Chapter Fifteen

Aiden And Will Hatch A Plan

Saturday, November 26

Aiden lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. As yet no sound penetrated from below: Mom wasn't up yet. Midnight was curled up on the pillow next to him, his little nose and paws twitching.

I wonder what cats dream about? Mice? Birds? He smiled. Stupid question. World domination, of course.

The prospect of shopping for a suit didn't thrill him. He had better things to do with his time. Then he reasoned it might not be as bad as he anticipated. There was a silver lining to the trip, after all.

Will would be there.

He'd had two days of Will's company, and it wasn't enough. If anything, it had given him only a taste and he wanted more.

Shit, I have it bad.

Except he'd passed bad twenty-four hours ago.

A soft knock at the door had Midnight opening his eyes, stretching his front legs out, and yawning. Aiden knew it wasn't Becca out in the hallway—she never knocked—so that left—

"Are you awake?" Will asked in a low voice.

Aiden sat up and straightened the comforter. "Yeah. Come in."

The door opened, and Will stuck his head around it. "Can we talk?"

With a rush of hot guilt, Aiden realized he'd reneged on the promise he'd made during dinner the previous night. "Sure." Before Will reached the bed, he blurted, "I'm sorry about last night. I did intend to talk about the bachelor party, but I had an email I had to answer." Work was yelling at him, but it would have to wait until Sunday.

"That's okay." Will sat on the edge of the bed, and Aiden did his best not to stare at his lean legs, his feet looking so cute in little white socks. The rest of Will's body was hidden beneath a pair of white shorts and a grey tee.

"I sort of got the impression last night that you were in a jam, which is why I said we'd discuss it." Aiden smiled. "Mom can't turn off her organizer button."

"Thanks for that, by the way. I know I said my brother would arrange the party, but I've been thinking…" Will squared his shoulders. "There won't be a party."

Aiden blinked. "At all?" Will shook his head. "But why not?"

"Because none of my friends can make it. They all said the same things: too close to the holidays, exams, commitments… And Ethan can't make it either." He flushed. "I don't mind, not really. Besides, a bachelor party isn't that important."

"I disagree." Aiden sagged against the pillows, and Midnight decided to climb onto him and begin kneading his chest. He chuckled. "I don't believe I ordered a massage this morning." One of Midnight's claws got caught in his tee, and Aiden freed it before lifting the cat and dropping him to the floor. "Massage over." He leaned back once more and regarded Will. "A bachelor party is a rite of passage kinda thing. Most people only get married once—unless you're my Uncle Tim, and we've all lost count of how many ex-wives he's accumulated. But what about my idea? A D & D game night instead? I could find us a place to hold it, no problem. And I could sweeten the deal." He grinned. "Craft beer?"

Will laughed. "I appreciate the thought, but I don't want you putting yourself out. You have enough on your plate with school."

It was a valid point. More than that, Aiden was touched to find Will so considerate.

Then he recalled the conversation during dinner.

"You know my mom won't be happy about this when she hears. And she's gonna blame me, seeing as I'm supposed to be putting this shindig together."

Will arched his eyebrows. "But it's not her party, is it?" Then he smiled, and the light returned to those dark brown eyes. "Wait a minute though. She doesn't have to know. We just tell her it's going ahead."

Aiden gave a gasp of mock horror. "We lie?"

To his surprise, Will grimaced. "I don't like the idea either. Lies are never a good thing. They just get you deeper into trouble. But in the circumstances…"

"I have another idea."

Will smiled, and it was a relief to see his usual cheerful expression. "Now what?"

Aiden grinned. "Let me arrange a bar crawl."

"Huh?" Will cocked his head to one side. "What's the difference between that and a party?"

He stroked his jaw. "Well, participation will be limited to a select few."

"How many is a few?"

He flashed another grin. "Two. You and me."

What the hell?

Will frowned. "A bar crawl with only two participants?" He liked a beer now and then, but a night of going from bar to bar, getting steadily more drunk, did not appeal.

But you like the part where it's only you two, don't you?

Yeah, he did, even if it was never going to happen in a million years.

"Think about it." Aiden laced his hands behind his head. "A hassle-free evening, enjoying a few beers. We can take selfies. That way, we'll have proof. Mom doesn't need to know we're sitting in a bar full of strangers." He smiled. "It'd be you and me, sharing a quiet night of—"

"Getting drunk," Will blurted.

"I won't let you drink too much," Aiden promised. "Remember, I've seen what you're like when you overindulge. Although, if you don't have a hangover the next day, Mom will be suspicious. Unless you can fake one?"

Will smiled as the idea settled in his mind. "I think I can manage that."

A night with Aiden ticked all his boxes.

Excuse me? A night with Aiden? There isn't going to be any bar crawl. By December 10, Becca would have gotten her act together, they would have broken up, and there would be no wedding.

The thought of messing Aiden around did not sit well with him.

"Great. Then that's what we'll do. Problem solved."

Except there was another event to endure, because unless Becca announced their break-up before the following Saturday, there was Deborah's cocktail party.

Cocktails….

"This party next week… are there likely to be a lot of people going?"

Aiden chuckled. "Knowing my Aunt Deborah? The house'll be packed to the rafters."

Great . Another night of Becca's relatives, of pretending to be in love, answering questions about the wedding, pasting on a smile until his face ached…

Aiden gave him a knowing glance. "You're not into cocktails, are you?"

Will chuckled. "What gave it away? No, not really."

"The same way you weren't into beer?" Aiden's eyes twinkled.

He laughed. "Okay, I really don't drink cocktails. They sound like something my parents would drink. I don't think I'm a martini kind of guy."

"Then I'll have to convert you. I'm not a martini kind of guy either. Way too tame for me."

Will gave him an inquiring glance. "‘Tame'?"

Aiden reached for his phone on the nightstand. "I'll do a little mixology research before the party. I'll also find out what alcohol Aunt Deborah is planning to have there, and maybe make a few suggestions." Another grin. "I'll offer my services as bartender for the night."

Will returned his grin. "You could invent your own Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster."

"Now there's a thought." Aiden cocked his head as noise erupted from below. "Mom's up. You ready to go suit hunting after breakfast?"

Yet another thing Will had woken up thinking about.

"Look, I can understand Becca having a really special dress—she's the bride." Will's stomach clenched at the subterfuge. "But I have suits. In fact, I have the one I wore when Ethan got married last year. A new one seems like an unnecessary expense."

To his surprise, Aiden broke into a wide smile.

"You and I think alike. I don't really want a new suit either. So what do we do about it? Tell Mom another lie?"

Will shook his head. "No, we tell her we looked into it and we'll get it sorted. Becca should be her priority."

"In that case, what do we do while they're at the bridal store?"

Will bit his lip. "Promise not to laugh."

Aiden stilled. "Now I'm intrigued."

"Are there any decent bookstores in Milwaukee?"

Aiden's grin sent a flood of warmth rushing through him.

"Plenty."

Lunch was over, and while Will yearned to head to his room to leaf through his new books, there was something else that required his attention.

Becca had been way too quiet throughout the meal, and she'd disappeared before the plates had been collected. Will had been the perfect guest and had offered to do the dishes, and had been duly thanked before Louise informed him they already had a dishwasher—he was called Carl.

He'd laughed at the joke, especially since he'd already spotted the dishwasher in the kitchen.

When half an hour passed and there was still no sign of Becca, Will grew uneasy. He made his excuses and went upstairs to her room. He knocked, and when there was no answer, he peered into the room.

Becca lay on the bed, her gaze focused on her phone.

It didn't require a genius to know what—or rather, who—was on her mind.

Will closed the door behind him and went over to the bed. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hey." Becca didn't look at him, her voice flat.

He sat on the bed. "I know you didn't tell her. Didn't you get the chance?"

She shrugged. "The timing wasn't right."

Will let out a sigh of exasperation. "Becca, the timing will never be right, but you can't let this drag on any longer."

Time was not only not on their side, it was giving them hard stares and tapping its watch.

Becca sat up. "Would you come with me for a drive?"

He had a feeling she had a specific destination in mind. "Sure."

They went downstairs, and before Louise could open her mouth, Becca smiled and said, "Will and I are going out for a while. We won't be long." Then they were out of the house and heading for Becca's car.

"Want to tell me where we're going?" Will asked after a couple of minutes of silence.

"Something I want to show you."

Eight minutes after that, she parked on a side street, then led him to a store.

Will stared at the shop front with a frown. "Strike Bridal Bar? Isn't this where you—"

She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the door, propelling him through it. A tall, slim woman was in the middle of hanging a dress in lilac satin on a rack of similar dresses. She frowned when she saw Becca.

"Miss Taylor? Did you forget something?"

"Could I try on my dress, please?"

The woman's gaze flickered to Will, and her eyes widened. "This isn't the groom, is it? Because it's bad lu—"

"Please, just bring out my dress," Becca pleaded.

Will didn't have a clue what was going on.

The woman shrugged. "Fine. The customer is always right." She went through a doorway.

Will took advantage of her absence. "Becca, why are we here?" he whispered.

"Because I want you to see the dress."

"I got that much, but why?"

"Because."

It was obvious he wasn't going to get any sense out of her.

The woman returned, carrying a dress made of ivory satin, the bodice covered in beautifully sculpted deep red lace, a matching lace around the hem. It was a very striking dress, perfect for a winter wedding.

Becca stared at it, her eyes shining.

"Why don't you try it on?" The woman glanced once more at Will. "It's your wedding, after all. If it doesn't bother you to let the groom see you in it, then it surely doesn't bother me."

Will got the feeling that was a lie, but he appreciated the effort.

"Thank you." Becca took the dress into one of the dressing rooms hidden behind red velvet curtains.

"Would you like some help?" the assistant offered.

Becca stuck her head through the gap. "Thank you. That would be great. I'd forgotten how many buttons this thing has."

Will was no closer to knowing what he was doing there but he figured Becca would clue him in eventually. He refrained from speaking to her through the curtain, preferring to wait until they were alone. While he waited, he gazed at the rows and rows of dresses: satin, silk, clouds of chiffon and organza… Another rack contained hangers for the veils, and in a glass display cabinet there were tiaras, combs festooned with silk flowers…

"Well? What do you think?"

Will turned, and the breath caught in his throat.

Becca was stunning. The dress was a snug fit around the waist, swelling into a layer of ivory satin that cascaded to the floor. She turned slowly, revealing a long line of red buttons from the bottom of the V-neck to a red velvet bow whose tails flowed down the skirt.

"Oh Becca."

She smiled. "It's beautiful, isn't it? This is what I'd wear for my wedding."

Will had to ask. "Has this been paid for?"

"The balance is due before the wedding." Becca stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror.

Will went over to her, careful not to stand on her dress. "This could be your wedding dress," he said in a low voice. "All you have to do is tell your parents the truth."

Becca swallowed, still staring at her reflection.

He put his arm around her waist and leaned in. "I think you have your mom and dad all wrong. From what you said, I expected them to be haters. But they're not. They're not , Becca. They're kind people. Good people."

Another hard swallow.

"Maybe they've changed," he continued in the same low, soothing tone. "Your mom works in the hotel. What if she's gotten to know someone there who's gay, and they've changed her opinion?"

Becca jerked her head toward him. "You think?"

"It's possible, isn't it?" Will kissed her cheek. "I've got an idea. It's your Aunt Deborah's cocktail party next weekend. Another couple of days in Milwaukee. Maybe the timing will be right then." He stared at her in the mirror. "You can't lose this dress, Becca. It's totally you. So what if you don't get to wear it in December? Keep it for when you and Kristen finally tie the knot."

Her eyes glistened.

"And if I've got this all wrong," he added, "then I'll help you pay for it yourself. And I'll give you away if your dad won't." Another kiss. "But it won't come to that, Becca. I truly believe that." He looked her in the eye. "Next weekend, okay?"

Becca nodded. "Next weekend."

"Now, let me take a picture of you in that amazing dress."

She chuckled. "I already have one. Mom took it." She turned and hugged him. "Thanks, Will."

He disengaged from her with great care. "Now, please , get out of that awesome dress before you damage it."

Becca gave another nod, then walked slowly toward the fitting room.

Will took a deep breath.

Finally .

Now all he had to do was hope Becca didn't lose her nerve.