not fair.” Okay, it was, but Elden didn’t want to think about his mother’s sex life, even if she had thrown it in his face every chance she’d gotten for the past ten years. “You said Shine’s family is crazy. What if Jeff is a serial killer and just hasn’t been caught yet?”
“Really?” Cabe parked the car in front of their house and looked over at Elden. “That’s what you’ve come up with? He’s a serial killer? Come on, sweetie, he seemed really nice and he made your mom laugh.”
Cabe opened his door and went around the car to open Elden’s. His hand reached out for Elden to take so he could help him out of the car. Elden smiled. These were the things he loved about Cabe. No matter what, he made sure Elden felt cared for and protected.
“Plus,” Cabe added as they walked to the front door. “he managed to keep her out of our hair all night. I think we should be grateful to Jeff, not accuse him of killing a bunch of people.”
“Stop being rational,” Elden grumbled. “I don’t want rational. This is my mother we’re talking about. Sure, she hasn’t always been nice to me, but that doesn’t mean I want her hurt.”
Once they were inside, Cabe pulled Elden into his arms and kissed him softly. “Tell you what,” Cabe said as he then led Elden to the bedroom hallway. “We’ll call her tomorrow and make sure she’s fine. But tonight…” Those hazel eyes glowed as Cabe stopped next to the bed and turned Elden so he was back in his embrace.
“Tonight, I want it to be just about us.” He lifted Elden’s hand and kissed the ring he’d placed there several hours earlier. “You, me, and our future together.”
Elden was ready to enjoy himself. Cabe was right. His mother could take care of herself for one night. “I love you,” he whispered against Cabe’s lips.
“I love you too, sweetie,” Cabe confessed as he sealed their mouths together and began the maddeningly slow process of driving Elden out of his ever loving mind.
EPILOGUE
“When you told me you were engaged, I didn’t expect you to run out and get married so fast,” Doris mumbled as she smoothed a non-existant wrinkle from Elden’s shoulder.
He knew it didn’t exist because he was staring in the full length mirror sure this had to be some sort of dream. Normally, he felt funny wearing suits, like he was a kid wearing his dad’s clothes, but not this time. His gaze fell to the perfectly tailored black suit that had somehow transformed him from that geeky kid playing dress up into a man.
Or maybe it had nothing to do with the suit and everything to do with the confidence Elden now had. He owed that to Cabe.
A dreamy smile appeared on his image in the mirror. Elden couldn’t help it. Cabe was everything he’d… No, that wasn’t true. Cabe was nothing like what Elden had fantasized about, yet, everything Elden needed in a partner. A husband.
His smile grew wider.
Husband. That was a word Elden hadn’t once imagined he’d ever use growing up. His stomach fluttered. Life had definitely changed, because with Cabe, Elden not only could imagine him as his husband, but it didn’t seem like some foreign concept. On the contrary, it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Leave the boy alone, Doris,” Jess said with chuckle. “He’s in love. It makes sense that he and Cabe wouldn’t want to wait.”
Thankfully, Jeff pulled Doris away from her incessant smoothing of Elden’s suit. It had been driving hiim crazy that she was still trying to find flaws to fix. He’d only allowed it because it seemed to slow down her need to point out all the reasons this marriage wasn’t going to work. Oh, she’d gotten in a few, but with Jeff redirecting her, she had kept them to a minimum.
Jeff was the only reason she was allowed in the room. According to Cabe, if Doris wanted time with her son, then someone better be there to control her. Jeff had volunteered. Elden wasn’t sure how, but the man had outsmarted his mother when it came to her typical love ‘em and leave ‘em philosophy. Mainly because he refused to leave her alone.
He’d been around Doris a lot since Shine’s wedding three weeks ago. Had it really only been three weeks? Elden shook his head in wonder. Even he had to admit that was fast to plan a wedding, not that they’d done a lot of planning.
Elden hadn’t wanted a big fancy wedding like Shine and Montague had. He wanted simple, down to earth. It was why they were wearing suits instead of tuxes. There had been no wedding planner, no caterer, just friends and family at the place where Elden now felt the most comfortable, well, other than home. The Cure All.
“And to get married at a bar,” Doris complained some more. “This is a wedding not a hoedown.”
“Well, strictly speaking, a hoedown is held outside, preferably with a bonfire.” Jeff gave a shrug. “Or a barn if the weather isn’t nice. Either way, it most definitely is not in a bar.” He grinned. “Not if you’re in the south, anyway.”
Doris was glaring at Jeff. “Neither should a wedding. A bar is just so… unseemly.”
“Now don’t go getting your feathers ruffled, Doris. This ain’t your wedding. Let the boy be or I’ll be forced to remove you so Elden can get ready in peace.” Once more Elden thanked God Jeff was in the room. He was really hoping the man would take Doris out of here.
“Actually.” Elden looked right at Jeff, praying the man would get the hint. “I could use a few minutes to myself.”
Jeff didn’t nee
d more than that to get up off Cabe’s office chair. “You got it. Doris, my pet, it’s time to go take our seats.”
“But…” She wasn’t able to get out more than that before Jeff literally dragged her from the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
Silence enveloped him and Elden sighed with relief. Then he glanced into the mirror again and this time grinned like a loon. He was getting married. No. He was getting married to Cabe. In all his life Elden didn’t think there could be a more perfect day than this.
***
His legs shook as he walked out of Cabe’s office and through the kitchen. Elden paused at the swinging door and took a much needed breath before he ended up passing out. Shine had warned him that forgetting to breathe was natural, but do not forget or he’d end up in the hospital instead of at the altar.
At the time Elden thought he was just joking. Now he realized how right Shine had been. One more time he inhaled deeply before pushing through the doorway and out into the crowded bar.
A gasp fell from his lips. He couldn’t believe how many people were packed into the place and was amazed at the decorations that had transformed it from a simple bar into a wonderland of twinkling lights. Someone had strung lights from the ceiling making it almost appear like stars were above them.
Tears sprang to his eyes and Elden was sure he was going to start blubbering like a kid. That’s when he saw Cabe and everything within him stilled.
“Gorgeous,” he breathed out. He ignored the laughter from the few people who’d been close enough to hear him. They didn’t matter. No one did except the man standing at the altar waiting for him.
Those hazel eyes so filled with love stared at him, beaconing him closer without a sound. Helpless to do anything but obey that command, Elden continued to walk toward Cabe. With each step something crackled between them. His whole body felt alive as he stepped up next to Cabe.
Cabe held out a hand for him to take. Sparks ignited between them and Elden once more forgot to breath. He was fairly certain his heart had even stopped as he stood there mere inches from the man he loved.
