THE PHOENIX WEDDING: The Complete 6 Books Series

by CJ Bishop

  “Hey.” Angel found Maddy in his bedroom, his books laid out on his desk.

  “Hey, bro,” Maddy grinned. “Max said you guys were back.” He looked at Angel with uncertainty. “Dane’s parents still acting like jerks?”

  “Yeah,” Angel sighed. “Total bigots. His cousin, too, what a dick. Actually told Dane he shouldn’t have brought me with him, like the whole idea of us getting married would only bring more shame down on his family.” Angel sat on the end corner of the bed. “Like they’re perfect and sin-free, all the while standing there, judging us.”

  “Well, they sound peachy,” Maddy mumbled.

  “Yeah,” Angel snorted. “Peachy.”

  Maddy twisted his chair around. “So what’re you doing today?”

  “At the moment, visiting with you,” Angel smiled. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “I also wanted to ask you something.”

  “What?”

  “This should go without saying,” Angel told him. “But I still want to make a formal request.” Maddy stared at him curiously. Angel cleared his throat. “I wanted to ask you to be my best man.”

  Maddy looked genuinely surprised. “For real?”

  Angel laughed quietly. “Yeah, for real. You’re surprised? Did you really think there was anyone I would choose over you?”

  “I don’t know,” he smiled and shrugged. “I thought maybe Axel, since he’s an adult and your brother, too.”

  Angel nodded. “Of course, Axel came to mind. But I never considered choosing him over you for this. I talked to him about it. He totally understands and wouldn’t have it any other way.” Angel gazed at his little brother, though not so little anymore. “It was you and I from the start, Maddy,” he said softly. “You were my whole world. And for the last five years, my only reason for living. We went through hell,” he whispered, his throat squeezing. “But we survived because of our love for each other. I couldn’t have made it through without you.” He ducked his head and rubbed his damp eyes, then looked up again to see tears in Maddy’s gaze. “We’re a team, little brother. We always have been. To say you’re my best man isn’t just a title for the ceremony; it’s the truth. You are my best man. And this weekend, I want you standing up there with me.”

  ♦

  Samuel had informed Nolan he was taking a day off, and Nolan knew he shocked the young man when he didn’t argue with him. Truth was, Nolan had been about to suggest it himself when Samuel beat him to the punch. Things were changing and doing so at the speed of light, and there were aspects of his life that had to be brought into check. And his first order of business – get Grid out of his head and stay as far away from him as possible. The physical avoidance might be doable as Grid would be gone soon, and he supposed that was the most important aspect. But the guy relentlessly manipulated his thoughts and Nolan didn’t know why.

  Their very brief encounter at the party had meant nothing. They had both been drunk and jacked up because of the show. Even a straight guy couldn’t resist the sexual energy in the club that night; it didn’t mean he was gay.

  It wasn’t the encounter that troubled him as much as the lingering thoughts of the young man. He could make excuses for what happened at the club, but it was more difficult when it came to his inability to stop thinking about him…and drumming up fantasies that didn’t mesh with the “straight man” persona.

  But you are straight and you better get that through your damn head right now.

  He blinked and rubbed his eyes then stared at the papers laid out on the kitchen table…and the small photo attached. “Put him out of your mind,” Nolan murmured tensely as the doorbell rang. “You can’t take the risk.” Nolan left the table and walked through the small, open living room, paused at the door and took a deep breath, then opened it. He was startled to find Samuel on the other side. He frowned. “What’re you doing here? I thought you were taking the day off?”

  “I am.” Samuel smiled. “And so are you.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You work too hard,” Samuel said. “If you don’t give your brain a rest now and then, it’ll short circuit. So I’m taking you out to lunch and then we’ll find something fun to take up the rest of the afternoon.”

  “Samuel-”

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Samuel asked. “I’ve never seen your apartment. You can tell a lot about a person by the things they surround themselves with.” He smiled.

  Nolan hesitated, glancing anxiously past the young man, then let him in. He returned to the kitchen table and tucked away the papers, concealing them inside the folder. There was no barrier between the kitchen and living room, and Samuel watched him.

  “Is that Christian’s file?”

  “Uh…no,” Nolan murmured and picked up the folder. “Just something I’m working on in my spare time.” Not entirely a lie.

  “Spare time?” Samuel grinned. “I didn’t know you had spare time. You seem to schedule your time down to the millisecond.”

  “It keeps my life in order. Nice and neat,” he said quietly and looked at the young man. “I like neatness and order.”

  “So I’ve deduced,” Samuel chuckled as he looked around. Even to Nolan’s eye, his place looked like a showcase for a magazine; not a single item out of place and everything dusted, polished, pristine. “My place would drive you nuts.”

  Nolan chuffed. “Like your desk?”

  Looking at him, Samuel smiled. “Exactly. So, are you ready to go, or do you want to change…”

  “I don’t have time to be goofing off,” Nolan told him. “If we’re not going to be working on Christian’s case, then…” he indicated the folder. “…I have other things to work on.”

  “What case is it?”

  “A private one,” Nolan told him. “Nothing that concerns you. So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to it.” He nodded toward the door.

  Samuel didn’t budge and just stared at him.

  Leave, Nolan silently ordered as anxiety built in his gut. Leave now-

  The doorbell rang again and Nolan’s eyes snapped that way. Shit.

  ♦

  The attorney’s nervousness was unprecedented. “Expecting someone?” Samuel asked. He’d gotten the strong impression that when Nolan had opened the door to him, he’d been expecting someone else.

  Nolan stared at the door and seemed hesitant at first to open it. The doorbell rang again.

  “Want me to get it?” Samuel asked and took a step in that direction.

  Nolan broke from his stance and walked to the door, gripped the knob, paused, then opened.

  An unexpected disappointment scurried through Samuel at the presence of the woman waiting on the other side; attractive, with shoulder-length dark blond hair and a slender, curving figure wrapped up in shape-enhancing black dress that was elegantly sexy.

  Exactly the type of woman Samuel had imagined Nolan would date. Before he got the notion in his head that the attorney was gay.

  “Nolan.” The woman’s voice was smooth as silk and in simply speaking his name, implied high class lifestyle. “So nice to see you.” She brushed her fingertips over his cheek and softly kissed his lips.

  Standing behind the man, Samuel couldn’t see if he responded, but why wouldn’t he? Being gay didn’t make Samuel blind to what attracted straight men, and this woman could surely have her pick.

  Her pale blue eyes settled on Samuel as Nolan stepped back and looked at him as well. “Who is your friend?”

  Nolan invited her in but left the door open. “Samuel Travorn. A colleague.” He didn’t introduce the woman.

  “I see you’re still lacking in manners, Nolan.” The woman smiled at Samuel and held out her hand. “I’m Patrice,” she said as Samuel shook her hand. “Patrice Mansfield.” Her eyes squinted a fraction, causing them to glimmer. “Nolan’s fiancée.”

  Samuel’s shocked stare shot to Nolan.

  “Samuel was just leaving,” Nolan murmured and opened the door a little wider
, indicating it was time for Samuel to go.

  “Yes,” Samuel said low, still reeling from the shock. “I was.” He looked at the woman. “It was nice meeting you, Ms. Mansfield.”

  “And you, Mr. Travorn.” She smiled.

  “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow,” Nolan said as Samuel stepped out the door, getting the sense that Nolan was telling him not to come back today.

  Samuel nodded, cast one last look at the woman, then moved into the hall as Nolan closed the door. A hard sigh escaped him as his “gay” theories exploded into nothingness. “Well, shit,” he mumbled in disappointment and walked away.

  Chapter 7

  When Caleb arrived at the club to meet up with Dane for their lunch date, Samuel was there with Jamie and Grid. Caleb discreetly observed Grid from afar as he and Jamie chatted with Ricky and the boys near the back side of the club. He wondered if Samuel was right about Grid taking a liking to Nolan, and Samuel’s certainty that Nolan was, indeed, gay.

  “Fancy meeting you here,” Caleb grinned as he approached the bar where Samuel sat nursing a beer. “I thought you were taking those two out on the town.”

  Samuel chuckled but it felt weighted. “This was as far as they wanted to go. Can’t hardly blame them.”

  Frowning, Caleb took a seat next to Samuel. “Is something wrong?”

  Twisting around on his stool, Samuel stared across the room at Grid. “I went to Nolan’s to talk him into hanging out with us for, you know, observational purposes.” He smiled and nodded in Grid’s direction.

  “Yes. Of course,” Caleb grinned. “What? You couldn’t get him to go? Not that I’m surprised.”

  Samuel remained quiet, his eyes distant.

  “What?” Caleb pressed.

  “While I was there…” he looked at Caleb. “A woman came to his apartment.”

  Uncertainty knitting his brow, Caleb murmured, “Yeah?”

  Samuel leaned closer. “She introduced herself as Nolan’s fiancée.”

  “What?” Caleb’s eyes widened. “His fiancée? Since when does he have a fiancée?”

  “Beats the hell out of me,” Samuel said. “And she’s totally high end. Patrice Mansfield.”

  Caleb’s frown deepened and he shook head. “But…wait…at the bachelor party, when Nolan was half wasted, he said the last serious relationship he had was back in law school. And said something about relationships being too much of a hassle anymore, or something. A fiancée sounds pretty damn serious to me.”

  “I know,” Samuel said. “He’s never spoken of a woman in his life. I don’t even know when he’d have time to get engaged—he never stops working long enough to socialize.”

  Exhaling slowly, Caleb’s gaze drifted back to Grid. “So he isn’t gay after all? Damn. Poor Grid. His first boy on boy interest and the guy is straight.

  “It doesn’t make any fucking sense to me, though,” Samuel murmured, his face pinched. “I mean, Nolan isn’t the most open person, but after all the time the three of us have spent together, you’d think something as serious as a fiancée would have come up in conversation—especially with all this wedding stuff going on.”

  “I’m blindsided,” Caleb admitted. “Have you told Grid?”

  “Not yet,” Samuel sighed. “But I guess I have to. No point in him pining over an impossibility.” He blew out a hard breath. “Fuck. I really wanted him to be gay.”

  ♦

  Grid spotted Caleb at the bar and wondered if he’d mentioned anything to Samuel about Seth’s questions concerning Nolan. Samuel hadn’t brought up Nolan at all today, so maybe he hadn’t. Grid had to rein in the urge to grill them both on every little detail of Nolan’s life. He didn’t know if he wanted his interest in Nolan to exceed sex, but he realized he didn’t have a choice. Something about the man just got to him and was burrowing in deeper and deeper. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. The last thing he’d expected when coming to New York was to develop a serious interest in someone. He’d thought it was just going to be all fun and games, no strings attached. Not that he was opposed to getting serious. But with a guy like Nolan? The man wasn’t even ready to come out yet, and he and Grid weren’t exactly a great social match. Grid didn’t really care, but he suspected that even if Nolan was out and proud, it would still matter to him.

  “You still with us?” Ricky waved his hand in front of Grid’s face, bringing him back to focus.

  Grid laughed. “Yeah. I’m here.”

  “So…” Levi grinned—and what a grin! “You guys want to come to our…party?”

  “What party?” Jamie asked, his interest piqued.

  The four guys looked at each other and chuckled. Levi answered. “Our porno party.” He wagged his eyebrows flirtatiously. “It’s by invite only, very private.” He nodded to his left. “Tommy here used to be an escort. He says things got pretty wild at times with some of his clients. Figured he could help get the balls rolling.”

  Jamie looked at him with intrigue yet a smidge of apprehension as well. “What would we be doing?”

  “Anything you want.” Ricky smiled. “And nothing that you don’t. It’s just for fun. If all you want to do is sit back and watch, then you’re free to do so. No one’s going to try and coerce you into anything. Though I can’t promise we won’t flirt with you incessantly.”

  Grid watched Jamie’s cheeks flush with inner heat and smiled; it was great to see him busting out of his shell, and with such gusto.

  “Sounds fun to me,” Jamie said quietly, his eyes aflame. “But only if Seth wants to come, too.”

  The boys all chuckled. Tommy winked. “Oh, Seth will want to come, all right. We all will.”

  “Shit,” Grid laughed. “I don’t doubt that.” These boys’ sexual energy was infectious and anyone who remained in their presence for long couldn’t help but want to get down and dirty.

  “What about you, Grid?” Ricky smiled. “You want to come, too?”

  “I could be tempted.” He grinned. Maybe that’s what he needed to get Nolan out of his head—some hot and wild fun with these boys. It had nearly annihilated him to have a man’s mouth and hands on his cock, now he craved a good give-n-take fuck. He couldn’t deny that he wanted that first fuck to be with Nolan, but in all reality, that seemed highly unlikely. These guys here were the next best thing. They’d for damn sure make it an experience he’d never forget, that much he knew without a doubt.

  ♦

  Max and Horatio were waiting at the restaurant when Seth and Carl arrived, within minutes of each other. The two young men sat down and Horatio poured wine for them.

  “To what do we owe this honor?” Carl smiled and sipped from his glass.

  Seth gazed at them curiously.

  “We asked you here for a very special reason.” Max covered Horatio’s hand and squeezed with deep affection. “What the two for you did for us…it went above and beyond the call of love. If it wasn’t for your sincere care for us and your selflessness, maybe we wouldn’t be where we are now, about to fulfil our dream of marriage.” Max looked down at the ring on Horatio’s finger, caressing his thumb over the smooth gold band. “I threw this way,” he said quietly, then raised damp eyes to Carl. “And you brought it back to me, encouraged me to have faith and believe in the power of love. The miracle of love. You were the one who urged me to go to Horatio, speak from my heart—tell him the truth of what he meant to me.”

  Wetness glimmered in Carl’s eyes and Max reached over, gently grasping his hand.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Max said thickly. “You could have kept me for yourself and I wouldn’t have resisted you. And you knew that. Yet you let me go, and without bitterness.” His throat worked and he squeezed Carl’s hand a little tighter. “You were there for me when I needed comfort, and you didn’t judge me when my heart broke in pieces for another man. You weren’t just a boyfriend or lover…you were my friend. And that, above all, is what mattered most to me.”

  Horatio sat silently beside Max, a thi
n film of tears in his mahogany eyes as he gazed at Seth. Max laced his fingers through Horatio’s and raised his hand to his lips.

  A slight tremor to his chin, Horatio whispered, “When I learned the truth about Max and I…” He looked at Seth. “…it was the most painful, bittersweet moment of my life. I had given my heart to Max so long ago, yet somehow you managed to find a remaining portion and capture it with your tenderness and love. I was first drawn to you because you reminded me of Max. But you had a perfection all your own, Seth. An angelic quality that I couldn’t bear to damage by breaking my promise to you.” He swallowed and took Seth’s hand. “And you proved what a true angel you were when you chose to save mine and Max’s love, rather than extinguish it as I’d asked you to do.” He pressed his lips tight, his eyes shimmering. “You saw how much I was hurting inside—how much Max was hurting—and you sacrificed your own heart to heal that hurt in us.” He looked at Carl. “You both did. And we can never express with words alone just what that truly means to us.”

  Max cleared his throat and released Carl’s hand as he picked up his glass and took a drink. “We invited you both here to make a special request.” He looked at Horatio and smiled, then faced the two young men. “It would be a great honor to us if you would both stand with us on our wedding day…and be our best men.”

  “You want us…” Seth breathed, glancing between them as tears formed.

  Carl slowly rubbed his hand over his mouth, his own eyes glossy. “It’s…it’s such an honor…” he looked at Seth. “…to us.”

  Seth nodded and sniffed as he wiped his eyes. “It is,” he whispered. “More than words can say.”

  “Is that a yes?” Horatio smiled, blinking back another well of tears.

  “Yes,” Seth choked and stood up, moving around the table. Horatio rose from his seat and embraced him, hugging him tight.

  “I need one of those, too,” Carl laughed thickly, barely containing his emotions as he and Max stood and hugged each other hard. “I’m so damn happy for you,” he whispered in Max’s ear and held him tighter, before drawing back and stepping around to embrace Horatio. “For you both.”