Page 22 of Promises Kept

It was the measure of the man Bennett was that he recovered with incredible aplomb. Alec’s respect for him increased without boundaries.

“I must say, Dylan, your feathered companion has good taste.” Bennett turned as if to check himself in the mirror, but his shoulders shook. “I hope he’s not intending being the ring bearer, because I’d have to draw a line there, I’m afraid. I can’t chance that he may fly off to climes unknown with my future wife’s wedding ring.”

Being the consummate actor he was, Bennett seemed to have stifled the laughter Alec was sure was welling inside him. When he turned around to meet the eyes of a dumbfounded Dylan, who’d obviously been left dumbstruck that his little joke hadn’t quite had the reaction he’d hoped for, Bennett’s eyes were bright with laughter. “And now, if you don’t mind, we have somewhere to be and if I’m late, Cassie will kill me.”

He glanced at Alec, who stared back in awe.

Oh God, this man is my hero. He has so taken the wind out of Dylan’s sails.

Dylan managed to get out a garbled, “But I’m a pirate,” as Bennett took him by the arm and steered him out in the bright sunshine of the outside.

“If that bird shits anywhere near me, let alone on me, I’m going to fucking kill you,” Alec heard Bennett hiss as they left.

He stood, alone in the tent, tears streaming down his face and belly aching from the merriment at the way Dylan’s ploy had fallen flat.

“Bravo, Bennett, bravo,” he chuckled to himself as he went in search of the wedding party. “I couldn’t have reacted to that one better myself.”

***

“Are you crying?” Alec whispered to Dylan as they stood observing Cassie and Bennett saying their wedding vows. Their voices carried clearly across the sand, to the accompaniment of the waves and the serenading of the cicadas in the trees.

Dylan stared at his boyfriend, trying hard not to focus on the tear that rolled down his cheek. “No,” he lied. “I have sand in my eye.”

Alec squeezed his hand. “You big softy. I do love you.”

Mercifully he said no more, and Dylan was left to discreetly wipe his wet face with his sleeve. His plan to shake Bennett’s composure had failed miserably, but none of that mattered. He was watching his best friend and a woman he counted as family declare their vows in a setting that was more than magical, and he was so happy for them both he thought his heart would burst.

Dylan also had Alec’s warm hand in his, and something in his heart told him he wanted what Bennett and Cassie had. He’d never do anything to detract from their special day, but he vowed to himself that when they got back home, he was going to ask Alec to marry him. Alec was his world—his armour and his shield.

Nothing else mattered other than having Alec by his side for as long as fate deemed it to be.

He was fantasising about what ring to buy when he heard Sean say something that had him, and the rest of the wedding party, in stitches.

“It’s all right, Grandpa. They’re not having sex, they’re just kissing. It means they love each other.”

Good Christ, what had Bennett been teaching the child?

Beside him, Alec was curled over with laughter, eyes streaming. “Oh my God, that was so perfectly cued, I think it was planned,” his boyfriend (soon to be fiancé) howled. “Classic, that was. Just classic.”

After some discussion and plenty of red faces, Cassie’s being one of them, the root cause of Sean’s brilliantly timed remark had been determined. Apparently, he’d seen Bennett and Cassie making out in the sand. When he’d remarked Grandpa didn’t like him watching “sex stuff,” in his wisdom, Bennett had told him they were kissing. Little boys of six going on seven clearly had a unique sense of timing.

Dylan sauntered over to the couple to give his congratulations. The parrot was still perched on his shoulder.

“Please tell me where the hell you got that parrot,” Bennett asked as he slowly stopped laughing. “God, my sides are aching.” Cassie was wiping her eyes from the tears of laughter and emotion streaming down.

Dylan smirked. “Your father organised it for me.”

Bennett looked at him, stupefied. “My dad helped you with this whole thing?”

Dylan nodded. “I told him about the outfit, and he found it quite funny. He suggested I get a bird to make it more realistic. He knows someone on the mainland and his son is a bird breeder. They kindly agreed to loan me Claude here for the event.”

He reached into his pocket and took out a treat to feed to Claude. “He’s been well behaved. Good bird. Clever bird.”

Alec walked over to hug Cassie and shake hands with Bennett. “I’m sorry about the whole pirate thing.” He chuckled. “I couldn’t persuade him not to do it for love or money. You know Dylan.”

Dylan looked at his partner slyly. “This outfit is coming home with me. I like the idea of being Captain Dylan to your quivering cabin boy. I can bend you down over the mainstay. Ahoy, me mateys.” He gave his best pirate growl.

Alec gazed at him in disbelief. “Jesus, the things you say in front of people. Have you no shame?” His face was red with embarrassment.