Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25937 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
We make our way inside to where the reception is being held. Music pumps through the speakers as clusters of people dance and others talk throughout the room.
There’s a dance floor off to the right, round tables scattered about, and a long table at the front of the room, where Derek and I will be, along with the wedding party. Off to the side is another table with our three-tiered wedding cake, complete with a bear and twink on top.
When everyone notices we’ve entered the room, they start clapping. Derek curtsies playfully before I grab him and pull him close. “Hi, Husband,” I whisper in his ear.
“Hi, Husband,” he replies.
Before I have time to say much of anything else, people are surrounding us and talking to us from every direction. We don’t have a minute to speak or even catch our breaths, and before I know it, we’re sitting down to dinner. Derek is lively, the center of attention as always, and I sit back and watch him shine, so fucking grateful that I get to bask in his glow for the rest of my life. There’s nothing like this feeling, and as if Derek knows what I’m thinking, he turns to me, honoring me with that smile before winking at me.
God, I love seeing him like this. Love knowing he’s mine.
Once dinner is finished, Zane pushes to his feet. The room automatically quiets down as I look up at my son, whom I’m so damn proud of.
“I’ve always known how lucky I am,” Zane begins his speech. “I was blessed with the best parents in the world, who would have done anything for me, who lived their lives around what was best for me. My dad’s my best friend. My biggest supporter. He’s always put everyone else’s happiness above his own. His heart is so damn big, and there’s nothing that brings me more joy than to see him so happy with Derek. For the first time, my dad is living his life for himself, and he’s found the perfect person to do that with. I love you guys both.” There’s a sniff beside me, and I know Derek is crying. “To my dad and step-daddy, Derek,” Zane adds to the laughter of our guests and a small, playful gasp from my husband.
Zane winks, and I push to my feet and pull him into a hug.
“You know that was a joke, right? Because Derek and the step-daddy thing is weird.”
A laugh rumbles from my chest. “Yeah, son, I know.”
“I guess that means it’s my turn,” Gary says. I sit back down, and everyone quiets again, giving their attention to Gary. “Derek is the best friend a guy could ask for. He’s always supported me, and maybe always driven me crazy but in the best ways…like that one time he sent a naked Travis to my room when we didn’t know each other, and look at us now—I came out of the deal with a husband.”
Derek laughs.
“Seriously, though, there’s not a better guy out there. When Derek chooses to let you in, chooses to love you, it’s like being allowed in this exclusive club you know you’re not really worthy of, but you’re just so damn glad to be there. I’m honored to be his friend, and not a day goes by that I’m not thankful he has Jackson. As Derek told me, every boy needs a daddy, and these two found exactly what they need in each other.”
Derek nearly tackles Gary when he hugs him. There’s more laughter, and Derek is crying. When the two of them part, everyone is clinking their champagne glasses together, toasting to Mr. and Mr. Gibbs, and damned if I don’t like the sound of that.
“You’re crying,” Derek whispers, swiping a finger beneath my eye.
I hadn’t even noticed I was. “I’m happy.”
“I’m happy too.”
A few minutes later it’s announced that it’s time for the first dance. Everyone clears the way for us. I stand and hold my hand out for my husband. Derek takes it, and I lead us over to the dance floor. When Shania Twain’s “From this Moment On” starts to play, I pull him into my arms, so damn close that a breath couldn’t fit between us. We begin to move, and suddenly, there’s no one there except the two of us.
We slow dance together, without words, because we don’t need words in that moment. My hand travels up and down his back, and he nuzzles his face into my chest, breathing me in. Christ, I’m the luckiest person in the world to call this boy mine.
When the song ends, just as we planned, everyone seems to think our dance has ended. I look down at Derek and he winks, giving me a pleased smile just as “The Time of My Life” begins to play, and we break into the moves from the final song in Dirty Dancing. We’d been practicing it for months, something I wasn’t sure we’d be able to pull off, but Derek had always known we could. It was like the beginning of our relationship when we took the salsa lessons together.