“Sorry. I just… last time I did this, someone was pregnant so I thought I’d go for romance.”
Landon’s heart stopped. Jay shuffled from foot to foot. “Jay?”
“So, since we’re leaving tomorrow, I wanted to talk about this today, since you were done with school and we could celebrate and it could be a honeymoon. I didn’t think about having a house full of teenagers and your parents.”
Landon knew his jaw was touching his chest, but he couldn’t shut his mouth. He also couldn’t help Jay out because… hell, he’d been so happy they were living together, he really hadn’t thought of marriage as an option—not in the south. Of course he wanted to be married one day, he’d dreamed of it, but until just the last while, it hadn’t been possible where they lived. As much as Landon wanted marriage, he didn’t think he wanted to move that far from his roots to make it happen.
As Jay shuffled nervously, Landon realized if Jay proposed, there wouldn’t be some commitment ceremony with vows just in front of their friends and tons of paperwork with an attorney. They could…
“I didn’t know what the hell I was doing the first time I got married. Then I didn’t know what the hell I was doing when we divorced. I sure as hell didn’t know what I was doing when you and I got together and started being more to each other. I didn’t know what I was doing when it clicked in my head that I wanted this forever with you.” Jay stopped shuffling, took a deep breath, and that same determination returned, the kind he’d had when he’d raced to Landon’s house two years ago to tell Landon that he loved him. Landon saw it in his eyes and it choked him up.
“The last couple of years with you has been scary and sometimes stressful, and I’ve had too much damn self-evaluation and my brain’s been all crazy. But you have always stood by me, you’ve been my rock, been the person who made me smile, made it all right.”
Jay walked up to Landon. “I didn’t think you’d appreciate flowers or a diamond. You’re a simple guy, like me. We have the same roots and come from the same place. That’s another thing I love about you and you say you love about me. So I hope this simple moment where this simple man hands you these papers that, thank God, only need a simple signature nowadays, is enough to show you I never, ever want to be without you.”
Landon looked at the papers Jay’d handed to him. The application for a marriage license in the county they’d be vacationing in. “How’d—”
“Oh, those kids and their Google. They got ‘em.” Jay watched Landon expectantly. “Uh, I hate to rush you, but we have no time ‘til—”
Landon jumped at Jay, hugging him. “You fucking silly bastard.” Landon hugged Jay tight, not wanting to let go. “And we can, can’t we?” Landon could hear the awe in his own voice, realizing even in their town in Missi-fucking-ssippi, they’d be for real married. He’d be married to Jay Hill.
“What d’you think? Former heterosexual worth the risk?”
Landon kissed Jay’s lips, then laughed and kissed his chin and his eyelids and his cheeks. “Fuck yes. So much yes.”
Jay seemed to sag with that, and they embraced. Then Jay pulled back with an “Oh, yeah.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a simple gold band. Landon blinked, trying not to get too emotional, but failing as he realized just how fucking significant the ring Jay held was.
“Look inside.”
Landon cocked his head as he took the band from Jay and read the inside inscription.
Borrowed trouble. Worth it. Landon tossed his head back and laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”
Jay took Landon’s hand. “Let’s go help the kids.”
“And you’re terribly romantic,” Landon said, drily. Then he stopped Jay, tugging his hand. “Wait. What were you doing with the TV?”
“It was a recording of the first football game we ever watched at Woody’s.”
Landon snorted.
“What? That’s romantic!” Jay sniffed, offended.