Page 38 of A Case of You
“Nervous?” Brandon asked.
“Yeah.”
“Flying’s easy.”
“That’s not what has me nervous.” They were supposed to meet up with Eileen and John that evening for dinner, a chance to see each other and relax, just talk without worrying about their parents.
Or Jake.
“The worst your parents and Jake can do are be assholes. Hopefully, your parents won’t be any worse than your mom was on the phone. If Jake tries anything…” Brandon shrugged. “Letmedeal with that if it even happens.”
“Yes, Master.”
The flight wasn’t bad. Stuart felt too nervous about the rehearsal dinner tomorrow night to really appreciate the view from his window seat. He spent nearly the entire flight holding Brandon’s hand, taking comfort from him.
Once they landed, Stuart was desperately glad Brandon had come with him. If he’d come by himself, he’d be tempted to turn around and fly home immediately.
It was fuckingcold.
The miserable kind of damp, biting chill that was lost in memories when huddled in a storm cellar during spring and summer storms and the tornado sirens wailed their deadly song through the air.
When they left the terminal and headed for their rental car, Brandon stared down at him.
“This is fucking ridiculous weather. You realize that, right?”
“Yes, Master.” He shivered. “I’m in no hurry to come back here after this weekend, trust me.”
After locating their rental car and getting in and letting the heater warm them, Stuart gave Brandon directions to the hotel they were staying at, one just a few blocks from the hotel where the wedding would be held. He didn’t miss how Brandon drove far more conservatively here.
“Do you want me to drive, Master?” The roads weren’t icy despite the weather being wet and drizzly and grey, although it was possible they could see snow flurries later that night.
“Believe it or not, this Florida boy has driven in ice and snow before, and it’s not that bad now.”
“That’s a no, Master?”
Brandon smiled. “That’s a no, boy.”
They made it to the hotel and checked in. Once they reached their room, Brandon sent Jeff a text that they’d arrived. Then he took off his coat, kicked off his shoes, and stretched out on the bed, where he crooked a finger at Stuart.
After shedding his shoes and coat, Stuart walked over and climbed in with him, snuggling close.
“That’s better,” Brandon whispered. He wrapped his arms tightly around Stuart. “Just breathe for a couple of minutes.”
Stuart closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out again. “How can you feel so calm?”
“Because I didn’t endure the trauma you did growing up with them. They’re just people to me. Shh.”
They lay there for a couple of minutes, Stuart’s ear pressed against Brandon’s chest and listening to the sound of his heart pumping in his chest. This was forlife. This was real. Every time he ran his left thumb over the wedding band on his ring finger, it comforted him.
He never let himself think about a distant future where he might lose one or both of them before he eventually died, a fear driven into him the day Jeff had collapsed in the garage.
He desperately never wanted to think about the distant future, even though he knew life was one hundred percent fatal.
What he wanted to do was focus on now, on them, on keeping Jeff healthy and raising Emma.
And Grace.
He wanted to focus on their life together, the three of them.
