Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35086 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
He also wasn’t much on talking things out. He liked his actions to speak for him instead. But finally getting around to saying he was gay made everyone happy and won him a fiancé in the process.
He might be slow, he defended himself silently, but when he made up his mind he went for it. He was as committed to Jeremy as he’d ever been to anyone or anything in his life.
Would marriage change them? Would the desperate need to rip each other’s clothes off disappear? He doubted it. He’d dealt with all his fears about their relationship before he’d proposed, but he couldn’t get rid of the knot in his stomach. Wedding jitters on steroids.
“Are you sure you don’t want a beer?” Rory was leaning against the fridge. “It might make the day go faster.”
Owen shook his head, reaching for the carafe of orange juice Jeremy kept on hand instead. “I’m good.”
“You’re not good, Owen. You’re great,” Rory corrected, his blue eyes dark. “You’re marrying your best friend. A man so talented in the sack that he made you switch teams permanently. I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t mind knowing his secret.”
Owen laughed. “You mean you’ve exaggerated your skills? Is there actually a man in the world you can’t seduce?”
“I never exaggerate my skills. I don’t have to. Let’s just say Jeremy and I had a lot in common until recently, wanting someone who was off limits.”
Owen’s smile dimmed. “I didn’t know you had limits.” Or that he wanted one man in particular. “But you never know, Rory. Take me for example. Stranger things and all that.”
Rory shrugged lazily, but it was clear the conversation made him tense. “Unfortunately my limit isn’t even curious. He’ll never bend that way and I’m not willing to put him in that position. Period.”
“Sounds serious.” Too serious for his carefree cousin. “Do you want him to? Bend?”
His cousin’s voice was tinged with resignation. “Let’s not go there. The point is you got the big prize. The one everyone wants but doesn’t believe is real. You and Jeremy know everything about each other, the good, bad and embarrassing, and you still can’t stand being out of each other’s sight. Family, friendship, sex and romance—one man is that whole package for you. I kind of hate you right now, so stop fucking pouting about a day of separation or Noah will keep giving speeches. He’s going through a phase at the moment where he thinks he knows everything and it’s irritating as hell. I miss the good old days when he acted like Wyatt’s dumbass double. Just hang out with us and pretend you’re having fun, okay? It’s easier.”
“Speaking of speeches,” Owen said, taken aback. “Anything else you need to get off your chest, Rory?”
His grin was rueful. “Sorry. Tis the season and all. I get a little maudlin around the holidays. We all do. Sol was the original Grinch. If you weren’t getting married I’d be taking double-shifts like James and avoiding flashbacks and my empty apartment until my vacation days.”
“James is working on Christmas Eve?”
“No,” Rory assured him. “Younger would never let that happen.”
Owen set down his juice and put his hand awkwardly on Rory’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re all here.”
“I almost believed you,” Rory said, grinning.
“I am.” He wasn’t lying. They were distracting him and Rory had said exactly the right thing. He still didn’t like Jeremy’s decision to sleep somewhere else until the wedding, but he let himself relax and as soon as he did, he felt it.
“I’m getting married,” he said quietly, causing Rory to laugh out loud.
“No shit. And claiming Christmas forever as your anniversary. Did you think of all the extra presents that would come your way? Is that why you changed the date? Some of us are spoiled, aren’t we?”
Owen let his smile widen. “Some of us are. And some of us should bring non-bending friends to my wedding. Take it from me, nothing makes a man more curious than the right kind of visual stimulation.” He didn’t mention what kind of visual had stimulated him. It sure as hell wasn’t a wedding.
Rory’s expression was doubtful, but something flickered in his eyes. “We’ll see.”
***
“Come on, Brady,” Owen urged, slightly buzzed and enjoying himself. “You remember that going all in speech right? The Great Rumming? Do it. Your smack-talking single brothers need to hear all that wisdom from the man himself.”
Brady made an unmistakable gesture that had the small crowd of men at the bar roaring with laughter. Owen snickered. “Is that any way for a best man to treat the groom before his wedding? Do I have to add a new Finn Club rule?”
He glanced at Stephen, remembering their mother’s sadness that he wasn’t going to be Owen’s best man. But Stephen let her know he’d rather sit this one out. At this point the wedding had to be the most talked about event in the city if not the state, and his brother was a sitting senator who’d been on the right side of history before this year’s Supreme Court ruling. Stephen didn’t want the day to be about him and his political beliefs. He wanted it to be about his brother. By having it in a private home they’d denied most press access, but Owen agreed to let one in to avoid a riot and help his brother. She was a morning talk show host, young and seemingly in favor of the match and Stephen’s voting record. He kept apologizing for that, but Owen couldn’t care less. He wasn’t hiding and he’d never been what anyone would call shy.