CHAPTER TWENTY
“NERVOUS?” CLAYasked as he straightened my bow tie.
“How can you tell?” I shot back, then ducked my head. “Sorry.”
He reached out and rubbed my shoulder. “There isn’t anything to worry about. Charlie loves you,” Clay reminded me. “Hell, seeing the two of you together, I might even be a little jealous. Trish doesn’t look at me like that. What’s your secret?”
“It’s the whole gay thing, of course.”
He gave me a smirk. “Do you think if I switch to men, you’ll get credit for it?”
“I might! And I’m so close to earning that toaster, that would go a long way.” I laughed at his expression before Clay wrapped me in a hug.
“Thank you for asking me to be here with you.”
It was going to be a small ceremony, only family and the judge. I was so hyped by what lay ahead, my pills barely took the edge off. Mom was here, as was Clay—who was going to act as my best man, even though it was a civil ceremony, and he’d brought Trish with him. Charlie’s sister had come to stand with him, and she had been crying buckets before we’d even gotten inside the courthouse. Charlie’s parents had flown in, and when I first met them, his mother hugged me and his father nearly broke my spine. I loved them right away.
I’d invited Dr. Rob, but he’d declined. I wasn’t upset about it, but I would have felt weird if I hadn’t at least let him know he was welcome. Mr. Gianetti and his wife had come. He was surprised when I asked, but he had kept me well-stocked with groceries for years. Plus, I got to meet his family. It was fun watching Mrs. Gianetti fuss over her husband, and despite his complaints, I knew he loved her.
“I’m glad you said yes,” I told Clay. “Having you here makes me a little calmer.”
“It’s not too late for us to jump in the car and head for Canada,” Clay reminded me. “We could become lumberjacks or Hungry Jacks or something.”
That made me chuckle. “For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong somewhere. Charlie’s incredible, and having him up at the house with me has made it into a home. And having him here makes me feel… I’m not even sure how to express it.”
“Maybe complete? I know the pills help, but you seemed much calmer around him even before you started taking them.”
I thought back. “Yeah, complete is a good word. My touchstones used to be my books and things. But now, if I need reassurance, the first thing I do is look for Charlie. He’s always able to ground me with a touch.”
A knock on the door had me drawing in a deep breath. The moment I’d been waiting for—and fearing—had finally arrived.
“Showtime,” I said, my hands a little shaky.
“It’s fine. Just us. Remember that. Everyone in that room is your family.”
We stepped into the hall. There wasn’t anyone around since it was the holiday, which made things a little easier. As we entered the room, I saw everyone turn toward Clay and me. They all smiled, and Mr. Gianetti gave a small wave, which turned into him wiping his eyes. Then my gaze was drawn to where Charlie stood. He’d chosen a charcoal gray suit and burgundy tie. He looked so handsome standing there, waiting for me. He grinned when he saw me, and I felt my body heat.
At the front of the room stood the last man I’d ever expected to be presiding over a marriage between two men. Judge Hamlin had always seemed to be a bitter, homophobic old man when I had him as a teacher, but when he saw me, his eyes twinkled.
“Matthew, it’s very good to see you out and about,” he said. “I’m honored I was asked to officiate this wedding.”
Clay urged me forward. When I stood next to Charlie, he reached for my hand.
“I know this is a civil ceremony, but if the two gentlemen don’t mind, I have something I’d like to say,” Judge Hamlin said.
Charlie’s brow furrowed, and his grip tightened slightly. “Okay.”
“Thank you.” Judge Hamlin turned his attention to the sparse number of people with us and cleared his throat. “I’ve known Matt since he was my student in high school. I could stand up here and wax lyrical about what an amazing person he was, but I won’t do that. Each and every one of you knows exactly what kind of person he is. When he withdrew from the community, we were the ones who lost out. His capacity for giving was one of his best features. He always stood up for others. Never had I seen him talk down to anyone, with maybe the exception of his younger brother.”
Everyone laughed, and Clay got up and waved, which made them roar.
Judge Hamlin stood there and waited for the people to calm down before he continued. “Matt constantly reminded me of why I became a teacher. Yes, I rode him harder than anyone else, because there was so much potential in him. And then, in a moment, someone he’d trusted, someone he’d tried to help, snuffed it out.”
I tried to draw away from Charlie, but he held fast, his eyes locked on the officiant. I could see the anger in his gaze, and feared he was about to say something, but Judge Hamlin spoke again.
“At least I thought they’d snuffed it out. You see, Matt proved himself to be a strong individual in the most trying of times. He pulled himself up, dusted himself off, and forged a life. It’s not one most of us would choose for ourselves, because it wasn’t an easy one. He had only himself to rely on. However, if there is one thing I can say with absolute certainty, it’s that if you ever needed a person to put your faith in, Matt would be the one.”
Warmth flooded my body. Choices I wished I had made no longer seemed relevant. Today was the only thing I needed to think about.
