Chapter One
Nicky
The streets of downtown were decorated with cheer, enticing residents, tourists, and those traveling through to get into the Christmas spirit. Nicky did his best not to scowl at the lit poles and buildings draped in garland, candy canes, gold bells, and every other decoration that they could think of.
Nicky loved Christmas so much that it broke his heart that he had no desire to join in with the festive townsfolk. What was supposed to be a short business trip had ended up keeping Nicky away from his home for over five weeks. Christmas was less than two weeks away and he hadn’t decorated his house. Nicky was known as the first in his neighborhood that went all-out for the holiday. Returning home the previous night, Nicky had nearly cried in despair.
First, he’d missed Liam’s Thanksgiving invitation because he couldn’t make it back. It would have been amazing to get a full day of playing with Liam while Daddy Jude doted on them. Nicky had really been looking forward to that. It would have been much better than the year before when he’d been all alone eating a meal he’d ordered delivered for himself. All by himself. Or how he ended up spending this year’s holiday in a hotel restaurant. Again, all alone. Something that Nicky was becoming way too familiar with.
That had been one holiday down the drain, but Christmas was supposed to be different! Until Nicky had found it impossible to get home. He’d finally had to put his foot down, telling his biggest client that enough was enough. Well, the demand had been made to the board that ran the company afterthe previous CEO had been thrown out of a job after making racist, homophobic, and just gross statements. That was why Nicky had been paid rather handsomely to drop everything and make the trip. Even though Nicky was certain he could work with the new CEO and the campaign he’d come up with had been good, it had taken weeks to get the board to agree. That was when Nicky had nearly lost his mind and made his final demand. They would either allow Nicky to run the campaign with his choice of who he worked with or he was walking.
The board had eventually agreed, even if it had been weeks too late. Nicky had wrapped up the trip from hell to return home to his sad and depressing undecorated house. The only good that had come from the trip was meeting the new CEO, who Nicky honestly felt would become a good friend down the road.
He was home but the mess of his professional life was bleeding into his personal and that was something Nicky couldn’t stand for.
Nicky was too tired to even think of dragging out all his favorite decorations. The Santa collection that he’d spent years accumulating didn’t call to him like every other year. Sniffing, Nicky tried not to allow his low mood to ruin the night. If Liam hadn’t insisted on dinner at a new hot restaurant in town, Nicky would be buried in a blanket fort wallowing in his misery.
It just wasn’t fair! Christmas time was awesome! And it was the first one that he would be celebrating with his bestest friend ever and Daddy Jude, who was also amazing. He and Liam had been making plans for weeks leading up to the start of the holiday season. Halloween had been fun and hectic. Perfect, in other words. Mostly because Nicky didn’t have to dread the big holidays coming up since he was no longer all alone.
A loud pop made Nicky scream as he nearly lost complete control over his car. He white-knuckled the steering wheel, trying to figure out what was happening as he regained control of the car.
Easing his silver Mercedes to the side of the street, Nicky tried to slow his breathing. It was okay. He was fine. Nicky hadn’t crashed or hit anything. He just needed to think. Looking down at the dash, he noticed the light for his tire was glowing red.
A flat tire? With everything else going wrong, now he’d gotten a flat tire.
Nicky pounded his fist on the steering wheel before letting out a scream. Tears began to fall. Nicky didn’t even care. This was just the topping to how everything seemed to be going in his life. No! He would not let this push him deeper into the bad mood. Nicky just needed to call for help. He reached for the phone connected to his dash when it started to ring.
Nicky nearly screamed again. His fingers shook as he hit accept. “Hello?”
“Nicky! You better be on your way!” Liam’s cheerful voice came over the car’s speakers.
He missed his best friend so much. And of course, something had to happen where even a simple dinner was fucked up. Nicky started to cry harder.
“Nicky! Nicky, what’s wrong? I was just kidding!” Liam practically screamed into the phone. “I was kidding! Why are you crying? You don’t have to come to dinner, I swear!”
“No…” Nicky wailed. “I tried! I tried so hard to get there. I have a flat tire!” He was desperate to see his bestie. Being with Liam made everything in his life settle, calm, and fit back together.
“Daddy!” Liam called. “Daddy! Nicky needs help!”
“Shh,” Jude’s deep voice sounded close to the phone. “What’s the matter?”
“Nicky!” Liam had not quieted down. “Help him, Daddy!”
“Give me the phone, boy,” Jude ordered. “No! Don’t put it on speaker in public. Hand it to me.” There was a rustle on the other end. “Nicky?”
“Hi.” Nicky sniffled. Great! Liam was having a meltdown in public, and it was all Nicky’s fault.
“What’s the matter? Why are you crying? Are you hurt?” Jude demanded.
“No, I’m being stupid.” There really was no reason to cry. He had roadside assistance. Nicky had flat tires in the past. It wasn’t like he was helpless. It was just the fact that everything in his life was going wrong. Why couldn’t he catch a damn break?
“Nicky,” Jude said sternly. “You know better than to call yourself names. Now, what’s wrong?”
“Everything is just going wrong,” Nicky admitted. That was the problem. He didn’t have someone like Jude in his life to remind him that it would be okay. Using his best friend’s Daddy only got him so far. “I can’t…I can’t!”
“Slow down. Just breathe for me. You can do it, breathe,” Jude ordered calmly. “Liam, call Law and see where he is.”
“K, Daddy.” Liam’s voice was quieter at least.
