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“After one.”
“So on zero,” Ivan said, the earnest expression on his face endearing.
“Yeah, that works. Thanks for being my cameraman.”
“At least I don’t have to duck water balloons,” Ivan replied. “Or run in high heels.”
They shared a laugh, and it eased Rory’s nerves. “Ready?” Rory asked him.
“I am. Are you?”
Rory nodded, and Ivan counted him down. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths to settle his racing heart and ease the tightness in his chest. When Ivan hit one, Rory opened his eyes and found himself in the perfect headspace. “Hey everyone, Rory here,” he began. “I know I’ve been absent for a few months. There’s a ton of speculation floating around about me, and I’ve decided to clear the air the only way I know how. And that’s to look you in the eye and speak my truth.” He looked into the phone Ivan held steadily and bared his heart, speaking of loss, regrets, and redemption. Rory closed with his usual farewell, then sighed when Ivan stopped the recording. “What did you think?”
Ivan set the phone down and tugged Rory onto his lap. Wrapping his arm around his waist to hold Rory firmly in place, Ivan leaned in for a kiss. “I think you were wonderful,” he said once they broke apart. “Honest and sincere. I want to believe your message will move your dad.”
“That makes two of us,” Rory said. “I don’t expect it to fix all our problems, and certainly not overnight, but I hope it opens an honest dialogue between us.” He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. “If not, I feel like I’ve put myself out there and attempted to set things right. I can’t do this all by myself.”
“No, you can’t.” Ivan kissed him again. “What’s next?”
“I need to edit and upload the video to my site, then schedule the release for the morning. I’m going to send a copy to my dad first so he doesn’t feel ambushed. It will give his campaign manager time to muster whatever damage control he thinks is necessary.”
Rory hadn’t been online all evening, but it was likely scenes from the pet adoption fiasco were already floating around. He’d have his work cut out for him. Rory yawned and leaned his forehead against Ivan’s shoulder. It had been a very long day, and it wasn’t over for him. He allowed himself a few minutes to bask in Ivan’s warmth and affection before pushing himself to his feet.
“Can I borrow your laptop?”
“Of course,” Ivan said.
Rory curled up on the couch and went to work on his edits while Ivan whittled in his chair with his snoozing cats. He typically loved the editing process, but he kept getting distracted by his yummy guy. It occurred to him that he’d declared his intentions earlier in the day, but Ivan hadn’t reciprocated beyond insisting Rory stay at the ranch.
“Am I your guy?” Rory asked, breaking the silence.
Four heads snapped up and turned in his direction. The cats looked sleepy and curious while Ivan looked confused. A slow smile spread across his face, and he said, “I guess I didn’t respond, huh?”
“Nope.”
Ivan nodded toward the laptop. “Finish your editing, and I’ll show you properly.” The look in Ivan’s eyes made it very clear the method he planned to use to deliver his message. Talk about incentive.
A little shiver of anticipation snaked its way down Rory’s spine, and his commitment to finishing his project increased tenfold. When he finished, Rory slipped on Ivan’s headphones and played the video from the beginning. He wasn’t one hundred percent confident it would land the way he hoped, but it was worth a try. Rory emailed the video to his dad with a heartfelt message, knowing Charles wouldn’t see it until the morning. There was no guarantee he’d even open it, especially if the pet adoption footage made Rory and the RR crew look bad.
He closed the laptop and turned his full attention to Ivan. “I’m ready for that demonstration.”
Hand in hand, they went upstairs to their little haven where Ivan showed Rory where he belonged with every kiss, caress, and whispered endearment. As they lay tangled up in one another, Ivan pressed his lips to Rory’s ear. “You are absolutely my guy.”
The day had been one revelation and confession after another, but Rory wanted Ivan to know something else about him. He lay his head on Ivan’s chest, listening to the comforting sound of Ivan’s heartbeat.
“Confession,” Rory said. “Snyder men are notoriously bad at showing their affection. I don’t think I ever heard my father tell my mother he loved her.”
“Yet you knew he was crazy about her,” Ivan said.
“Head over heels. He lit up when she walked into the room.” Rory sighed. “I see what you did there.”
“Maybe your father saved the words for when they were alone. Maybe he showed the depth of his devotion in other ways. I don’t think there’s one way to love someone or accept love.”
Rory sighed and rubbed his cheek against Ivan’s chest hair. “My poet.”
“You bring out the best in me.”
Rory pressed a kiss to Ivan’s chest and sighed happily. “We bring out the best in each other.” He closed his eyes and drew a lazy heart on Ivan’s sternum as sleep loomed ever so close.
