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“Forever,” Blake promised.
He’d ride a chariot to a castle to marry Speed if he had to. All that mattered was that Blake had found his soulmate. He’d happily endure any silly ceremony if it meant he could spend the rest of his life with Speed. But Blake did have faith in Speed and Kat. The wedding would be extravagant but still exactly right.
“I’m going to make breakfast. I’ll call Kat and tell her ‘unofficially’ while you’re talking to Dad,” Blake said, then stifled a giddy squeal. “I can’t believe we’re really doing this!”
“Neither can I!” Speed squealed back and they laughed as they kissed before parting.
Blake almost tripped going down the steps because he couldn’t take his eyes off the ring when he reached for the glass banister. But he took it off as soon as he walked into the kitchen and placed it on a crystal cake stand.
“Oh my God, oh my God,oh my God!” Kat chanted for several minutes. She hyperventilated at one point and Henry had to bring her a paper bag. Then, Kat threw a big kink in the morning’s festivities. “You two have to get over here now so we can start looking at venues. I have a few places here in the city that I have to show you,” she said, becoming all business once she was done overreacting.
“About that…” Blake stalled. They had a plan for the inevitable moment when it became necessary to break the news to the rest of the Wests. “Speed won’t be able to travel for a while because he…was shot,” he said carefully.
“He waswhat?” Oh. She was mad. Big, bigMAD.“Why the hell didn’t you start withthat? When andhow, Blake?”
He hissed as he scrubbed the back of his neck. Blake knew he’d feel like hell when he had to break it to his mom and Kat but he was never ready for the stomach-twisting guilt. It didn’t get better as a pre-loaded lie rolled from his lips. “It was an accident involving a client and Speed doesn’t want any publicity. For professional reasons, obviously.”
“I guess that makes sense…” She hummed and he heard her fingertips beating on the table. “This was work-related and not personal?”
“Yup.” Blake clenched his jaw to keep from swearing.
“And he’s ok?”
“He’s been a little stubborn about resting but he’s doing great.”
“Thank goodness,” she sighed, then let out a stunned laugh. “You haven’t had a dull moment since you moved up there,” she observed.
“I haven’t, thank goodness,” he added cheekily. “Come over next weekend. That’ll give us a week to prepare,” he said. Kat giggled and it sounded like she was jumping up and down.
“I don’t know how I’ll stand waiting but I’ll be there!”
“I can’t wait. Love you,” he said, then ended the call.
Speed came down to inform Blake that Fred had given his hearty approval and that they’d be having a family video call soon to congratulate them. It was a good thing Speed was able to pull on his robe because Lane burst through the front door.
“You’re getting married!” He scooped Blake into a hug and they were both crying. “I’m so happy for you,” Lane said, tousling Blake’s hair before reaching to shake Speed’s hand. “And I can’t tell you how happy I am to welcome you to the family.”
It took Speed a moment to recover. “Thank you, Lane. That means a lot to me and I promise I’ll take good care of him.”
“I know you will,” Lane said, carefully pulling Speed into a hug and clapping him on the back. “Thank you for making Mom and Kat’s dreams come true. I guarantee they’re on the phone right now and bawling their eyes out over you giving Blake a pre-proposal ring and calling Dad.”
“I can’t really take credit for that,” Speed said but Blake waved dismissively.
“He totally should. It was incredibly romantic and he couldn’t have planned it better if he’d tried.”
“Well… I did try but I—”
“It was incredibly romantic,” Blake repeated, cutting Speed off. “Nothing about us ever goes to plan and I like it that way,” he said with a firm nod.
Speed’s lips tilted into a gentle smile as he pulled Blake close and kissed his temple. “You’re absolutely right. There was no going back after that night in Dallas, I was just too scared to admit it,” he said, causing Lane to frown at Blake.
“I thought you said nothing happened and that Speed was a gentleman.”
“He was,” Blake said, then bit into his lip sheepishly. “But I was pretty much ruined after that.”
“So was I,” Speed groaned and guided Blake’s chin around so they could kiss again.
“That’s my cue to leave. Congratulations, you two,” Lane said, grimacing as he backed out of the front door.
