Their Reason (3 page)

“Right,” Red agreed when Bull trailed off. “Flowers and linens should be vibrant, not white. A photographer and videographer are a must. As for music, maybe some Joe Satriani for the ceremony.”

The continuous tapping stopped when he did and Paul asked, “Have you decided on your first dance song?”

Dance? He’d never danced a step in his life, didn’t have the coordination for it. He’d make a fool of himself and Bull. “Uh…”

“Okay, I’ll have our DJ get in contact with you directly to work on the song list.” Paul easily moved them forward when he didn’t continue. “Do you have some children in the party? Will you be wanting a visit from Mickey and Minnie?”

There was no way to hide the rush of excitement that made him wiggle in his chair. Bull just laughed at him and nodded. “Of course, all the kids will love it.”

Red blushed and ducked his head. He was so totally going to love it and if that made him the biggest kid of them all, well, that was okay. Bull loved him just as he was.

“We have an amazingly good starting point. Let me get your contact details so I can start sending you information and put all the right people in contact with you, then we’ll talk numbers.” For a minute there Red forgot about the cost and felt another spike of apprehension. He just knew their intimate, fun, fast wedding was going to break the bank. “Just between us, because you’re basically agreeing to take over a cancelled wedding almost exactly as is, I can offer you a pretty sizable discount.”

Bull’s smile was brilliant, full of smug confidence, and Red could only grin back. It all worked out just as Bull promised. Just as all of Bull’s promises always did.

Chapter 3

You’re my best friend

Javier took the bench across from him and looked around curiously. “We’re hitting the hard stuff, huh? No frozen yogurt for us tonight.”

“Shut up.” Red balled up his napkin and threw it across the table.

Javier just laughed at him and dug into his ice cream. “So, come on, spill it. What’s got you practically wiggling in your seat?”

Was he? Probably. It’s entirely possible he’d been wiggling all day. Bull’s determination to lock in the deal had them holed up in the office for hours talking to everyone Paul said they needed to talk to. Paul had sent them a checklist of things to consider, then they crossed off the stuff they didn’t care about and tackled the rest. By dinnertime, they were confident that everything they cared to have at their wedding was being worked on by someone. Hefty discount aside, the cost was pretty sizeable, but Bull reasoned that they had plenty saved. That he, the guy who once couldn’t get a job outside of McDonald’s, now had three jobs and could afford to indulge.

Seeing his bank balance always baffled him. They had a joint account for living expenses, but Bull had been adamant that he maintain his own accounts so he would always have his independence. Having it meant the world to him at the beginning, but now he wasn’t so sure it mattered. Keeping their money separate had been a symbol of the life he was always striving for. One where he could take care of himself, where he was not dependent on anyone and didn’t have to settle for unsafe living conditions or meager meals because he couldn’t afford better. That life was long over and holding on to that symbol was like holding on to the fear that his new life would somehow be taken away from him. He would never let that happen. Bull would never let that happen to him.

“Earth to Red.” Javier waved a hand in front of his face. “Come on, man, you’re scaring me now. What’s going on?”

“Bull and I are getting married.” Blurting it out hadn’t been his plan, but the words just couldn’t be contained.

“Of course you…wait, like, you-set-a-date married?” Javier gaped at him. “Really?”

“Really. That’s what we were doing all day. We have a date and a place, the whole thing.” Red looked down at his ice cream again. “Well, almost the whole thing.”

“When, where…and what do you need? I’ll help any way I can.” Javier jumped up and ran around the table to grab him up in a hug. “A wedding!”

Red couldn’t help but laugh at Javier’s enthusiasm and happily accepted his friend’s embrace. When all the guys in the garage accepted him, he was relieved, but Javier was the first one that was really his friend and the only person he would ask this of. He waited till Javier was seated again before saying, “You’re my best friend, Javi.”

Javier flushed and ducked his head. “You’re gonna make me cry, stop that.”

“Then get your tissues ready, ’cause I invited you here so I could ask you to be my best man.” Red watched the words sink in and had to grin. That happy smile transformed into a look of shock and the spoon clattered onto the table. “Will you stand up for me, Javi?”

“Are you…fuck, man…really? Me?” Javier shook his head in disbelief. Before he could respond, Javier was up and around the table to grab him up in another hug. “Ian, it would be my absolute honor to stand up for you.”

They were both crying then and Red ignored the curious glances from the other tables. He felt too happy to care what anyone else thought. They clung to each other, laughing and crying, and Red knew he didn’t need any symbols to prove how far he’d come. He had Bull, he had Javier and all the guys from the garage, and he had the whole Connor clan. They were better than separate bank accounts any day.

“Okay, okay, I’m blubbering all over you.” Javier pulled back and grabbed his face, planting a big, wet, sloppy kiss right on his mouth. “Don’t tell Bull or my men.”

“Never,” Red promised, laughing again as Javier took his seat.

“Tell me everything. When, where, what can I do to help? Oh my god, I’m repeating myself! We’re getting married!”

“And we’re going to Disney World,” Red whispered. Javier squealed and did his own wiggling. “We were on the phone with them all day. Another couple had just cancelled and it was perfect for us. May twenty-second is the date. The ceremony and reception will take place outside on Crescent Lake, which I guess is just outside Epcot. Uhm, we have rooms blocked off for the five days, which is like a minor miracle because it’s Memorial Day weekend. We’re still working out things like food and the cake and music and…oh man, we have to pick out a song for our first dance. I can’t dance!”

“With Bull guiding you? It’s going to be perfect.” Javier just grinned. “Now, five days? We’re all staying there five days?”

“Yep. The wedding is on Friday and Bull worked out a package deal for park tickets to come with your rooms, so yeah. We’re going to all the parks!” Red glanced away again. He’d never planned a wedding before, much less what Paul called a destination wedding, and apparently their guests were supposed to pay for their own rooms. Like, were they supposed to invite people and tell them they had to pay their own way? Most of them wouldn’t bat an eyelash at it, but he worried about Chris and Liam. Everyone knew Chris was still sending money to his mother. “Paul, he’s the guy at Disney, gave us a number so you can each call to reserve the room you want.”

“Of course.” Javier peered at him curiously, obviously sensing his discomfort. “That’s normal.”

“I guess, I mean, do you think everyone can afford it?” He didn’t want to mention Chris specifically. “We’re going to put on the invitation that we don’t want gifts or anything. Just having you guys there is all the gift we need.”

“Red, listen, no matter what, we will all be there. If anyone has trouble footing the bill—” Javier looked at him meaningfully, knowing exactly who he was worried about. “—Saul will work it out with them. That’s not something you need to worry about.”

“But I do.” He couldn’t help it. Had he been invited to a wedding like this a year ago, he wouldn’t have been able to afford to attend.

“No, no. You’ve taken on Bull’s caretaker attitude, worrying about all of us instead of yourself and each other. Not this time, little brother, not this time.” Javier shook his head sharply. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re projecting a little. Chris does send money to his mother and sometimes things are a little tight, but when they get to that point he works odd jobs until he’s back on track. He will do whatever it takes to be at your wedding, trust me. And I promise it won’t come down to asking Saul for help. That freaky foursome takes care of each other and they would never miss this.”

He knew Javier was right. After all, Owen would be Bull’s best man, and if Owen was going to be there, Chris was going to be there. Where Chris went, Liam followed and Billy had no choice but to go along. Not that they all wouldn’t want to be there, he knew they would, but yeah, that was the way of the freaky foursome and having it pointed out to him made him realize how unfounded his fears were.

“You’re right.”

“Of course I am.” Javier pushed aside his empty ice cream cup and folded his hands. “Now, I need all the details. Don’t leave a single thing out. Are you wearing a white tux?”

“Come on, get real. Didn’t you once tell me we fuck like rabbits? Now I’m supposed to wear virgin white?” He could only laugh at the image. “I was thinking a black suit and a green tie. Deep, emerald green like Bull’s eyes.”

“Oh.” Javier sighed and sniffled. “That’s perfect. And Bull can wear a red tie.”

That was exactly what he was thinking. “Yeah. Is that corny?”

“So very corny…and perfect,” Javier agreed. “Owen’s going to stand for Bull, I assume? Are we going to have the same colors, or maybe just black, or…”

Red shook his head. Black and white was just so blah. “I don’t know, I mean I don’t want it to look like Christmas, but I don’t want it to be boring either.”

Javier patted his hand and nodded. “We’ve got time to play with colors. Tuxes or suits?”

“Suits or maybe just vests over a dress shirt. A tux would be too fancy for us.” Just thinking about some traditional tux made him cringe. They weren’t boring and they weren’t traditional.

“I like the idea of just vests.” Javi’s eyes shone with excitement. “It’s still dressy but after the ceremony we can roll up our sleeves and be a little more casual.”

Red nodded enthusiastically, envisioning it in his head. “Right. And the reception’s on the sand, so shoes off, cuffs rolled…more us, don’t you think?”

“Absolutely,” Javier agreed. “Maybe Owen and I don’t even need to wear a tie, and you only need to wear yours for the ceremony. Really give it that semi-casual effect.”

“Oh, yeah, I like that.” He more than liked it, he could see it and couldn’t wait to talk to Bull about it. There was no question that his future husband would be all over the casual dress option. His future husband. “Holy shit, Javi, I’m getting married in three weeks.”

“I know!” Javier laughed at him. “I’m so happy for you guys. Thank you for letting me be part of it.”

Red grabbed up their empty ice cream cups and stood. “Come on, let’s go back to your place. Bull should be done talking to Owen by now and we wanted to tell everyone else together.”

“Uhm,” Javier started once they were on the road. “Not that I want you to take it back or anything, but won’t Craig be upset?”

He considered that for a minute and shrugged. “I know he’s my brother and we’re working on that whole family thing. But Javi, when Bull asked me who I wanted to ask to stand for me, you’re the first…no, the only…person that came to mind. This is our wedding and we’re only doing it once, so we’re going to do what makes us happy. Isn’t that what you told me? To focus on ourselves for once.”

“Definitely.” Javier nodded and squeezed his hand. “It’s going to be amazing, I just know it.”

Red knew Javier was right and not just about the wedding. His life was amazing and with Bull as his husband, it would only get more amazing every day.

Chapter 4

Yeah, you big meathead, I love you

Startled. That was the only way to describe the look on Owen’s face when Bull asked him to be his best man. Not when he said that they had finally set a date or even that they were doing it so quickly. Owen had been excited then, asking him all the right questions, offering to help in any way he could. After the rocky moment in their kitchen so many months ago, Owen and Red had become more than friends. They were brothers in all but name and Bull was determined to remedy that immediately.

Still, Owen had seemed truly surprised when Bull asked and he honestly didn’t know why. Their own sometimes rocky relationship didn’t change the fact that he loved his brother unquestionably, and would be there for him no matter what. Was he wrong in assuming Owen felt the same way?

“Me? Are you sure? I mean, I’m honored and all, but I thought you’d ask Jared or Kieran, or even Ty,” Owen stammered and looked down at his feet.

“Why?” Sure, they were all good men, great friends, brothers-in-arms, and they wouldn’t hesitate to stand at his side if he asked. But why would his own brother think he would ask one of them first?

“Because, well—” Owen flushed, shuffled his feet, and looked around frantically. Bull suddenly wished he’d thought to have Chris join them. Chris was the only one who seemed to calm Owen’s erratic nerves. “I’ve screwed up so much. Not just my own life, but our relationship. I expected you to fix everything, and then lashed out at you for helping. I…the shit I said to Red…”

“Is long in the past. All of it.” Bull grabbed Owen’s chin and forced him still. That frantic gaze met his and Bull could see all the turmoil his brother couldn’t seem to let go of. More and more he wondered what had caused these reactions in his brother. The crap he got into—running with the wrong crowd, dabbling in drugs—was petty shit. He wasn’t a bad man, just a misguided one who thought they were in competition. What—or worse who—had put those thoughts in Owen’s head? And what continued to haunt him? Bull no longer believed it had anything to do with his drug bust. “You’re not that man anymore, Owen. I don’t see you that way and I know Red doesn’t either. Why would I ask you? ’Cause you’re my brother and I know, no matter what, we’re there for each other. I love you, man.”