Pride of Place (Mitch & Cian Book 3)

by Helena Stone

  “And neither of you mentioned it to me?” The pout on Mitch’s face was adorable.

  “She asked me not to.” Cian shrugged. “I guess I didn’t want to upset my boyfriend’s mother, so I stayed shtum.”

  “Mothers,” Mitch muttered before turning his face up to Cian and silently demanding a kiss Cian was all too happy to provide. Mitch was the one good thing in the middle of the mayhem his life had turned into. Mitch was also the reason living in Castleforest again probably wasn’t going to drive Cian insane.

  All too soon, Mitch broke their kiss. “We’d better join me ma. I’m pretty sure she’s got everything ready.”

  “Pretty sure?” Cian asked.

  “I haven’t been allowed in the kitchen since I came home,” Mitch said. “I’ve no idea what that’s about, but there you have it.”

  Cian followed Mitch down the hall to the closed door at the far end of it. Mouthwatering aromas drifted through the gap between the door and the threshold, reminding Cian that apart from two biscuits with his cup of tea, he hadn’t eaten anything since his hasty breakfast.

  “There you are, lads. Perfect timing. Sit down.” Mitch’s mother beamed at them.

  Cian stared at the table, which looked nothing like the previous occasions he’d had dinner here. Confused, he turned to Mitch. “Did I miss anything? Is it your mother’s birthday? A special occasion?”

  “Not as far as I know,” Mitch said, sounding as surprised as Cian was. He turned to his mother. “Ma, what’s up with the special treatment?”

  Between the deep red tablecloth, the candles, and what appeared to be crystal wine glasses, the setting wouldn’t look out of place in a posh restaurant. “Special treatment” didn’t do the sight justice.

  “Do I have to have a reason to make a little effort? I just thought it might be nice for a change.”

  “Sure you did,” Mitch whispered so softly Cian wasn’t sure he’d heard him right.

  They sat on opposite sides of the table and accepted a glass of wine when Mitch’s mother offered. The lasagne she produced from the oven looked as enticing as it smelled, and the salad and garlic bread only added to what Cian considered a feast. Had he ever mentioned lasagne was his favorite dinner?

  They didn’t talk a lot while they were eating, and what conversation they had was limited to how Mitch and Cian were getting on in their respective jobs.

  “I had to resign,” Cian said. “Traveling up and down for college is one thing; doing so for a job defeats the purpose. I’d lose at least a quarter of my earnings just trying to get to work.”

  Cian listened while Mitch mildly complained about his summer job, throwing glances at his mother every now and again. It might have been his imagination—after all, he didn’t know her very well—but Cian couldn’t escape the impression that she was excited or nervous about something.

  After both Cian and Mitch had finished a second serving of the delicious lasagne—and Cian was sure he couldn’t eat another bite—Mitch’s mother sent them to the living room. “Go on. I’ll join you with tea soon.”

  “Shouldn’t we clear the table?” Mitch asked, clearly confused.

  “No, not tonight. Just go and relax. I won’t be a minute.”

  “Don’t ask,” Mitch said a few moments later as they sat on the couch, pre-empting the question on Cian’s lips. “I’ve no idea what’s up with her. Trust me. This isn’t normal.”

  “It isn’t bad either,” Cian stated.

  “It makes me nervous.”

  Cian laughed. “I don’t usually worry about my mother being nice.”

  Mitch chuckled. “The nice doesn’t bother me. It’s the weird.”

  “The weird?”

  Before Mitch could answer, the door opened, and Mitch’s mother walked in.

  She placed the tray she was carrying in the middle of the coffee table, took a step back, and sat in the armchair.

  “Okay, Ma, what’re you up to?” Mitch sounded bewildered.

  Not that Cian blamed him. Not when in the middle of the tray sat a cake, shaped like a house.

  The grin on Mitch’s mother’s face made her look about ten years younger than she usually did, and for a moment, Cian could imagine what she might have looked like as a girl.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you, Cian. Have you unpacked all your stuff yet?”

  Cian blinked. Whatever he might have expected, it wasn’t an inquiry into the state of his belongings. “No. I haven’t even started, to be honest.” He hadn’t been able to bring himself to unpack more than his laptop. It had felt too final. As long as his belongings remained in those boxes, he could pretend his stay at home was temporary.

  “Good. You see, this thing happened at work,” she said. “And I think it’s going to make you two very happy.”

  “Okay.” Mitch leaned forward. “Keep going. The suspense is killing me.”

  Cian could sympathize. He’d no idea what was going on. In fact, he didn’t even understand the nervous tension gathering in his stomach.

  “One of our clients apparently owns an apartment in Dublin. They’re not using it at the moment and don’t like the idea of it being empty. They came into the credit union a few days ago and told me they’d heard my son was looking for a place and they wondered if you might be interested in living there.”

  Her explanation didn’t clear things up. It definitely was good news for Mitch, but Cian failed to understand where his luggage entered the picture. One look at Mitch as he gaped at his mother with wide eyes told Cian that Mitch didn’t have a better grasp on the conversation than he did. Then Mitch closed his mouth and sat back.

  “What about Cian?”

  Cian’s heart swelled in his chest. Mitch thinking about him before celebrating his own good fortune meant everything.

  “That’s not important.” Cian was determined to let Mitch know he was honestly happy for him. “Did you hear her? You’ve got a room in Dublin!” He leaned toward Mitch, ready to kiss him when he remembered they weren’t alone and straightened.

  “Actually,” Mitch’s mother said, “he’s got an apartment with two bedrooms. And the person in question has no objections to you moving in too. I asked.”

  Cian’s mind spun. This was too good to be true. Shit like this didn’t happen in real life. Not to people like him.

  “It won’t be available until the first of September,” Mitch’s mother went on as if she hadn’t just blown their minds. But if you want, you two have a two-bedroom apartment to move into.” She tilted her head and gave them a happy and expectant look.

  “This is a bit of a surprise,” Mitch said.

  As far as Cian was concerned, that was the understatement of the century.

  “I have to admit I expected a somewhat more enthusiastic reaction,” Mitch’s mother said.

  “An apartment with two bedrooms?” Mitch asked, stopping short of asking the question burning in Cian’s mind: were they supposed to use separate bedrooms?

  The skin besides Mitch’s mother’s eyes crinkled. “I didn’t mean you had to take a bedroom each.” She shook her head in what was clearly mock despair. “I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.”

  “But what about your objections? What about us being too young?”

  While Cian understood Mitch’s need for answers, he couldn’t help feeling that reminding his mother of the reasons why she’d thought them living together wouldn’t be a good idea, might be counterproductive.

  Her features sobered. “I’m still convinced it would be better if it were possible for you to start out separately, discover yourself and your own life path before tying it up with somebody else. But we have to be realistic. Just because I think something is best, doesn’t mean it’s possible, and I’ve never believed in rejecting something good because something better isn’t available.” She shifted her attention from Mitch to Cian. “And your mother agrees with me. I spoke to her this morning.”

  Cian froze. His mother knew that he would be offered accommodati
on, and hadn’t mentioned it? Anger burned in his stomach. She could have said something, saved him from at least a few hours of moping around. He reconsidered. It had only been an afternoon, and he understood why the mothers might have decided it would be nice to tell him and Mitch at the same time. He’d just been given the best news ever; he’d be a fool to let small grievances spoil the moment.

  “That’s amazing,” Cian said. “Thank you so much.” A practical but not unreasonable thought occurred to him. “May I ask how much the rent is?”

  “A thousand Euro per month.”

  “Per person?” Cian’s heart sank.

  “No. For the apartment.”

  “Wow.” Cian was literally lost for words. That was less than he’d been paying for his old room. He got up and was halfway across the room when he realized he was about to hug a woman he didn’t know all that well.

  He spread his arms. “May I?”

  Mitch’s mother smiled. “You may.” Then she enveloped him in a big hug.

  Epilogue

  September 1st

  Mitch

  “This. Is. Ours.” Mitch couldn’t help himself. He threw his arms up in the air and spun around. There was more than enough room for maneuvers like that in the open plan living area in their new apartment. His mother had left to go back to Castleforest moments earlier, so now he and Cian were free to properly explore and claim their domain.

  Cian.

  Mitch stopped spinning and glanced around until he spotted his boyfriend—and housemate—standing next to the couch in the lounge area of the large room, beaming happiness.

  “Can you believe it?” Not for the first time, Mitch resisted the urge to pinch himself. Part of him was still waiting for someone to tell them it had all been a mistake, a joke, and that of course he and Cian couldn’t live in the apartment that was more than Mitch could have hoped for in his wildest dreams.

  “Fuck no.” Cian grinned. “I keep on waiting for the other shoe to drop.” He walked over to where Mitch stood and took his hand. “Let’s investigate properly.”

  Cian led Mitch out of the living area to the hall. He grimaced when he saw the boxes, suitcases, and bags still stacked beside the front door on his right. They’d have to find a place for all that shit. Then again, space was unlikely to be an issue. To their left were three doors, two leading to bedrooms and one to the bathroom situated between them.

  “Which of these bedrooms should we claim for ourselves?” Cian asked.

  It was Mitch’s turn to take the lead, and he pulled Cian along toward the room he’d set his heart on. He opened the door and revealed the large and bright room they’d fleetingly looked at earlier while his ma had still been there.

  “This one’s ours.”

  “That’s very definite.” Cian chuckled. “What’s so special?”

  Mitch released Cian’s hand and walked into the bedroom, coming to a halt at the foot of the large, wood-framed double bed.

  “Look at it,” he said, unable to keep the delight out of his voice. “Here we are at the back of the house, so no street noises. I also think this bed is bigger and I’m pretty sure the sun comes up there.” He pointed at the large bay window. “Just imagine the sun waking us up in the morning.” He grinned; he’d saved what he considered his best reason for last. “Also, we’re not overlooked here unless the people who live over there”—he pointed at the houses visible through the window—“use binoculars.”

  Cian approached him, his eyes sparkling and a cheeky smile playing on his lips. “I like the way you think.” He wrapped his arms around Mitch and pulled him close. “This is really happening.”

  Mitch lifted his chin, silently demanding a kiss. Cian instantly complied, claiming his mouth in a way that still made Mitch’s head spin, his toes curl, and his body come to life in the most amazing manner. When Cian broke their kiss, Mitch only wanted more.

  “Did your mother say anything else about our landlord?”

  “No,” Mitch said. Trying to get information out of her had been impossible and frustrating, and he still wasn’t sure if she kept silent because she didn’t have the answers or wasn’t in a position to give them. “All she’s been willing to say is that the person in question is a relatively new member of the credit union and made their anonymity a condition of the deal.”

  “That’s a shame.” Cian stroked Mitch’s back. “I’d love to be able to thank them face-to-face. That card we gave to your mother to pass on just doesn’t feel good enough.”

  Mitch couldn’t agree more, but he knew his mother. If she’d made up her mind, she was unlikely to change it.

  “What do you want to do first?” he asked. Changing the topic seemed like a good idea since they could keep guessing forever without coming up with answers. But more than that, he wanted to know if he and Cian were on the same wavelength.

  “We could start unpacking,” Cian said while he pushed his hands into the back pockets of Mitch’s jeans, simultaneously pulling him closer and massaging his arse. “And we’ll need to go shopping at some point. There’s nothing to eat or drink here.”

  Mitch studied Cian’s face, wondering if he seriously wanted to do those practical but boring things now or if he was teasing Mitch. The smirk on Cian’s face suggested the second option.

  “Or,” Cian continued, “we could try out the furniture?” He released his hands, placed them against Mitch’s chest, and pushed.

  Mitch laughed as he dropped to the bed and the mattress bounced beneath him. He’d barely settled on the covers when Cian launched himself at the mattress, landing next to Mitch and making him bounce again.

  “Nothing wrong with our bed,” Cian said before pulling Mitch on top of him.

  “You realize we’ve literally not unpacked anything yet, don’t you? Mitch waggled his eyebrows.

  “All of that can wait.” Cian suddenly sounded serious while a fire seemed to rage behind his eyes. “I just want to see what you look like naked, in our new bed while that sunshine you picked the room for shines on your body.”

  He wrapped his hand around the back of Mitch’s neck and pulled him close until their mouths fused and resumed the addictive play of light nips, sweet pecks, and tongues caressing and battling.

  The ferocity of Cian’s assault took Mitch’s breath away, leaving him dizzy as his system heated up and his cock lengthened and hardened in his jeans. He touched every part of Cian he could reach, silently cursing the clothes standing between him and naked skin, but enjoying their coming together too much to end the kiss so they might undress.

  A frustrated groan escaped him when Cian pulled away and pushed Mitch back onto the bed before getting up. His frustration morphed into appreciation as Cian pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his broad, sparsely haired chest.

  He lay stock-still, his gaze glued on Cian as he loosened his trousers and pushed them down. Mitch’s breathing hitched when he saw that Cian had gone commando, just as he had. It wasn’t until Cian quirked an eyebrow and smirked at him that Mitch sat up too and brought his hands to the back of his own top.

  “This still feels too good to be true,” Cian said while Mitch struggled with his shirt which wouldn’t move over his head. “Shit like this doesn’t happen in real life, not to people like me.”

  “It’s a miracle,” Mitch stated. Another one. He was happy his top was still stuck on his head. He wasn’t sure he wanted Cian to see how fervently he believed that. He’d never know for sure, but he wanted to believe his plea in the old community center had been answered.

  When his shirt at last cooperated and Mitch could see again, Cian had moved to the window where he stood in all his naked glory. Mitch’s mouth watered as he too got up and divested himself of his remaining clothes before joining Cian, wrapping his arms around him from behind.

  “Our miracle,” Cian said quietly as he placed his hands on top of Mitch’s.

  Mitch leaned his head against Cian’s back. “My second miracle,” he whispered. “You were th
e first.”

  A Miracle in the Library – Excerpt

  Chapter One

  December 3

  Mitch couldn’t go any farther. His legs weighed a ton, and the stitch in his side had him almost doubling over as he forced himself to put one foot in front of the other, air wheezing out of his lungs. His backpack danced on his back as he ran, getting heavier with every step. I can’t do this. He came to a stop and placed his hands on his thighs, his neck bowed as he tried to pull air into his burning lungs. Maybe they’d given up by now. Surely they would have lost interest once they saw he wasn’t going to just give up and surrender.

  “Where is the little fucker? He can’t be far ahead?” The voices sounded far too near for comfort.

  Tears burned in Mitch’s eyes. Fear, anger, and frustration threatened to overwhelm him. As the rain continued to drizzle from the sky, slowly soaking him, he pushed off again, determined to stay ahead of the bullies chasing him, even if he had no idea where to go. Home was too far away and uphill all the way. He would never make it, but it was the only place where he could be sure of his safety.

  Hoping against hope, he glanced around him. He’d walked these streets twice daily, five days a week for the past five years He knew what he would see. Row upon row of semi-detached houses with the abandoned community hall in the middle of the square, a short distance ahead of him.

  A particularly severe stitch had him almost collapsing to the pavement. This is it. He couldn’t go any further. This is where they would get him. And if he was very lucky, they’d only leave him with a few bruises. He didn’t trust his luck at all.

  He straightened and prepared to turn around. If they were going to catch him, he would face them as they approached. He’d show them that he might be queer, but he was no coward. Halfway through his turn, he noticed something he couldn’t remember ever seeing before? He did a double take? Was that really…?

  As soon as his eyes had convinced his brain that the door to the community center was indeed open, he was on the move again, his feet making the decision for him. He rushed into the building, grabbed the door and pushed it shut, collapsing against it, with his head on his forearms as soon as it was closed. He held his breath. Did they see me? Do they know the center has been opened again?