Chapter 8
Aweek later, Fernando hurried up the walk to his childhood home.
It was strange to live there without his parents, but both Gabriela and he had needed somewhere rent-free.
Gabs was settling into the house with her boyfriend, Eddie, but Fernando knew staying there permanently wasn’t for him. Even without considering his marine.
Fernando shut the door behind him and dropped his bags. “Beansie boy, where are you?”
The large puppy skidded around a corner and raced to him with a happy look on his face. Their little man was a mixed breed of unknown origin, with thick, wavy brown and tan hair, big floppy ears, and a short snout. He had grown quickly with food and care and now stood about two feet high.
Gabriela’s head peeked out of the kitchen. “I already walked and fed the snot. Don’t let him lie to you.”
“Are you sure?” Fernando rubbed the dog’s sides. “He looks like he’s starving.”
“Have you seen that belly?” She laughed. “Don’t worry about him. Your video call starts in ten minutes.”
“Yes, it does.” Fernando grinned and ran up the stairs with Beans. They went to his room and hurried to set up his laptop. The first call came a few minutes early.
“Hermanito,” Mateo said, greeting him with a smile. “Where’s this marine? I have some questions.”
“He’ll call in five minutes.” Fernando narrowed his eyes. “Don’t be mean to him. He’s not used to families, so he won’t know that you’re joking.”
“Am I joking, though?” Mateo rubbed his chin.
“You approved of Eddie, so you had better approve of Walker.”
“Eddie only looks bad on paper.” Mateo waved his hand dismissively. “Your marine may seem better, but I’m not promising anything until I meet him.”
They bickered back and forth for a few minutes, then Walker’s call came in. Fernando’s marine looked nervous.
“Hello, sir. I’m Walker Jones.”
Mateo arched a brow. “So, I’ve heard. How did you and Fernando meet? He’s been surprisingly close-lipped.”
Walker gave them a panicked look.
“Ignore him, Walker. I told him we met while I was on spring break.” Fernando rolled his eyes.
“What first attracted you to my brother?”
“His eyes,” Walker answered instantly. “I felt like they really saw me. Not just a muscled guy in a uniform.”
Mateo winced. “Not all people who are attracted to military personnel are bad, but I’ve met my share of groupies. Fernando definitely sees you as a person, not a uniform. Alright, so how would you describe your relationship with my little brother?”
“As a relationship?” Walker answered, posing it as a question. “I don’t have a lot of relationship experience, but I’m committed to making it work with Fernando.”
“I’m committed to making it work too,” Fernando said, smiling softly. “Walker is a good person, Mateo. Can’t you just trust me?”
“One more question.” Mateo narrowed his eyes. “What does your future with my brother look like?”
Walker swallowed hard. “We haven’t talked a lot about it, but I picture us living together. Maybe building a family while Fernando pursues teaching.”
Heat curled through Fernando, lingering at the tips of his ears. He could see that too. Maybe a couple of kids eventually. A home of their own.
“You career military?”
Walker looked dazed for a moment. “I don’t know. I actually need to decide soon if I’m going to reenlist or not.”
“You said one more question, and you already asked it, Mateo.” Fernando frowned. “Give my man a breather.”
Mateo ignored him. “What are your plans if you don’t reenlist?”
“Follow Fernando wherever he goes and support him however I can,” Walker answered, eyes wide. In that moment, he looked a lot like Beans when they had first found him. All sad eyes and hope.”
“Fuck.” Mateo sighed. “I like him, Ferdie.” He held a finger up. “However, if you don’t reenlist, I insist you move to Hobson Hills. Most of our family is here, and we’re close.”
“That’s where Grammy is, right?” Walker asked.
“Did I tell you about Grammy Wilson?” Fernando asked, trying to remember their conversations.
“No, but she sent me a care package and a letter.” Walker grinned. “I really like her cookies. Pug stole the scarf that was in there. He said it was so ugly it was cute.”
“Grey,” Fernando and Mateo said together. The young omega was married to one of the Wilson grandkids and was known to knit horrible creations. Fernando had his own share of scarves and beanies to prove it.
“Yeah, the letter said Grammy’s grandson had made it.” Walker blushed. “She sent a lot of stuff and said she couldn’t wait to meet me.”
Mateo snorted. “All I did was tell them Fernando had fallen for some marine over spring break. That’s all Ferdie told me.”
“I may have told Abel a lot more about Walker.” Fernando smiled innocently. “Sorry about that. You’ll have Wilsons all up in your business now.”
Walker looked strangely happy at the thought. “I’m okay with that. They seem nice.”
“Oh, you poor, na?ve child.” Mateo looked sympathetic. “On your first break, you will need to come to Hobson Hills and meet everyone. That’s non-negotiable.”
“We were already planning on it.” Fernando wanted to pout. Walker was his, not everyone else’s.
Mateo smirked. “I look forward to meeting you, Walker.” He ended the call, leaving Walker and Fernando staring at one another.
“That went well,” Fernando said, shrugging.
“I do want you, Fernando.” Walker looked almost desperate. “I want to build a life with you. It’s too fast, I know, but I’m certain of it. You are my person. Mine.”
Fernando felt that odd bubble of something fill him, just as he had when he had met Walker. This was another important moment. “You’re my person, too.”
Two weeks later
Fernando did his best to ignore the looks of disgust some of his professors wore as he took his diploma and crossed the stage.
The crowd was mostly silent, but his family made up for it.
As did Gigi and Nolen. The two idiots whooped and hollered from their own seats.
It still hurt. He had respected his professors at one point and had believed he had several really good friends.
He knew better now, but he had something to focus on. His future was across the country.
After the talking was finished, he pulled off his graduation hat and threw it in the air with a grin. “We did it.”
Gigi hugged him, jumping up and down in her heels. “I can’t believe we’re finished.”
Nolen wrapped his arms around both of them. “No more homework! Thank fuck.” He spun them around, ignoring the annoyed students around them.
Fernando hugged them tightly, knowing he’d soon have to find his family in the crowd, but until then, he wanted to hold on to the two best friends a person could ever have. The only thing missing was Walker.
“Did you hear from your marine? I bet he wishes he were here,” Gigi said.
“Do you mean, this marine?” Fernando’s brother stood behind them, grinning. He held up his tablet.
“Walker!” Fernando pushed his friends away from him and grabbed the tablet. “They let you videocall?”
“Traded some favors to get this time,” Walker said, handsome face practically glowing with pride. “Damn, Ferdie. You did really well.Magna cum laude? I bet those assholes in New Mexico are kicking themselves for not hiring you.”
“Seriously,” Mateo said, scowling. “The middle school in Hobson Hills will take you anytime. I already talked to the principal. Well, Gramps and I talked to the principal.”
“Walker can’t get stationed in Maine,” Fernando poked his brother. “He’s necessary for my continued happiness.”
Walker grinned. “Hell yeah, I am. Don’t make me have to call Grammy and have her get on to you and Gramps, Mateo.”
“Walker has a lot more than just Fernando and Beans waiting on him to come home,” Abel said. Mateo’s husband held their toddler, Emma, on one hip while their eldest, Iggy, bounced in place beside him. “You don’t want to test Grammy right now, babe. She wants to adopt that man.”
Walker blushed, making them all laugh. Grammy would adopt Walker in an instant if he’d let her. The woman had taken to the young man from the moment they’d first exchanged letters.
Mateo sighed. “I just want you all close to me. Even Gabs and Eddie, and Gigi and Nolen, here.”
Gigi smooshed Mateo’s cheeks in her hands. “You’re such a big, cute papa bear. Yes, you are.”
His sisters pushed through the crowd to reach them. Gabriela looked pissed. “We need to vacate soon, or I’m throwing fists.”
“Flipping tables,” Valentina agreed, looking just as angry. “I’m glad you’re leaving this shit hole, Ferdie.”
“Language,” Abel said half-heartedly. “You heard that family behind us, didn’t you?”
His sisters nodded in unison.
“It wasn’t this bad when I graduated.” Gabriela took a deep breath. “I don’t think I can stay here either, Ferdie. If strangers are willing to be that nasty to my family, I don’t want to share a state with them.”
“It will die down after a while,” he said, wincing.
“Babe, we should totally move away from this place,” Eddie said, pushing through the crowd. “I can’t believe the things I keep hearing.”
Gabriela gave Fernando a look. “See? They don’t deserve us.”
“A new music teacher and nurse for Hobson Hills.” Mateo looked excited.
“Whoa there, big bro.” Gabriela held up a hand. “I have a population requirement, so we’ll look into Portland.”
Mateo shrugged. “Better than nothing.”
Fernando turned his attention back to Walker. “Thank you for being here, Walker.”
“Anything for you,” Walker said, giving him a tender look. “I’m so proud of you.”
The day suddenly seemed a lot better. The judgmental idiots around him didn’t matter so much when he had a man looking at him like he hung the moon and a family that believed in him.