Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

JORDAN

Snow in Montana was set to premiere the first Saturday of November, part of a launch of six Christmas movies. The marketing focused on the love story, Montana, the snow, and a kittens, and it was easily the best of those being released.

Or so Ryan told him.

Not that he’d seen the others, or indeed watched the whole of Snow in Montana , but Ryan was fiercely loyal and in love with him.

How did I get so lucky?

“Earth to Jordan, come in, Jordan,” Ryan said right in his ear, which made him jump and snap out of the sappy feelings he was experiencing.

In answer he rolled farther on top of Ryan and kissed the air out of him. They’d made love and fallen asleep in each other’s arms, waking to the peace of a Saturday when Ryan wasn’t on duty, and Jordan had nothing more on his agenda than shopping for a tree and then watching the premiere.

Oh, and catering for the hordes who were descending on them.

All four of Ryan’s brothers with assorted girlfriends, Jenny, the kids, the Todds and Allenses, and anyone else at Crooked Tree. Everyone was coming for 7:00 p.m., and they needed to open the doors between the dining room and the front room, and move furniture about.

They’d woken to snow, which was fitting, and the cold of a new morning, snuggling back under the covers as Jordan disappeared into his own thoughts.

Finally, Jordan said, “We need to get the tree,” as if that was the only thing he’d been thinking about.

“And the rest,” Ryan said.

Jordan wanted the house to look festive, with at least a tree ready for the Christmas movie to hit the television, but true to form, the list had grown longer with the week. In the end Ryan had insisted that Sam and Ashley be hired to cater for everyone.

“Okay, I’ll tell you what I was really thinking,” he murmured against his lover’s warm skin. He brushed a kiss over the closest nipple and then across to the other.

“What was that?”

“That I love you.”

Ryan chuckled and half rolled so Jordan was under him. “Good thing you do, otherwise I’d feel pretty stupid loving you.”

They kissed for the longest time, until his need for the bathroom had Ryan leaving the bed, and Jordan decided it was time to get up. They showered together, which delayed leaving the house due to mutual and very satisfying blow jobs, and it was dark again by the time they set up the tree and hung the decorations that Jordan had bought. The lights were tiny white icicles, and with the main lights low and the tree lit up, the large area looked good.

Sam and Ashley arrived a little after six, and between them they set up the food in the kitchen, with Justin and Gabe arriving together soon after.

Ashley’s bump was visible to the point where Jordan had to stop himself from patting her belly and talking to the baby. Josh and Kirsten arrived, plus Ryan’s various brothers. Adam and Ethan had driven Marcus and Sophie over, Kirsten brought her boyfriend, and Josh made instant friends with Milly. Luke hovered in the corner, sending baleful looks at Kirsten, and Jordan felt his pain. Unrequited love must be hard.

Nate and Jay were the last to arrive, bringing in a crate of drinks each, some beer, some sodas. Once the door closed on them, everyone who mattered was there. Well, except for Micah and Angie, who’d decided to watch the movie in their hotel room in the Maldives, where they were taking a long-overdue break.

Jordan and Micah had texted that morning, and Micah ending up calling him. He only had one question for Jordan. “Are you happy?”

To which Jordan simply said, “As happy as you are with Angie.”

They would be getting together for Christmas, but that didn’t mean that Jordan didn’t miss his twin. The compromises he had to make to be with Ryan were sometimes hard, but nothing that meant anything was easy, surely?

“Ready?” Ryan wrapped his arms around him from behind and did that whole “leaning his chin on Jordan’s shoulder” thing. “Ten minutes.”

“What if everyone hates it?” Jordan asked, the only doubt he would allow himself.

Ryan laughed low in his ear. “Not possible,” he said. “Now come sit down.”

Everyone sat, some on chairs, the two sofas, or cushions on the floor. Ashley had a seat to herself, with Gabe on the floor next to her, his head on her thigh. And then it was seven, and Jordan’s work was there for everyone to see.

The movie was smooth, and he watched it from a technical point of view, laughing along with the others over the corny Christmas commercials in the breaks and trying not to be too critical.

“There’s Easy!” Justin exclaimed. “He looks so good.” Which started a whole debate in the next commercial break over who had the prettiest horse at Crooked Tree. Good-natured teasing and family interaction so sweet it made Jordan want to write it all down to capture it.

“Jesus, how cold was that water?” Gabe asked in the break just after the fight scene.

“So cold you wouldn’t believe,” Jordan said, shivering at the memory.

“No way would you get me in the river in freaking March,” Gabe added.

And so it went, and when the movie ended, everyone clapped and cheered and whistled, and at that moment Jordan felt like the greatest actor on earth.

Not bad for a B-list Christmas romance actor.

Ryan’s kiss and hug of congratulations was the icing on the cake.

Likely they’d get sick of the story, scheduled to replay so many times between now and Christmas, but for now it was perfect.

When everyone left, he and Ryan curled up on the sofa under a blanket and watched the movie again.

“Love you,” Ryan murmured and pressed a kiss to the top of Jordan’s head.

“Love you back,” Jordan answered.

Perfect.

Adam and Ethan’s wedding took place at Crooked Tree, family and close friends only. It was held in Branches, and a tent took up the space next to Jay’s office, for overflow.

The ceremony was beautiful. Jordan held Ryan’s hand the entire time that Adam and Ethan exchanged vows.

“I loved you when you were fifteen, and I never stopped loving you,” Ethan said. “When I wake in the morning, you are the first person I think about. When I fall asleep, you are the man I hold in my heart. I always knew you would come home to me one day.”

Jordan’s throat was choked with emotion at the words, and Ryan’s grip on his hand was tight.

Adam smiled at Ethan. “I loved you when I was fifteen, I am sure of it—not that I remember.” He paused and allowed the group of people around them to smile and laugh at the comment. Then he grew serious. “I know I must have loved you then, because I can’t imagine not loving you. When I wake up in the morning, you are the first person I think about, and when I fall asleep in your arms, you are the man I have in my heart. I was always going to come home one day.”

The registrar, smiling, pronounced them married, and then they kissed, laughing into the touch and holding each other tight.

Jordan leaned in to Ryan. “One day that could be us.” He waited for Ryan to laugh or dismiss the comment—or hell, walk away. “I want it to be us.”

Instead, Ryan kissed the end of his nose. “Jordan, I want that too.”

LA didn’t feel right, like a T-shirt that didn’t fit properly or shoes that were too small.

Jordan had only landed that morning, but it had hit him as soon as he stepped out of the terminal. The heat was too much, the people too loud, the light too bright.

Montana was home. Most of all, Ryan was home.

Micah collected him from Arrivals.

Stuck in LA traffic, Jordan couldn’t keep the feelings hidden away. “I need to move to Montana permanently.”

Micah glanced at him. “I know.”

“You know?”

“You’re my twin, of course I know . Darby Films will be fine. We have two projects next year, and you’ll star in them both. We can set them in Montana, make romance in Montana our brand. I’ll work here, you’ll work in Montana, and we’ll rack up the frequent-flier miles in visits, yeah?”

Jordan smiled at his brother. “You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

It really was as easy as that.