Sums of the Heart (Luv by Numbers #1)

14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Ford

Ford scanned the club, smiling at all the activity taking place. Cade and the staff had covered the round tables in green cloths with rainbow toppers, and there was a separate area with long, rectangular tables covered in gold cloths where items were displayed for the silent auction.

Baskets of all shapes and sizes decorated the tables with many delights, including spa certificates, golfing expeditions, and fishing junkets on Lake Michigan. It looks damn good.

Ford continued to explore the tables, signing up for a few of the offerings that would be enjoyable with his lovers. Cleveland was perusing the contributions behind him, so Ford stopped and waited for the man. “See things you like?”

“Hell yeah, there’re a lot of possibilities. This is a lot better than the other things we’ve held here in the past. Oh… uh, sorry. No offense.” Cleveland was wearing a sheepish grin.

Ford chuckled and waved him off. The servers came into the large room in the costumes Kincade had chosen—green-sequined short-shorts with matching vests and green bowler hats with sparkling white hatbands. The collective look was impressive. They were all wearing white knee socks and black shoes, and nobody was bitching, which was nearly a first at Fairytails.

“This is all Kincade, and he’s completely outdone anything I could have come up with. Have you seen him?”

Cleveland nodded. “He had to run out to pick up somethin’ but he said he’d be right back. My momma is even coming, if you can believe that. She enjoyed meeting Cade. It won’t be weird, right? Her being here with the three of you?” Cleveland asked.

Ford laughed. “We love your mother, Cleve. She seemed thrilled when they met last weekend. I’m sure it’ll be fine—well, watch her if she gets around your… uh… Chablis. I’m going upstairs. Buzz me when Jax or Cade shows up, will you?”

“Gotcha, boss.” Cleveland turned back to the tables where the silent auction items were on display. Brady was behind the bar with Tao, another bartender, and the two of them were working away on something.

An hour later, as he played a game on his computer, Ford heard the sound system come to life downstairs. The song was one he recognized. It was by a Hawaiian guy who sang the song with a ukulele. It was quite a change from the original.

Standing from behind his desk, Ford walked over to the window, surprised by the crowd that had gathered since he’d last checked. The servers were busy with last-minute prep, and a group of giants had just filed into the club in tuxedos.

Ford recognized them as Jax’s teammates, meaning he needed to get downstairs. He didn’t know where Jax or Cade were, so he’d have to play host.

He hurried to the mirror on the wall in his office to check the rainbow-striped tie Cade had left for him earlier that day. He slicked back his hair again and grinned at his reflection. His face was relaxed for the first time in a long time, and he knew he owed it to the two men he loved. It was becoming harder to keep from telling Cade the truth about his feelings, but he didn’t want to scare the man off. The timing needed to be perfect.

Once Ford walked downstairs, a server stopped in front of him. “Boss, want to try the signature cocktail?” The cutie looked sexy in the outfit Cade had picked for the staff. Ford couldn’t wait to see what his gorgeous partners were going to wear.

“What is it, uh, Rylan, right?” He vaguely remembered the guy’s name. In his defense, the kid was new, and Cleveland had hired him.

“Yes, sir. It’s a Pot of Gold. It’s Goldschl?ger, crème de menthe, and vodka with a splash of soda. There’s also Rainbow Shots, which are layered gelatin shots. The ladies seem to love them.” The young man pointed to a table where Ford recognized Cade’s mother, Katrina, with the women he’d met at his and Jax’s place the previous afternoon.

Ford noticed a bottle of expensive champagne on the table and saw they were talking to a young server who was holding a tray of plastic shot glasses with flavored gelatin shots in a rainbow design. As Ford observed their interactions, he wondered if he should intercede on behalf of the young server.

As he watched, Ford noticed everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, so why should he step in? He wanted them to relish the evening because their donations would go a long way at Rainbow House. That was the purpose of the party, after all.

The music slowly transitioned to something with a pounding beat, and the ambient lights dimmed while the lights on the stage brightened. Ford turned to see something he never thought he’d witness in his life.

On the stage, in the spotlight, was Jax in green tails, black pants, and a rainbow vest. His bow tie was white, and he wore a black bowler hat with a green band.

“Good evening, everyone. I’m Jackson Delacroix, and I’ll be your emcee tonight. We have a lot of exciting things planned, so sit back, loosen your wallets, and concentrate on having fun while doing something selfless. The rainbow shots are five bucks each, but you get to smack your hot server on the rear, so that’s incentive, right?” The audience laughed and clapped, bringing a bright smile to Ford’s face.

“The silent auction will keep going for another hour, so spend, spend, spend. As we speak, the servers are handing out the programs for the live auction. There are a lot of fun activities and merchandise coming up in the live auction, so pace yourselves. Everyone, have a great time!” Jax then tipped his hat.

Ford was speechless. He’d never imagined Jax would do what he’d just seen the man do, but it had been a smashing success. People were climbing over each other to get the programs, and it seemed as if the charity was going to make a lot of money that night.

Just as he was about to reach for a program from a passing server, Ford felt a hand on his ass. He turned to see Cade with a grin on his handsome face. He wore a black tuxedo with a rainbow vest that matched Ford’s tie. He pulled the younger man into his arms and kissed him gently on the lips. “This is amazing, sweetheart. You’ve outdone anything I’ve offered in the past.”

The giggle made Ford hard, but he adjusted his trousers and looked at his younger lover. “How’d you talk Jax into doing this?”

“Amazingly, I didn’t have to do anything. He didn’t like the outfit, not the idea of it. He and I went to a tailor he knows and picked out the costumes for the servers and his tux, along with mine. Mr. Moneybags, he said you had your own. Anyway, you’re okay with the tenor of the event, right? I mean, people were eager to donate things to the auction. Hell, the players are… well, you’ll have to wait to see it. Our boyfriend is going to stun us both.” Cade winked.

Ford turned to him and took his hand. “Boyfriend? You think of us as your boyfriends?”

He saw Cade swallow, and he wanted to ease any concerns. “I’m happy you do, Cade. We’ve both hoped you’d think of us that way, or whatever way makes you comfortable. It’s just…” The music drowned out the rest of Ford’s words.

They both turned to the stage to see Jax standing under the spotlight. “Hello again! Let’s have a little musical entertainment while you’re perusing the program for the live auction. First up, we have a damn fine performer. Please welcome to the stage, Miss Chablis Dion,” Jax waved his arm and stepped out of the way.

Ford turned to see the tall, white drag queen in full Celine Dion mode wearing a fluffy beige gown with a wig up in a soft bun. The music was from an old blockbuster movie everyone knew, so the crowd quieted. Chablis took the stage and mimed the lyrics as though the song was hers. Three dancers came behind her in tuxedos with faux violins as they stood in the corner, reenacting the scene where the orchestra was playing as the ship was going down.

Ford clapped along with the guests when the song ended. Chablis curtsied and moved off the stage quickly. The lights faded to black and then a spotlight lit up the middle of the stage, under which one of Jax’s teammates stepped. It was the handsome Denny Walker.

“Good evening. I’m Dennis Walker, Strong Safety for the home team, CHICAAAAGOOOO !” he yelled while spinning his fist to rile up the crowd.

The crowd, in response, whistled, cheered, and applauded before settling again. “I’m here to talk about Rainbow House. I spent a few days there recently, so I’d like to share with you about the incredible people I met and the wonderful job they’re doing for kids in the community who need a safe place to go after school and in the summer.”

The man spoke about how many of them they’d been able to keep off the streets and help to graduate from high school. Ford saw Denny was genuine in his request for support of the organization, and it moved him to clap vigorously once the speech ended.

“Now, it’s my turn to introduce a favorite of mine. Please, welcome to the stage Barbra Tryherhand.” Denny walked to the edge of the stage and took Barbra’s hand to help her up the steps before blowing her an innocent kiss.

A Streisand look-alike Ford had never seen came out and actually sang “Somewhere” from West Side Story . She sounded incredible.

When Ford felt Cade’s hand on his shoulder, he leaned down, unable to contain the words any longer. “I’ve fallen in love with you, Kincade. I hope that’s good news, but I don’t want to rush you if you’re not there yet. I just wanted to tell you.”

The handsome brunet appeared to be astonished, but that was okay. The best news in the world stunned people all the time. Ford leaned over and kissed the younger man on the cheek as the last notes of the song faded.

A hand on his other shoulder brought Ford’s attention the other way and a broad smile to his face. “Top o’ the evenin’ to ya, lads!” Jax’s fake Irish brogue was cute as he kissed Ford on the lips before he hugged him.

“You two are co-conspirators in this beautiful mess. I’m going to interrogate the two of you tonight, carefully… with my tongue,” Ford told the two of them as they held each other. Cade giggled and Jax laughed, which was everything Ford wanted to hear. It was perfect.

An hour later, Jackson Delacroix was standing on the stage without his bowler hat. Kincade Hayes was standing next to him, handing him cards for the live auction offerings with scripted jokes because Jax had a sailor’s mouth if left to his own devices. There were a few off-color words sprinkled in, but nothing too offensive.

“Next up, we have five days and four nights in a four-bedroom villa at a five-star resort in Phoenix, Arizona. This package includes two rounds of golf per person, six meals per person, round-trip business class airfare, plus land transport. There are eight slots available, so talk to your friends and get a group together. We’re gonna take a break, but we’ll be back.” Jax bowed.

When the two men stepped to the side of the stage, Ford made his way over to them. “Who donated that trip?”

“Avery Sumter and a few of the other guys on offense, but it’s an anonymous donation. Their families are Bible thumpers, which is why they didn’t come. Avery rallied everyone to kick in for the trip because he wanted to support the cause. Apparently, he has a favorite uncle who’s gay and got kicked out of the family when he came out. It’s a great opportunity to have a lot of fun with friends. I saw some guys clustered around as they discussed buying it for after the season next winter. I’d pitch in, but I’m not sure how we’d…” Jax trailed off.

“Who’s Avery Sumter?” Cade asked as the three stood together, sipping the signature drinks they’d taken from a passing server.

“He’s the new fullback the team acquired from Kansas City. He’s a nice guy, but he won’t show support for any gay-related initiatives because of his family’s religious beliefs. I get it. We’ve all gotta watch our own sixes.” Jax patted his own ass.

Cade laughed. “Nobody watches your six more than Ford and me.”

Jax guffawed before pulling the smaller man into a hug. He looked at Ford and winked. “Our boyfriend’s a little sauced. Maybe get him something to eat and some water? We don’t want green with gold flakes all over our sheets. Who came up with that drink, by the way? It’s okay, but…”

Cade held up his hand. “It reminds me of the two of you. Ford’s the fall… cinnamon and colored leaves. Pumpkins and candy corn. You, Jackson Delacroix, are the winter… mint and crisp air. Santa Claus and sparkling green lights like the ones in your eyes. It was my choice.” Cade gave a graceful flourish.

Ford laughed. “That’s sweet, Kincade. Let’s get you something to eat. Jax, can you handle the emcee duties on your own?”

“I gotcha covered, baby. Love you both.” With that, Jax headed to the stage. The music stopped, and the spotlight turned to the handsome redhead as Ford led Cade to a table near the bar and stopped a waiter to ask for a plate of the appetizers which had been passed all night.

He switched Cade to water, and the two of them watched the rest of the auction together. They both clapped as the incredible donations brought in loads of money… much more than Ford had expected, and he owed it all to the handsome man across the table… and the big leprechaun on the stage.

After the auction part of the evening finished, the players agreed to have photos taken with fans for a donation, and Jax was pleased to grin every time the camera clicked. They’d set the meet and greet for an hour, and then he went back to the stage, happy to see a sober Cade standing to the side. He was holding a bottle of water in each hand, so Jax walked over to him and took one. “Come up here, chère. We need to close this thing out. Where’s our guy?”

“Bathroom. He’ll be back in a minute. Here’s a list of people you need to thank for their generosity, along with the workers here and at Rainbow House who lent a hand this evening. Start slow, Lucky. Bix should be back in a minute.”

“Who’s Bix?” Jax shrugged.

A beautiful blush crept up Cade’s cheeks. “Ford. Well, Branford Xavier. It’s just a nickname I came up with.” Cade’s ears turned as red as his cheeks.

“Oh, didn’t he like those other ones? Honeysuckle ? Cherry Blossom? I liked that one the most.” Jax teased, hugging Cade.

He watched as Cade’s face bloomed into a huge grin that made him want to kiss the younger man. Unfortunately, there were duties requiring his attention. He stepped on the stage and motioned to the DJ, who stopped the music and adjusted the lights.

Cade handed him the three-by-five card with names on it for him to acknowledge for their part in making the evening a success, but he had a different idea. “On this card in my hand are the names of people to thank for this evening, and we all truly thank you. What I’d like to say is thanks on behalf of the young people who live on the street because they’re afraid to go home. Thank you on behalf of the kids who sit alone in their bedrooms with a knife or a gun or a bottle of pills because they can’t imagine how to tell their families they’re gay and are looking for another way out of the current hell they’re facing by trying to live a double life.” All talking stopped at his comment.

“Thank you on behalf of those of us who have grown up and hidden our sexuality from everyone because we weren’t ready to handle what others might think about us, or how they’d judge us. Thank you from all of us because, with your support tonight, those kids now have another choice.” Much to Jax’s surprise, there was soft applause.

He then continued. “I wish I’d had an organization like Rainbow House down in St. Tammany Parish where I grew up. Maybe if I’d found acceptance for the man I was becoming, I’d be more comfortable as the man I am today.”

There was another round of applause, which warmed his heart. Jax couldn’t imagine the same comments going over so well in his hometown.

“So, thank you, Owen Hatch, for being a driving force to make Rainbow House a safe place for kids to gather, whether it’s for counseling, group support, or just fellowship with other kids who are like them and face the same issues. Thank you, Branford Thomas, for associating yourself with such a worthwhile cause so we could come together tonight at your club to support creating a better world for the kids coming behind us.” Jax turned to stare at Ford, who stood at the side of the stage.

He glanced in Cade’s direction. “Thank you, Kincade Hayes, for putting this fantastic night together to offer us a great time while supporting a worthwhile cause. Thanks to everyone who worked at the event, and to those of you who attended, your money is being well spent. Good night.” Jax gave a wave of his hand before he bowed to the crowd.

The applause was deafening, and even more surprising was everyone rising to their feet. Jax pulled Cade up on the stage with him and took his hand, holding it up in the air. When Ford walked up on the stage, he took Ford’s hand as well and it was perfect, the three of them in the limelight together. Several people took pictures, one of them being Cade’s mother, Rina.

As they mingled, thanking those in attendance and ensuring the auctioned items made it to their rightful owners, Jax kept his eyes on the two men he loved. They were both personable as they worked the crowd.

He took a seat at a table near the bar. When a bottle of beer appeared in front of him, he looked up to see Cleveland Oakes with a big grin. “How you doin’, Cajun?”

“I’m good, Cleve. Thanks for the beer. I had one of those custom drinks earlier, and I immediately switched to water. Don’t let Cade dream up anymore cocktails. That was disgusting.” Cleave came around the bar and sat next to him.

“I tasted one, and I wanted to toss up the nice dinner Momma made me. She had a good time, by the way. She won a gift certificate for a spa day from the attendance prizes. You guys did an amazing job on this. I sure coulda used a place like Rainbow House when I was a kid growin’ up on the south side. They were harsh on a gay kid who played the violin.” Cleveland glanced down at the floor.

“A friend of yours?” Jax stared at the muscular man in front of him. The guy had to spend hours a day in the gym, for sure.

“Hell no. Me! I was scrawny as shit and used to get my ass kicked all the time. I had an old violin at home I used for practice, and I had a good one I left at school for lessons because if I got caught walkin’ from school with it, those bastards in my neighborhood would have jammed it where the sun don’t shine.” Cleve chuckled, but Jax could see the pain in his eyes.

“Where’d you go to school?”.

Cleveland took a drink from his bubbly mineral water. “I went to a magnet high school for fine arts, and I got my skinny ass kicked on the regular until I started spending less time with the strings and more time in the ring. I learned to box, and I still teach boxing at a gym in the old neighborhood a couple of afternoons a week.”

Jax nodded. Things definitely made more sense when he thought of Cleveland’s disposition and kind demeanor. The man knew how it felt to be bullied, too.

“I offered to teach boxing at Rainbow House, but Mr. Hatch doesn’t think it would set the right tone for the mission.” Cleveland’s expression showed his distaste for the man.

Jax laughed. “Obviously, Mr. Hatch hasn’t had his ass kicked. I’ll get Cade to talk to him. It would be a good idea to at least hold self-defense classes, don’t you think?”

They both heard a high-pitched laugh and turned to see Owen Hatch speaking with a few women Jax recognized as Cade’s mother’s friends. “Oh, I’ve got a better in than that. Work up a schedule for when you’d be available to offer classes, and give it to Kincade, okay? I see my future mother-in-law over there.” He hopped up from the table and grabbed his beer, making his way across the room to where Katrina Seiler-Hayes and her cronies sat.

“Mrs. Hayes, did you enjoy the evening?” Jax sat down next to Kincade’s mother and put his arm around her shoulders. The other ladies seemed to amuse themselves with the wait staff who were trying to clean up, but Jax wanted to get the woman’s opinion on a few things.

“Oh, Mr. Delacroix, I had a lovely time and the girls… well, they’ve turned into groping sluts for men who wouldn’t give them the time of day, but it’s not my business. I have a feeling my son talked you into being the emcee. He told me you were upset with him teasing you about looking like the cereal box leprechaun. I’m impressed you took it up a notch and made him smile. Rina sipped sherry from a crystal glass.

“I care deeply for Kincade, Mrs. Hayes. He’s amazing. Ford and I think a lot of him.” Jax wasn’t going to give any information Cade wasn’t ready to give, but he was attempting to feel her out regarding whether she was astute enough to pick up on their situation.

The woman smirked. “Yes, well, I can see Cade thinks a lot of you and Mr. Thomas. Tell me, Mr. Delacroix, are you going to hurt my son? His father’s hurt him enough, and I want to be ready if you break his heart… Well, you or your boyfriend, Mr. Thomas.” Rina surprised Jax with her frank questions, but only a little.

“Ma’am, I can tell you with certainty, neither Ford, nor I, would ever hurt Kincade on purpose. We care deeply for him. I realize this situation might be a little unusual, and I can assure you it took the three of us by surprise. Please don’t blame this on Kincade alone. The three of us are heading into uncharted territory together, and if we had someone on our side, it might help us navigate the course. A friendly port in a storm would be nice.” Jax studied her carefully for any signs of discomfort or disgust.

When he saw none, he continued his plea. “My mother’s a simple, sweet woman, but she lives down in swamp country outside N’awlins, and we haven’t seen each other in years. I don’t know if she’d support me if she found out I was gay. She doesn’t have a television, nor takes the paper. She practices swamp medicine, and it’s all a little too weird for me. She’s sorta lost herself since my papa died when I was in college.”

Mrs. Hayes’ gaze softened, and she patted his hand. Jax was happy to see she would be supportive of Cade. He wished his own mother could be so open-minded.

“Ford, well, his family disowned him as soon as he graduated high school. That’s why he moved down to Louisiana to attend college. We hit it off as friends for a couple of years before we fell in love, and we’ve been together ever since,” Jax explained.

Katrina Hayes slid her brown hair behind her ear, revealing a large diamond stud. She seemed to contemplate something before she took a sip of her sherry. Finally, she dabbed her lips with the green linen napkin and smiled at Jax—the kind of smile secure women used to intimidate an adversary. “If you and Mr. Thomas are so happy, how’d my Kincade get mixed up in this?”

Jax knew she had every right to ask, though he wasn’t excited to give her an answer. Kincade adored his mother and wanted her in his life, so Jax was going to do everything in his power to ensure she stayed.

“When we met Cade, it was like a bomb went off. We knew we were missing something between us, but we didn’t talk about it, both of us hoping the missing pieces would just fade into the background. Kincade? Well, he changed everything. He made us realize things I doubt we’d have seen on our own, and we just fell for him.” Honesty was definitely the best policy.

Jax took in a gulp of air before he continued. “Conventional wisdom mandates that an acceptable relationship is between a man and a woman. Most people don’t accept a relationship between two men, much less three. Instead of Ford or me trying to cheat with your son, we brought him into our relationship with hopes to start a life together... the three of us.”

Without waiting for her to respond, he blurted out, “Cade loves you, Mrs. Hayes. I want you to visit us and spend holidays, or whatever you’d like to do for Kincade’s sake, but we will not back out of his life. We’ve grown to love him.”

When a bright smile overtook her lovely face, Jax was more than relieved. “Well, if anyone can handle two alpha males, I’m pretty sure it’s my Kincade. You two be good to him, and you’re always welcome in my home, wherever it might be. This fight with Hudson will get ugly, and I could certainly use your support… all three of you.” She touched her sherry glass to his bottle of beer.

They smiled and drank, forming a secret alliance, it seemed. “We’re here for you, Mrs. Hayes. How about you talk Owen Hatch into offering self-defense classes at Rainbow House? Those kids need to know how to protect themselves more than any kids I know, and I believe you could talk a dog off a meat wagon.” Jex felt a lot better about their relationship after their discussion.

She laughed and finished her drink. “Call me Katrina… or Rina, which is what my friends call me. I’ll call Mr. Hatch in a few days to suggest the idea of offering self-defense instruction as an option for the young people under his watch.”

Jax couldn’t hide his grin. He knew the woman was good for her word.

“I know Kincade went through a lot of bullying during his teen years, but he refused to tell me anything about it. I’d hate to know another child couldn’t protect themselves, like my son, thanks to his father’s abandonment. I want to stay in contact with you and Mr. Thomas, aside from keeping up with my son. I believe we can all help each other,” she told him.

Jax was right there with the woman who seemed to be supportive of the relationship they were attempting with her son. Hell, having the support of one parent out of six? That wasn’t too bad.