He chuckled, which wasn’t what I had been expecting. I was kind of hoping he’d say that he wished he were with me too.
“What’s so funny about that?”
“Nothing. Sorry. I was just thinking about Craig.”
I sat straight up. “Gross. Why?”
He laughed even harder, and although I was utterly disgusted, the sound was music to my ears.
“Tell me.”
“It’s not that big of a deal, really. But do you remember when he left you at Cal’s reception?”
“Yeah. The flaky punk didn’t even tell me goodbye.”
“That might have been my fault. I overheard him with some chick, and they were talking shit about you ignoring him and dancing all night with Jack. So I asked him to leave.”
My mouth hung open wide. “No, you didn’t.”
“Well, asked is a stretch. I sort of told him to get his ass out of my sight before I used his tie as a leash and led him out myself.”
Yep. That was Hudson. Always looking out for me even when I had no clue.
“At least he was smart enough to go, I guess.”
Hudson’s voice got lower when he replied. “Nah, he wasn’t smart. Craig was a damn fool. He was there with you but left with the other chick. Seems pretty dumb to me.”
“Well, you left with me,” I said, thinking back on how he and Jack had taken me home. “I guess that makes you smart.”
“Maybe, but I wish I would have been smarter sooner. I could have brought you to the wedding too.”
Sinking back into my cozy sheets, I sighed. “Don’t beat yourself up. You can make it up to me by taking me to Cal and Vanessa’s pool party Saturday. And if you’re a real good boy, I’ll do that thing you like with my mouth afterward. Good night, Hudson.”
He groaned. “Uh. Saturday is so far away, babe. But I’ll take you up on it. Good night.”
We hung up and I slept all night with images of us doing a whole host of naughty things.
We parked my—correction, his—Chevelle in front of Cal’s place and both took deep breaths.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked from the driver’s seat.
Everyone had been too busy that week, not like they ever showed up at Huey’s anymore anyway, so it was the first time we were going to be around the whole brood…as a couple.
“I’m not worried. Between your brute strength and my unmatched ability to browbeat verbally, I think we can handle them if they give us too much shit.” I turned in the leather seat and grabbed his hand. “But really, I don’t think they’re going to say anything. It might be awkward at first seeing us together, how we are now, but they love us. We wouldn’t be here with them instead of naked at one of our places if they didn’t.”
He kissed my fingers, and I wondered how I could have been so blind to how much I cared for him for so long. I suppose all things happen when they’re supposed to, but I was grateful to be in the place we were. Somewhere with intimacy and fun. Together, sharing more than just our company. Literally hand in hand, walking up to a party with all our friends and family.
For the first time in years, I was deep-down-into-my-bones unbelievably happy.
“There they are,” Cal said, bobbing in the crystal-clear water. “The loooooovebirds.”
“Shut up,” I warned him, although I wasn’t all that upset. However, he was my brother and it was my duty to be a pain in his ass when he was being an idiot. “Don’t you need some floaties, Cally? Maybe a nose plug? Then again, you’re so full of shit you probably float better than most.”
He flipped me off but didn’t fight back.
“Lex, watch me!” Jack shouted from the diving board before launching himself off it. When he popped back up, kicking and paddling to the side, I clapped for him.
“Nice form, Jackie Boy. I give it a nine-point-five.”
“Dad, you’ve gotta try that thing.” He didn’t even look back at us as he talked, making his way to the ladder again.
“Okay, I’ll get in there in a few minutes. Be careful.”
I spotted a few empty chairs at one of the umbrella-covered tables. It was the first time I’d been to Cal’s since the pool had been installed, and by looking at all the new furniture and things they’d added, you’d never know that Cal had been opposed to the whole thing. That and the massive smile on my brother’s face while he