Dating Him: The Series

by Michelle MacQueen

  “Don’t let him hear you say mediocre. He’d go get his guitar just to prove you wrong and then we’d miss the wedding.”

  Kenny grinned. They all knew the truth. Becks was a lot better than mediocre. They’d just never tell him that.

  “We’re not missing this wedding for anything.”

  Asher pressed a kiss below Kenny’s ear. “Then let’s go enjoy our rehersal dinner. I can’t wait to marry you tomorrow.”

  They rejoined their friends and family, and Kenny studied each person who’d come to support them. Life hadn’t always been easy for him, and there was no promise it would ever get easier.

  But there was one thing he did know.

  Some surprises were worth every bit of uncertainty.

  Bonus Chapter 2

  Asher

  Asher floated back to his room on cloud nine. He couldn’t remember ever being so completely happy in his whole life. In just a few hours, Kenny Montgomery would be his husband, and they had the rest of their lives to look forward to. Some people thought it was strange that Asher had never been with anyone else. Kenny was his first kiss and all the kisses in between. It never bothered him. He knew he got it right on the first try, and he felt so lucky because of it. They worked, even when it was hard and their professional lives pulled them away from each other, they still made it through those tough times.

  “Diego, my man, where does he think he’s going?” Becks stood on the stone pathway in front of Asher, his arm draped across Diego’s shoulders. Birds of Paradise bobbed in the breeze behind them, blending in with Becks’ tacky shirt.

  “I don’t know.” Diego looked confused—as usual. “I can’t read his mind, Becks.”

  “Where’s Nicky?” Asher shook his head with a laugh. “He knows better than to leave you two alone without a translator.”

  “He’s waiting at the pool,” Diego said. “We’re supposed to bring you down there.”

  “Dude, we were supposed to be subtle about it.” Becks’ shoulders fell. “You ruined my speech, Diego.”

  “Sorry, but your speeches are usually too long.”

  Asher laughed at the look on Becks’ face. Diego didn’t always get sarcasm—and that was one of the many reasons they loved him.

  “As a man of the cloth, I demand respect, take it back, Diego.” Becks folded his arms across his chest.

  “But you’re not a man of the cloth, Beckett. You didn’t go to Seminary school. You’re a musician.” Diego fired back. “You’re just internet ordained to do weddings.”

  “Which makes me a man of the cloth.”

  “We could be here all night,” Asher said. “What’s this about, guys?”

  “What are you still doing up here?” Wylder grabbed his hand. “You’re needed at the pool.”

  “For what? I need to get to bed, I kind of have a big day tomorrow.”

  “Exactly. You planned this thing but you didn’t give us any time to throw you a bachelor party, so that’s happening now.”

  “What? I don’t need a bachelor party.” Wylder didn’t listen to him, she just shoved him back toward the hotel. With Wylder on one side and Becks on the other, he didn’t have much choice but to go with them. As they rounded the bend in the pathway, Asher spotted a small, private pool lit with fairy lights. Nicky waited for them at the bar.

  “Surprise Bachelor Party!” Becks shouted.

  “We just told him about it, so it’s not a surprise,” Diego frowned.

  “Diego, my man, let’s get you a drink.” Becks dragged him over to the bar.

  “Wylds,” Asher leaned into her side. “You didn’t have to do this.”

  “I know. But you two deserve it.”

  “Two?” He looked around for Kenny and his friends.

  “You don’t see Killian and Will anywhere, do you? They’re dragging Kenny off to some strip club or something equally stupid.”

  “Ha! Bet he’s going to end up punching one of them before the night’s over.” Asher was warming to the idea of spending his last single moments with his closest friends. He just hoped Kenny wouldn’t have too much fun staring at naked ladies for the last time ever. Or maybe it was a naked man kind of strip club if Killian had anything to do with the planning.

  “Don’t worry, Killer has promised to get him back to his room by midnight. Which give us a few hours to commemorate the night you fell in love with Kenny. Wylder gave him a hard shove, and Asher lost his balance, landing with an epic splash into the pool, clothes and all.

  Asher came up sputtering, wiping the water from his eyes. Wylder stood on the edge of the pool laughing, her maxi dress swishing around her ankles. Ankles he grabbed and swept out from under her. She shrieked as she belly flopped into the pool beside him.

  Becks and Nicky managed to toss Diego into the pool and cannon-balled in right behind him. “It’s going to be that kind of party!” Becks yelled when he came up for air.

  Asher couldn’t contain his smile. It was a perfect moment that took him back to another not-so-perfect moment more than five years ago. His eighteenth birthday party was a night he’d never forget. He’d hated Kenny back then, but that night was their first kiss. And tomorrow would be the kiss that would bind them together for life. He couldn’t wait.

  Dripping wet and running out of time to sleep before his wedding day, Asher had no regrets spending the night with his best friends. It was odd not having Kenny with him, he just hoped he enjoyed his bachelor party half as much as Asher had his.

  Creeping up the pathway in the middle of the night, he felt a little guilty that Wylder had made the boys promise to have Kenny back to his bungalow by midnight when Asher was still out at three a.m..

  “I don’t know if I can do this, Killer.” Kenny’s slurred words were like a dagger in Asher’s heart. Their wedding was just hours away, but was he having doubts?

  Kenny stood in the doorway to his cabin, locked in an embrace with Killian James, fellow NHL star and best friend. But they’d never been the hugging kind of best friends. Asher had never once doubted Kenny’s love, but seeing them together now, the night before their wedding—a wedding Asher had surprised him with—gave him a jolt of reality.

  It’s just cold feet. Hell, Asher was a mess when he first had the idea to surprise Kenny with a wedding. He’d had plenty of time to deal with his own thoughts concerning tomorrow.

  Asher turned toward his bungalo. He shouldn’t feel the cold doubt of dread filling his mind, but it was there. Along with the image of his fiancé embracing another man the night before their wedding. Asher had never been jealous before, so why now?

  Did I push him into this when he wasn’t ready?

  ~~~

  “Did you sleep at all?” Wylder burst into Asher’s room with his wedding attire trailing on a hanger behind her like a cape. She hung the bag in his closet, and turned with her hands on her hips. “You look awful. Good thing we have a full morning at the spa before we have to get you ready.”

  Asher had given up on sleep hours ago. He was too worried about Kenny. He needed to talk to him before this thing went any further. He needed to know Kenny was ready and not just doing this because he’d gone all stupid-Asher on him and planned the whole thing as a surprise. Kenny was right, Asher sucked at surprises. They always backfired on him and always seemed to make Kenny miserable no matter how hard he tried. Maybe I’m just trying too hard. Our relationship was fine the way it was.

  “Poor thing, you look terrified,” Wylder babbled as she ushered him out the door and down to the hotel salon. “A massage will help you relax.”

  Asher reluctantly followed her from his room. He pretended to listen as she chattered on about wedding stuff. She’d been a lifesaver helping him plan the perfect wedding. Grabbing his phone, he sent a quick text.

  Asher: I need to talk to you.

  Nothing in response. Asher shoved his phone back in his pocket. They passed caterers and florists on their way to the hotel lobby. Why had he made such a big deal about this wed
ding when it was the marriage that really mattered? Kenny would have been happy with a ceremony at the courthouse. Why couldn’t Asher have kept it simple?

  “I’ll be performing the ceremony as a man of the cloth,” Becks said, waving his hands at the florists, giving them directions Asher hadn’t ordered. “But I’m also an entertainer, so I have a little surprise for the groom and groom.”

  That alone should have snapped Asher into Groom-zilla mode, but he couldn’t bring himself to worry about it anymore.

  “Don’t listen to the singer. He’s not in charge!” Wylder stopped to rein her brother in before they entered the salon.

  Halfway through his massage, Kenny still hadn’t responded to his text. Asher sat up, determined to find him and put his fears to rest. “I’m sorry, I need to leave.” Asher threw his t-shirt back on.

  “Where are you going?” Wylder sat up on her massage table. He hadn’t even realized she was right beside him. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said all morning so sit down and start spilling. What’s going on in that head of yours. You having cold feet?”

  “It’s nothing, Wylds. I just need to talk to Kenny.” He left her to finish her massage. Asher darted back to Kenny’s bungalow, but he wasn’t there. He ran all over the resort, checking on the wedding preparations but every place he showed up, Kenny had either just left or no one had seen him all morning.

  “There you are,” Nicky charged up the pathway from the lobby. “We have an appointment for haircuts and facials, and Wylder will kill me if I don’t get you there on time.”

  “Have you seen Kenny? I need to talk to him.”

  “You’ll see him at the alter soon enough. That’s the best part. That’s the moment when everything fades away and you remember why you’ve made yourself crazy with all this wedding stuff in the first place.

  “I don’t think he wants this, Nicky. I have to talk to him.”

  “Of course he wants this. I’ve never seen a husband-to-be so excited to get married—except maybe Becks. But Kenny’s driving Will and Killian crazy.”

  “Really? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

  “No, now let’s go get that hair of yours styled. You’re about a month past needing a trim.”

  “Fine. But I’m talking to Kenny before I walk down that aisle.”

  “If you insist on killing the romance, then I’ll make Becks find him. It’ll give him something to do to keep him out of trouble.”

  Dressed in an immaculate white linen shirt and matching slim-cut pants, Asher paced across his bungalow. He was out of time and he still hadn’t talked to Kenny. Checking his phone one last time, there was still no response.

  Asher: No matter what happens today, just remember I love you.

  He dropped his phone on the bed and went to wait on the pathway down to the beach. The warm sand squished between his toes.

  “I hear you’ve been looking for me.” Kenny’s warm breath tickled Asher’s ear as familiar arms slid around his waist. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, you know.”

  Relief spread through him at the easy tone Kenny only used with him. His voice was always so full of love, Asher had no reason to doubt him. But he had to know.

  “I won’t look at you, then.”

  “What? You’re the bride, Ash.”

  “No, you’re the bride.” Asher teased.

  “Who’s wearing white?”

  “If you know what’s good for you, we both are, unless you disregarded my wardrobe choices and went with your old stuffy black tuxedo. And then it’s not my fault when you have a heat stroke on the beach.”

  Kenny’s laughter warmed his insides. “Of course, I’m wearing what you picked out. It’s really comfortable. But not the coolest thing I’ve ever worn.”

  “You wish you looked as cool as me in this outfit.”

  “All right, babe. What’s got you so worried you sent Becks out to form a search party for me?”

  Asher took a deep breath. In his husband-to-be’s arms, his worries seemed silly now. “I saw you with Killian last night.” Asher turned to face Kenny. “I heard you say you couldn’t do this.” He grabbed Kenny’s hands, unable to meet his gaze. “I just need to know if this is what you want or if I’ve pushed you into it.” He glanced up.

  A frown marred Kenny’s forehead for a moment and then he gave a sad smile. “Jealous?”

  “Of Killian? No.” But his squeaky voice betrayed him. “Not really. Well, I don’t think I am.”

  “You’re adorable, Asher Brooks, and you’re the only person I will ever love. Killian was just there for me last night during a rough patch—that had nothing to do with you or my desire to marry you. I’m sorry you heard that. Out of context, I can imagine how awful that must have been for you. I’m so sorry I made you worry, but I promise, I want to walk down that aisle with you more than I want my next breath.”

  “What rough patch?”

  It was Kenny’s turn to sigh. “This wedding is perfect in every way except one. My mother isn’t here to share it with us. I called her last night, offering to fly her down last minute to share in the joy. Of course, she refused. It hurt, but after a few drinks, Killian talked me through it. He made me call her back to get it all off my chest. That’s what you heard. The thing I wasn’t sure I could do was tell my mother how deeply she’s hurt me. But I did it. It was terrible. She didn’t care. But I said everything I’ve needed to say to her for years. And I’m not sure I’ll ever speak to her again. After today, your family becomes my family, Ash. And your mother has always been more of a mother to me than my own.”

  Asher’s heart hurt for his fiancé. Kenny’s mother had remarried and moved on with her life, leaving her ex-husband and her bisexual son in the past like discarded baggage. Asher asked her months ago if she would come, and she’d refused the invitation, stating it wasn’t a real wedding. He had hoped to get through this day without Kenny feeling her absence.

  “I should have told you I tried to get her to come.” Asher pulled Kenny’s arms back around him, burring his face against Kenny’s chest. “I’m sorry you have such a rotten mother. It’s her loss. She’ll never know how wonderful her son is. And she’ll never get to know her grandchildren either.”

  “Grandchildren? When is that happening?” Kenny grinned.

  “As soon as you’re ready to discuss babies. Just so you know, my mother is going to get on that as soon as we get back from our honeymoon. She’s obsessed with grandchildren. My poor sister is trying to get her off the subject so she’s going to come after us next.”

  “I suppose we could have all sorts of fun trying for a baby.” Kenny held him tight.

  “You’re ridiculous.” Asher snorted.

  “How many babies do you want, Ash?”

  “How about we get married first and then we can start with one—maybe next year.”

  “I can’t wait to teach him how to skate.”

  “It could be a girl.”

  “She can learn to skate too.”

  “Our babies are not going to play hockey, Kenny Montgomery!”

  “Of course they are. And you’re going to teach them to paint. They’ll be little geniuses.”

  “You two just can’t follow the rules can you?” Wylder stood on the pathway in front of them with her hands on her hips. She looked beautiful in her yellow and pink sundress with her hair piled on top of her head. “You realize you’re late to your own wedding? Becks is down there stalling.”

  “Oh lord, what’s he doing?” Asher craned his neck to see the beach below. Chairs for their guests sat in the sand at the end of the pathway adorned with flowers. The waves crashed on the shore and Becks sang … a song Asher hadn’t approved.

  “Why’s he making that awful sound?” Kenny plugged his ears.

  “He’s working on his falsetto.” Wylder winced as Becks sang “Loving You”, just barely hitting the high notes. “I think that was your surprise for the reception.”

 
“We have to listen to that again?” Kenny turned to Asher with a groan.

  “Don’t worry, babe, I’ll make him stop.”

  “Kenny, you better get down there so we can get this show on the road.”

  “I think we’re going to walk down the aisle together,” Kenny said. “If that’s not too weird.” He glanced at Asher.

  “It’s perfect.”

  “All, right, start walking when you hear the music. Not that racket Becks is currently making. Someone is going to have to tell him he can’t do a falsetto voice, and it’s not going to be me.”

  “Not it,” Asher said.

  “Oh, I’ll do it.” Kenny took Asher’s hand. “You ready to go make me your husband?”

  “So ready.”

  Next up, Killian gets his story told! Turn the page for Dating Texas.

  1

  Killian

  There was only one thing Killian “Killer” James wanted in his life, only one plan. Hockey. More specifically, stopping the next puck. That was as far as he let himself look into the future. Each puck coming for the enigmatic goaltender represented a new chance to be great, a new path toward his dreams.

  He slid back closer to the crossbar, squaring his body up with the opposing shooter streaking through the neutral zone. His winger raced to catch up with him, but Killian saw how it would all play out. With the defense stuck chasing the play, it was only him and the centerman.

  It happened in slow motion. The shooter drew his stick back, telegraphing his play, and Killian slowed his breathing. The sounds of the crowd no longer reached him as he tracked the puck. It flew toward the upper corner of the net, a perfect shot.

  Killian barely moved as he stuck his glove out, plucking the puck out of the air. The impact reverberated up his arm, and the silence in his mind shattered, allowing in the excited chants from the stands.

  “Killer, Killer” wound around the arena, but he didn’t acknowledge them.