Chapter 12
Parker didn’t mind when Heath was on his computer. He did a little moving around of his money, he ordered a few more Christmas presents, and he messaged with Sky.
Sky
Whatcha doing
Parker
Watching Heath work. U?
Sky
Same. Charlie’s trying to convince the dog to wear a Santa hat
Parker
Wow. Cool?
Sky
So. How are things? Heath taking good care of you?
Parker
Yeah. We sorta got it on. Like for real
And he couldn’t quite believe it.
Sky
You and Heath? That’s great! I mean—was it great? I hope it was great
He sent a thumbs up emoji, then he grinned.
Parker
Blew my damn mind, swear to God.
Sky
I can’t wait to tell Beck. Heath’s a good guy.
Parker
Think he’s worried B will be pissed
Which would be a damn shame.
Sky
B is not pissed. Promise. Far from it
Parker
Cool. Like him
He grinned at the phone.
Parker
A LOT. Stupid?
Sky
Nope. H is solid. He’s anchored here though, just know that
Shit, like he was anchored at all.
Parker
I got nowhere to be
Sky
Good. Be here. There. We’re happy for you
Those three dots danced for a while and then Sky added,
Sky
I want to hear everything
Parker
Perv.
He would talk, though. How could he not? Sky was his buddy and his soul-brother.
Sky
Uh-huh. Sure. You didn’t have to tell me about H but you did.
Parker
I did.
He wanted it to be real. That was how it worked, right?
Parker
Babies all better?
Sky
Yes. Climbing the walls. Christmas break is a killer.
Parker
Bummer. Next year you have 2 in school. Wow.
He remembered when Noah was just barely motivating.
Sky
Not complaining. These kids are just READY for SANTA
Sky added a string of Santa faces and exclamation points which definitely got his point across.
Sky
You coming to us for Christmas or going to Heath’s?
Like he’d go horn in on a new family. Beside he hadn’t been asked.
Parker
Yours. Don’t want to be weird.
It seemed…impolite at best.
Sky
K. No worries if you change your mind
“Hey, Beckett. This agreement looks okay to me but—” Heath was on his cell phone, obviously talking to Beck.
Which was weird since he was texting Sky.
“Yeah, that’s what I was going to suggest. Tomorrow works.
Are you going to be at the office? Oh sure that sounds great.
I’ll bring the beer. Okay, see you then. Later.”
Oh, he liked that—beer at the office. He grinned at Heath as soon as he hung up the phone. “So, where are we having beer?”
“Beckett’s place. Tomorrow. They’re going to grill.”
Sky
Beck says he and Heath have some work to do and you’re coming for a BBQ tomorrow
Parker
Grilling in the snow is WEIRD man
Still, that sounded amazing. “Should we bring anything?”
Sky
Right? Apparently this is a normal Yankee thing. Beck just tromps out on the deck in his boots
“Just the beer. Why, did you want to whip up a side dish? I have zero groceries, and I don’t cook, but if you’re better at it than I am we can go shopping.”
Parker
Cool. We just bringing beer?
Sky
Yeah man bring beer
“Beer’s cool with me.” He didn’t cook. He bought food that was precooked for his convenience.
Man, Heath sounded grumpy. Maybe he needed a blowjob. It was impossible to be in a shit mood while being sucked off.
“Okay. I am so done.” Heath closed his laptop with a definitive swipe of one hand. “Speaking of beer, want one?”
Sky
Ooh. Beck just sighed like the ceiling was caving in. I better go. See you tomorrow
Parker
cu tomorrow
He put his phone down. “Sure. I’ll grab a couple for us.”
“Yeah? Thank you.” Heath set his laptop on the coffee table and moved to the couch where he’d been sitting. “I wonder if your truck will be fixed. Beckett said they were having someone take a look at it.”
“I bet I need to replace the battery. I’m fairly handy.
” He sat and handed Heath the bottle, trying not to feel the band of tension that the thought of leaving tried to put around his heart.
He didn’t want to go yet. This was hot and fun and…
well, the best thing he’d felt in a month of Sundays.
“You ready for me to get out of your hair, honey?”
Heath glanced up, blue eyes looking right into his. “No. Are you going?”
“Not until you tell me to go.”
Shit. Had he said that? He’d meant it, but had he said it? Should he have said it? Should he take it back?
“Well.” Heath took a sip of his beer. Then he sank deeper into the couch, put his feet up on the coffee table and patted the couch next to him. “You better settle in then.”
“Mm… I reckon I’d best.”
Heath’s moods moved fast as Beck’s, so it must be a lawyerly thing, because his own moods were more like a mountain—they were what they were, at least until an avalanche came and changed them forever.
Heath started to giggle next to him. It started subtly, but it was definitely giggling. “That was ballsy of us, huh?”
He figured his best answer was to carefully cup said balls and pat, so gentle.
“Mm. I appreciate the care, they’re tender today.” Heath leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. “Is Christmas Eve a big thing for you? Or just Christmas Day? My brother and sister spend Christmas Eve with their spouses’ families, and we’re all together on the day.”
“I used—” No. It didn’t matter what he used to do. That was over and done. “I know that Sky’s babies are used to Santa coming Christmas morning early.”
Heath took his hand and tangled their fingers. “The great thing about holidays is that starting new traditions can be fun. I don’t mean to take you away from those kids, but you’re welcome to come hang out with my looney family Christmas Day if you want to.”
“I—If I’m welcome, I’d love to do both. You’ll have to tell me what presents I need to get.” Because that was only fair.
“No presents. Just come any time. Very casual. Teenagers, kids, dogs…it’s a zoo. It’s possible no one will even notice you’re there.” Heath laughed.
He’d buy a bottle of wine or borrow one from Beck, then. He couldn’t go to a party empty-handed. He was raised better.
“If that’s moving too fast, don’t be polite, okay? Just say so.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about meeting new folks. In fact, I’m pretty good at it.” Parker grinned; he liked to meet people. He liked people, in general. He wished he was a better bull rider, and he could stand to be a hell of a lot smarter, but being friendly? That he was good at.
“You did okay with me, for sure. I don’t usually have plans Christmas Eve. Sometimes I hang out with Mom, but I was thinking—” Heath shrugged. “I have a tree in a box in my garage. I’ve never used it. You want to…put it up?”
He grinned at Heath. “Sure, man! That sounds like so much fun. We can be all shiny and shit.”
He loved Christmas and all the nonsense around it.
Heath stole a quick kiss. “Cool. I think there are ornaments and stuff? Mom sent boxes a couple of years ago, and I just never—well, anyway. Come on.”
Oh, an adventure. How fun. He stood up and took a hard, happy kiss. He wanted Heath to know how cool this was.
Maybe he’d never have his own Christmas stuff to put up, but he could help Heath find his Christmas spirit.
It was cold in the garage, and he shivered, but Heath didn’t seem bothered, as usual. “It’s all back here.” Heath pointed to a big box with a picture of a Christmas tree on it and a bunch of other boxes piled up next to it. “I guess we should bring it all in.”
“I can do that.” He was small, but he was mighty, and he could haul shit with the best of them.
He bent down, grabbed two boxes, and started up the stairs, whistling “Jingle Bells”.
Heath chuckled and followed him with the tree. They had everything inside in no time, and he was struck, again, by how much simpler some things were with two people. He looked around Heath’s living room, which wasn’t tiny, but wasn’t exactly spacious.
“Where should we put it? Not close to the wood stove of course…”
“In the window.” It was important, because then they could see it from the outside and it would sparkle on the snow.
“Yeah.” Heath nodded and pointed to the sliding glass door that led to the deck. “In that window.”
“Good deal. Let’s do it.” He sliced the box open with his pocketknife and started digging out the chunks of fake pine.
“Wait, we need music, right? Christmas music.” Heath left him to open the box and pulled out his phone. The unmistakable strains of Mariah Carey filled the room at a pretty good volume.
And Heath sang along at the top of his lungs.
At one point, they started dancing, just moving around the boxes and the garland, and it was like a Christmas movie.
Heath was leading and everything.
“Do you know, my mother made me take dancing classes when I was a kid. Like actually ballroom classes. I don’t know what she thought I was going to be when I grew up. Funny thing is, I loved it, and it stuck with me.” As if to prove his point, Heath gave him a twirl.
Oh, he loved to dance. Loved it. “I could dance for days.”
Nothing made him happier.
“Days might be a bit long. We’d have to break for a pizza at least.” Heath pulled him in steered him past another box.
“Mmhmm. And coffee. Coffee is important.” He stole a long, lazy kiss.
This was…yeah, he was so in.