Chapter 23
“Happy new year!” Charlie answered the door wearing big plastic sparkly glasses and a cardboard top hat covered in purple glitter.
“Happy new year!” Heath smiled at her. “You look so festive.”
“Papa says it’s never too early to celebrate.” She stepped back and held the door open.
“He’s right.”
“Uncle Parker.” Charlie’s eyes lit up. “You have a tiny dog.”
“This is my Sheila. Don’t let Walter eat her, okay? It’s important.”
“He won’t. Walter likes dogs.”
He snorted. “You know Walter likes everyone but you, babe.”
Charlie closed the door behind them, nodding sagely. “Papa says that’s because Walter was stressed and lonely, and it was a scary time, and that Uncle Parker did his best.”
Parker’s smile was warm, and he opened his arms to Charlie. “God, I missed you, little girl.”
Charlie hugged him back tight.
“Uncle Parker always does his best.” Heath gave Parker a pat on the shoulder and made his way into the house.
“Heath! You’re back in one piece.” That was Beck’s voice coming from the kitchen.
“Never had a doubt.” Well, for a brief moment while staring down the barrel of a shotgun he might have worried a bit, but they handled it. He was pretty sure that between them, he and Parker could handle anything.
Not that he ever wanted to handle that again.
“What do you think of the trailer?”
“Oh, it’s great. We’re already talking about a spring trip somewhere.”
“Oh? That should be fun. Where are y’all thinking?” Sky took the beer and cheese from him.
“I suggested Canada. Parker called himself a ‘go-baby’ and said he’d go anywhere.” He wanted to talk to Sky, but he needed to get the cowboy alone somewhere. Or at least out of earshot of Parker.
“Rock on, and Happy New Year, by the way. Parker said y’all had a decent trip.”
“We did. It was stressful sometimes on the way there and it was definitely rough with his mother, but it got better and better as we put some miles behind us. We’re closer. It was worth it.” So worth it. Parker was so damn happy and he loved that.
“I’m tickled. She was toxic. He deserves better.”
He lowered his voice. “She’s insane, Sky. I feel terrible for him. But I’m going to be his family now, and I’m making sure he knows that.”
“That’s what matters. Just be there. This hurts, but he’ll get lighter every day as the infection eases.”
He knew that was true, he’d seen it already. “We have plans, we have… I need to talk to you. Just you. Later?”
Sky tilted his head. “Sure. Come on back to the deck whenever, and I’ll follow. Show you my Christmas smoker.”
“You got a smoker?” No time like the present. He still had his coat on. “Let’s go.”
Sky gave him a nod and they stepped out back. He definitely had deck envy, but he knew he and Parker were going to make their house amazing. “So, what’s up?”
He took a breath and blew it out. He didn’t know whether he was being stupid or smart to ask this question, but he needed an answer.
“How long do you have to be with someone before you propose? Is there like, a formula? Or a rule or something? Because we’re making plans like it’s going to happen, and I know what I want, and I just really don’t want fuck it up, you know? I can’t fuck this up.”
“Oh.” Sky stopped for a second, then grinned at him. “As far as I know, everyone makes their own rules, and Parker? Well, I don’t think you can fuck this up. He’s yours, balls to bones.”
Heath felt his cheeks heat. “I think so too.”
“Well, then. When you feel it, do it. Life moves fast, and you don’t know whether you have years to think.”
From anyone else that could have been a cliché, but Skyler understood better than most what an uncertain tomorrow was. He nodded. “I’m not going to let much grass grow.” He knew where Beckett had gotten Skyler’s ring, and he was going to make an appointment tomorrow.
“Well, we’ll be tickled as shit to have you both happy and together and home.” Skyler grinned at him. “And once he’s settled, I’m going to talk to him about a business idea I had.”
“Oh yeah? He would love that. He’s so worried about getting a job and being useful.” He wanted Parker to be happy here.
“Yeah, I figured. I get it. I worried too, but I have ideas.”
He nodded. “Cool. Thank you so much. Let’s get you back inside, it’s cold out here.” He opened the slider to let Skyler go in first.
“There you are.” Beckett went right to Skyler and pulled him into a hug. “You’re so cold.”
He shrugged apologetically. “He wanted to show me his smoker.”
“Happy Christmas to him—he’s spoiled rotten.” Beckett winked at him. “But the turkey breast he made the other day was amazing.”
“Spoiled, maybe. Rotten, never.” Skyler kissed Beckett’s chin.
“Parker is in the other room keeping an eye on Sheila.”
Uh-oh. “Everything okay?”
“Oh yeah. But Walter took a shine to her, so…” Beckett gave him a lopsided grin.
He laughed. “Is Parker jealous?”
Beckett shrugged. “Maybe?”
“It could happen. Walter has been known to be a seductive little bastard.”
He laughed. “Parker,” he called. “Babe. Walter isn’t going to eat Sheila. Come have a beer.”
Noah came in, his eyes lit up. “Uncle Parker has a teeny tiny puppy! She has a diamond necklace, Pappy!”
Parker followed behind, a vaguely worried expression on his face. “You sure that demon cat won’t eat my baby?”
Beckett chuckled, bending to grin at Noah. “She is the cutest, isn’t she?”
“Have a beer, Park. It’s not like Walter’s making friends just to mess with you.” Skyler handed a bottle to Parker.
“Could happen.” He took Parker’s hand and tugged him closer. “But I doubt it.”
Charlie laughed as Bruiser pushed past her to investigate the new dog. “We’re a family, Uncle Parker. Don’t worry. We’re going to take good care of her.”
“See? Family.” He couldn’t help himself, and gave Parker a quick kiss, careful to keep it family-friendly too.
Parker leaned in, nodded. “So, how’s the week of break been?”
Sky rolled his eyes. “Thank God for Beck’s folks. They took the kids for two days so we could breathe without having any crises.”
“We slept the whole first day.” Beckett snorted.
He nodded. “Uh-huh. Slept. Sure.”
“Okay, we stayed in bed the whole day.”
Parker chuckled softly. “That’s fair enough, I guess.” Then he dropped his voice. “Pervs.”
He started with the giggles, but he already knew he was a goner.
“Pfft.” Beckett laughed. “Yeah, like the trailer wasn’t rocking and rolling all the way home from Oklahoma.”
“Did you play music in the trailer, Uncle Parker?” Noah asked, and he’d be damned if Parker didn’t just nod and keep a straight face.
“We did. We sang a lot.”
“A lot.” He couldn’t hold back his laughter.
“Uncle Heath’s throat was hoarse from singing.”
He lost it, doubling over. God, he couldn’t breathe.
Everyone was laughing along—even though the other two couldn’t possibly know what they were laughing at.
“Oh, God. You guys broke Uncle Heath.” Charlie gave him a little push, and he just collapsed to the ground giggling.
“Get him, Sierra. Tickle him.” Parker was not helping, and Beckett’s youngest tackle hugged him, wiggling, little fingers digging into his ribs.
He was starting to get it together, but Sierra was the cutest kid on earth, so he played along. “Oh no. No tickling. Mercy! Mercy!”
“Mercy!” She giggled and kissed his cheek. “Happy year!”
“Oh. Thank you.” He sighed and went limp when she stopped tickling. “Happy year to you too, sweetheart.”
Charlie groaned. “It’s happy new year, dodohead.”
“Happy year!” Sierra repeated.
“Ugh.” Charlie rolled her eyes. “Hopeless.”
Sky winked at Parker. “She was never hopeless. Ever.”
“Nope. Not once.” Parker grabbed Sierra, swinging her around. “Happy Year, ladybug.”
She giggled happily. “Happy year, Uncle Park!”
He hauled himself off the floor and picked up his beer. “Whoo. My sides hurt.”
“How long until New Year, Pappy?”
“Longer than your bedtime, partner.” Beckett gave Noah a bowl of popcorn.
“Aw. No fair.”
“Hm. What’s not fair is you being tired all day and me being grumpy. Plus, school starts on the second.”
“School!” Sierra seemed pleased by that.
Charlie was not. “Ugh.”
Noah jumped up and wiggled his butt. “I love school.”
“Not me. I hate school. I want to be a cowboy like my Papa.”
Beckett glanced at Skyler and shook his head but didn’t say a thing. Which, he thought said more than words.
Tweens were tough. Keira said so all the time.
“Uh…should we put the cheese out?”
“Hooray cheese!” Noah ran up to him. “Can I help?”
“Yep. Come on, kiddo.” He led Noah to the kitchen.
Parker followed right behind, hand on his waistband. “I’m right behind you to get the cheese.”
He tucked a hand behind him to take Parker’s. “You’re so good with these kids.”
“I love them. They’re part of our family.” Parker beamed at him, and Heath loved how his lover was visibly relaxing.
“Mhm. They are.” He poked around and found a cutting board that would work for the cheese. As much as he wanted Parker to himself tonight, they’d made the right choice to come here for a while.
“You want to cut some up too?” Parker found a butter knife and one of the softer cheeses, and little Noah beamed at him.
“I do! I can help, Uncle. I’m a good helper.”
“Of course you are, kiddo.”
“So, are you the parent type or the rile up the kids and send them back to their own parents type?” He’d meant that as a conversational question but quickly realized that asking Parker probably made it a bigger one than he’d meant it to be.
Parker glanced over. “Is that your way of asking if I want to be a daddy one day?”
He felt his cheeks warm up. “Well, accidentally, but since I asked, do you?”
“Yeah. I mean, if not, I’ll live, but yeah. I would like to follow Sky’s example and show the world another good father.”
He smiled, lifting Noah up to sit on a stool. “Or two. I’ve never given it thought because I just assumed—I mean, you know.” He’d just assumed it wasn’t a thing. He was single, he was getting older.
“I do, but we were wrong.” Parker grinned at him. “Because we are.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah. Here we are.”
Noah pretended to cut on the counter with the butter knife. “I like cheese.”
“Me too! Here buddy, cut this one.” Parker immediately handed Noah a piece of softer cheese.
So that was their future. A ring, kids, a garage and a second-story deck with an incredible view.
Exploring in the trailer.
And dogs.
Which reminded him, “Hey, Skyler said he needs to talk to you about a business thing.”
“Yeah?” Parker didn’t seem worried. “Cool. I’ll talk to him after the holidays. He’s always planning something.”
“Maybe this something will be a good opportunity for you.” He hoped so, he wanted Parker to like it here—to be busy and useful and happy.
“If it isn’t, something will come up. Something always does.” Parker stole a kiss.
“You definitely make your own luck.” He loved that about Parker. But from here on out, he was going to make sure Parker didn’t need luck. Starting at midnight, they were going to make plans instead.
Parker walked Sheila before heading in for their evening, their midnight bubbly waiting for them. The house looked amazing. The tree was lit up still, the snow was falling.
It was beautiful.
He could see Heath through the kitchen window; he was dancing around wearing the gold sparkly tiara that Sierra had put on him and opening and closing cabinets, looking for something.
“God, I love him,” he whispered. “Thank you—whoever you are—for bringing us together.”
Heath pumped a fist in the air and pulled two champagne glasses out of a cabinet.
He chuckled and shook his head and headed inside to celebrate. “Hey, you. It looks beautiful from out there.”
“The tree or the house? I found the champagne glasses!” Heath brandished them like trophies.
“Oh, nice. The tree in the house.” He unhooked Sheila and let her go, her little paws tip-tapping through the house.
Heath tucked an arm around him. “Oh, babe. You’re cold. The fire’s going. Do you want me to open the champagne?”
“Are we close to the time?” He slipped one hand around Heath’s waist. “Or do you want bubbly first and midnight hanky-panky?”
“Pfft. I always want hanky-panky. Is that even a question?”
“Oh, then pop the cork, honey. I want to suck you with bubbles on my tongue.”
“Woohoo!” Heath lit up brighter than fireworks and went after the bottle. “I’m on it!”
He chuckled and went to take off his boots and slide into the fuzzy slippers they’d found him. “I’m glad we decided to come home early.”
“Me too. There’s something right about wrapping up this year and starting the next one together.” Heath wrapped a towel around the bubbly and tugged on the cork.
He grinned, impressed. He didn’t know that he’d ever opened a bottle of champagne. Hopefully he liked it.
The pop was impressive, and Heath poured two glasses, then looked at his watch. “Almost time.”
“Come to the bedroom?” They could ring in the year there, bare butt naked and happy.
“Lead the way, babe.” Heath put a hand on his back and followed him, turning off lights as they went. “I don’t ever drink champagne except on New Year’s Eve.”
“I’ve never tried before, but people talk about the bubbles.” And he liked beer bubbles.
“It’s very bubbly.” Heath set his glass down on the dresser and tugged off his sweater. “Naked new year?”
“You know it. My favorite thing—naked new year for us.”
“Best New Year’s ever!” Heath started stripping, clothes landing in a pile on the floor.
“Yet. Best New Year’s yet.” He got naked, cock filling.
“First best New Year’s ever?” Heath winked at him and slid a hand down his chest.
“Uh-huh.” His eyelids got heavy, his tongue slipping out to wet his lips.
Heath leaned in close and whispered. “Hold that thought, I need to turn on the TV.” Heath was giggling as he picked up the remote.
“Uh-huh. You’ll have to count down.” He sipped the champagne, the bubbles tickling his nose.
“Mhm. Just a couple of minutes until bubbly BJ time.” Heath turned on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Parker grinned at Heath, and pulled his man close, only keeping track of the noise on the TV with half an ear.
Last year he’d been sitting outside in Oklahoma, drinking a beer and watching the stars.
Heath kissed him gently. “We’re going to have a great year. I know it.”
“Why wouldn’t we? It’s a new beginning for us. New work. New building. You have a dog and a cowboy of your own.”
“I do. And he’s naked too.” Heath glanced at the TV. “Oh. Glasses. One minute to midnight.”
“You have a wish, lover?” He did. He wished they would be here, together, next year.
“I don’t know.” Heath looked right into his eyes. “You might have made them all come true already.”
All he could do was push into a kiss, letting Heath know how much Parker loved him.
It didn’t matter if they missed midnight, his bell was ringing.
They heard it though, the crowd, the cheering, and Heath pulled back just enough to whisper, “Three. Two. One.”
He took a deep drink of champagne and swooped down, lips wrapping around Heath’s cock.
Happy fucking New Year.