Chapter 14

SUMMER WASwaning, and Matthew was nearing the end of the plant's busiest time of year. The final loads of beans had been processed weeks ago, and they were about to shift over to corn. From there, they would finish out the year, and then the equipment that he had babied along for years would be dismantled and sent away. It would be hard for him to make that shift in his life, but he was already preparing. Matthew checked the time and got ready to leave.

On the way home, he stopped at Mrs. Livingston's in town and spent about an hour repairing the electrical outlets in her kitchen, which hadn't been wired correctly in the first place. He was almost done, and with the kids in their last week of day camp, he took the extra time to finish the last of the work for her. She'd been patient, letting him work on the project as he got time, and the check she handed him would go right in the bank toward his new business.

"I appreciate your patience," he told the retiree with white hair. She always had a quick smile, and just like every time he worked there, she handed him a plastic container of cookies for the kids.

"Now I can sleep at night and not worry that the toaster is going to try to take over the world." She saw him to the door, and Matthew thanked her again before heading out to the family SUV, putting his tools in the very back, then hurrying to pick up the kids. He was already on the verge of being late, but he got there just in time to keep from incurring the wrath of the camp director, and the fine for being late.

"Did you have a good day?"

"Carl pooped himself," Brianna reported as she got herself in her booster seat.

"You're such a tattletale," Gregory said, coming to his brother's defense. "It was just a little, and they came and got me and I helped him get cleaned up. Will was busy playing with Melissa Carter."

"Now who's tattling?" Matthew said flatly as he made sure all the kids were buckled in.

"Sorry, Uncle Daddy," Gregory said.

Matthew nodded and patted his second son's leg. "You did good helping your brother. Thank you." There were days when he wondered how he'd make it through if it weren't for those two. They had started taking on more chores around the house, and as a result, they both got an allowance.

"Are you okay, Uncle Daddy?" Brianna asked. "You look sad."

Matthew forced a smile. These kids didn't need to deal with his problems. His job ending at the plant had placed added stress on him, and if he was honest, he was lonely. Those few weeks in the summer with Lucas had given him a glimpse into what it could be like with someone he loved in his life. Letting Lucas go had been one of the hardest things he had ever done. Matthew knew he had been right, but weeks of an empty bed and vivid, often lurid dreams starring his favorite actor only enhanced the emptiness once he woke. "I'm okay, sweetheart, I promise." One way or another, he would be.

"You're sure?" Brianna was a dear when she wasn't telling tales.

"Yes, sweetheart." He had to be. Each call with Lucas lifted his spirits and brought a smile. He'd gotten pictures that he kept on his phone—pictures of Lucas on the set, a few from the pool, and one of him in the shower that the tabloids would kill for. That one was password protected, his favorite… all that wet, glowing skin and those dreamy, come-hither eyes…. Matthew pushed those thoughts away. This was not the time.

"Can we go out for dinner?" Will asked. "We're all really hungry." The way he asked made it sound like he expected a no.

Matthew was exhausted as well. "Where do you want to go?"

All the kids looked at each other like they were checking. "Dairy Barn… moooo," Carl said and then laughed at his own joke. Sometimes four-year-olds were weird.

"Okay," Matthew agreed and pulled out of the lot.

"WHO'S HERE?"Will asked as Matthew pulled into the driveway back at the house. He parked next to a dark blue Escape with an Enterprise sticker.

Matthew got out as the driver's door opened. Lucas came around the back of the car.

Matthew could hardly believe his eyes. He blinked more than once just to make sure this wasn't some dream his lonely mind had cooked up. "You're here." It sounded lame, even to his own ears, but those were the only words that came out. "What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Lucas said, standing right in front of him.

"It was." Matthew swallowed, not daring to move in case this was some daylight fantasy that would pop at the slightest touch. "Are you real?"

Lucas reached out, lightly touching his cheeks. Matthew started at the first sensation of those warm hands, letting them draw him closer until Lucas kissed him.

Everything seemed to happen at once. When Matthew realized this was well and truly real, he kissed Lucas back, wrapping him in a bear hug of epic proportions, and finally, as the kiss came to an end, he heard the kids cheering from inside the car. Well, mostly cheers and one "eeeew, kissing," but he could live with that.

"What are you doing here?" Matthew asked once he stood in Lucas's arms, sighing as the tension seemed to flow out of him. "You're supposed to be working."

"I got a week off. They don't need me for the next scenes, so I got the heck out of Dodge." He pulled back.

"So you're just here to visit," Matthew said.

Lucas smiled. "You and I have a lot to talk about. But I'm not going to do any of it standing outside in full view of the kids." He winked, and Matthew's mind slipped into gear. He backed away and got the kids out of the car, with each of them vying for some of Lucas's attention.

"All of you go on inside," Matthew told them, and they trooped up to the door. Matthew let everyone into the house, and they fanned out. "Take care of your things, and then you all need baths or showers before bed." He made sure the kids got going. "Do you need anything?"

Lucas shook his head. "Get the kids ready and settled."

Carl raced down the hall and into the room, naked. "Will you read to us?" he asked Lucas.

"Yes, but you have to have your bath first and then get your jammies on. Then I'll read you a story with all the voices."

Carl hurried back to the bathroom, and Matthew took a second to kiss Lucas before following Carl to get him into the tub.

Bath time was always hectic, but Matthew found he had less patience than usual. Fortunately, the kids were tired, and after his story, Carl went right to sleep. The others finally fell quiet, and Matthew joined Lucas in the living room, picking up blankets and putting toys away.

"There's nothing to be nervous about," Lucas said.

"Sure there is. You came all this way for a few days, and then you're going to leave again." He blinked a few times and shook his head to try to get his jitters under control. "You and I can't keep on like this, I know that, and I figured that you came back because you need to move on."

Lucas took the stuffed dog from his hand and put it aside. "I came here because I figured a few things out."

"Like what?" Matthew asked softly, waiting for the bad news.

"Well, like I want to make my home here. You're right, it isn't fair to ask the kids to give up their life and move all across the country, and truth be told, I don't want to live there either. I'm happy here, and I want to build a life… here… with you… all of you. I have commitments, but my new agent and I have worked up a framework where I won't be doing as many films. I want time with you, the kids—time for us to build a family… together."

Matthew had to have heard wrong. "Are you kidding me? This is what I've dreamed of, and… shit like that doesn't happen to me."

"Yes, you heard me. The house that we stayed in a few months ago was up for sale, so I bought it. The closing is pending, but yeah. I bought a house here. Without Rachel and Karen, there's enough room for each of the kids to have their own room and you and I to have a suite of our own. I also thought we could add a workshop onto the garage so you would have a place to base your business out of. I'm also going to have a fence built around the property for security… and then I figure the kids can get a dog and…. What is it?"

Matthew rubbed his eyes. "You bought the place without asking me?"

"Yeah." Lucas said gently. "I thought it would make a good wedding present, eventually. I wanted to show you that I was serious. There are going to be times when I'm going to have to travel and be away, I know that, but I want you to know that when I come home, it will be to you… in our house… here."

"But what about your place out there? How are you going to get back and forth?" A million questions just popped into his head, which was running a mile a minute. "Wait, hold that…. Are you asking me to marry you?"

"Well, yeah." Lucas rolled his eyes. "I want you in my life always. And I want all of us to be a family. You, me, Carl, Brianna, Gregory, and Will… probably a bunch of dogs, cats, fish, and goodness knows what else. So yes…." Lucas went down on one knee. "I didn't get you a ring, but I did buy a house, so I hope that acts as a stand-in. So Matthew, I never want to be without you in my life. I want to go to bed with you and wake up next to you, raise a family, and have a full life… with you. Will you marry me?"

He was almost too shocked to move, but finally he smiled. He began to laugh and cry at the same damn time. "You bought us a house?"

"Well… yeah. And I want you and the kids to come out to California as soon as you can. I'm going to sell my house out there and buy one that we can all stay in. I'm going to have to work out there quite a bit, so I thought when the kids aren't in school, we can stay there. But you and I will make here, this place—our house—a home."

Matthew could barely believe his ears. "Is this really what you want?"

Lucas nodded. "More than anything. I want to have friends and surround ourselves with people who care about us. I want the kids to have a life filled with horses and summers on the lake, winters with snow. I want them to have the best lives we can give them." He hugged Matthew tightly. "Mostly I want to love you until the day I die. If nothing else, I know that will make me happy. The rest is icing on the cake."

This was too much to take in. "You're really willing to give up your life out there?" He knew how hard Lucas had worked and how much it meant to him.

"I'm not giving up anything. If you agree to be with me, then I'm getting everything."

Matthew nodded, trying to think of something to say, but he came up empty.

"I have just one more thing. Can I get an answer so I can get up off my knees?"

Matthew chuckled. "Yes" was all he could manage. Lucas stood, cradling his cheeks in his hands; then he pulled Matthew down into a gentle kiss. "Come on." Matthew took Lucas by the hand and led him down toward the bedroom, then closed and locked the door behind them. "You're really up for this?"

Lucas pushed him down on the bed. Then, with a single movement, he tugged his shirt over his head, revealing acres of honey-warm skin that Matthew had dreamed about ever since Lucas left. He swallowed and was about to sit up, but Lucas shook his head as he kicked off his shoes and shed the last of his clothes.

"I'm up for anything, sweetheart," he whispered before joining Matthew on the bed to celebrate their engagement.