Now
Stepping out of the shower, Phoenix ruffled his hair with a towel before he dried himself off. He had taken the time to manscape properly, had shaven so diligently that he felt he had scraped off the outer layer of his face, and he had cut his nails, though they had mentioned something about getting their nails done.
If they had not used the 'for Jace' incentive, that would have been a resounding 'Hell no'. He was forty-two years old, he fucking knew how to cut his nails. Sighing, he let his aversions go. It was one day, one day where he would have to give in to traditions and other people's best intentions to make everything perfect. Phoenix was ok with accepting some small toll on what he would usually go along with.
Roarke waited for him in the bedroom where the leftovers from Jace's breakfast with his groomsmen still littered every surface. He dearly hoped that someone would take care of and remove that nastiness before he had to go back there.
"Took you long enough," Roarke commented with a smile and nodded at the clothes on the bed.
"Don't crawl up my ass for doing what you lot asked me to. I showered, shaved, and I'm ready to be prettied up." Phoenix pulled on the t-shirt, boxers, and casual slacks. There was no need to wear anything fancy. He had a tux for that later.
"I thought you were stalling."
"I was." Phoenix winked at him. "I'm ready if you are?"
Roarke led the way out of the apartment where he and Phoenix had gone to shower. Indigo had gone to his and Cloud's place to shower, with Yelfim using the extra bathroom. Aidan and Mal had gone to Aidan's apartment, and Richard, Yarro, and Gerson used the bathrooms at Richard and Devil's places.
They were supposed to meet in Richard's apartment for the hair and nails thing, that much Phoenix had understood, and he was happy that there would not be hair and nail clippings all over his floors. His OCD thanked everybody for that small blessing.
"So, how have you been?" Phoenix asked, walking the halls from his place to Richard's. He glanced at Roarke, who had seemed ok at the times he had come there for the planning and bachelor parties, but knowing Roarke, he kept his issues locked up tight.
"I'm tired. After we took down Vasyl, the market has been fairly quiet. Don't get me wrong, there are always new perverts to catch, but the word has spread. Gareth controls pretty much everything, and people think twice before doing anything to put them in his scope. Those not afraid of G-man are afraid of Vic."
"But?"
"I'm just tired, you know? I've been doing this my whole life, it seems. And I love what we've accomplished and would not change a thing. The people I've helped save, well, they help me sleep at night and serve as retribution for what I've done in order to save them." Roarke sighed and looked as tired as he claimed to be. His face showed the onset of worry wrinkles, and he rubbed them to make them go away. "I might need a change soon. I don't want to grow old alone."
That was one thing Phoenix understood with perfect clarity. His own need to not be alone, he had chased with Jace, and he was about to finally get that coveted state of togetherness. But Roarke had played a role his entire adulthood and had not been able to have relationships or trust in anybody outside Gareth's men because of what he did. His need to settle down, to be loved, and to share his troubles with someone was understandable.
"Have you met somebody, or is it just a dream for now?"
"I might have. I'm not sure. But I can't offer anybody anything if I'm still doing this. The horrors I see will drive us apart." Roarke sighed, shaking his head to rid himself of the melancholy that took hold of him. "I have to go undercover. I have to touch men and women in ways I find disgusting, and I sometimes have sex with them for work. That's messed up. What partner would accept that?"
"One who loves you?"
Smiling, Roarke looked at Phoenix and his genuine expression of believing what he had said. Jace had truly changed Phoenix and made him in tune with emotions he had not understood earlier. Only somebody who loved and believed that love could change a person would have said that.
"If I'm lucky."
"Talk with Gareth. He'll understand. You can maybe pull back from active undercover work and just be the administrative section leader. There's room for your expertise and for you to have a life."
"I just might do that." Roarke straightened his back and drew in a breath. "We can talk about that another time. Today is your day with Jace. I refuse to be gloomy on such a joyous occasion."
Gently, Phoenix patted Roarke's shoulder. "You can always talk with me. I'm still oblivious to some things, but I understand this."
"Thank you."
Phoenix glanced at Roarke, who looked relaxed with having shared a bit. He made a mental note to invite Roarke to visit and maybe do something just the two of them – after the honeymoon.
"Are you ready to get shined like a boot and dolled up like a debutante?" Aidan came toward them from his apartment with Mal in tow.
"If I hadn't been told to respect my elders, I'd make you eat those words," Phoenix grumbled.
"Elders," Aidan huffed to the loud laughter of Roarke and Mal. Phoenix still had a way of saying hilarious things without even trying.
Whatever Phoenix had imagined about the whole beautification process the guys had planned, it was not anything like the sight that met him when they came into Richard's large living room. Tables had been set up, and nail ladies sat ready to get their grabby hands on some guy-nails from hell. He could have sworn he saw literal stars in their eyes at the prospect.
There was a snack station with drinks and a waiter stood ready with champagne for them. Something they all homed in on in seconds. Richard sat in one of the barber chairs that stood to the side, and some elderly man gave him an old-school razor shave.
"If it isn't the man of the day!"
Phoenix spun at the sound and smiled widely.
Eoin walked in from the adjacent room with a hairdryer in his hand. He pointed it at Phoenix like a gun and giggled in the cute way he always did.
"I've got my eyes on you, and you'll be my first victim."
Lashing out his champagne glass in a 'hold my beer' kind of move, Phoenix let go of the glass. Luckily, Yarro caught it in time, because Phoenix was off like a rocket. He ran to Eoin, lifting him up to swing him around. Eoin threw out his arms and went 'weee' as he giggled with glee until Phoenix stopped and pulled him into a hug.
"What are you doing here, you little rascal? Jace said you had declined the invitation."
"Do you think I'd allow anybody but me to do my boys' hair on their wedding day?" Eoin answered with a scowl at Phoenix. "Those locks will only come into their full right at my hands, and besides, someone asked me to come."
"Oh? Who?" Eoin was naturally invited but had declined. To see him there was a welcomed surprise and Phoenix wondered why he had changed his mind.
With a cheeky grin and a dramatic roll of his eyes, Eoin pointed a thumb over his shoulder.
"I'd be the asshole who forced the kid here." Packard strode in with a large grin all over his face. Like the rest of them, he was casually dressed and had not yet prepared for the wedding.
"Mate, you're forgiven."
Packard came over and received the fierce hug Phoenix was ready to give. He had never seen his friend look that happy. It was not in the face that was his usual indifferent one, though he had on a small smile. It was the sparkle in his eyes. That sense of complete satisfaction with his life which shone through.
Phoenix turned to Eoin. "But are you ok with being here? I mean, Brannon is supposed to come."
"It's ok. I had declined your invitation for that reason, but I couldn't say no to making my two favorites look pretty." Though he tried to keep on a brave façade, the crushed spirit in Eoin was obvious. "I knew he'd come. I already saw him downstairs, and he saw me too but ignored me. Don't worry, I'll be ok."
"Are you sure?" Phoenix lifted Eoin's face with a finger under his chin. "He's bringing a plus one."
If Eoin had looked crushed before, then devastation took over at those words. His lips quivered as he absorbed the information. As friends of both grooms, Brannon and Eoin had been invited with the 'plus one' option. Eoin had declined altogether, but Brannon had accepted and informed that he would bring someone. That was life, and Phoenix understood that. Relationships did not always work out, but they were fucking adults. Ignoring Eoin was not ok, and Phoenix meant to tell Brannon so.
"I'll be ok. I can hide among the guests, right?" Eoin suggested with a less than enthusiastic nod of his blond head.
"I've got your back, dumpling. Chess, too." Packard reassuringly hugged Eoin from behind and got the small man to look up and smile with watery eyes.
It was a strange and volatile situation with exes at a wedding. Both men mattered to Phoenix, and Jace had a special bond with Eoin, and a kid like that should not feel bad at a wedding. Phoenix turned around to look at his guys, who all stood, waiting and following the conversation.
"I don't care if you're straight as an arrow. You lot make sure this one is not alone tonight." He pointed at Eoin and speared all of them with his 'don't fuck with me' look.
"You can put me on your dance card, kiddo," Aidan said with a jovial smile. He knew he was not exactly the youngest contender at the ball, but he was ok looking for his age, and any friend of his friends was a friend to him.
Richard, who had finished his shave, laughed and came over to them. "Stick with us, Smurfette. We'll make that ex of yours regret ignoring you." Everybody nodded along for Eoin to see.
Eoin smiled through his tears and wiped his eyes. "Thank you." He turned his attention to Phoenix. "Now, mister, get your ass in that chair. I need to be done with you all before I can go get the princess ready too."
"Yes, Sir." Phoenix saluted Eoin and winked at Packard, who shook with laughter at the role reversal. "And you apes get your nails done. We need to be ready on time."
People took their places with the nail ladies, had drinks and snacks brought over, and Packard turned on some music to have a bit of a party for people to enjoy themselves. It was all very civil. Especially when the guys found out that getting their nails done was not a terrible thing. Just a bit of filing, cuticle care, and hand massages. Some like Richard and Roarke gave the ok to get some facial work done too.
"So, Mister P. How would you like it? I have a few ideas that I know will look great on you, but if you have any requests..." Eoin ruffled around Phoenix's hair to assess the length and untangle a few knots.
"Like I would know?" Phoenix huffed. If it had been up to him, he would have gone with the man bun and be done with it. That was his look, and he liked it.
"Is that a carte blanche for creative freedom?" Practically jumping with joy, Eoin smiled from ear to ear while his mind seemed to run a mile a minute with ideas.
Phoenix sighed. "If you swear, I'll look good in the pictures, then yes. Three conditions, though."
Already rummaging through his case with torture instruments Phoenix had no way of describing, Eoin never looked up. "Shoot."
"I don't want it cut. Tips are fine if needed, but tips mean tips, not that 'oh look, I took an inch instead'. You make Jace look as breathtaking as you did that first night at the club, and you tell me what happened with you and Brannon while you work."
Eoin froze at the last condition but stood up and smiled tryingly. "Deal."
While spraying water on Phoenix's hair to wet it down again, combing it, and snipping the tips, Eoin began with a small, embarrassed voice. "It was my fault. He tried for so long, but I got stuck on one stupid detail and couldn't let it go."
"I wouldn't know. I just heard from Packard that you two broke up sometime after Jace and I moved. You'd been together for years at that time."
"Together," Eoin snorted. "Yes, it might have looked like that. Brannon tried. He really did. Gave me contract after contract. Took me on dates and did everything to get me to call him boyfriend and not Master."
"Why didn't you? I went through something similar with Jace. He never saw how much I wanted him because he had his own issues." It was not something Eoin did not already know, otherwise, Phoenix would not just tell personal details about Jace like that. And though their situations were not the same, there seemed to be some parallels.
"Issues might be right. I had a boyfriend before Brannon, and a few contract Masters too. But the boyfriend was the one who made all sorts of promises. He wanted to help me reconcile with my family, wanted to see me succeed, and all those wonderful rosy things."
"I'm guessing he failed? And Brannon did too?"
"I didn't want Brannon to become a boyfriend with the ability to hurt me and us. With the contracts, we were safe. But we were also on borrowed time since they would run out, eventually. Brannon wanted no more contracts. He wanted a proper relationship."
Phoenix tried to make heads and tails of it all. It did not appear as if they had wanted differently, just that Eoin had some sort of need that Brannon had not been able to meet.
"Couldn't you have done a contract on the relationship too?"
"Probably," Eoin admitted, his voice low and embarrassed. "But I gave him an ultimatum he refused. I shouldn't have. It was just important to me."
Finally, they were getting somewhere. It was a wonder how a couple as perfect as Eoin and Brannon had fucked it up. Phoenix understood that not all relationships necessarily had a happy ending, but much they could solve with communication. Something he dearly wished he had known earlier because it would have made things with Jace a lot easier.
One thing that had always been very clear to Phoenix was that ultimatums were only a powerful tool if one was ready to lose. He had used them in business negotiations where he had decided before going in that either way, he could accept the outcome. In Eoin's situation, he was not sure that was the case.
"What did you want that he refused?"
"I wanted to meet his family, to know that they accepted me, and him with me. Otherwise, I couldn't be with him. My family had already condemned my way of life, and I didn't want Brannon to experience that. If they couldn't accept me, then he would have to choose, and I was afraid he'd choose me over them." Eoin stopped what he was doing and met Phoenix's eyes in the mirror. "I didn't want him to choose me over them. I wanted us to be sure of their backup without it having to be a choice."
He shook his head like a child who had said something profound and suddenly did not believe in his own words.
"It's been four years, almost. He quit his job at Decadence and moved away. He's moved on."
"And you haven't, I can see that," Phoenix said with sympathy and grabbed Eoin's hand with the scissor he had beside Phoenix's ear. He gave the hand a light squeeze and caressed it until Eoin looked to relax at the touch. They had all been shocked when Brannon quit. Packard most of all, though they had understood and hoped it had been a heartbreak phase for Brannon, and that he would come back.
He had not.
Where he had gone, and what he had been doing, was anybody's guess. He still had his apartment in Dublin. His mail went there, and he responded to emails and calls. But he had never divulged where he was or how he spent his time. Nor had he mentioned who with. Bringing a plus one indicated he had spent his time with somebody, and as Eoin said, had moved on.
"I wish him the best."
Smiling knowingly, Phoenix could not help but know what Eoin meant. "You can't truly mean that when you believe you're the best for him."
Eoin knew too and did not look offended at being called out.
"I did the same with Jace. I let him sleep around and did not tell him what I wanted or needed because I just wanted what was best for him. But I always felt like shit for it because I knew I was the best, and I just wanted him to realize that without me pressuring him."
"Are you saying I'm making a mistake?"
"No, I'm just saying that it's hard to move on when you're still stuck on one person." Phoenix turned the chair to look at Eoin's sad face. "I'm not telling you to let him go. If you want to dream or fight for him, then do so. Just accept beforehand that he might be happy with the one he's with now, and you might lose."
"I'm not going to fight. I had my chance."
"Then the best advice I can give you, and you don't have to take it, is to stop wishing the best for him and begin to wish the best for yourself. This is a wedding. Use it to your advantage."
Eoin scoffed, waiting for the lightbulb to turn on at what Phoenix said.
"Do you realize how many single gay and bi men are going to be here today? They might not be Brannon, and they might not be your forever, but I guarantee that at least one of them is worth a dance, and maybe more. To hell with Brannon, do something for yourself for a night."
"Oh!" When the light finally came on for Eoin, it was like seeing morning mist yield to the sun. His blue-green sort of sea-foam-colored eyes went wide with realization and a smile spread on his face.
That was the reaction Phoenix had hoped for. He could do nothing to mend a broken heart. God knew he himself had battled enough with that to not try to diminish how awful that felt. And though Brannon was his friend, so was Eoin, and he wished to see them happy, together or apart, and Eoin should take advantage of all the guys who would be at the wedding. Not to make Brannon jealous and not to put a lid on his own misery, but just to feel some joy. The joy of company, of a few drinks, and dancing.
There would be plenty of days to feel miserable later.
With renewed energy and a smile on his face, Eoin spun the chair and got back to work on Phoenix's hair. Combing, pulling, drying, styling, and sprinkling magic dust. Phoenix just sat and sipped his champagne while checking everything for the honeymoon on his phone, wondering if he had shot himself in the foot by giving Eoin free hands with his hair.
At least all his plans for the honeymoon were set and confirmed. It had been a nightmare to get it all coordinated to his specifications. Jace had left the honeymoon in his hands, and he had pulled on all his creativity to come up with something they would both enjoy. Romance, adventure, relaxation, and, of course, luxury hotels for them to stay in and order room service between rounds of passionate sex. There were some parts of what he had planned that made him nervous if Jace would like. He hoped so.
There was no backing out. Everything was planned and paid for.
Gareth's plane and pilot stood ready at their disposal when they were done partying later that evening.
Much later.
"Now. What do you think?" Excitedly, Eoin clapped his hands and waited for Phoenix's reaction.
Slowly, Phoenix lifted his gaze from his phone and got met by a stranger in the mirror.
Fuck!
He looked amazing.
No modesty there. It was all thanks to Eoin and his vision. He had made a sort of half ponytail, high on his head, with some hair loose down the back. The hair was styled with some product to make it shine and stay in tamed chaos. The front was parted to the side, and he had bangs falling down from the parting to frame his face without it covering his eyes or being in the way.
If he had to compare it with anything he knew, he looked like a manga pirate without the eyepatch.
It was perfect for his face. Made his eyes pop, and still gave him a sexy yet masculine look.
"Holy shit. This is nothing like I had expected. But damn, it'll look nice with the tux." Phoenix turned his head to smile at Eoin with gratitude. The man bun could go suck it. He needed to learn how to do that himself. Or Jace did. It was a look he wanted more of.
"You like it?" Eoin beamed with pride. "You look so sexy. Jace is going to need mouth-to-mouth."
"I'm sure Phoenix is just the man for that." Roarke came over and inspected Phoenix's hair. "Oh my God, kid. Can you make me look half as good?"
Giggling, Eoin reached up to touch Roarke's hair, and he had to bend down a bit for him to reach properly. "I can work with this. I need free hands, and I promise you'll turn a few heads tonight."
"I'm so game for this. Move your ass and get your nails done, Captain Lovesick. You already have your beau waiting for you. I need a bit of help here." Roarke waved at Phoenix to get him to move out of the chair after Eoin had dusted off the hair snips and taken off the protective cape.
There was no doubt about how talented Eoin was. Each man in his chair left it looking a new kind of gorgeous. The way he cut and styled people were tiny masterpieces. Not one looked the same. Everything he did to enhance each man's best features, and he did it in record time.
"I just got a text from Chess, saying your boy has returned and is now locked in his tent. What do you say to making a final round of everything and then going to your tent to change and wait for the big moment?" Packard clapped his hands to get people's attention, though it was hard as they all stood and admired the new hairstyles.
They all took their time to thank the nail ladies and waiter before they ventured downstairs as one large, merry group. Indigo had gone off to find Vic for some adult time before he would join them in the tent later. They stopped just outside the sunroom in the garden and awaited Phoenix's groomzilla to emerge with commands of the final details he wanted done. Eoin, who had stayed behind to pack his things before going to Jace's tent, came running out to them with his bags.
"Do you need me anymore, or can I go make some very pretty sunshine locks look like honey on warm toast now?" He looked at Phoenix with a wide grin.
"You know what you promised me," Phoenix said with a stern warning, but caved and hugged Eoin. It was like hugging Rein, he was just as tiny to hold. "Thank you so much. I'll see you after the ceremony."
Eoin smiled at waved at people and was about to walk to the tent Packard pointed at, when he stopped dead in his tracks. From the dinner tent, with a few of the other early guests, came his nemesis. In a perfect tux, his hair styled in a casual mess, and his beard newly trimmed. So handsome. Unable to stop himself, he ran over there with the group staying behind to look.
"Hey," Eoin said out of breath, and looked up at the face he knew better than his own. "I'm sorry I didn't have time to say hi earlier, but I had to get the groom and his boys ready."
"That's ok, cutie. What can I do for you?"
Eoin stepped back at the question as if Brannon had slapped him. Tears welled up in his eyes and he looked down with despair. He had not expected hugs and kisses, but he had fooled himself to believe that Brannon would at least have the decency to say 'hi' without it feeling like an inconvenience.
Phoenix had stood with Packard and waited to see what would happen. They were not too far away, and could easily hear what Eoin and Brannon said to each other.
"That fucking prick," Phoenix grumbled. He power walked to where Eoin and Brannon stood with the men Brannon had been with. "Packard, take Eoin to Jace. I'll handle it."
"I thought you were better than this," Packard spat with venom at Brannon and rushed to grab Eoin, who looked ready to faint.
Phoenix waited while Packard and Yarro whisked a crying Eoin off, flanked by Mal and Yelfim. The second they disappeared into the tent, Phoenix turned his full attention to Brannon, who stood there with a quizzical look on his face, like he had no idea what was going on.
Without warning, and definitely without caring about his newly done nails and the fact that he could not have swollen or broken fingers later when Jace was to put a ring on his finger, Phoenix pulled back his arm and slammed a fist into Brannon's Jaw. Brannon, who was clearly caught off guard by the attack, fell back and landed on the grass, gripping his jaw while glaring evilly at Phoenix.
"What the hell, dude?" he raged. "You could have broken my jaw!"
"I'm a doctor. You're good," Gerson commented coldly.
"How could you do that to him? Eight fucking years, and you can't even say 'hi' like a normal person?" Phoenix was seconds from going at Brannon again, had it not been for Richard and Roarke holding him back.
"Let go of me!"
"Leave him, he's not worth it," Aidan said with disgust. He eyed Brannon and barely contained himself from spitting on him. For a moment, he considered finding his bag-O-fun in his apartment to show the sod some mafia hospitality.
"What the hell did I do?" Brannon wailed from the ground.
"Declan?" a voice called, making them all look up to see Brannon come running at them from the tent where the other Brannon had just exited.
"Is this what you invited me to? I knew you were an ass at times, but if you came here with a donnybrook hanging over your head, you could have given me a warning." The Brannon on the ground got up with difficulty and continued to rub his jaw, moving slightly back from the men, who had seemed ready to tear him to shreds a moment before but now looked more than confused instead.
"Brannon?"
"Phoenix!" Brannon came over with his arms out for a hug, but let them fall when he saw that his welcome was not exactly warm. He looked at the clone of himself and sighed deeply. "What did my idiot brother do?"
"Brother?"
"Isn't it obvious?" the clone said, his voice laced with bitterness, and his handsome face churned into a sour expression.
"Sorry," Brannon said with a nervous chuckle. "You said I could bring a date, and I haven't had one since..." Brannon's eyes glazed over for a moment, and he dusted off some imaginary lint from his tux to occupy himself until he had swallowed the lump in his throat.
"Well, I asked my brother to come. Because, well, maybe, you know?" He shrugged and looked at Phoenix for some assistance.
Finally catching on, Phoenix smiled at his friend who had just bought himself a renewal on the timeframe for their friendship.
"You hoped Eoin would be here and maybe you could introduce him to your family?"
"Yeah, it was just a stupid idea. Declan, that's Phoenix, the groom." Brannon gestured between them. "Phoenix, my idiot twin, Declan. Identical, if you hadn't guessed."
"Oh wait," Declan said, catching on too. "That tiny cutie thought I was him?" He pointed at Brannon and broke into a laugh.
Brannon stepped up close to his brother, rage surging through him. He stood chest to chest with Declan, and it was like a mirror image without the mirror between them. All his muscles bulged as he was ready to deliver worse than Phoenix had just done. He had never once as a bouncer looked that scary.
"What. Tiny. Cutie?"
"Eoin," Roarke politely informed. "I think there was a misunderstanding."
"Dec, I'm telling you, if you hurt my boy, I'll be an only child within the next two minutes." Brannon grabbed onto Declan's lapels and shouted into his face, "You're fucking here to help me get him back, not ruin it for me!"
Throwing his hands in the air, Declan tried to back away. "How the fuck should I know which of all the guys here is your ex? It's not like I've met him before." He looked around. "Have you counted how many men we've met so far?"
"B, calm down. He was nice to Eoin. The kid just didn't know he was not you and took it poorly." Phoenix put his hand on Brannon's shoulder to pull him away. "We all did."
"Oh, so the cutie is your ex? Damn, bro. Nice one. Go after him and explain, you idiot. I'll go kiss an ice sculpture or something. That guy throws a punch like an oncoming train." He pointed accusingly at Phoenix and walked away toward the dinner tent, mumbling about ice and kitchen staff, gesturing at the tent where Eoin had disappeared into as he stomped away.
"You're here to get him back?" Richard asked, still a bit on the fence about Brannon and his intentions. The time they had spent with Eoin had been great and they all liked him a lot. Nobody would hurt him on their watch.
"I never wanted him to go in the first place."
"But you left and did nothing to win him back?" Phoenix tried to fill in the blanks of what had happened in the time Brannon and Eoin had been apart.
"I tried, for months, until I gave up and thought of a different approach," Brannon said with bitterness and looked toward the tent his brother had motioned at. "I went back to Spain to convince my mother to come meet Eoin."
Information overload.
Phoenix coughed to get Brannon's attention. "You're Spanish?"
"Well, dad's Irish, and mom's Spanish. She was a devout catholic and did not approve of what Dec and I are. Dad's more lenient. As long as Dec works at the business, he keeps his mouth shut about our sexual activities."
"But your mother is against it?" Richard surmised.
"That would be a resounding yes. That's probably the reason she and dad split up. Because he accepted us, and she just couldn't. I wanted her to come to her senses and meet Eoin. It was what he needed to believe in our relationship." Brannon looked up at the sky, cursing low at it. "I was willing to do anything, so when she offered me a deal, I took it."
"And that deal was what?" Phoenix asked, knowing somehow it had been a shitty one for Brannon.
"I had to stay with her for one year. Not date men, go to church, and be a good Christian. I had to go out with women of her choice to try it." Bitterly, Brannon cursed on at the sky, that time louder. "If I was still gay after that, she would come meet Eoin."
"You do know that being gay is not like a cold that you'll get over, right?" Aidan asked, crossing his arms at the ridiculousness of it all.
"I fucking know that, and deep down my mother knew it too. But those were her conditions, so I did it because I wanted to give Eoin the full family acceptance."
Phoenix held up his hand to stop Brannon from talking. "How the hell did one year become almost four?"
"Mom got sick. At first, I'm sure she faked it to make me stay longer. Dec pleaded with me to come back and drop it, but I stayed. It was stupid, but her approval meant a lot to me."
"You keep talking in the past tense about her?" Aidan pointed out.
"She passed after a long time. I guess she really was sick. I had to handle the funeral and everything. Dec came too, and we decided it was time for me to try again with Eoin."
"Then what the hell are you standing around here for?"
Brannon lit up with a smile. "So, you approve? Do you think I have a chance?" His boyish energy and the way he looked back and forth between Phoenix, Roarke, Richard, Aidan, and Gerson for some sort of confirmation were endearing.
"Why don't you give it a try? I have a feeling I might not be the only one getting lucky tonight." Phoenix grinned and waved Brannon toward the tent. "Though, I'd say that's subject to your ability to explain yourself."
"I've rehearsed this speech for four years. If I don't get it right now that it counts, I don't deserve him." Brannon hugged Phoenix briefly and ran off to the tent.
Phoenix smiled at his friends for having stood up for Eoin without being asked. Ok, they had all had it wrong, but that did not change that they had shown why they were people he defined as friends.
"Oh, and make it quick. Your boy still needs to do hair on my boy. If he doesn't look like an angel at the ceremony, you'll need four more years to recover from what I'll do to you!" Phoenix called after Brannon with a laugh.
A middle finger salute was all he got from Brannon, who kept running.
"Ok, we've got final rounds to do. Things have to be perfect, and then I need a drink in my tent before it's go time."
They took it from the front of the house and worked their way through the house to the garden. Packard, Yarro, Yelfim, and Mal joined them after a while, all of them smiling and joking about Eoin and Brannon.
Parking was under control. The inside of the house, where rooms had been made ready for kids to nap, and a game room was set up for the younger crowd, got approved to Phoenix's satisfaction. The sunroom and the smoker's tent, where they all took a break, got the ok too. Outside, near the pool where the post-ceremony was to be, had also passed inspection. Tables with glasses stood ready, only waiting for the cold champagne, snacks, and a massive ice sculpture centerpiece.
While Phoenix and the guys checked the dinner tent for place cards and details most would have rolled their eyes at, Gerson and Packard went to check on the kitchen.
Gerson reported back that Tutturo respectfully asked Phoenix to stay out of his domain. He had everything under control in the kitchen. Phoenix laughed and moved on. Everything he did was for Jace, Tutturo knew that, and Phoenix felt no need to question the food guru.
Brannon and Declan joined them as they were checking the chairs, flowers, and arch for the ceremony. If possible, Brannon beamed more than Phoenix.
"You knew?" Phoenix whispered to Packard.
"Who do you think has kept Brannon updated about what Eoin has done since he left?" Packard shrugged. "I must admit, I was afraid I had made a mistake for a moment. That Declan thing I had not seen coming."
"Me neither."
"So, are we done? Can we retire to the tent and relax a bit? Nobody wants a sweaty groom."
Surveying the rows and rows of chairs on both sides of the royal blue carpet runner, Phoenix compared reality to the designs the wedding planner had made and the images he had produced in his mind. The seat covers of white and blue were perfect. The flower arrangements he could only describe as magnificent; intricate with the pristine Magnolias mixed with green leaves and tied with blue and white ribbons.
Reality won over any design plan.
Though his guys and plenty of staff still milled around to correct minuscule details, like all the chairs being perfectly straight, vacuuming the carpet over and over, and assuring the seat cover knots matched in size, Phoenix could imagine the place filled with guests. And that was probably the only time he would notice them, because the next time he would stand there, it would be with Jace, and he would not notice if the guests wore polka dots and had painted faces.
With a dreamy smile, Phoenix caressed a Magnolia on the archway he stood in. It was soft and delicate, but so beautiful and proudly showing him all its glory. Jace had chosen the white ones with a soft purple hue at the base, but they were mostly white. They all looked the same, yet at closer inspection, the curl of the petals differed slightly. No Magnolia was the same, just like snowflakes.
Just like Jace.
Jace was his Magnolia. Made to be like so many others, but unique and forever there to make him appreciate his differences.
Everything was perfect.
At long last, Phoenix allowed himself to relax. He was ready for the ultimate step in making his dreams come true.
"Yes, we're done. And get me an icepack for my hand. Declan's face is made of solid granite or something."
Hi dear Wattlings.
Thank you for reading. 5000 reads!!! Thank you so much for following Jace and Phoenix's journey with me. All your reads, comments, and votes mean the world to me.
And we took a trip to the present to see what Phoenix was up to. Do you think Jace will like what Eoin did to Phoenix's hair? And there's a lot of story between Brannon and Eoin we might see more of another time. Maybe in the Irish Doms books I have been writing a bit on in my spare time.
Anyway, Phoenix is satisfied with everything, so wedding time soon. Are you ready?
If you like it, then pop a vote and please leave comments. The comments are important for me to know how the story is progressing and the characters are developing. And I'd love to know what you think and interact with y'all.
Give me a follow too for updates on other work and put this book in your library. I'd appreciate that.
Love, Alix
Published: December 10th, 2021. ©Alix Davenport, Copenhagen