He chuckled and took her hands to still them. “You can stop fussing, Ma. I’m ready.”
“Oh, hush,” she said with a sniffle. “It’s not every day my baby gets married.”
It was true. On December sixth, two thousand and twelve, marriage equality came to the state of Washington. Lucky for him, because that meant Justice could marry his man today.
After the momentous rescue, Nic spent a couple of weeks in the hospital, recovering from his ordeal. Justice never left his side. He’d only meant to come to Seattle to wait for news of the search, and then to beg Nic to take him back. He figured he’d still have to wrap up loose ends at home.
Justice was wrong. Once he had Nic back, he couldn’t bear to leave again. Amelia flew back to Charleston, packed Justice’s things and then her own. A week later, she was settled into her new townhouse and had joined a knitting circle, and Justice was firmly ensconced in Nic’s life. He even moved onto the yacht.
Living on the boat did wonders for his anxiety. He still had flare-ups, but being on the water all the time was so peaceful, and he was so happy with Nic, Justice found far fewer things to be anxious about.
Justice had always worked remotely, so it was easy to move his business wherever he decided to live. Their life wasn’t without its snags, and Justice still occasionally had problems with public displays of affection, but overall, they couldn’t be happier.
Two months ago, Justice had asked Nic to ‘take on his neuroses’ permanently. Nic chastised him for making fun of himself, then accepted his proposal. After that, he proceeded to show Justice just how happy it made him —repeatedly, without clothes.
“It’s time, love.” Amelia’s voice shook Justice out of his musings and brought him back to the present. He smiled, because the present was exactly where he wanted to be.
* * * *
Nic waited impatiently in front of the makeshift altar at the same lakeside park where he’d met Justice for their sailing date, all those months ago. He laid a hand over his stomach to calm the happy butterflies that swirled inside.
Any minute now, his man would step out of one of those cars lining the street, and walk down the aisle they’d created with a white fabric runner. Not wanting to conform to traditional heteronormative gender roles, Nic had tried to convince Justice that they should walk down the aisle together. But Justice had insisted on walking down the aisle to Nic. To his future, he’d said. He also thought it would be a good bonding experience to let Amelia escort him.
Nic was helpless to deny that gorgeous man anything he wanted, so he’d agreed, and now he was as nervous as a whore in church. He discreetly wiped his sweaty hands on the sides of his jacket. Nic knew he looked good in his steel gray three piece tuxedo. He’d chosen a simple white shirt and a gray striped tie to top it off. The color brought out his eyes, and Justice could never resist his eyes.
Yeah, he knew he probably looked good, but he might as well have been in pajamas for all he cared. As long as Justice showed up, took his hand, and said those words, everything was all good.
A large black sedan pulled up to the curb and stopped, right at the end of the aisle. Nic was fairly sure it was the car Amelia had rented for the occasion, and he swallowed convulsively. This was it.
Nic watched with single-minded intent as a foot stepped out onto the curb, followed by another. Justice slowly unfolded himself from the backseat, stretched a little, and straightened his suit jacket.
Justice turned around to say something to his mother, who’d gotten out on the other side of the car. Nic’s heart flipped over in his chest when Justice looked back towards him and their gazes collided. Justice’s eyes went wide as he took in the scene before him, as if what was about to happen had finally just sunk in.
His expression softened infinitesimally and he broke out into a broad grin. Nic couldn’t help but smile back. Maybe it was trite, but it truly was the happiest day of his life, and he knew it would only get better from there.
Justice waited for Amelia to join him, and he held out his elbow for her to take hold of and together, they made their way down the grassy aisle to Nic. Until this moment, Nic had honestly never understood why people cried at weddings. Weren’t they supposed to be happy? But as he watched his man approach, his eyes grew misty, and he had to swallow past a lump in his throat.
When Justice
finally
reached where Nic stood, Amelia turned and kissed him on the cheek. Then she reached over and tugged Nic down so she could do the same for him. With one last sniffle, she took her seat in the front row. Attached to her seat was a memorial sash for Nic’s dad, representing the presence of his memory that would always be in Nic’s life.
Nic took Justice’s hand and they turned to face their officiant, who stood with the calm waters of Lake Washington behind her. Nic and Justice shared one last sweet smile between them, before she began the ceremony. Nic couldn’t focus on her. Instead, he looked out over the water, as he and Justice had done together so many times, and he felt a peace he’d never known before.
Nic had the love of his life by his side, hand in hand with him, ready to become joined with him permanently. He had the water spread out in front of him; part of what had brought them together, their home. And Nic was certain that his dad was looking down on them as they started their new life.
Justice squeezed his hand gently, startling Nic out of his thoughts, and he realized it was his turn to speak. He looked into Justice’s deep green eyes, smiled with all the love he had in him, and said his line. “I do.”
* * * *
The reception was held on the
San Valentino.
It was almost embarrassingly small compared to most wedding reception venues, but they’d only invited a few friends to witness their union, so it was perfect for Justice and Nic. The day had been more about the two of them than whoever they might have invited to join them.
Justice liked the idea of having the party on the boat, because it was just a short walk down the hall to home —and to the start of their wedding night. He snickered to himself at what he had planned for Nic that night.
There was another motive behind his choice of reception location. He had a special surprise wedding gift for Nic, and he was practically bursting at the seams to give it to him. He, Rory, Amelia, and a few of their friends had worked long hours on this gift. Lara, who moved to Seattle shortly after Justice did due to a transfer at her job, even pitched in once or twice. Justice had bent over backwards trying to keep it a secret from Nic. At one point, Justice was almost positive Nic had convinced himself Justice was having an affair. Justice had managed to calm him down repeatedly, and had tried harder to hide his secret agenda after that.
Shifting in his seat, Justice nervously awaited the end of the speeches. They’d all been lovely, but he was itching to unveil the surprise. Finally, Samara finished her “best woman” speech, and Justice stood up to take the mic that belonged to the portable PA they’d rented.
All eyes rested on him, and he had a brief moment of panic before his eyes connected with Nic’s, and he immediately felt the calm wash over him. He was up here for Nic, and that was all he needed to soothe the storm inside.
He cleared his throat and glanced around the room uneasily because he was, after all, still Justice. “Um, hi everybody. Thanks for coming to celebrate with us tonight.” He took a deep breath and looked straight at Nic. “As y’all know, Nic and I had sort of a…whirlwind courtship, if you will. In the time that we’ve known each other, he’s become my rock, my best friend, my home. I think he may have literally saved my life…”
Justice almost lost it when he saw a tear roll down Nic’s cheek.
Gotta keep it together, buddy. At least until the surprise —then you can lose it
. “I thought long and hard about what I could get this man, this…” He choked back a sob… “this man who became my hero…that could adequately express my love for him.”
“Jus, you didn’t have to —”
“Ssh.” Justice had approached Nic, carrying the mic with him, and had placed a finger over Nic’s lips to silence him. “I’m not finished. Like I said, I thought long and hard, and when I finally figured it out, it was so obvious that I had to laugh at myself. It had been staring me in the face all along.
“So, to give Nic this present, I have to bring him to it…” He took Nic’s hand and tugged him out of his seat. “If y’all wouldn’t mind following me, you’re not gonna want to miss this.”
Nic laughed as Justice pulled him by the hand, out of the banquet room, down the hallway, and to the gangway, with their small flock of guests trailing behind. He led them off the boat, and down the long expanse of the pier. As they approached the part of the pier where the surprise was hidden, Justice stopped and allowed Nic to get a few steps ahead of him. Then he stepped up behind Nic and wrapped arms around him to cover his eyes.
“Hey!” Nic said, laughing. “What gives?”
“I told you it was a surprise. I don’t want you peeking until you can get the full effect.”
Nic teasingly pushed his ass back against Justice. “I think I’m getting the full effect right now.”
Justice chuckled and nudged Nic forward. “Settle down, Mr. Valentine. We’re almost there.”
Justice couldn’t help the rush of excitement that set his heart pounding, as he maneuvered Nic around the corner that led to slip fifty-two. He’d been working on this project for months, so he was used to seeing it, but he grinned when he tried to see it through Nic’s eyes. This was going to be epic.
“Keep your eyes closed,” he whispered in Nic’s ear, letting his hands drop.
Justice backed up, giving Nic some space. He knew his husband would need a little room to take it all.
Husband
, he thought with a grin. Hearing a few gasps from behind him, Justice motioned for the wedding party to keep quiet. “Okay, you can look now.”
Justice only had eyes for Nic, watching as he slowly blinked his eyes open and looked with disbelief at the fully restored
Galeocerdo
, fresh paint shining in the lowering sun.
Nic’s eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. Astonished, he looked from the boat to Justice, and back to the boat. He began pacing the length of the craft, running his fingers along the flawless hull. He turned back to Justice again, eyes full of questions.
“What? How? Just…how?”
Justice walked up beside him and took his hand. “I did some research and found an antique watercraft restorer by the name of Jonathan O’Dowd. He has his own restoration business north of Seattle, and he agreed to send someone down and help us restore the ketch.”
“Us?” Nic asked breathlessly.
“Yeah, all of us. Me, Rory, Mom, Lara, plus a few of Rory’s friends pitched in for extra manpower. Mr. O’Dowd’s man replaced the mast, the sails that were damaged, and the engine. Then he directed us in cleaning up the more cosmetic damages.”
Nic ran a hand through his hair. “So
this
is what had you sneaking around.”
“I thought I was being stealthy,” Justice said.
Nic rolled his eyes. “You were so
not
stealthy. Had me worried there for a minute. But all this time, you were working on my boat.” Nic sobered and looked at Justice with suspiciously watery eyes. “This is beyond incredible. How could you even afford it?”
Suddenly self-conscious, Justice shrugged and blushed. “Had some savings.” He looked down at his shoes. “If there’s something you want to change, that’s cool. I just know how much this boat means to you. It was your dad’s pride and joy, and I couldn’t stand to think of it sitting in dry-dock as wreckage, and getting sold off for parts. I almost lost you in that wreckage, so I wanted to put it back together. Besides…um, this boat has some good memories for me.”
Nic smiled, then took Justice’s face in his hands and leaned in until their foreheads were touching. He took a couple of shuddering breaths before leaning back to look into Justice’s eyes
“You amazing, beautiful man. It’s perfect. This is such a wonderful gift…though you already gave me the greatest gift I’ll ever get. As long as I have you, everything else is gravy.”
Justice grinned, though tears were falling freely between both of them at that point, and fisted a hand in Nic’s shirt to tug him closer.
“I love you,” he whispered across Nic’s lips before pulling him into a kiss. He put everything he had into the kiss, gripping Nic’s jaw to angle his face just right, and plunging his tongue deep inside.
There was a rustle of clothing, then a throat clearing from behind them.
“So…ah, we’re just gonna…you know, go. Have fun guys!” Samara said with barely restrained laughter.
Where Justice would have broken the kiss, Nic just held him tighter and waved blindly over his head. There were a few snorts and chuckles, the sound of retreating footsteps, and then they were alone. Justice felt like he’d been waiting his whole life for this.
Nic pulled away, only inches, and smiled at Justice. His clear blue eyes crinkled in such a way that reminded Justice why he’d fallen in love with the man in the first place. Nic always had a smile in his heart.
“I love you, too,” Nic said, placing whisper soft kisses all over Justice’s face. Then he swooped in for another earth-shattering stunner of a kiss, and wound his arms around Justice’s waist. He broke the kiss and moved down to suck on Justice’s neck, while his hand found its way past the waistband of Justice’s trousers. Justice shivered at the feeling of heat when Nic’s hand finally made contact with skin.