Chapter 29
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
Enzo
Okay. It was obviously wrong to not consider going to the wedding.
Luca is wearing his first suit.
He looks like a tiny businessman. A tiny businessman who is currently putting his tie in his mouth.
Luca grins at me, and my heart does some sort of squeezing thing.
Axel sees me and laughs. “Our boy is growing up!”
I fall into his arms, and he kisses me.
Luca stares at us.
“I really like your uncle,” Axel says.
Luca nods happily. “I like him too!”
Axel laughs then pulls us all in for a hug. My heart bursts as the two people I love the most in the world encircle me.
Axel drives us to the wedding. Luca is buckled into his car seat, kicking his tiny dress shoes.
He tugs at his tie. “Off?”
“Keep it on for the wedding ceremony,” I promise. “Then you can remove it.”
“Lies,” Axel says cheerfully. “You look too handsome. We’re keeping you in that suit forever.”
Luca giggles.
The venue is a restored barn outside the city, the sort with string lights, wooden beams, and wildflowers everywhere. There’s a buffet of Italian food. Vinnie’s influence, I’m sure.
We find seats near the front. Luca sits between us, swinging his legs.
“When is the kiss?” Luca asks loudly.
“At the end,” I say.
“Why?”
“Because that’s how weddings work.”
“You kissed at end?” Luca points his hand to Axel and me.
Axel chokes on nothing. I’m definitely blushing. Finn and Noah stare at us. Jason and Cal too.
“We’re not married, buddy,” Axel says.
Luca frowns. “Why?”
Axel opens his mouth, then closes it and looks at me.
My teammates look at us, grinning.
I have no idea what my face is doing.
“The ceremony’s starting,” I say, and thank God, it is.
The music starts, and Stella skips down the aisle, flinging rose petals at us.
Axel is quiet after the ceremony, Luca for once doing most of the talking. We eat Italian food and sit with Vinnie’s relatives who are thrilled to be here.
When the music starts, Axel, Luca and I dance together as a family.
It’s nice.
The dance floor fills. Evan pulls Vinnie close, one hand on the small of his back, and Vinnie says something that makes Evan laugh against his neck.
Finn and Noah sway together like they’ve forgotten anyone else exists.
Cal’s hand rests on Jason’s hip with casual ownership.
Luke spins and dips Sebastian over and over.
Axel watches them. His jaw is tight.
As we dance with Luca between us, holding hands in a circle, Axel’s eyes keep drifting back to those couples, and to what they have that we don’t.
I ask him after we’ve tucked Luca into bed.
“You were quiet tonight,” I say.
“Was I?”
We’re in our living room, watching Boston shimmer below us. A few boats sparkle in the dark harbor waters, bobbing happily.
“You were. What’s going on?”
He’s silent for a moment. “Some of our teammates are in relationships. They were dancing together.”
“I know. It was their friends’ wedding. Of course they—”
“I want that.”
I blink.
“I want to dance with you,” he says. “I want people to know you’re mine.”
My throat tightens.
“Axel—”
“I know we haven’t really talked about what we are.” He runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. “And I know you’re private. I know coming out is—it’s a lot, especially with hockey, and I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for. But maybe one day, that would be cool?”
My heart explodes. “That’s what you want?”
He steps closer, takes my hands. His palms are warm, slightly damp. He’s nervous. Axel is never nervous.
“I want us to be real. Not just behind closed doors. I want to be your boyfriend—your partner—whatever word you want. I want Luca to grow up knowing that his dads love each other and aren’t ashamed of it. I want—” He exhales. “I want everything. With you.”
I stare at him.
This is the moment where I could play it safe. Where I could say me too or that sounds nice or anything that keeps some part of me protected. I’ve spent ten years building walls around this feeling. Ten years convincing myself that wanting him was something I’d eventually outgrow.
I could keep those walls up. See where this goes.
“I love you,” I say.
His eyes widen.
Oh God. I’ve miscalculated. That wasn’t what I should have said. He wanted to talk about labels, and I jumped straight to—
“I should have led with that.” He grins, and something loosens in his face. His eyes are soft, and his shoulders ease. “I love you too.”
“Yeah?” My voice cracks on the word.
“Yeah.” He pulls me closer. “A lot.”
I pull him closer. “I want all of it. The dancing. The handholding. The—” I swallow. “I want everyone to know you’re mine too.”
“But you never— I didn’t know for sure—”
“It’s different with you.”
He kisses me then, slow and deep, his hands cupping my face like I’m something precious.
When we break apart, he’s still grinning.
“So,” he says. “Next wedding. We’re dancing.”
“We’re dancing,” I agree.
“And I’m going to pick you up.”
I laugh and shove him, and he catches my wrist and pulls me back in. Then he’s lifting me up in the air, and I’m biting my lip to keep from screaming and waking Luca up.
Kissing him seems like a better use of my mouth. I wrap my legs around his waist and do exactly that as he carries me to our bedroom.
Axel
We’re on the couch, Luca napping in his room, when Enzo’s phone buzzes.
He glances at it. His face changes.
“What’s wrong?”
Enzo hesitates, then he slides his phone over to me. On the screen is an e-mail:
SUBJECT: LUCA BELLANTI: CUSTODY
Dear Mr. Bellanti:
I would like to speak with you about the custody case for Luca Bellanti. Are you available for a brief virtual meeting?
Sincerely,
Jane Huang
Family Law
Los Angeles
“Do you know what this is about?”
“I-I don’t.” He closes his eyes. His hands are shaking—actually shaking. “I shouldn’t have taken Luca out of California.” His voice cracks. “What if the state is angry? What if they put him in foster care? What if—”
I pull him against me. “Stop, baby. Breathe. I’m Luca’s father, Enzo.
You brought Luca to his father. That’s all the government needs to know.
I’ve already added Luca to my insurance and paperwork for the Blizzards.
I’m working on creating a trust for him.
This is a good reminder that I need to finalize everything.
I won’t let anything happen to either of you. I won’t.”
“It’s a weird e-mail though.”
“Yeah.” My arm tightens around him. “But I’ll be right there beside you when you speak to her. And maybe this is about something else. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you.”
“E-mail her and say you’ll speak to her tomorrow. Do it quickly.”
“Quickly?”
“There’s something else we can focus on instead.”
“Is there?”
I waggle my eyebrows.
Enzo huffs a laugh—shaky, but real. “You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m helpful.”
He types a quick reply, then tosses his phone aside.
When he looks at me, some of the fear has faded.
I kiss Enzo until he gasps and writhes beneath me, and I’m certain he’s not thinking about e-mails from California lawyers.