“Okay, so why did you want to see me in the kitchen?” Jack asked Preston a little while later. He took out the cork of a partially opened bottle of white wine and poured himself a glass.
Preston smiled, his stomach tightening with excitement. He looked at the picture he held before handing it over to Jack. “Take a look.”
Jack studied the picture of a one-storey mission-style home over looking the Pacific Ocean. “Nice. Where is this?”
“Morro Bay.”
Jack glanced up. “You didn’t?”
“Oh, I most definitely did.” Preston grinned and poured himself a glass of wine. There was definitely something to celebrate. “It’s in escrow.”
“Wow. Have you told Scotty?”
“Not yet. I’ve been doing everything very James Bond-like. I want it to be a big surprise.”
“It will be. And a happy one. When do you plan on telling him?” Jack handed the picture back to him.
“I think it will wait for Christmas.”
Jack laughed. “Better you than me. There’s no way I could keep a secret that long from Wendy. She’d somehow wheedle it out of me. This is really great, Preston. I’m really happy. Have you got everything else worked out?”
“I’m getting there. Thanks to the approval from you and your father on opening an office in San Luis Obispo, things are moving along well. I found some office space there I think will work really well.”
“Great and then you’ll have to add staff. Maybe even hire another attorney for that office.” Jack shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re really doing it. Moving to Morro Bay and leaving the firm down here.”
“It’s all for Scott.”
“I know. I’m really glad. I hate to admit it, Preston, but I really had my doubts when you and Scotty first started seeing each other.”
Preston laughed. “You didn’t hate to admit it. You told me you wanted to kick my ass.”
Jack laughed too. “I know, but I mean even later, when you seemed to want to be with Scotty more openly, I still didn’t know if it would work. I’m pretty protective of my brother and I didn’t want you to hurt him.”
He couldn’t blame Jack. He would feel the same if the situation was reversed. And he could certainly understand the desire to protect Scott.
“I’d do anything for him,” he said quietly.
Jack smiled. “I know. I’m not worried anymore. I couldn’t ask for a better brother-in-law.” He lifted his glass. “To Scotty and Wendy.”
“To Scotty and Wendy.” Preston clinked glasses with his best friend and then took a sip of the slightly sweet Riesling.
“Hey, Pres,” Scott called from the other room.
“What?”
“There’s someone here to see you.”
Preston frowned and set his wine down on the kitchen counter. There shouldn’t be anyone else showing up at his house on Thanksgiving. All their guests had already arrived.
When he went into the living room it was still Scott’s parents and Wendy. Scott stood by the front door, looking outside. He had a rather goofy grin on his adorable face.
Preston went to the door and looked out. Getting out of an enormous SUV were his parents, his ex-wife, Marilyn, her new husband, Oscar, and his two children, Logan and Candace. His heart beat so fast he thought his chest just might explode. He tore his gaze from his family and looked at Scott. His Scott.
“Did you do this?” he managed to find his voice to ask.
Scott’s lips curved into his sexy, gentle smile. “Who else?”
“Daddy!” his daughter, Candace, yelled as she ran to him. She launched herself first at him and then at Scott.
“Hey, hey, slow down there, tiger.” Scott laughed. “Go on in.”
“Uncle Jack,” the girl exclaimed, barreling past them into the house.
Though, Preston eagerly took in the sight of all his family coming up the driveway to his house, he couldn’t help but watch his mother in particular. They hadn’t even talked since his officially coming out in the summer at Marilyn’s wedding. How Scott actually talked her into coming, he didn’t know.
Preston moved forward and out the door. He briefly rested his hand on top of his son’s head, but his son moved on rather quickly to his son’s favorite person in the whole world, Scott. Marilyn and Oscar could wait. They would understand. His father, too. He headed straight for his mother.
He opened his mouth to speak, but for a second he couldn’t get his voice to work. He tried again. “Happy Thanksgiving, Mom.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, son.” Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. She threw her arms around him and he held her close. Maybe too close, because she gasped just a bit, but he didn’t care.
Preston didn’t know how long he and his mother stood in the driveway holding each other, but eventually, he loosened his grip and looked around to notice that everyone had gone on into the house.
“Scott invited you?” He knew the answer, but he needed something to break the ice.
“Yes.” She nodded, and then reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his. “I should have called you and asked you to come on my own. Scotty contacted us first by email and then we talked on the phone.” She blew out a breath. “I still have my moments, but I hope you can forgive me. I acted terribly when-when you—”
“Told you I was gay,” he supplied for her.
“Yes. It was a big shock, Preston.” She squeezed his hand. “But you’re my son and I love you more than anything. And if this is what you’ve chosen, than I accept it.”
“Mom, it’s not a choice.”
“I know! I’ve been reading all about it,” she told him, rather enthusiastically. “Most likely you were born this way. I’ve even joined a support group for parents of gay, lesbian, and transgendered children.”
“Uh. You have?”
She nodded, smiling. “Well, we’d better join everyone else.”
They went into the house and Scott and Preston both got everyone drinks and settled into the living room.
Preston checked on the food to make sure everything was going okay and then he sought out his lover.
“Scott, can I see you in the bedroom for a moment?”
“Hey, can’t you two wait until everyone has left?” Jack asked laughing.
Scott laughed too, but he was bright red. “Ha ha. Sure.”
“All right, but it better just be a minute,” Jack called after them.
“Asshole,” Scott muttered as Preston dragged him through the door of their bedroom. He closed the door and slammed Scott against the wall, fusing his lips to Scott’s. “Mmm.” Scott’s arms came around Preston’s neck and he returned the kiss, sliding his tongue inside Preston’s mouth.
Preston groaned, really wishing for just a moment that they didn’t have a house full of guests, so he could bend Scott over right now. They did though, and so he finally tore his mouth away. He leaned his hands on either side of Scott’s head.
“I really do want to talk to you.”
Preston smiled, his stomach tightening with excitement. He looked at the picture he held before handing it over to Jack. “Take a look.”
Jack studied the picture of a one-storey mission-style home over looking the Pacific Ocean. “Nice. Where is this?”
“Morro Bay.”
Jack glanced up. “You didn’t?”
“Oh, I most definitely did.” Preston grinned and poured himself a glass of wine. There was definitely something to celebrate. “It’s in escrow.”
“Wow. Have you told Scotty?”
“Not yet. I’ve been doing everything very James Bond-like. I want it to be a big surprise.”
“It will be. And a happy one. When do you plan on telling him?” Jack handed the picture back to him.
“I think it will wait for Christmas.”
Jack laughed. “Better you than me. There’s no way I could keep a secret that long from Wendy. She’d somehow wheedle it out of me. This is really great, Preston. I’m really happy. Have you got everything else worked out?”
“I’m getting there. Thanks to the approval from you and your father on opening an office in San Luis Obispo, things are moving along well. I found some office space there I think will work really well.”
“Great and then you’ll have to add staff. Maybe even hire another attorney for that office.” Jack shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re really doing it. Moving to Morro Bay and leaving the firm down here.”
“It’s all for Scott.”
“I know. I’m really glad. I hate to admit it, Preston, but I really had my doubts when you and Scotty first started seeing each other.”
Preston laughed. “You didn’t hate to admit it. You told me you wanted to kick my ass.”
Jack laughed too. “I know, but I mean even later, when you seemed to want to be with Scotty more openly, I still didn’t know if it would work. I’m pretty protective of my brother and I didn’t want you to hurt him.”
He couldn’t blame Jack. He would feel the same if the situation was reversed. And he could certainly understand the desire to protect Scott.
“I’d do anything for him,” he said quietly.
Jack smiled. “I know. I’m not worried anymore. I couldn’t ask for a better brother-in-law.” He lifted his glass. “To Scotty and Wendy.”
“To Scotty and Wendy.” Preston clinked glasses with his best friend and then took a sip of the slightly sweet Riesling.
“Hey, Pres,” Scott called from the other room.
“What?”
“There’s someone here to see you.”
Preston frowned and set his wine down on the kitchen counter. There shouldn’t be anyone else showing up at his house on Thanksgiving. All their guests had already arrived.
When he went into the living room it was still Scott’s parents and Wendy. Scott stood by the front door, looking outside. He had a rather goofy grin on his adorable face.
Preston went to the door and looked out. Getting out of an enormous SUV were his parents, his ex-wife, Marilyn, her new husband, Oscar, and his two children, Logan and Candace. His heart beat so fast he thought his chest just might explode. He tore his gaze from his family and looked at Scott. His Scott.
“Did you do this?” he managed to find his voice to ask.
Scott’s lips curved into his sexy, gentle smile. “Who else?”
“Daddy!” his daughter, Candace, yelled as she ran to him. She launched herself first at him and then at Scott.
“Hey, hey, slow down there, tiger.” Scott laughed. “Go on in.”
“Uncle Jack,” the girl exclaimed, barreling past them into the house.
Though, Preston eagerly took in the sight of all his family coming up the driveway to his house, he couldn’t help but watch his mother in particular. They hadn’t even talked since his officially coming out in the summer at Marilyn’s wedding. How Scott actually talked her into coming, he didn’t know.
Preston moved forward and out the door. He briefly rested his hand on top of his son’s head, but his son moved on rather quickly to his son’s favorite person in the whole world, Scott. Marilyn and Oscar could wait. They would understand. His father, too. He headed straight for his mother.
He opened his mouth to speak, but for a second he couldn’t get his voice to work. He tried again. “Happy Thanksgiving, Mom.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, son.” Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. She threw her arms around him and he held her close. Maybe too close, because she gasped just a bit, but he didn’t care.
Preston didn’t know how long he and his mother stood in the driveway holding each other, but eventually, he loosened his grip and looked around to notice that everyone had gone on into the house.
“Scott invited you?” He knew the answer, but he needed something to break the ice.
“Yes.” She nodded, and then reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his. “I should have called you and asked you to come on my own. Scotty contacted us first by email and then we talked on the phone.” She blew out a breath. “I still have my moments, but I hope you can forgive me. I acted terribly when-when you—”
“Told you I was gay,” he supplied for her.
“Yes. It was a big shock, Preston.” She squeezed his hand. “But you’re my son and I love you more than anything. And if this is what you’ve chosen, than I accept it.”
“Mom, it’s not a choice.”
“I know! I’ve been reading all about it,” she told him, rather enthusiastically. “Most likely you were born this way. I’ve even joined a support group for parents of gay, lesbian, and transgendered children.”
“Uh. You have?”
She nodded, smiling. “Well, we’d better join everyone else.”
They went into the house and Scott and Preston both got everyone drinks and settled into the living room.
Preston checked on the food to make sure everything was going okay and then he sought out his lover.
“Scott, can I see you in the bedroom for a moment?”
“Hey, can’t you two wait until everyone has left?” Jack asked laughing.
Scott laughed too, but he was bright red. “Ha ha. Sure.”
“All right, but it better just be a minute,” Jack called after them.
“Asshole,” Scott muttered as Preston dragged him through the door of their bedroom. He closed the door and slammed Scott against the wall, fusing his lips to Scott’s. “Mmm.” Scott’s arms came around Preston’s neck and he returned the kiss, sliding his tongue inside Preston’s mouth.
Preston groaned, really wishing for just a moment that they didn’t have a house full of guests, so he could bend Scott over right now. They did though, and so he finally tore his mouth away. He leaned his hands on either side of Scott’s head.
“I really do want to talk to you.”
Scott nodded. “Okay.”
“First, thank you, for everything. Now I see why you insisted we buy so much food.”
“Well, I sure didn’t want to go back to the store for more food once you found out.” Scott leaned up a little to kiss Preston’s jaw. “Mmm. I wonder when they’ll leave.”
Preston laughed. “They just got here, baby. But there is something else.” Jack was right. He just couldn’t wait. He should have known. He pulled the picture of their Morro Bay house out of his back pocket and handed it to his lover.
“What is this?”
“Our house.”
Scott’s gaze met his. “Our…house?”
“Uh-huh. Our Morro Bay house.”
“You…are you saying…wait, what?”
Preston laughed and kissed him. He couldn’t resist, he looked so cute and flustered. “It’s still in escrow, Scott, but yes, it’s our house. We’re moving.”
“But, how can we? Isn’t that too far to drive?”
“Well, yeah, but not from my new office.”
“Your new office?”
“Trask and Reynolds are opening a new office in San Luis Obispo, which, isn’t far at all.”
“Oh, my God, I love you!” Scott drew Preston’s lips down to his and thoroughly kissed him. When they came up for air, Scott’s eyes were shining. “I can’t believe you did this. When can we move in?”
“Probably not until the new year. We’ve got to sell this place, do a few things here.” Preston kissed him again and then drew him into his arms. “But as soon as possible. I promise. And I love you, too. More than anything.”
“Some of us are hungry out here,” Jack said from the other side of the door.
Preston rolled his eyes. “I guess we’d better go back out there.”
“Thank you. This is the best thing anyone’s ever done for me.”
Preston held him tight. “You deserve nothing but the best, Scotty. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure all your dreams come true.”
“Just having you love me made my dreams come true.” Scott pulled back and gifted him with that sexy, gentle smile again. “Now this was the greatest damn Thanksgiving ever.”
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans. And enjoy the rest of the week, everyone.
