Two-Man Advantage

by Toni Aleo

  “So when we leave for Cancun, you won’t touch me? We’ll be just two guys hanging out? Except behind closed doors?”

  “No, not at all,” Matty stressed, shaking his head. “You said we’re going to a private resort. It’ll be fine.”

  Wells laughed then, shaking his head. “Because no one will see us except for my family and the people that work there, huh?”

  “Well—”

  “How long do I have to wait, Matty?”

  “What? What do—”

  “How long do I have to wait to love you the way I’m yearning to? The way I so desperately want to?” he asked, his eyes burning into Matty’s. “Like, right now, I just want to kiss you because I love the way the sun is glowing against your hair. And how your eyes shine just as bright as that ocean.”

  Swallowing hard, Matty shook his head. “I want all that too, but, Wells, I can’t just make out with you and be with you—when no one in my family knows.”

  “Then tell them.”

  “I’m trying!” he yelled, not intentionally, but shit, it wasn’t like he was sitting on his ass. “You don’t know how hard this is for me. It was easy when you came out—”

  Wells laughed, cutting him off. “My dad dragged my boyfriend at the time out of my room, threw him in the front yard, screaming that he was a faggot before he came in and told me to stop this faggot shit.” Matty looked away, inhaling hard. He knew this story, but even so, it didn’t make it easier to hear. “He screamed, he yelled, and I just now am starting to have a relationship with my father again. Fucking fifteen years later. So don’t tell me that I don’t know how hard this is, I do. But fucking shit, Matty, unlike you, I didn’t have anyone. Jensen and Vaughn were scared shitless of my father, plus they don’t love me the same way I love you. Wren didn’t know what to do, and even though she stood by me, it still isn’t the same thing, I’m going to stand beside you. But you have to understand, I want you. All of you, and I hate waiting.”

  Matty closed his eyes, running his hands down his face as he shook his head. “Wells—”

  “But I will,” he said then, and Matty let out a sigh of relief when met Wells’s gaze. “But know I want it all.”

  “I do know that,” Matty stressed, squeezing his bicep. “I want it too, but give me time to patch this up with Avery and then tell my parents.” Taking a step forward, he took Wells by his wrists. He knew it was an intimate gesture, but he couldn’t care at that moment. He couldn’t lose this man. Not again. “And then you won’t be able to keep me off you.”

  Wells grinned as he shook his head. “You’re lucky I love you.”

  Matty nodded. “I am.”

  When a door slammed open, Wells took a step back as they both looked at a neighbor who was watching them. She eyed them suspiciously, and Matty froze. Shit, were they trespassing? “He’s Avery Sinclair’s brother,” Wells volunteered.

  Matty glanced at Wells as he just grinned, but when he looked back at the older lady, it must have worked because she smiled sweetly. “Oh! Hello!”

  “Hi,” Matty called, waving awkwardly as Wells beamed at him.

  “Do you happen to know where they are?”

  The woman paused, pressing her finger to her chin. “It’s Thursday, hmm. I think they are at Ashlyn’s toddler time at gymnastics. Don’t hold me to that, though. Those three are always so busy. I just watch that sweet girl whenever they need me to.”

  “How nice,” Wells said with a grin. “Thank you.”

  “Of course, hun,” she said with a wave, and then she started to sweep her patio.

  Looking back to Matty, Wells said, “Maybe we should come back.”

  But Matty shook his head. “Nah, let’s stay. Walk, just be together.”

  Wells smiled as he nodded. “Okay.”

  But before either of them could move, they heard, “Hey!”

  Turning, Wells had a smile on his face, but pure dread filled Matty’s features because up by the gate was his brother-in-law.

  Jace Sinclair.

  And Matty was pretty sure Jace hated him more than Avery did.

  Eleven

  It must have taken Jace a moment to realize that it was Matty standing on his stretch of beach because his face went from curious to pissed off in approximately two point five seconds. When Jace started to charge down the beach toward them, Wells pursed his lips.

  “Does he hate you?”

  “More than words could ever describe.”

  “Awesome,” he answered dryly, but when Matty glanced back at him, Wells was grinning like a fool. “Hey, right back at ya!” When Wells stepped into Jace’s path, which was probably a direct route to punch Matty square in the jaw, Jace looked up, a little taken aback. Wells towered over him and looked huge beside Jace’s smaller frame, yet the fire was still glowing in Jace’s gaze. “We aren’t trespassing, I swear. We are actually here to see your wife.”

  Jace’s face scrunched up as he shook his head. “He’s not coming anywhere near my wife.” Pointing at Matty, he glared. “What the fuck are you even doing here?”

  Matty cleared his throat, something he was realizing might be a nervous tic. “I wanted to see Avery.”

  “What the fuck for?”

  “To talk to her,” he somehow got out, his heart in his throat. On the ice, he wasn’t scared of Jace one bit, but here, he was nervous. Jace had every right to keep Avery from Matty. If the roles were reversed, he’d kill the person who did what he’d done to Avery. “I wanted to try to.” He paused, looking away as he took a deep breath. “I wanted to apologize.”

  “Nope.”

  He looked up. “Nope?”

  Jace nodded. “Yeah. Or better yet, fuck no. She’s fine without you. Great, even.”

  He knew that, but he wanted the chance to make things right. Was it too much to ask? Probably. But damn it, he had to do this. “I’m sure she is, but I want to apologize nonetheless.”

  “She doesn’t want it.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because she’s my fucking wife, the mother of my daughter. Because I love her, and she loves me. She doesn’t need you.”

  Matty nodded, holding Jace’s gaze. He knew Jace would never like him or welcome him, and he understood that, but Matty wouldn’t let Jace stand in his way. “I don’t doubt that, but I’d really like the chance to apologize.”

  Jace just laughed, his eyes fiery with anger. “Doesn’t matter what you’d like, asshole. Get off my property before I call the cops.”

  “Now, now. No need for that,” Wells said, holding his hands out calmly. His eyes were so inviting, that smile ruthless as he moved his hand between Matty and Jace. “He just wants to talk to his sister.”

  “He lost that right the day he urged her to kill herself,” Jace spat back, not looking at Wells, though. “I hate you, do you know that?” Matty looked away, his heart aching in his chest. He hated himself for what he had done to Avery, but that was why he was there. He had to alleviate some of this guilt that was suffocating him. “I never could have found my everything if you had succeeded in convincing her to kill herself. I wouldn’t have my daughter. I wouldn’t have anything.”

  “I was young and stupid—”

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t excuse what you did.”

  Matty nodded, but before he could reply, Wells said, “You’re absolutely right, but is it your place to decide for Avery?”

  Jace’s heated gaze snapped to Wells. “I’m her husband—”

  “I’m in no way trying to dispute that, and I apologize if it sounds like I am because Avery is a very lucky lady to have such a forceful husband who loves her and wants to protect her. But don’t you think she has the right to deny her brother herself?”

  Always the charmer. Matty couldn’t help but shake his head at Wells. He could charm the pants off a nun. Hell, he had done it to Matty many times. And like Jace was there for Avery, Matty couldn’t help but notice that Wells was doing the same for him, just in a calmer way. Jace look
ed away, shaking his head.

  With a small chuckle, Wells said, “And if she’s anything like Matty, I’m sure she’d be pissed you sent him away without her knowledge.”

  Jace’s head snapped up then, glaring. “She’s nothing like him. She is good, she is perfect and beautiful.” He then paused and shrugged. “But yeah, she’d be pissed.”

  Wells laughed at that, and even Jace’s lips tipped up just slightly, looking every bit his twenty-three years. Matty understood why Avery had chosen Jace—he was fiercely loyal and loved her ferociously—and was also just plain gorgeous. Like drop-dead, Calvin Klein-model gorgeous. Matty didn’t find himself as attractive. He looked older, weathered, which his mom always said was because he frowned all the time.

  She was probably right.

  Nonetheless, as he took in Jace’s semi-smile and cautious gaze, Matty was on pins and needles. Swallowing hard, Matty asked, “Is she here? Or should I come back?”

  Wells pressed his hand to Matty’s chest. “We’ll wait in the car if you don’t want us on your beach.”

  As he shook his head, it was obvious Jace was having an internal battle. One that was causing Matty to hold his breath. He wanted this badly, but maybe the effort was pointless.

  “She’s here,” Jace finally answered, visibly upset by saying that. “But I don’t know if she wants to see you.”

  Matty nodded, but nothing came from his lips. He could feel Wells watching him, even Jace was watching him, yet he couldn’t utter a word. Now that he was at her house and there was a chance to see her, to make things right, he was pretty sure he was having a panic attack.

  What would she say?

  Would she even want to see him?

  “Can you ask? We can wait in the driveway,” Wells asked finally, saying exactly what Matty had wanted to say.

  Jace paused for a moment, looking back at the house, his features stricken. When Jace glanced back at Wells, Matty couldn’t read his brother-in-law, and for a moment, he was sure Jace was going to say no. Instead, he said, “Yeah. I’ll ask.”

  Relief flooded Matty, but then he remembered that Avery could turn him away at any moment. When Jace turned without a word, Wells followed behind him, but Matty stayed in place. His heart was pounding in his throat, his skin felt as if it was burning, and everything was spinning. Fuck, what had he done?

  “You coming?”

  Matty couldn’t move. “I don’t know.”

  Wells smiled, coming toe to toe with him, his beautiful green eyes sparkling as he looked down at Matty. “We can do this.”

  We. Again with the word that meant the world to him. He’d never had someone completely on his side. He had to share his parents, he hadn’t been close to his siblings because of his choices, but that wasn’t the case anymore. He had Wells, and one day it might be just them. We. At that moment, Matty knew he’d be okay if that was the case. Because this man, this man was everything to him. Cupping the back of Wells’s neck, Matty pulled him down to him, pressing his lips to his. He tasted good, his banana ChapStick so damn sweet as they kissed. As Wells pulled back, his eyes were wide with surprise as a slow grin went over those saccharine lips.

  “I love you.”

  Wells grinned, widely and full of such beauty. “I love you.” With a wink, he turned, nodding his head to the house. “Now, come on.”

  Together, they walked to the house, and while Matty was freaking the fuck out, he followed Wells, knowing, or better yet, hoping to God this would work. Once through the gate, they reached the front. But when he looked over to the front porch, Matty’s breath was gone.

  Because standing there was his sister.

  His twin.

  He had always thought of her as beautiful, but now, she was spectacular. Motherhood was suiting her well, her eyes bright and her hair longer than he remembered it. She was practically glowing. Her lips were pressed together, making them plump and thick. She wore a pair of jeans and a tank, looking very much the beach bum he suspected she had become. Her eyes were curious, and the look she gave him made a chill run up his spine.

  For a solid minute, no one said anything. Matty’s eyes were locked with hers, his heart was in his throat, and he had no clue what to say. Avery’s gaze moved from Matty to Wells as she pointed to him. “I know you.”

  Wells smiled with a nod. “We met about two years ago at Lucy and Benji’s wedding.”

  She nodded. “That’s right. Your sister is Markus’s and Baylor’s therapist.”

  “She is. I’m Wells.”

  “Yup,” she answered with a nod. “How do you know my brother?”

  Wells’s smile didn’t falter, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he looked to Matty, and Matty knew it was because he was unsure of what to say. Even though Matty felt like he was going to puke, he cleared his throat for good measure and said, “He’s my boyfriend.”

  To his own surprise, Avery didn’t seem even the least bit shocked by that. She only nodded as she looked back to Wells. “It’s nice to meet you again—under these circumstances.”

  “You too,” Wells said, his shoulders coming back a fraction as his smile grew. Matty smiled, his eyes watering a little before he looked back at Avery.

  “Does anyone else know? Mom? Dad? Seth or Laurence?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  She nodded. “Really?”

  “Yeah,” he said slowly, taking a step forward, his gaze holding hers. “I wanted to tell you first.”

  Her face scrunched up. “Why?”

  Swallowing, he struggled, his words not coming easily as he wished they would. How did he put into words that he was sorry, and that he wanted her to know first because when he’d decided he wanted to come out, it was Wells and then her before the rest of his family? That he wanted her to be in his life? That he wanted to be in Ashlyn’s life? That he missed her—dreadfully.

  “Because contrary to my actions, I do love you.” His voice broke a bit. “A lot, actually, and I feel I owe you more than just an apology.”

  She didn’t move at first. She just held his gaze, her eyes beginning to fill with tears before she slowly started to turn, opening the front door. “Well, come on in. I think Jace took Ashlyn to the beach, so we can talk.”

  His heart stopped. She was letting him in.

  Holy. Fuck.

  Before he knew it, he was nodding, moving toward her as he looked over at Wells. He was smiling hard, and soon Matty was too.

  He knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Hell, he even knew that her inviting him in didn’t mean she was forgiving him. But either way, this was his chance. She could still blow him off and never forgive him. He knew that was the likely outcome, but somewhere deep inside of him, he hoped it wouldn’t be.

  He missed her.

  And he needed her in his life.

  Twelve

  Oh, thank God!

  Following behind Matty up the sidewalk toward Avery’s house, Wells was pretty sure his heart would never return to its assigned spot in his chest.

  That. Was. Stressful.

  Avery was letting Matty in, though, and Wells almost couldn’t believe it. He had been convinced that Jace would pose a problem. And once they got past him and he saw Avery in all her beautiful glory, looking every bit like Matty but also looking very upset, he suspected they wouldn’t get in.

  But he was wrong.

  And that was A-OK with him.

  When they entered the house, it was cool with air conditioning, which Wells welcomed since it was hotter than Satan’s asshole outside. As the door shut behind him, he looked around to see stunning photos of Avery’s little family. A huge portrait of whom he suspected was Ashlyn adorned the wall that faced the door, and she was just precious. In a frilly little blue dress, she was smashing a cake, and her eyes were bright with excitement, and Wells couldn’t help but grin. “She is adorable.”

  Avery beamed at the photo before looking back at them. “Thank you. She’s a mess and spoiled rotten.”

  W
ells smiled in agreement, pretty sure she wasn’t making that up. He knew for a fact that as soon as his nephew, Gunner, came, he too would be spoiled rotten. When Wells glanced over at Matty, though, he saw his boyfriend’s face was twisted as he stared at a photo. Focusing on the same photo, Wells immediately knew why. It was a photo of Avery, Ashlyn, and the rest of Matty’s family. He patted Matty’s back.

  “Come on.”

  Matty looked away, nodding as Avery said, “Why don’t we sit in the kitchen? Do either of you want a beer?”

  Wells nodded. “Yes, please.”

  “Sure. Thanks.”

  She nodded, an uneasy look on her face as she went into the kitchen, while both men followed behind her. The house was done beachy but modern, with a touch of a farmhouse feel. It was cute and also a bit messy, which Wells figured was because of Ashlyn. He sat down at the table, Matty sitting beside him as Avery set the beers down and took the seat across from them.

  “You don’t want one?” Matty asked, tipping the bottle toward her, and she shook her head.

  “I’m actually pregnant.”

  Wells smiled as Matty inhaled sharply beside him. “Congratulations.”

  She beamed. “Thank you. It’s a surprise, just like Ashlyn, but a welcome one.”

  “That’s awesome,” Matty added, and she nodded. “Does Mom know?”

  “Nope, no one yet.”

  Matty’s smile grew as he nodded. “Oh.”

  “Yeah, Jace says it’s the only reason I’m talking to you. Because I’m super emotional.”

  Matty looked away, nodding, though it looked painful. “Lucky for me.”

  “It is!” Wells said very cheerfully, and when they both glanced at him, their brows pulled together, it was freaky. “Wow, okay, sorry.”

  Matty chuckled as Wells leaned back, taking a pull of his beer. Avery watched them, her eyes darting between them. “So, how long have you two been together?”

  Wells chuckled as Matty smiled back at him. He could tell Matty was internally freaking out, but Wells was proud of him. He was doing great, even if he had the look of flight in his eyes. “Well, we dated for almost two years, and then he broke up with me—”