Chapter Twenty-Three #2
Ryan nodded, and Tim watched him cross the dry grass toward the car park. He listened to the waves and the thump of his own heart, full to bursting with love for the best bloody son in the world.
“It’s perfect.”
Standing on a chair and fiddling with the extra fairy lights he’d strung on the pod, Tim asked, “Sure?”
“Yep,” Lachlan said. “And if it’s a little crooked, no one’ll care.”
“So it is crooked?”
Cora called over from where she was setting up the dessert table. “It’s not crooked!”
Tim gave Lachlan a mock glare. “You’re trying to mess with me?”
“I said if! I didn’t say it was.”
Liam looked up from oiling the grill. “It’s not crooked.”
Liam’s niece, Olivia, blew a raspberry as Cody bounced her on his hip. “I think that sums it up,” he said.
With grass under his bare feet again, Tim pulled Lachlan close. “Good thing I don’t mind you messing with me.” Laughing, they kissed.
“Strewth!”
Chalkers and his wife stood at the end of the garage. Sally carried a covered bowl and elbowed her husband. “You sound like your father!”
Chalkers paled. “I do, don’t I?” He shook his head. “I was just… So, it’s true, then? You two are a couple?”
With a deep breath, Tim took Lachlan’s hand. “We are.”
“Thought Damo might be pullin’ my leg.”
After Tim’s last day at work on Friday, they’d told Damo and asked him to spread the word so they wouldn’t have to tell everyone over and over. He’d been thrilled to take on the job.
Chalkers added, “Is everyone gay now?”
Sally hissed, “Rich!”
“Don’t mean anything by it!”
“The straights still have you,” Cody deadpanned.
They all laughed, and Chalkers joined in. “Damn right they do. Luckily for Sal.”
She huffed good-naturedly. “Says you. Now where should I put this coronation chicken?”
Teddy, Jill, and their daughter appeared, Gracie immediately running over to play with Liam’s nephew, Jamie. As more people arrived, the knot of tension in Tim’s chest loosened.
“Looks like we’ll get a decent crowd,” he said to Lachlan, still holding his hand as they greeted guests.
Lachlan squeezed his fingers. “Everyone’ll be here.”
“Except Ry.”
“He said he might come. There’s still time.”
Tim was too busy making the rounds to worry more about it, since Lachlan was right—just about everyone had come.
Mark was on shift with the paramedics, and some of the boys were of course working the beach and would come later.
But the news that Tim and Lachlan were together hadn’t seemed to keep anyone away from the party.
As the sun set, the yard was filled with laughter and chatter. The extra fairy lights Tim had strung—only a bit crookedly on the right side, but he’d live—were perfect to light up the back of the yard. There were so many people—lifeguards and partners and kids—that they needed all the space.
Damo and Blake approached Tim by the grill, and Damo held out his arms.
“Did I get the job done, or did I get the job done?”
Tim had to laugh as he hugged Damo and slapped his back. “You got the job done.”
“Still can’t believe it about you and Lachie. Far out. Sharky got his teeth in you, hey?” Damo grinned.
“Don’t call him that, okay? He doesn’t like it.”
Damo’s eyebrows shot up. “Shit, really? I’ll make sure that gets around too. Anyway, this is the best gossip we’ve had since Cody and Liam.”
“We weren’t hot gossip?” Blake asked with an exaggerated frown.
“Nah. Just hot.” Damo winked. “Guess this is a retirement, coming out, and welcome back party all in one, hey, Bull?”
“I’m not retiring.” Tim laughed. “Not that old yet. But yes. Reckon it is.”
“Sweet.” Damo raised his hand for a high five. “Welcome to the bi club, mate. Good to have ya.”
Tim slapped his palm. “Thanks.” He didn’t add that he’d been a down-low member for years as he poked the sausages with his tongs. “Snags are ready—can you grab that platter?”
A while later, he flipped another round of burgers and gratefully took a beer from Lachlan. Then his gaze fixed on Ryan walking into the yard with a young woman, and his heart skipped. “He came.”
Lachlan grinned and waved them over. “Hey, mate! Jodie. It’s great to see you again. We met at Jacko’s birthday, right?”
The pretty, petite blonde smiled. “We did. And this must be Mr. Bullock.”
Tim felt like many eyes were on them. “Tim, please.”
Ryan said nothing as she held up a bowl of prawn salad. “I made this. Sorry we’re late.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to,” Tim said because he had to say something. “No worries.”
Jodie glanced at Ryan, who stood stiffly. “Babe, you said we were supposed to bring a plate?”
“Right—no—yes!” Tim said, taking the salad. “Er, thank you. I’m glad you’re here.”
Lachlan squeezed Tim’s waist. “Let me take the salad over to the table. Flip the burgers.”
Right. Flip the burgers. Tim did, exhaling with a nervous laugh. “Can I get you drinks? Ry, there’s Jack and Coke. Jodie, what’ll you have?”
“Rosé if you have it?”
“We can get them,” Ryan said. He took a few steps, then said, “Thanks.”
Lachlan returned, and Tim gulped his beer. “Went okay?” Lachlan asked quietly.
“Suppose so. Didn’t end in a shouting match.”
“He’s here.”
Tim exhaled. “He is.” Looking around at the lifeguards and their families, he was filled with gratitude. “Everyone’s here. And the ones who couldn’t make it sent their regrets. Didn’t say anything nasty.”
“They’ve been great. All I’ve gotten are nosy requests for details I’m not sharing.”
“They must know better than to ask me.”
“Undoubtedly.” Lachlan slipped his arm around Tim’s waist. “We have a lot of friends. Family.”
“We do.”
Under the fairy lights and the distant moon, Lachlan shivered in the night breeze. Tim pulled him close and kissed him, and knew he was the luckiest bloke in Barkers.