“I’ll cross those bridges when I get there. Right now, I’m just . . . enjoying myself.” Butterflies and snakes and all. “Uh. Thanks for everything you’ve done for me. You and Mike. I don’t think I ever told you . . . how much that meant to me.”
“You didn’t have to tell me, Frank. Anybody with a hint of empathy saw what you were going through. It’s fine. That’s what friends are for. Mike went through it, too, and he wasn’t Andrew’s partner, just a friend. But believe me, even he suffered a great deal.”
“Yeah, they were close.” Frank glanced over into the kitchen. “You guys okay with him?”
“I am.”
Frank felt another weight lift off his chest. “Mind you, it can all still go horribly wrong.”
“Always can.” Geoff glanced at him over the wine bottle as he topped off their glasses. “But things can work out even if the start’s a bit rocky. Look at Mike and me. That was a bit of a running battle, but it worked out.”
Frank grinned. “Yeah. It’s never smooth.”
Geoff winked. “Half the fun. In hindsight.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“And, oh, Frank.”
“Hmm?”
“In case you’ll have need of a best man again . . .” Geoff looked straight into his eyes. “I see how fond you are of him. You guys make a good team, too. So, if that matter comes up, I’m claiming that best man spot before Mike snags it.”
Frank, struck speechless, merely nodded.
“At least I now know better than to get pissed before the speech this time.” Geoff grinned and winked.
“It’s not. It’s not come up.” Yet? Bloody hell, Frank. Still counting the time in days and weeks, not months.
“Well, it would also deal with his visa issues. You did say he’s struggling to get one, right?”
“Um, well . . .”
Geoff waved the hand holding his wineglass. “Get him a civil partner visa, problem solved.”
Frank drew a breath against the weight on his chest. Like his pecs had suddenly turned to lead. “I’m not going to marry anybody for a visa.”
“Of course not.” Geoff dinged his wineglass with his own simple gold band. “Just saying. I’d be affronted if you asked anybody before me.”
“I’ll bear it in mind.” Frank smiled, terribly touched. “Thank you.”
They cleaned away the rest of the food. Emily wrapped it all up and filled Frank’s fridge with the leftovers, which would tide him over at least another two days. Then they finished off the wine. They could have all stayed up, drinking and carrying on, until well into the night, but with Emily on a merciless schedule in her own tiny restaurant and Mike working on some patches for the latest release of a big client, they scattered shortly after midnight. Once Emily’s Mini had driven off, and all other goodbyes had been said, with promises to meet up for paintball next Saturday, Frank closed the door behind them, emphatically ignoring Brandon’s unspoken offer to leave, too.
“Stay.”
Brandon smiled. “What’s the plan?”
“I think I’m ready for bed. After I . . .” He made a vague gesture towards the cupboards.
“Okay. I’ll get ready for bed.” Brandon headed upstairs, leaving Frank to sorting and taking his pills, dignity intact.
When Frank eventually came up, Brandon was lying in bed, lamp on the nightstand on, casting a warm light over his shape under the covers. His face. His short hair. Frank stopped briefly in his tracks to take in the image of a gorgeous guy lying peacefully in his bed, not yet asleep, but completely relaxed.
He undressed right there in the bedroom, then headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he came back, Brandon reached out and switched off the lamp.
Sliding under the covers next to him was pure heaven. That silent companionship was as important as the scorching sex, maybe more important in the long run. He could relax with Brandon in his life, and that gratitude was so deep it nearly brought tears to his eyes.
“Thanks for having me over tonight.” Brandon rubbed his cheek against Frank’s. “With your friends, I mean. It was fun.”
Frank drew him closer, sighing as Brandon rested his head on his shoulder and draped an arm over him. Hand resting on Brandon’s, Frank kissed the top of Brandon’s head. “I’m glad you came.”
A hell of a lot of good food and a few glasses of wine took their toll, and they both drifted off to sleep in no time. Frank was vaguely aware of Brandon snoring softly on his shoulder, and before long, he was asleep too.
His eyes flew open in the darkness. Heart pounding, every muscle tense. And Brandon? Where was—
There. They’d moved apart while they’d slept, but Brandon was still there. Frank moved closer to him and moulded his body to Brandon’s. Brandon stirred, murmuring something, and as Frank put his arm over his waist, Brandon lazily grasped Frank’s hand. In seconds, he’d fallen back to sleep.
Frank was still wide-awake, though. It had been a while since a dream had knocked him off balance like that, and he forced himself to breathe slowly and evenly so he wouldn’t disturb Brandon again.