Authors: KC Burn

Cast Off (29 page)

With Ian’s reasonable nature and Rick’s comfort level at having Ian around all the time, Rick suspected he’d be ready sooner rather than later. He was tired of being afraid of life. He wanted to live it, with Ian.

R
ICK
stared at the room the hotel restaurant had set up for the morning-after breakfast. Ian’s family… and the bride’s, he supposed, looked like a small army.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Ian whispered. “We can still tell them you’re just a friend.”

“No.” Rick shook his head. “No. We’re not just friends.”

Trying to calm his rampant pulse, he threaded his fingers through Ian’s. With a smile and a comforting squeeze, Ian led him into the room.

“Ian, honey, you made it.” Deirdre O’Donnell leapt up to greet her son and Rick had to steel himself to stand still. “Hello, Rick, I’m so glad you could make it. And you’re going to start calling me Deidre, right? Or Mum.”

Like her son’s, Deirdre’s eyes were so very expressive. She was truly glad he was there, but Rick wasn’t ready to call her Mom. “Thank you, Deirdre.”

Rick let out a deep breath, more relieved than he could probably express to anyone that he’d been able to speak without impediment.

She quickly introduced Rick to everyone, taking the initiative of telling everyone he was Ian’s boyfriend. He wasn’t sure if she just knew or if Ian had told her, but he didn’t object. Kurt and Davy gave him encouraging smiles, but they weren’t surprised either.

After they’d all been served, Deirdre turned what Rick could only term as a look of motherly disapproval on her two youngest sons.

“I’ll expect you both for Sunday dinner with the family. Bring Rick and Davy.”

“Mom, don’t freak Rick out. This is all new.” Ian had let Rick’s hand go so they could eat, but at his mother’s words, he slipped a hand under the table to rest on Rick’s leg.

“I’ll do my best, but I only have two kids left to marry off.” Deirdre raised her brows, giving him and Davy expectant looks.

Kurt and Ian both went red, and Rick laughed, genuinely if a little breathlessly. He placed his hand over Ian’s and squeezed. “If it’s all the same to you, can we start with Sunday dinner?”

About the Author

KC B
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has been writing for as long as she can remember and is a sucker for happy endings (of all kinds). After moving from Toronto to Florida for her husband to take a dream job, she discovered a love of gay romance and fulfilled a dream of her own—getting published. After a few years of editing web content by day and neglecting her supportive, understanding hubby and needy cat at night to write stories about men loving men, she was uprooted yet again and now resides in California. Writing is always fun and rewarding, but writing about her guys is the most fun she’s had in a long time, and she hopes you’ll enjoy them as much as she does.

Visit KC at her website: http://kcburn.com/

on Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkcburn

or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kcburn

Toronto Tales from
KC B
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