19. Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Nineteen
Cade
The headline was blaring in its twenty-eight-point Arial typeface.
How Many Men Does It take to Satisfy the Ragin’ Cajun?
The article was a play-by-play of their special dinner to celebrate Cade’s birthday, down to each of them tasting the other’s vegetable side dishes. A perfect night was ruined in a matter of words on a computer screen, and anger took hold in Cade’s gut as he remembered how beautiful it had been. Now it was something he was sure Ford and Jax would regret.
“Let’s go to the bigger place and sleep in the king-sized bed,” Ford suggested as the three of them stumbled off the elevator. There had been champagne in the limo and they’d drank it from the bottle.
Cade didn’t get fucked up often, but it was his birthday, and he had the most incredible boyfriends in the world who had been far too extravagant. He appreciated the gifts, but he wasn’t used to it. He tried to be gracious because they’d made the day special and he wanted to show appreciation.
“You mean go to your apartment?” he teased Ford.
Jax laughed. “I wish you lived where that other kid, Ian, lives. Hell, I’d knock a hole in the bedroom wall and just absorb your place.”
Ford stopped them as he passed the bottle of Dom to Cade after having taken a huge swig. “No, we talked about looking for a bigger place to live, and I actually have a handle on somewhere in the historic district that’s being renovated at the moment. The mother just passed, and the kids want a quick sale, but they’re bringing it up to code and making it more marketable. Should we fancy a look when they get it finished in a few months?”
“I’m game.” Cade handed the bottle to Jackson, who took a huge gulp himself.
He turned to Cade and Ford and smiled. “In the morning, when I bitch and complain about my headache and the day I have ahead of me, remind me it was my choice to celebrate this gorgeous guy’s birthday.” The three of them staggered into the lobby, Jax messing with Cade’s hair.
After a few kisses before teeth were brushed and bladders were drained, they stumbled into bed with Cade in the middle since it was his birthday. They didn’t do anything more than snuggle together, but it was perfect.
The headline he was studying on Ford’s laptop, however, was not perfect. He couldn’t imagine what his lovers would say.
An arm around his neck and a kiss to his cheek were a surprise. “Oh, already? I thought we’d at least get a honeymoon period. Let’s see…” Jax took over the mouse and began reading out loud.
“Jackson Delacroix—a/k/a, The Ragin’ Cajun— has been the driving force for the hometown team for many years, but lately, he’s set football fans on their ear. First, he came out at minicamp to confirm the rumors were true… he was a gay man in the NFL.”
Jax read the first paragraph and chuckled before he walked over to the coffeemaker to fill a cup, tossing two sugar cubes inside as he went to sit next to Cade. “Read the rest, chère.”
“Lucky, it’s just dribble. Don’t pay any attention.” Cade waved his hand as if it would brush the ugly words from sight.
Jax, however, pulled his stool closer and rested his feet on the rungs of Cade’s, moving the laptop between them. “My darling man, when I show up at the stadium today for practice, I’m going to be met with a blitz. Are you able to come with me to meet the new guy at four?” Jax asked.
“Yeah. I’ll work with Griff this morning and then come home and change. I’ll cab to the stadium, and we can come home from there, okay? You don’t have to pick me…” he trailed off as Ford wrapped his arms around their necks.
“What are we reading? Oh, well, how many men does it take to satisfy you, Cajun?” Ford’s teasing brought a smile to Cade’s face.
Jax laughed as he pulled Ford onto his lap and kissed his neck. Ford leaned forward to Cade and kissed his cheek. “Please, enlighten us.” Cade cleared his throat and turned back to the computer screen.
“Jackson Delacroix was honest with fans when he came out of the closet at minicamp in April, admitting he was a gay athlete in a relationship with a man. His fellow players have stated—though, off the record—they don’t consider his sexual orientation a problem. One unnamed player said, ‘In the locker room, we’re all just guys. He ain’t hittin’ on me, and he’s still the same guy I’ve played with for years.’
It’s an admirable position for his teammates to take, but last night, Jackson Delacroix broke the mold. He was out with two men, and he was celebrating , as a source stated. What he was celebrating wasn’t explained, but the three men left the restaurant arm in arm. How do the fans feel about their star defensive captain having not one boyfriend, but two, though unconfirmed?”
Ford laughed and looked at Jax. “So, how do you feel about having not one boyfriend, but two?”
Jax laughed along with him. “Pretty fuckin’ great. I need to get to the stadium for practice and I guess an ass chewing. I’m picking Cade up at four to go with me to meet my new… potential … agent. I’ll have him back before happy hour’s over.”
Ford kissed Jax’s cheek and rose from his lap. Cade stood and kissed Jax, too, before the big man strolled down the hallway to shower and change. “My head’s killing me. You guys are trying to do me in with that champagne.”
“You’re not allowed to bitch about champagne when it’s over a hundred dollars a bottle,” Ford reminded Jax as he led Cade to the kitchen table. He handed over ibuprofen and a glass of water as he put on a kettle to boil. Tea sounded great.
After they had toast and tea, Cade turned to Ford. “Thank you for a wonderful birthday. Make sure he knows I appreciated it.” He slipped out the door.
Once in his own apartment, Cade showered and dressed in his blue suit trousers and a crisp white shirt. He draped a tie over the hanger where his jacket hung and let himself into 2D to find Ford on his cell.
Cade hung his jacket from the hall tree and walked into the living room, where Jax stood watching ESPN. There they were, the three of them holding hands, coming out of the restaurant. It looked more sordid than it was, but it was out there for everyone to see.
“Oh, Jax, I’m so sorry,” Cade whispered to the big man.
“The only thing to be sorry about is my haircut. Damn, I look awful. Anyway, I just wanted to see what they were saying. Don’t you worry about this, chère. This isn’t you—it’s all me. I was ready to do this, okay? When I kick ass on Sunday, let’s see who they’re callin’ a fag.” Jax walked over and pulled Cade into his brawny arms.
The two men kissed for several minutes, leaving Kincade weak in the knees, but when they pulled away, the bright smile on Jax’s handsome face set his heart to racing. “I’ll see you later today, and then I’m gonna come to the club tonight. You and Ford have been working on this thing for a week, and I’m curious. Have a great day. I’ll see you about three thirty,” the sexy redhead told him with another hug before he left.
Cade took a sip of his coffee, hearing Ford come back into the apartment from the balcony. Cade looked up to see the man wasn’t happy. “What’s wrong?”
Ford exhaled before he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of ibuprofens, slugging them down with hot coffee, which was surprising. Something was definitely up with the blond bombshell.
“Well, I finally heard from my parents. It’s been years—and I mean like before I graduated from college—since I’ve heard from any of them. It was my mother demanding I come to Long Island for a ‘family meeting’,” he responded with air quotes.
“When? Are you going to go?” Cade asked. Hell was raining down on them. It was far too much to handle at one time.
Ford took Cade in his arms and kissed him like it was the last day on earth. Tongues twirled and hands grasped.
It was so amazing, Cade lost himself in the feeling. It was the same when Jax held him and kissed him, and he counted himself lucky to have two wonderful men in his life.
When they broke the kiss, Ford chuckled. “Of course, I’m not going. I’m going to Dallas with Jackson. Are you sure you need to stay here?”
Cade smiled. He knew the two men needed time for themselves to work on renewing their connection, and he was happy to give it to them. “You’ve met Katrina, Ford. She has a group of friends coming to town with her for moral support. I’ll look like an ungrateful little shit if I’m not here to discuss the upcoming divorce thing with her. My father tracked me down, and he’s not exactly happy I’m going to testify on Mom’s behalf. He must be insane if he thought I’d take his side, but, anyway, I need to be here.”
Ford sighed. “Okay. Let’s head out.” The two men made their way to the elevator and went down to the parking garage, taking Ford’s fancy BMW to the club. He noticed Jax’s Hummer was gone, and he chuckled. Between the membership to the car service that they’d given him for his birthday, and the fancy vehicles driven by the two men he loved, Cade didn’t need a car at all!
“Well, you’re all duded up,” Griff teased as Cade walked into the dressing room to check on the eighties costumes that they’d put together. The night was going to be amazing, and he wanted to ensure there were no hitches.
The bride-to-be was named Alexandra Anastos. Based on the special orders the maid of honor had requested and the boxes of favors that had been delivered to the club over the week, the group came from money.
“I’ve got a meeting with Jax and his potential new agent. Say, have you talked to Cleveland about service tonight? I mean, are we doing bottle service for them, or do they want a special cocktail?” Cade asked, seeing his friend give him a funny look.
“I’m sorry, but aren’t you the girl Friday for Branford Thomas? Isn’t it your job to know things like that?” Griff responded with a chuckle in his voice.
Cade sighed. “Maybe just this once you could handle it? I’ve got a lot on my mind. My mother’s coming back to town next week, and I’ve got to tell her some things about my father I’m not looking forward to. Plus, we got caught by a photographer last night coming out of the restaurant for my birthday dinner,” Cade whined.
He saw surprise on Griff’s face, just as he hoped. “It was your birthday? Why didn’t anybody say anything? Kincade, I’m so sorry. I mean, we can…” Cade cut Griff off.
“I’ll totally forgive you for not remembering if you work with Cleve on this one. I need to go speak with Ford about an upcoming trip he has because I need to make travel arrangements for him. Please?” Cade held both hands in a prayer pose in front of his face for extra emphasis.
It wasn’t that Cade didn’t care about the details. Brady, Cleveland, and he had already worked out by text and previous discussions. It was Cade’s way of forcing Griff to sit down and get to know the bar manager… a half-assed attempt at matchmaking. It had worked when Ford did it with Brady Jones and Owen Hatch, so Cade was shooting the dice that it might work for Cleveland and Griff.
“Okay, but if I didn’t know it was your birthday, I couldn’t forget. Actually, you owe me a night on the town,” Griff teased as he walked out of the dressing room toward the direction of the bar.
Cade made his way upstairs to Ford’s office, seeing him flipping through screens on his computer with a look of frustration. “What’s up, boss?” he teased as he took a seat on the desk next to Ford’s chair.
“I’m researching something, and it’s frustrating as hell. Argh! I just need to call a lawyer instead of trying to do it myself,” he stated, closing the lid on his laptop before he turned his attention to Cade, flashing a gorgeous smile.
“Well, we’re ready for tonight. I have Brady sorting through what I’m sure are penis straws, whistles, candy, balloons. You name it, it’s in the shape of a penis, including the cake that’s supposed to be delivered at two this afternoon. The maid of honor, Chloe, had all the stuff sent here, and she and the bridesmaids should be here to decorate after lunch. I’ll never understand why women would want to have bachelorette parties at a gay club, but that’s just me,” Cade said.
“It’s safe and they get to ogle hot guys,” Ford told him. Cade cocked an eyebrow in challenge.
“Okay, let’s spin this. If you were getting married, where would you want your husband-to-be to have his bachelor party? Think of the most incredibly hetero place in the world,” Ford challenged.
Cade thought for a minute and snapped his fingers. “A strip club with chicks on poles. That would be the safest place for him,” he stated. Ford stood and kissed the tip of his nose, agreeing with him.
It was then Cade thought about marriage. Same-sex marriage had been legalized in the country, much to most of the LGBTQ+ community’s surprise.
The right to legalize gay marriage had been hard earned but the highest court in the land had shot down some pretty harsh legislation against it to pave the way for girls to marry girls and boys to marry boys. Cade, along with many of the members of the LGBTQIA+ community, had been pleased with the ruling because it afforded same-sex couples the same rights as hetero couples. In Cade’s opinion, it should have been that way all along.
Unfortunately, nowhere in that legislation did it give the go-ahead for three men to marry, have any sort of civil commitment, or avoid being beaten to death in the streets for being together. It was certainly unconventional, and not many people would climb aboard the Tri-Train, Cade was sure.
If he stayed with Ford and Jax, he could never avail himself of that right, but he saw it as a compromise. He had two men to love him. That was worth everything to him, but maybe they didn’t see it the same way. It was worth exploring with them.
Ford was rifling through a filing cabinet, humming to the music echoing through the downstairs bar while not paying attention to Cade. “Are you going to propose to Jax or will you wait for him to propose to you?” Cade was curious if the two men had ever considered making it legal.
It was likely a scab better left unpicked, but one thing Cade knew, he had to be prepared for anything. Ford slid the drawer closed and turned to look at him. “Why would you think we’d get married?”
“Well, you two are talking about getting a house together, and he’s out now. I mean, right this minute, I’m making the relationship a headline because I’m the third, but if I fade into the background, you two can create a life together as husbands. There’s no place for me in that equation, Ford, and we both know it. You and Jackson are figuring out the mistakes you made in the past, and you’re trying to correct them to be better partners for each other going forward.” Cade hoped Ford saw his reasoning.
Based on the expression on Ford’s face, he wasn’t scoring any points. “You won’t need me to be the soft between the two of you much longer. It’s okay. I thought it would go this way, and I’ll be glad to see the two of you happy together.” A heaviness settled in his soul and nearly buckled Cade to his knees. He hadn’t felt the feeling since Marcus Drury showed up in his life and turned out to be a horrible guy. He supposed he wasn’t one of those who were lucky in love.
Ford stepped closer, separating Cades knees. “Kincade, that’s noble of you. Knock that shit off.”
He leaned forward and kissed Cade gently on his lips, holding his face in his hands. Tongues sought each other when there was a hard knock before the door opened.
“Ah, no wonder I’m doing all the work. You’re diddling the boss on company time, Hayes. Well, get your ass downstairs because Chloe the bridesmaid-zilla is down there yelling at poor Brady, who looks like he’s going to shit himself. Sorry, Mr. Thomas,” Griff stated before he closed the door.
Ford leaned forward and kissed a tear off Cade’s cheek. “Don’t be so damn melodramatic. We’re not going anywhere without you. Now, go fix what’s broken. Love you, sweetheart.”
With that, Cade was ushered out the door with a gentle pat on the ass, followed by a squeeze. Ford leaned forward and whispered, “Don’t think we’re anywhere near done, Kincade. I don’t fall in love so easily, and I find it even harder to fall out.”
The door closed behind him, and a newfound confidence washed over Cade. He strolled down the stairs to see three women, a blonde and two brunettes, giving poor Brady seven kinds of hell.
Cade walked over and touched Brady’s arm. “Go. I’ve got it.” The poor guy scurried off like a scared rabbit.
Turning to stare at the three women, Cade crossed his arms. “I’m Kincade Hayes, and shame on you for being mean to my bartender. I asked him to sort things for you so it would be more organized and take less time to set up your party space. I have three of our dancers and myself at your disposal to help you decorate, but if you’re going to be mean girls, then we’ll let you figure out how to hang penis banners around the VIP section by yourself.”
Chloe, much to his surprise, squealed. “You were in the paper! You’re one of the boyfriends of the Ragin’ Cajun, aren’t you?” The fucking picture in the paper. Fucking hell!
“Do I know you?” Cade couldn’t remember ever seeing her face.
“No, but my new boyfriend bitched about the players’ entrance being surrounded by paparazzi this morning for an hour before he left to go to the stadium. He plays for Chicago as well. He just moved here.”
Her comment didn’t really clarify anything for Cade. “Who’s your boyfriend?”
“Avery Sumter. Oh! We can go to games together and everything! This is so great. I’m sorry I was such a crabby witch. Where’s that guy? I’ll apologize. It’s just that Alex is such a horrible pain-in-the-ass bride if things aren’t perfect, and she’ll never let me forget it.” Chloe was bouncing around like a bunny rabbit.
Cade laughed. “He wasn’t going to start sucking those things, you know.” Cade defended poor Brady, who had been sorting the decorations the woman had sent to the club, which brought an enormous giggle from the three of them.
Cleveland walked up with three glasses of the shit they passed off as champagne but was really some cheap sparkling wine. It was pink, it bubbled, and it made the girls scream. It was worth the five dollars a bottle they paid for it.
The women clapped animatedly before they took the glasses and got to work. Cade called Brady over and explained to him they had a bitchy bride to satisfy, and he immediately got on the phone. Fifteen minutes later, salvation showed up in the form of Owen Hatch.
“I had nothing to do and when my Brades called to tell me you girls were having a party and there were going to be loads of penises, I couldn’t stay away.” Owen camped it up as he tied his shirt up around his midriff and strutted the club like a peacock. He winked at Cade and went to work, relieving him of his duty of babysitting the bridal party.
Cade walked over to Brady and pulled him down. “I’ll pay him his weight in gold if he can make this work.”
Brady laughed and hugged him. “Naw. He was lookin’ for a way to pay you back for the fundraiser. He lives for stuff like this. Don’t worry.”
Cade followed his gaze to where Owen was standing on a stepladder with thumbtacks, hanging a plastic penis garland around the VIP area… or what Cade had roped off as a VIP area.
They didn’t have one, but he’d talk to Ford about it another time. They were expecting thirty guests, so he’d shifted tables and banquettes to accommodate the crowd and divided it with the red velvet ropes he’d rented from a supply company where they got their linens. It was fifty dollars well spent. He then sent a text to Jax to head off a possible ugly situation.
J—Avery Sumter’s girlfriend is here at the club for this bridal thing. She’s the maid of honor and she’s already planning our joint engagement parties. Don’t come in. Send me a text when you get here, okay? Love you. C
Cade put his phone away and went back to working with Owen and the others who were decorating. He had to decline the sparklers they wanted, though. No, there wasn’t going to be a fire at the club when someone got too drunk to hold her own and fell onto a flaming penis, or whatever they had with them.
“Hey, I’d save those until after the wedding. When the bride and groom come outside after the ceremony, hand them out to the crowd. Grannies love that kind of thing.” As if Cade even knew.
The girls squealed, which he took as acquiescence, so he boxed them back up and wrote Chloe’s name on the box, placing it in the back room for her to take at the end of the night. It was shaping up to be quite an event.