Page 37

ONE YEAR LATER

Declan

“These tomatoes are just gorgeous,” Judy Nash said, picking up two bright-red romas from my table at the Outdoor Market near the marina.

“They’re delicious too,” Pearl put in from the vendor’s spot beside me, where she displayed her jams. “I bought a crateful to make my tomato jam. It’s never tasted so good.”

“Ah, well, the greenhouse allows me to control the conditions so much more,” I said, brushing aside the compliments. “And Mimsy’s help getting set up out there has been invaluable.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Judy said as she picked out cucumbers, squash, and onion. “Hudson’s told me how hard you work out there, and it shows.”

“I love it,” I said simply.

That was an understatement. Since devoting my life to the greenhouse, gardens, and landscaping at the B&B—while Cash covered the hosting responsibilities—I’d found a fulfillment I didn’t know possible.

I was living my dream—a life I couldn’t even conceptualize until Cash came along with his limitless fount of optimism. He’d changed everything for me.

Beside her, Ansel tugged at the bill of his Weekend Hookers hat, clearly impatient. “Will you stop fondling the man’s fruit?”

Judy slanted an unimpressed glance his way. “Really, Ansel?”

“What?”

“Do you even listen to the words coming out of your mouth?”

While they bickered, I boxed up Judy’s selections, then checked the time. I only sold for a few hours in the morning. I had no desire to stand out in the summer heat all day. Folks had learned to stop by early if they didn’t want to miss out.

“Tell Hudson to call his mother when you see him,” Judy said as she put the box of produce into Ansel’s arms, the old man grumbling about lugging it all the way home. “We’re overdue for our family dinner, and these romas will be perfect for my pasta sauce.”

“I’ll tell him tonight. We’re meeting up with some other friends.”

Judy smiled. “Good. I’m glad to see you coming out of that shell of yours. Cash has been good for you.”

“Yes, he has.”

I’d never be an extrovert or have a flair for small talk, but when I’d chosen to stay in Swallow Cove—when I’d acknowledged the true connections I had made here—I’d finally embraced it as my home.

Nate’s betrayal still stung. It had come out in court that he’d been in debt up to his eyeballs, but I couldn’t find it in myself to forgive him. Maybe because deep down I knew he hadn’t been a true friend, not like the ones I’d made here.

I cleared out a few minutes after Judy. She’d bought nearly all my remaining produce, anyway. I gave the two leftover tomatoes to Pearl and one carton of strawberries to Ruth Marie, so she wouldn’t feel left out. The women were competitive, and I didn’t want to give them any more reason to snipe at each other. Then I drove Cash’s battered pickup—a purchase from Gray when he left town—back to the B&B. My aunt’s antique Ford was tucked away in the garage, reserved for date nights and other special occasions.

The property looked better than it had since my teenage years spent with my aunt, when I’d needed to escape the reality of being the only gay boy in a conservative school. Swallow Cove wasn’t liberal , by any means, but it was a fresh start where I could share—or not share—what I wanted of myself.

That was probably when I’d started holding parts of myself back. The failed relationships over the years, guys who couldn’t accept me for who I really was, added to it. By the time I took over the B&B in Swallow Cove, I was closed up tighter than Fort Knox.

Sometimes Monroe and I speculated about why Aunt Millie gave me the B&B instead of dividing it amongst us. Monroe had her own business and roots where she lived, of course. But we figured it went deeper than that.

Millie knew this place was my special retreat.

Maybe she’d hoped I’d open up over breakfasts with guests—or maybe she’d just given it to me so I’d have a place to hide away when I needed. Either way, I was damn glad she’d inspired me to leave my job in the city and try something new.

And now I could look out over the grounds and feel closer to her than ever, replaying the memory of her showing me her plans for the B&B just as soon as she found the money.

“A greenhouse, Declan. Wouldn’t that be lovely?” she’d said. “We could have fresh vegetables and fruits year-round. And imagine if we expanded the balcony outside the Treehouse Suite? The Roost needs a modern kitchen and bathroom, maybe with one of those jacuzzi tubs…”

We’d put one of those in, and Cash and I had enjoyed the hell out of it. For me, sharing baths and showers was just as intimate as sex. I loved feeling close to Cash. That was the most important thing. Occasionally, our dicks got involved, and that was good too.

It was Cash’s heart that attracted me most, though, and it always would be.

I parked the truck and headed into the main house through the kitchen door. A clamor of voices trailed out from the great room. I headed that way, easily separating Cash’s voice from the other two.

“The Rusty Pub is a local favorite, so don’t tell anyone I told you or I’ll be in trouble,” Cash said, a playful lilt to his voice. “I’ll be there tonight with some friends, actually. It’s a low-key place to get a good beer. The Swallow’s Nest Resort has some fine dining that’s great. The Savory Swallow is where a lot of folks go for fancier cuisine, but it’s a bit snooty and overpriced.”

“We’re not really in the mood for fancy, are we, Tru?”

“Nah. We didn’t visit a lake town for that.”

Cash’s eyes creased up as he grinned. “Good. No one’s ever accused me of being fancy, and I would hate to disappoint.”

The two men exchanged a look.

“Cash,” I scolded as I reached them. “Your flirting filter is turned off again.”

“What? I didn’t…” He paused and laughed, running a hand through his dark hair, looking more gorgeous than anyone had a right to be. “I didn’t mean me, as in you’d be in the mood for— I meant the B&B, me as a host, but not…”

“Keep digging that hole,” I teased.

“Ugh.” He grabbed a handful of my shirt and tugged me close enough to kiss. “I love this guy.” His eyes held mine. “Only this guy.”

“We figured that out on our first day here,” Truman said with a smirk. “Those heart eyes wouldn’t fool anyone.”

Cash grinned, not the slightest bit embarrassed. “Good. I want everyone to know I’m Declan’s boy toy.”

I shoved him back a step. “Don’t start with that Daddy crap again.”

He laughed. “But it’s so fun to see you glare and get all surly. You hardly ever give me resting bitch face anymore.”

I shook my head, eyes rolling up. The man exasperated me. Damn, but I loved him.

“I’ll let you all make your plans for the day,” I told them. “I need to check on a few things out in the greenhouse.”

Cash turned back to Truman and Lyle. “Oh, make sure you check out the Master Bites Food Boat if you get out on the lake today.”

“Master Bites?” Lyle said with a laugh. “That’s almost as bad as Glazed Holes.”

The two guys were from Granville, where Fisher had family. We’d started seeing a trickle of guests from there, won over by Fisher’s tales of how awesome our quirky lake town was.

Late last year, Garrett Rafferty and his boyfriend Kevin, the prettiest guy I’d ever seen—who also performed as a drag queen across the lake during their visit—brought their family to the B&B. Cash had dragged me to the show, and I had to admit, Sassy Solo was impressive. All the queens were, but there was a special energy to Sassy’s stage presence that really captivated me.

So much so that Cash teased me all the way home, pretending to be jealous and offering to wear lace for me. I told him to wear anything he wanted, but all I needed was him.

Garrett’s grown son and daughter—Darren and Emily—had also come along, along with their partners. They were all close in age to his boyfriend, so that must have made for an interesting situation when he started dating Kevin. But they were such a loving couple I was glad it hadn’t stopped them.

Not like Cash and I were exactly close in age either. I just didn’t have any kids running around. I tried to imagine it and shuddered. No, thank you.

Not long after the Raffertys left, an older gay male couple had booked with us for a weekend. LeRoy and Eugene spent most of their time out on a fishing charter, but they must have had a good time, because a few months later a little family of three: Hunter, Clark, and a kid named Toby, who was eleven or twelve years old, turned up.

By now, we were used to seeing Granville folks visit. In fact, we jokingly said that Glazed Holes were a part of the booking fee, and they always brought us a few treats. Good thing too, because we were all becoming addicts.

I left Cash to his work and set about doing mine, meeting up to help him turn over a couple of rooms near the end of the day before showering and dressing for dinner. I wore my usual button-down white shirt, though I paired it with jeans these days.

Cash was more casual, in a pale blue shirt that stretched across his chest, snug enough to show his body’s form, red basketball shorts, and flip-flops.

“Did you call Kat?” I asked Cash as we headed out.

“Yeah. She might come stay this weekend. She says Dad is getting on her last nerve.” He shrugged. “Rehab may have dried him out, but he’s still a miserable bastard.”

I winced. “She can move in more permanently if she wants.”

He smiled faintly. “She knows, but she and Mom have gotten so much closer in the last year. If Dad steps out of line, Mama Bear isn’t gonna put up with it. Not at the risk of losing her baby girl.”

I chuckled. “Well, good.”

Cash nudged me. “But thank you. Knowing she has a place to go makes all the difference. She’ll never feel trapped again.”

I pressed a kiss to his temple. “As long as you’re both happy…”

His smile widened. “Oh, Mr. Sullivan, you make me very happy. No worries there.”

I laughed and decided we better leave before Cash got other ideas.

Hudson waved us over as soon as we entered The Rusty Hook. They’d pushed two tables together. Now that all the friends were coupled up, the group had doubled in size.

Tonight was a special occasion, Brooks’s two-year anniversary with Skylar. He’d wanted us all to meet up here, where the two had first met and fallen in love back when Brooks bartended and managed the pub.

Everyone had turned out.

Fisher sat so close to Hudson he was practically on his lap, while Poppy sat on the edge of her chair with near perfect posture, her platonic partner Jasmine, from Hot Buns, beside her. Once she became part of the group, they’d folded in Danny and Abe, as well. Danny was actually in Abe’s lap, not just close to it, with one arm draped around his shoulders. Sawyer slouched in his chair, ballcap over his curls, though a few spilled out. He’d hooked an ankle around Ash’s calf, sending him a playful smirk when he thought no one was looking.

Cash approached the table, shaking the box of Glazed Holes we’d gotten from Lyle and Truman when they arrived in town. “Delivery from Granville!”

Fisher’s eyes lit up. “Who’s here?”

“Truman and Lyle,” Cash said. “Do you know them?”

Fisher pursed his lips, eyes growing distant as he thought. Then his gaze latched onto something by the door. “Oh! Yes.” He stood and waved an arm. “Guys! Come over here!”

A glance confirmed that Truman and Lyle had taken Cash’s advice to grab dinner at the pub. They approached us.

“Fisher, right?” Truman said. “We met at a barbecue at Garrett’s place, didn’t we?”

“Garrett, who’s with the drag queen?” I asked.

They turned surprised eyes on me. “Yeah, that’s Kevin. We’re good friends, actually. They told us how great their B&B stay was, so we had to try it out.”

Cash snorted. “Declan is obsessed with Sassy Solo.”

“I am not,” I protested as they all laughed. “Sassy’s just very impressive on the stage.”

“That better be the only place Sassy is impressive,” Cash muttered.

“I’m sure Garrett thinks Kevin is impressive in all sorts of places,” Truman said while Lyle shook his head with a fond smile.

“I mean, he’d have to be impressive to snag his best friend’s dad, right?”

“Best friend’s dad,” Cash said with a delighted laugh. “That’s almost as bad as what Fisher did.”

“Good, I think you mean,” Fisher said with an unrepentant grin. Then, for the Granville guys’ benefit, he added, “My dad doesn’t like Hudson.”

“Didn’t like,” Hudson clarified. “He likes me now.”

“Eh…” Fisher waved his hand in a so-so motion, then broke off with a squeak when Hudson pinched his side.

“We didn’t mean to barge in,” Lyle said. “We’ll leave you all to your night.”

“You’re welcome to join us,” Skylar said with a kind smile. He was always the sweetest, most welcoming of the friend group. Not that they weren’t all nice, but there was just this genuine empathy in Skylar. He really, truly welcomed everyone.

“That’s all right,” Truman said. “We came on this trip to spend some time alone. We hang out in groups just like this all the time back home.”

“Which is great,” Lyle put in quickly.

“Just not what you’re looking for on this trip,” I added. “We understand. Enjoy your evening.”

Cash and I took the two remaining chairs while Lyle and Truman found a quieter corner alone. They seemed like nice guys.

Cash nudged me. “You’re better with people than you think you are.”

“Not really,” I said, amused. “I just know how it feels to want to escape.”

“Do you want to escape now?” Cash asked, seeming serious.

I smiled at him. “No, love. I’m with you, so I’m good.”

Fisher grinned. “Dang, you two are so adorable. I never thought it’d happen.”

“Not in a million freaking years,” Sawyer put in.

Cash shot him a glare. “Thanks a lot, man. I appreciate all the faith you had in me.”

Hudson chuckled. “Well, to be fair, Declan didn’t think it would ever happen either.”

I shrugged. “Glad to be wrong on this one.”

Cash leaned in to kiss my cheek. “Wasn’t gonna let you get away.”

Brooks sat forward and clapped his hands. “Okay, as happy as I am about this love fest, there’s a reason I invited you all here tonight.”

We glanced toward him and Sky.

“It’s our two-year anniversary,” Brooks said, turning to look at Skylar. “When we met in this pub, I was just this dumb guy who thought he was straight.”

Skylar smiled. “No, you were a sweet guy who thought he should protect me from my big bad ex. Which I appreciated.”

Brooks shot him a rueful grin. “Well, obviously, I didn’t stand a chance once I got to know you, Sky. You were just everything I didn’t know I needed.”

It wasn’t like Brooks to get this mushy in front of the rest of us. Possessive, yes. Touchy-feely, sure, sometimes. But sappy? That was more Fisher’s purview.

Brooks slid to one knee on the floor, and Skylar gasped.

Ah, it all made sense now.

Brooks reached into his pocket and withdrew a gold band. “Skylar Addison, you’ve become the center of my universe. You opened my heart up to not just you, but all the friends and family I have and made my life so much?—”

“Yes,” Skylar blurted, dropping onto the floor to pepper kisses all over Brooks’s face.

Brooks laughed. “I didn’t get to ask yet!”

Cash slipped his hand onto my thigh and squeezed. I threaded my fingers through his, my heart expanding at the idea that this could be us one day, promising to love each other forever. My heart was already his. A ring would only be a symbol, but a nice one.

“Okay, ask,” Skylar said impatiently.

“Will you marry?—”

“Yes!”

“Me?”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

Ash whistled sharply. Fisher and Poppy clapped, shouting congratulations. Sawyer was on his feet, rounding the table to hug Brooks.

Over the cacophony, Cash leaned in and murmured in my ear. “Does this mean we have to give them the Glazed Holes?”

I grinned. “Afraid so. But I imagine there will be a lot more in our future. These Granville folks just keep coming.”

“Fine,” Cash said with a mock pout, “but when I propose, don’t be surprised if I use one of these doughnuts as the ring. It’ll forever be associated in my mind now, and I’m starving for it.”

He managed to make it sound so ridiculously dirty that I laughed even as my stomach flip-flopped at the implication.

I leaned in, meeting his eyes with a pointed look. “Not if I ask first.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “I was just kidding…”

“I’m not,” I said. “You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met, so damn sweet and supportive and?—”

“Don’t forget impossibly sexy.”

“So sexy.” I paused. “And a great cuddler.”

“The highest of compliments from you.”

He was teasing me, but he wasn’t wrong. It was the highest compliment that Cash accepted my love in whatever way it expressed itself.

I dropped my voice, letting it purr in the quiet space between us, knowing it’d drive him crazy.

“I’m never letting you go. You’re mine.”

Cash pounced on me, kissing me far too aggressively for a public setting. Three coasters flew across the table, nailing us in the shoulders.

“Trying to get engaged here!” Brooks said.

Cash turned to them with a cheeky grin. “Sorry, man. You’re not the only sappy fuckers here.”

Poppy shook her head. “God, you’re all ridiculous.” She sent a smile Jasmine’s way. As an aro-ace, Poppy wasn’t in love with Jas, but she did love her and rely on her like her other half, so in way, she’d found her happy ending too. Then she surprised us by saying, “I call dibs as Skylar’s best woman!”

“Only if I get to be Brooks’s best man,” Sawyer said.

“What? But I’m his cousin!” Fisher protested.

“Exactly, he’s stuck with you, but he chose me.”

They immediately began arguing. Brooks and Skylar exchanged a wide-eyed look. “Uh, I think I’ll get another round of beer,” Brooks said. “Apparently, our wedding is going to have a lot of best men?—”

“And women,” Poppy put in.

Skylar smiled at her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Don’t worry, Fish,” Cash called. “You can be my best man when I tie the knot with Declan.”

All the friends’ heads instantly swiveled toward us.

“Are you…” Hudson asked.

I shook my head. “This is Brooks and Skylar’s night. We wouldn’t get engaged right now. But someday…yeah.” I turned to Cash. “If he’ll take me.”

“I’ll take you tonight, baby,” he said with a saucy wink.

The friends all groaned. Brooks went to order a round of beers. Poppy leaned across the table to start planning colors and flowers and all sorts of wedding details that made my head spin. The rest shouted over each other, talking and laughing—sometimes insulting—one another.

I never thought I’d be so happy in a loud, noisy group like this. But Cash’s hand was on my thigh, my anchor, grounding me and making me realize I was one of them now.

Part of Swallow Cove and all its wacky characters.

At home. At peace.

And in love.