Page 18 of War Games (Jacky Leon #11)

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

P ictures went quickly, Landon and Dirk demanding that we take a huge variety of them—all together, in different groups, even some solos. For two guys who had been so private about their relationship for a long time, I was touched by how they wanted every single memory they could get today, including with the rest of us.

“Okay, now you four go to the reception. We’ll do our couple pictures and do an entrance,” Landon said, waving us along. “Right, Pa?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they’re all at Kick Shot for you two to make the grand entrance,” Heath said, grabbing my hand. I waved at Dirk, who was laughing as Landon reached for him. I didn’t fight as Heath gently pulled me down the drive.

“I should have grabbed a different pair of shoes,” Carey said, groaning as she reached down to rub her ankle. “Heels in the grass aren’t easy.”

“You picked them out,” Heath reminded her.

She only groaned louder.

I knocked on the back door of Kick Shot, and Oliver swung the door open.

“Come in! How long do we have until the grooms arrive?”

“About thirty minutes. They are on the last leg of their photos, just the two of them,” Heath answered, letting me go in first as he spoke to Oliver.

“Perfect. We have everything ready. The rest of your werewolves are in the main room.”

I went that direction and gasped as I saw how they had changed the entire floor plan for today and decorated it to feel like it matched the wedding arch.

“Oh, this is wonderful,” I said, putting my hands over my mouth as I took it in. There was ivy on the wooden tables and chairs, and a large space was cleared for dancing. One table with only two seats was ready for the grooms and was the centerpiece with the most decorations. Another table with four seats had Heath’s bottle of bourbon. Heath grabbed my arm and led me to it.

“We have to be ready for them to come in,” he said, almost rushed. He made me take my seat, but he stayed on his feet. Carey found her spot at our table, and Niko joined us. I waved at Ranger and Shamus. Shamus was sitting with his kids, who weren’t kids anymore, but they were still his kids the way Landon would always be Heath’s. Ranger was moving around, but he claimed the last spot at that table, waving back.

“Thank you all for helping today,” I said to them, making sure to look around the room. Smiles were all I saw returned. Everyone in the pack was happy for Landon and Dirk today.

“Landon and Dirk have asked for no extra speeches. They’re going to come in, I’m going to say a few words, then it’s time to celebrate.” Heath pointed at the only other werecat in the room. “That includes you.”

“I’m not a public speaker,” Niko said, unbothered by the way he was told that he couldn’t speak up during the reception.

“Also, werewolves, no fights in the building. If you need to deal with something, take it outside. Better yet, don’t find any reason to fight.”

“Yes, Alpha,” they said in unison.

“Thank you. Now we wait. Oliver, you’re keeping watch?”

“I’ve got this,” Oliver called back, running to see the room and give a thumbs up to Heath.

It was another thirty minutes of light chatter before Oliver came in and made a gesture, to which Heath whistled. Carey and I had been talking about how to touch up my makeup when every conversation died; we went silent as well. Kick Shot’s back door opened, something everyone could hear.

“Welcome, Dirk and Landon,” Oliver said. “My wedding gift to you both is the reception. For being a good friend and roommate, Dirk. For being an amazing person, Landon.”

“Thank you, Oliver.” Dirk’s words were already choked.

When they came into view, everyone clapped and cheered, standing up to welcome the grooms to their reception. They found their table and stood at their chairs, both grinning from ear to ear, though the expression looked a touch strange on Landon. He wasn’t one to smile so much for so long in a single day.

It only made the day better.

“Thank you all for coming,” Landon said, the first to speak. “I never thought I would say this, but I’m glad to be a part of this pack. I’m glad you all came.” He lifted his glass, and everyone lifted theirs in turn.

Then Dirk picked up his glass and took a deep breath because he had to say a few words, too.

“Thank you all for accepting not only Landon and me as a couple but also who we are as individuals. It really goes without saying why that means a lot to both of us.”

With another moment of lifted glasses and a short round of cheers, the grooms took their seats.

Heath opened his bottle of bourbon and poured a glass, leaving everyone in silence for a minute, watching him treat it like it was ritual. He stood up once it was poured to his satisfaction, and I knew he could be a little particular about it.

“On the day you were born, Landon, Richard gave me this bottle of bourbon to drink on the happiest day of your life. Seeing you with Dirk, I know I picked the right day. This was all I ever wanted for you, to find love and acceptance and someone to go through life’s journey with, no matter how long or short that journey might be.”

I looked at Landon to see him needing to wipe his eyes.

“Dirk, you are a member of this family. You have been since the day you showed up on her doorstep.” Heath actually pointed at me, making me laugh and sink in my seat. Dirk covered his face a moment, trying not to laugh as well. Or cry. Who could tell anymore?

“Today only put it on paper. To the happy couple. May you have a lifetime, no matter how long, of love and joy together.” Heath lifted his glass and the cheers to his toast were the rowdiest yet. “Now, give us the first dance, and let us start having some fun.”

Landon and Dirk did just that, keeping it simple so they could stare into each other’s eyes. Right as their moment ended, Heath grabbed me, and I was dragged onto the dance floor. We weren’t the only pair that found themselves out on the floor. Roselyn and Piper danced, too. Landon and Dirk went around the room, hugging and shaking hands with people, getting drinks, and talking.

“This is such a perfect moment,” I said, trying to watch them over Heath’s shoulder.

“It only happened because you took a chance on some werewolves living in your territory, an unprecedented thing for a werecat to do.”

“Don’t make this somehow my touch or anything like that. This is because those two fell in love and decided to make a commitment to each other.”

“Don’t be so modest, Jacky,” he whispered, kissing my cheek. “It falls flat in this dress.”

“Thanks to your taste, it seems to be the only thing that falls flat in this dress.”

Heath laughed like many who heard, but I caught Niko’s spit take, which made Shamus cackle even harder than my comment, his laughter becoming a near howl as Niko had to clean himself and the table up.

Heath spun me, which brought some appropriately named wolf whistles and cat calls from the spectators. Heath grinned as he pulled me in close again and kissed me.

“Hey, I’m the newlywed. You two need to cool off!” Landon shouted, but there was no anger in the words, only warm affection and humor at his father and me.

When he was finally done spinning me around the room and kissing me in front of everyone, Heath guided me back to our table.

“You did a good job with this, Heath,” Niko said, having not moved since the reception started. He was sipping a beer, probably one of the German brands I liked to keep in stock.

“Thank you. I had a very short deadline. Luckily, neither boy is very flashy when it comes to these things.”

“It’s perfect,” I said, smiling as Dirk and Landon went back to the dance floor.

“It is,” Niko agreed. “What’s going on with those two? Aren’t they a couple?” He pointed, and I turned to see who he was talking about.

Jenny and Carlos were sitting at their table, enjoying the moment but not joining in.

“Carlos has a lot of… history.” Heath’s answer was soft. “It might take him a moment to feel brave or ready to join in. Jenny clearly wants to. She’s strong-willed enough to drag him out there, eventually.”

“I don’t blame him. Dancing is exhausting.”

“Carey, you promised both of us a dance,” Landon called out. “Get out here.”

“Fine!” Carey got up, making a face, and I realized those heels were really hurting her.

“Just take them off. The floors are clean, and Landon won’t let anyone step on your feet. He won’t want you out there giving yourself blisters.”

“Yeah…” Carey reached down to yank off the black heels, tossing them to the side of the room into a booth. She went out into the center to meet her brother, who looked at her feet, shrugged, and swooped her up for a dance, making her giggle wildly.

Eventually, Jenny and Carlos did join in. Carlos looked stiff and uncomfortable, but Jenny glowed. While Dirk and Carey danced, Niko and I relented and went for a dance because Heath pointed out something we hadn’t thought about. Our family was going to want pictures of us having a good time. When Niko was done spinning me around, I found Heath talking to Ranger at that table. Carey was dancing with Kody, both laughing because they saw each other as cousins, and it was weird for them. Teagan got Benjamin and Arlo onto the floor as well, taking lessons from Piper and Roselyn as their partners.

“Really?” I said to Teagan, nodding at the situation he’d thrown those young men in.

“They have to learn eventually,” Teagan said with a smile and a shrug, then nodded toward Stacy and Shamus. I had known Stacy for a long time… which had started with me using her to meet Shamus and Heath and hope they didn’t kill me in the street. She had grown up.

“Shamus knows, and he taught his. It’s only right I teach mine,” he continued.

“Fair enough!”

It was a magical experience, everyone moving around the room and laughing, sharing stories. Niko was finally captured by Ranger and convinced to give up stories about Dirk’s childhood, which everyone knew would be used as fodder in the coming days. Heath joined in with stories about Landon; however, no one was going to use those stories against that werewolf.

They might not tease Dirk either, not with Landon backing him up. We’ll see. It’ll all be in good fun.

As the afternoon moved into evening and the sun started to get low, Heath and I met back at the family table.

“Would you like some?” he asked, pouring a glass of bourbon. “There’s plenty, and no reason I should drink it all by myself.”

“I can’t. It’s yours, and it’s special to you,” I said, trying to reject the glass.

“Just a taste then. I think it’s amazing, but I want your opinion.”

I sighed, taking the glass. I intended to sip and give it back, but he started pouring another for himself.

“Go on,” he ordered, chuckling as I was reluctant to drink the bourbon his late son had given him. “For me…. for Richard and Landon, too.”

I lifted it and took a drink.

The glass dropped from my hand as I hit the floor. The last thing my mind registered was the rush of magic I could smell as something made the world go black.