Chapter 23
It was very early when they got back home on Monday morning. They got big hugs from Joey who was already awake of course. "I missed you," Bailey told him.
"I missed you too, Daddy, so much," Joey said.
Matt asked about his sister. "Any chance Gwen is awake?"
"No. She's still sleeping," Joey told him.
"Did you keep her up all night?" Matt asked him with a grin.
Joey denied it. "No it was Gwen, she wanted to watch everything."
"She'll probably be asleep for a while," Matt predicted.
"Then we have time to make her breakfast," Bailey said. "Maybe Joey wants to help?"
"I do. Big pancakes!" he said.
"Gwen loves pancakes with fruit and whipped cream," Matt said.
"And you like something salty on the side," Bailey said. "I'll make some bacon too."
As they got started on breakfast, Bailey realized that he and Matt just got back from a weekend of every moment spent together and now they were working side by side in the kitchen making breakfast. Joey was in and out of there, so when he ran out, Bailey had to ask Matt, "Is this too much togetherness for you? "
"No. I'm right where I want to be," Matt said then he turned the question around on him. "Do you need a break from me?"
Bailey told him, "No, I can't get enough of you."
"So we're good," Matt said. "What happens now?"
"Breakfast?" Bailey said.
"No, this is what happens now," Matt said and he took him in his arms and started dancing with him right there in the kitchen.
That's when Gwen came to stand in the kitchen doorway. Staring at them sleepily, she asked, "What's going on here?"
"Breakfast and dancing," Matt told her as he went over to give her a hug.
"You want to join us?" Bailey asked and Gwen made a face.
"I'm going to guess you two had a great time this weekend," she said as Matt put a cup of coffee in her hands and confirmed it.
"Sure did, we had the best time."
Joey started yelling something about seagulls outside so Matt went to see what that was all about. Bailey got back to making breakfast and told Gwen, "These pancakes are in your honor and I'll be whipping up some whipped cream. It's to thank you for staying with Joey."
"Awesome," she said. "Me and your little guy had a blast. I was glad to do it and not just because of you and Joey. Matt deserves someone who treats him right."
"And loves him," Bailey told her.
"Is this something you told him?" Gwen wondered.
"I did, but Matt beat me to it," he admitted.
"Of course he did. I would have been shocked if he let you say it first," Gwen said. "He goes after what he wants."
Bailey was glad what he wanted was him, and he wanted Matt more than anyone ever before. Matt had woken up something inside him, made him yearn for him, love him more than he thought he could love any man.
"Hey, pay attention to my breakfast," Gwen warned him as he got lost in all the feelings Matt stirred up in him.
"Just in time," Bailey said as he rescued a pancake at the last minute and started on the bacon.
"You know, Matt's college plans are going to split you guys up for a while. Are you ready for that?" Gwen asked.
"No," Bailey told her straight out, but he needed to get ready, to make a plan of his own.
They ate breakfast on the porch then Gwen and Joey jumped in the water for a swim. Bailey was feeling lazy and not ready to clean up so he just sat there. When Matt tried to clear up the breakfast dishes, Bailey didn't let him.
"I'm not ready to get back to real life yet," he said.
"And you want me to be lazy with you. OK," Matt said. He sat down on the porch steps and patted the spot next to him.
Bailey joined him, leaned on him and they sat quietly together for a while watching Gwen and Joey splashing each other.
Then Bailey bit his lip and confessed what was on his mind.
"I wanted to ask you to come with us when we leave, but I was afraid you wouldn't want to and then I worried you wouldn't be able to. "
"I'm not nailed down," Matt said. His arm was around Bailey and he squeezed him tighter.
"But you plan to go back to college and..."
Matt cut in and frowned at Bailey. "So now you're not gong to ask me?"
"I have a different question now," Bailey told him and cupped his face.
"I have a question too," Matt said and turned his head to kiss the palm of his hand before he asked. "When isn't it too soon for me to ask you to marry me?"
Bailey felt like the wind was knocked out of him. "When is it too soon?" he said while he struggled to comprehend the words. He was stunned.
Sounding perfectly reasonable though a little breathless, Matt explained, "I don't want to do it too soon, but I don't want to wait too long either."
"Right, right," Bailey said still in a daze. "Well, you'll need to wait a little while."
Joey was now calling for them to jump in the water. Bailey told Matt to go while he took care of the breakfast dishes. He still felt like he couldn't take a proper breath, like his breathing couldn't catch up to his heartbeat.
Once he was done in the kitchen, Bailey went to his office to work. Gwen left and Matt and Joey got busy doing some chores. Then Matt brought him coffee and Bailey was very grateful. "I needed this. Getting back to work after a weekend away is not easy."
"You poor guy," Matt said, mocking him a little. He lingered in front of his desk, staring at the floor then he sighed. "I didn't mean to scare you with that marriage stuff."
"I wasn't scared, just surprised," Bailey told him.
"You had a deer in the headlights look," Matt claimed.
"I did not," Bailey said and Matt grinned at him.
"You just make me so impatient, so happy," Matt said and he leaned over Bailey's desk for a kiss.
Bailey felt the same way, happy, happier than ever. He just had to make it last.