by Toni Aleo
"Okay, I'll send them right now." He listened to the instructions and scrawled the rep's contact info on a napkin. More notifications popped up, blocking his screen as he sent photo after photo.
Fire burned in his muscles. He paced the kitchen, unable to stand still. Hushed conversations drifted in from the dining room.
Finally, the rep called him back. "Sir, I've advised him to leave the property and to leave the keys in the lock box. And that he's liable for any property damage."
"I have time-stamped photos of how the house looked before he arrived, so we'll be able to compare." He silently thanked Aaron for remembering to take them.
"Will someone be visiting the house soon?"
"Yeah. Me. I'll be on the next flight there."
"I'll follow up with an email for your records, sir. And steps should you need further assistance."
Joseph ended the call and barely resisted the urge to throw the phone through the window. "That little shit."
"Joseph." Vince stood in the doorway. "You're not going to Asbury Park now."
He scrolled through the airline's site. "There's a flight leaving in two hours, and I'm gonna be on it."
"It's Christmas Eve. What do you think you're going to do when you get there?"
"Make sure they're really gone. I don't trust him to be out in an hour, and I don't trust him not to do more damage now that he's been kicked out."
"You can ask Aaron to do that."
"It's my house, Vince. I need to be there to check out the damage. I don't know what Aaron's plans were for the night." He turned away from his furious boyfriend and sent a flurry of texts to Aaron.
Joseph: Fucking renter is having a rave and destroying my house. Can you stop by my place to make sure they left? Bring Gus and any other bouncers as back up with you. I'll cover any costs.
Joseph: And can you take some "after" pics of the place? Need them for reimbursement.
Joseph: Sorry to bother you. If you can't make it there, no worries. I'm getting on the next flight out. Will text you when I arrive.
Footsteps matching Vince's tread slapped against the tile. "Joseph."
Heaving a sigh, he turned around. Stress burst from every pore. "What?"
"You're really going? This is ridiculous. The rental contract covers damages. You could stay here tonight and go down after Christmas. You don't have to rush off now."
He held out his phone. "I'll show you every photo. They might have destroyed my place. I can't believe you don't get it. Could you have my back in this for once?"
Vince's eyes iced over. "I always have your back. But I don't see how rushing over there now will help."
"I need to make sure they didn't destroy it."
"Won't that app show you if they're still there?"
"Only the outside. Not the inside. I need to know."
Vince rubbed a hand over his face. Shaking his head, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Renting the house out was a mistake."
Hurt and annoyed, Joseph snorted. "That's funny. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have met you again."
"I mean now." Vince slammed his fist on the table. "You don't need to do it now."
He needed to pack and get to the airport, not be embarrassed and shamed in front of their guests. "We've already had this conversation, and I'm not going through this again."
"I'm not finished."
"You're going to have to be. Because I am."
Chapter Six
Vince stayed in the kitchen. He resisted the urge to follow Joseph up the stairs and continue the argument. Leaning against the sink, he looked out the window, but only the darkening sky and his own reflection stared back.
Footsteps jogged down the stairs. Joseph, wearing his heavy coat, and carrying two travel bags, stopped in the hallway separating the kitchen and dining room. He addressed their guests. "I'm sorry, guys. I need to go."
Then he shifted and held Vince's gaze.
Vince stared back. There wasn't anything to say. He was too angry. And apparently, Joseph was also, because he turned and walked away without a word. A few moments later, the front door opened and then closed.
"Vince?" Celek poked his head in the room. "The guys and I are gonna take off."
"No. Stay. We invited you to dinner. Let's eat." He followed Celek into the dining room.
Slater and Noah watched him, their plates filled with mostly uneaten take out. Vince sat down, dropped two tacos on his plate, then pushed it away.
His appetite was gone.
Leaning on his elbows, he buried his face in his hands. The evening was turning into a nightmare.
Celek laid a hand on his shoulder. "So, Joseph's going to New Jersey?"
"Yeah."
"He seemed pretty upset."
Vince dragged his hands through his hair. "I don't understand why he needs to rent out the house. It's always more trouble than it's worth."
"You've fought about it before." Noah was either observant or a really good eavesdropper.
"You know what's worse? He referred to it as home tonight. Like that's still his home, not here."
Slater pushed Vince's plate closer. "You should eat something. I think you just hit on what's really bothering you. You're worried he might leave. For good."
"I guess I worry that he's holding onto it in case he's really not happy here. And since he hasn't found a job yet, I'm worried he might want to go back to the nightclub there, and we'll turn into a long distance couple, which is something neither of us wanted. We'd never see each other if that happened."
Celek raised a brow. "I'm guessing you never told him this."
Pressing his lips together, he shrugged and shook his head. "Never."
"I think you need to talk to him. You guys love each other. You need to be honest. I bet there are things he's afraid to tell you too."
"Celek's right." Slater nodded and again pushed Vince's plate a little closer. "I know you and Joseph are angry with each other right now, but you're still gonna check in with him in a few hours, right? Make sure those people really did leave, and he's not walking into a bad situation?"
Noah groaned. "Way to plant horrible images into people's heads."
"Sorry, but he's my friend as much as Vince is. I want him to be okay."
Vince picked up his taco before Slater could attempt to touch his plate again. "Don't worry, Slater. I'll check in with him and his buddy there."
He pulled out his phone and sent a message to Aaron, asking him to get in touch with Joseph. Then another to Joseph.
Vince: J, I know you're angry. But I need to know you're okay. Call or text me when you get to the house. Please?
The guys were right, he did need to be honest with Joseph. But he wasn't sure what to say, how to say it, or if Joseph would even want to listen.
A wave of exhaustion hit him, and Joseph swayed on his feet. Leaning on the broom, he surveyed the living room. His eyes felt gritty like sand had gotten in them. And they stung like they'd been hit with saltwater. He'd arrived in New Jersey after midnight, walked into the aftermath left behind by angry partygoers, had worked throughout the night taking photos to document the damage and then battling through clean up.
As the time ticked toward noon, the two-hour nap he'd grabbed at eight o'clock in the morning seemed further and further away.
In the light of day, the situation didn't seem as dire. Hours of cleaning helped restore the house, but he'd still need to buy a new chair and replace the broken lamps. And that red wine stain might never come out of the carpet in the guest room.
But at least the floors were no longer sticky with spilled beer and bits of food. And the broken bottles and crushed cans no longer littered the rooms like a frat house on a Sunday morning.
He'd arrived to chaos and disarray.
But he'd also left that back in Buffalo.
Along with Vince.
On Christmas Eve.
He'd screwed up. Badly. What if it was too badly to fix?
He pulled out hi
s phone. Vince's text had arrived while Joseph had been en route to the airport. Even though they were fighting, knowing Vince cared and wanted to make sure he was safe meant so much. As soon as Joseph had arrived at the house, he sent a text in reply, two words: I'm here. But what he wanted to say was: I'm here, and I wish you were here too because I need you.
The ache in his chest grew to overwhelming. He dropped the broom and sat on the floor. Their conversation replayed in his head, as it had done since he'd walked out of the house. And then he thought back to the one they had at the ugly sweater party too.
Maybe Vince was tired of all the drama and chaos Joseph brought along. He definitely had an opinion on the rental property. And he was right, it was too stressful.
Joseph got to his feet and started a slow tour of the home. Would he really be okay with saying goodbye to Nonna's house? Or, would it be letting go of one of the very last pieces of his life, leaving him untethered?
He wouldn't be untethered if he had Vince.
They needed to talk. He had to explain why he'd held on to the shore house. He had to be brave, be honest. Because he couldn't lose Vince.
He held his phone in his hand for a long time, his thumb hovering over Vince's name. When he finally pressed call, the call went directly to voicemail.
Talking would have to wait.
Rubbing his arms against the sudden chill, he went out onto the porch. The sound of the ocean usually soothed him, but he couldn't find any solace.
He was alone, on Christmas Day. He missed Vince so much his chest ached. And he was entirely miserable.
Chapter Seven
Vince waited for the cab to drive away and then stood, staring at the beach house. The wind carried the scent of salt air and seagull cries. For a moment, he was transported back to the summer, and the first time he'd walked up these steps, and Joseph's expression when they finally came face to face after all those years apart.
Back then, he'd taken a chance.
Now, he had to hope that Joseph would do the same.
His heartbeat increased, and his pulse ramped up like it always did before a game. But no game had hinged on more than this moment.
He couldn't even think about the possibility that Joseph wouldn't want to see him.
Shouldering his bag, he walked up the path. The scent of beer hit him as soon as he reached the steps. Brown bottles were scattered under the porch. And two large trash cans by the side of the house overflowed with remnants of the house party.
Joseph had been right to be concerned.
Heart in his throat, he knocked on the door.
After a moment, the lock clicked. He held his breath as the door swung open. Joseph's eyes, red-rimmed and shadowed, opened wide. "You're here."
"Yeah. I got on the first flight I could." He shoved his hand into his coat pocket. "Look… Can we talk?"
Joseph stepped back, allowing him entrance. "Come in."
Cleaning products, a mop, a bucket, and two rolls of paper towels sat at the bottom of the steps leading to the second floor. "I saw all the bottles and trash. How bad was the damage?"
"Not as bad as I was imagining. But I'll still need to have the floors professionally cleaned. And I'm out some furniture. Maybe a rug too."
"At least they didn't break any windows."
"Or put any holes in the wall." Joseph shifted his stance, the way he did when he was unsure or unable to get a read on a room. The air was thick with awkwardness and hurt with how they'd left things, and in spite of it all, Vince was so glad to see the man. Rubbing his hand over the back of his neck, Joseph gestured between them. "So…"
Time to get down to business. Vince set his bag on the floor and took off his coat. Then he planted himself in front of Joseph, close enough to touch, but he had some words to say before he could earn the right to pull him close. "I didn't sleep much last night so I had a lot of time to think."
"Same here."
"I'm sorry for the way I acted. It was wrong. I was hurt and frustrated, but that's no excuse."
"I get it. I'm sorry too. Nothing went the way I'd planned." Joseph's tone was as weary as his expression.
The urge to touch him was too strong. Vince tucked his hands into his pockets. He needed to get through his speech first. "See, in my head, we're a couple, and so we share everything. We're already living together. I don't worry about who pays for what."
"I know, but…"
"Let me finish. I'm lucky that I get to play a game I love and that I'm paid very well to do it. It makes me happy knowing I'm able to help Nonna, and able to help you. It's not taking care of you because you can't take care of yourself. It's me taking care of you because I love you, just like you'd take care of me if the situation were reversed."
Joseph slowly nodded. "And I look at the situation like you gave me a second chance, so I need to be worthy of that. I have to pull my own weight. I can't live off of you forever."
"It wouldn't be forever, Joey. This is a bump, a little rough patch. And stop right there with being worthy. I'm so happy that I get to be with you. I'm lucky you love me." He bit his lip then, and his heart stuttered. He needed the words. "You still do, don't you?"
"Of course." Joseph's immediate assurance, accompanied by a soft smile and slowing warming eyes, filled him with relief.
He needed to touch and be touched now. It seemed like eons had passed since their last embrace. He took a step forward, thrilled when Joseph closed the rest of the distance. Joseph's hands clamped on Vince's waist, strong and rough and so right. Vince slid his hands into Joseph's hair. Captive to that dark brown gaze, he gave himself over to the kiss, lost in the taste and the feel of the best thing that ever happened to him.
Joseph groaned and angled his head, taking over and taking the kiss deeper. Vince fought for control as tongues tangled and hands roamed, as he tried to make up for all the stress and drama of the past few days. This, right here, was home.
When breathing became necessary, he lifted his head and panting, rested their foreheads together. They clung together, and Vince wondered and hoped that Joseph was as reluctant as he to part even for a moment. He raised his head but kept his arms around Joseph's shoulders. "I'll help you clean up. I can stay until tomorrow night. There's an eight o'clock flight back to Buffalo. I need to be on it so I can make it to practice on the twenty-seventh."
"Thanks. I appreciate it." Joseph glanced around the room and turned back to Vince. "I never imagined Christmas would end up like this."
Groaning, Vince dropped his head on Joseph's chest. "Tell me about it. I wanted everything to be perfect."
"I did, too."
"But instead, everything went wrong."
Joseph nodded. "And we ruined Christmas Eve for our friends too."
"The guys are fine. Worried about us, but fine." He grasped Joseph's hand. "I'm sorry I didn't realize how much this place meant to you. And that I wasn't more understanding last night."
"You were right. Renting this out is stressful. And it's a lot harder to manage when I'm not living in the area. It's more trouble than it's worth."
The air in Vince's lungs tightened. "So, what does that mean?"
"I wasn't sure if I could sell it, you know? It's been a part of my life for so long. First, as Nonna's house, and then as mine, and then as the income to help Nonna and then me. But you're my future. And as long as I'm with you, I don't need this anymore."
The backs of Vince's eyes stung. Blinking hard, he cleared his throat. "You're my future too. That's all I want. You."
Joseph's smile was brighter than the sun shining on a clear day. "Good."
A more perfect moment didn't exist. Vince dug into his front pocket, and then he took Joseph's hand in his. "There's something I've wanted to ask you."
Joseph's mouth dropped open, and his eyes widened. His gaze flicked from Vince's closed fist to his eyes. And he started laughing, eyes crinkling and shoulders shaking as he fell into Vince.
Vince stiffened as his heart rac
ed. "What—"
Joseph took a deep breath and smiled wide. "If it's what I think it is, then I have something I've wanted to ask you too. Only I left the twin of what you're holding back home."
"Yeah?" Relief rushed into him, and Vince grinned. Knowing they were on the same page made the moment even more special. "I love you. You make me happy, and I'm so glad I found you."
Joseph laid his hand against Vince's cheek. "I love you too. Having you here by my side is all I really wanted. All I've ever wanted."
Vince slowly opened his hand. Two silver bands rested on his palm. Joseph sucked in a breath and then laughed again. "The ones I got are made of silicone so you can wear it while you're playing. A ton of pro athletes are wearing them now."
Vince leaned forward and brushed his lips over Joseph's. "Babe, I'm never taking it off."
"Me either."
"So we're doing this. We're getting married." His fingers shook as he placed the ring on Joseph's finger.
Joseph's hands shook too as he fitted the second ring on Vince's hand. "I can't wait."
Vince rubbed his thumb along the band, secure on his finger. His heart swelled with love.
He strained toward Joseph, needing to kiss him as much as he needed air to breathe. Their mouths met, soft and sweet and full of promise. Joseph's hands framed his face and then slipped into Vince's hair. He slid his arms around Joseph's torso, holding tight to the man who made him complete.
His heart. His future. His everything.
Chapter Eight
"…and all I want for Christmas is you…"
Lyrics and melody floated in the air, mixing with laughter and conversations. Whistling along with the song, Joseph weaved his way through the crowded Asbury Park nightclub, smiling and nodding at patrons he hadn't seen in months.
He never in a million years thought he'd be back here on Christmas. But with the way the holiday had gone, nothing that happened would surprise him now. The club was open while several other places were not, and after spending the whole day cleaning, he and Vince had wanted to get out of the house and into a more festive atmosphere.
