Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
Xander was so ready to pop the question. His parents were in on it, and the whole team was in on it, all the staff at the hotel, everybody.
Xander was going to do it Halloween night. It was probably a little late, because Iago’s baby bump was pretty impressive. He still had a couple of months left to go, but his belly was noticeable.
He’d decided, though, given the ghosts and everything else, that Halloween night was the absolutely appropriate time to ask Iago to marry him.
He had the ring, and he had a tux. It came with a cape because he was dressing up as Dracula, but there was still a tux involved.
There was quite a little banquet set up at Gent’s house, for after the question-popping.
That was going to happen on their front porch, because he wanted Lefty and Helena involved.
First, though, they were going to do trick-or-treating for the few kids who came around, but most specifically Seb and Colton’s little Abby, who was so excited about it.
Uncle Gent had been in charge of costumes again this year, and their Abby was a dragon. Her little sister was dressed up as a teeny tiny little fairy, little Dani toddling around taking clumsy steps with those wings, was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.
Mom and Dad were dressing up as Raggedy Ann and Andy. He thought Iago was going to dress up as a gumball machine. That had been the last word, at least.
“Honey, are you sure you have enough candy?” Mom came through, her red Raggedy Ann yarn wig in her hand, makeup already on, the red triangle nose and eyelashes painted on her cheeks making her eyes look ridiculously odd.
“Oh, Mom, I’m sure there’s going to be like six kids. We’re just basically doing this for Sebastian’s biggest little one.”
“Now, now. It won’t be long before there are more children.” She stopped and grinned at him. “I felt the baby move. Iago let me. It was amazing. I can’t believe I’m going to be a granny.”
Mom and Dad had fallen in love with Iago, just boom, and they were so excited about the little girl that was coming.
They had already picked a name, Diana Lynne. That had been surprisingly easy to do together.
Xander was man enough to admit that he spent hours lying on Iago’s chest, whispering to his baby girl about how much he loved her and how eager he was to meet her.
Iago was also very careful about putting headphones over his belly and playing soft classical music whenever they were talking about ghosts and uncomfortable things at work.
He wasn’t sure it was going to work, but he loved that Iago thought about it and cared about her not hearing things about scary ghosts.
She’d probably heard plenty of weird things at the very beginning, but they said that time was way less important than it was later on. Whoever “they” were.
Xander took a deep breath. His sweaty palms were noticeable now because he was freaking out just a little bit.
Mom studied him critically. “Are you okay, baby? Are you ready to do this?”
“I really have thought about it. It’s not just because we’re pregnant or because he’s starting to really get big, that’s making me think we should be married.
I decided ages ago, and I bought the ring.
I just needed the right time.” He loved Iago.
It seemed crazy, because it had happened like flipping a switch, or at least in his mind it had.
He’d resisted and resisted, and then he’d hurt Iago’s feelings, and that had broken his heart.
From then on he hadn’t been able to resist the guy.
They might as well get married and make it official.
“I’m so happy for you, baby. I’m so proud of you. I thought you would be a curmudgeonly old cook for the rest of your life.”
“I’m still a curmudgeonly old cook, Mom.”
She beamed at him. “Yes, but you’re not going to be a lonely one, and that’s important. And I’m going to have grandbabies.”
“True enough.” He wasn’t going to argue with any of that and if his mom was happy about little Di, then he was doubly excited.
“Do you need help with your makeup? Are you going for white face and a trail of blood trickling down the corner of your lips?”
“I’m thinking a little eyeliner and a touch of contouring.” He wanted to be handsome in the photos, not dead.
“Ah, right. No full-on ghoul when you’re proposing.”
“Exactly.” She got him.
“Let me do your eyeliner. I have some here.”
“You did a great job on your eyes.” Xander stood still and closed his eyes, letting her have her way.
“Thank you. I think we’ll be cute and retro and not draw any attention from the main event.”
“So thoughtful, Mom.” That wasn’t even sarcasm.
“Thank you. I try.” She carefully started drawing on the makeup. “I can’t believe you could do an entire show on this house about ghosts. I never even saw so much as hiccup.”
He shrugged, because what could he say to that? “I don’t know, Mom.”
“Keep your head still. Honestly, I think it’s when you pulled out all that stuff from my beautiful retro kitchen. I bet they loved the harvest gold.”
He didn’t snort, even though he wanted to. “Either that or we got way too close to the bones in question.”
“Open up.” She scrutinized him, her lips pursed. “Perfect. Everything’s better now, though, right?”
“Things are good; things are solid. Can you believe by next year, this time next year, we’ll have a baby?”
Her smile beamed out. “I know. One who’s maybe even standing up?”
“Hush, don’t say that right now. She’s still just a little bean.” He couldn’t even imagine that right now.
“Sweetheart, have you seen Iago? That’s not a little bean. She’s going to be a big bean.”
Oh, God. That was a delicate subject around here, so he waggled a finger at her. “What’s the first rule of Pregnant Iago, Mom?”
She started to giggle. “Don’t talk about the size of Pregnant Iago.”
“I see you understand.” He winked at her and shrugged his shoulders a little bit. “He’s very sensitive. He’s amazing, and he’s beautiful. I know that, and you know that. Everybody knows that, but he worries.”
In a way, it was kind of cool that it was so important for Iago, that Xan find his omega beautiful. That was exceptional.
Ridiculous, sure, but exceptional.
It didn’t matter how big Iago got. It didn’t matter how swollen his feet were. It didn’t matter how much he cried, because he did at the drop of a hat. And, frankly, Iago was not a pretty crier. What happened anyway? Xander found him utterly beautiful.
Speak of the devil, Iago appeared at the top of the stairs and made his way down to them.
He was dressed as a gumball machine. He had what looked like a clear plastic beach ball wrapped around his torso, from just under his armpits down to his waist, and that was filled with his pregnant belly and bunches of little pom-poms of all different colors.
He had a red beret on top of his head that looked like one of those screw tops for the gumball machine and a pair of red pants.
Under the gumball machine, he was wearing a super cozy sweater.
“Did you layer up, baby?” He knew Iago wouldn’t want to have to wear a coat when they went outside if he could help it, and it was chilly out there.
“Yep.” Iago came to him immediately to ask for a kiss, face tilted up, eyes glowing with happiness. “Do we have plenty of candy, Count?”
Xander rolled his eyes. “You and Mom. You’re both so worried about the candy. I swear we’re probably going to have five kids.”
Iago flicked his fingers under Xander’s chin.
“I wouldn’t count on that if I were you.
I think some of the Secret Springs contingent is going to be coming over here because they did a bunch of stuff early in town today.
Apparently they want to support our Halloween extravaganza.
Nothing else. I know Chase and Jack are going to bring their horde over because there’s no trick-or-treating at the ranch. ”
He loved Chase and Jack. Jack was a rancher, and Chase was a chef. Xander was constantly comparing ideas with him, but they did have a huge contingent of children to deal with. No wonder they wanted to sugar them up and make them somebody else’s problem for an hour or two.
Iago as a gumball machine made his heart melt, though. He couldn’t wait till next year to see what costumes they picked as a family.
Xander took another deep breath, fighting back the panic he had over this whole proposal situation. Iago loved him just like he loved Iago. They were already making a home and a family together and all he had to do was remember the facts.
“You ready for this chaos?” Iago rearranged some of his gumballs on his belly.
“I am. I vant to bite your neck.”
“Very nice.” Iago looked at his mom. “You are so adorable, oh my god.”
She did a little floppy doll dance. “Why thank you. Come on let’s get this show on the road.”
A couple of hours later they were surprised at how many kids had come through to trick or treat.
They’d had a walk down to the park where there was a little apple cider station set up and some funnel cakes being fried.
Xander loved how Hot Springs Junction was starting to be like it was when he was a kid, as if somehow Colton and his ragtag group of ghost hunters were revitalizing it single-handedly.
And maybe they were. An infusion of new blood was often all it took to make a tiny town like this sit up and take notice.
His heart started to race as they strolled back to the house because it was almost time. He knew his mom and dad were waiting at the front entryway and all of Iago’s crew were going to be lurking around the front steps, waiting to pop out and film things and take pictures and say congratulations.
He toyed with Iago’s fingers, trying not to be obvious that he was so nervous, but he couldn’t help it.
“Are you okay? Did you have too much sugar?”
“I’m fine. How are your feet?”
“Swollen as all hell.” Iago laughed and brought his hand up to kiss it. “But I wouldn’t have missed tonight for anything in the world.”
“Me either. This was amazing.” He was so grateful to the ladies at the hotel for giving him the night off, too.
Halloween was really not a big one for them.
They would have a lot more to do between now and Christmas, but they tried to direct people toward all the ghost tours and things in Secret Springs instead on Halloween.
They had kids, too, after all.
When they got to the front steps, he grabbed Iago’s hand to keep him from going inside. They stood on the porch together, the lights and decorations all around them, and Xander took one last deep calming breath. Then he turned to Iago to face him, holding tight and knelt down on one knee.
Those blue eyes went wide, and Iago blinked down at Xander, lips parting in shock. “What are you doing?”
He pulled the ring box out of his pocket before tossing his cape back over both shoulders with a dramatic flourish.
He probably looked ridiculous because nobody had ever seen a red-headed Dracula before, but it didn’t matter.
“Iago, I resisted you for a very long time, and I admit I wasn’t very nice at the beginning, but you wore me down because you’re an absolute lover, and I love you. Will you marry me?”
Now Iago’s mouth fell open all the way, and he stood there looking absolutely gobsmacked. Then his free hand flew to his mouth, and he started shaking his head, which made Xander pretty fucking worried that he was going to say no.
He didn’t.
“Yes, yes, of course I’ll marry you. Now get up, you weirdo, and kiss me.”
He didn’t stand until he had taken the ring out of the box and slid it onto Iago’s finger. It fit perfectly because he had stolen one of Iago’s many silver rings to size to make sure that it would work.
Then he stood up and kissed Iago, and that was when the applause broke out. Friends and family popped out of the woodwork to take pictures and congratulate them and to cry and all of the other things that made something like this so fucking special.
Although it was the joy on Iago’s face that did it for him.