Chapter Eight

Will Has A Hangover

Sunday, November 13, 2022

The first thing Will did once he'd opened his eyes was check everywhere on his body to make sure he hadn't gotten himself a tattoo. One of his classmates had done that their first year, and on his belly there was the goofiest looking dinosaur ever .

He heaved a sigh of relief to find unmarked skin. It appeared all the tattoo shops had been closed. Thank God.

He hauled himself into the shower and let the hot water work its magic. That got him about halfway to feeling human again. Breakfast would accomplish the rest, but no way was he going downstairs to eat in a restaurant filled with the people he'd gotten drunk in front of the night before.

His room was a much safer option.

He called down and ordered eggs, sausage, bacon, an English muffin, and coffee.

The latter would probably need to be refilled.

His phone buzzed while he was waiting, and he glanced at the screen.

Becca.

Oh yeah. He had a bone to pick with her. Several bones, in fact.

You awake?

He snorted and typed. It's seven-thirty. Of course I'm awake.

Mom was worried when you didn't come back to the party.

He frowned. I didn't? Oh. Right. He recalled Aiden helping him to his room. He also recalled telling Aiden he needed help getting undressed.

Oh God.

He couldn't think about that right then. His head was already complaining.

He typed. Sorry to disappear on you like that, but I wasn't at my best.

An eye-roll emoji. You didn't miss much. Only my Uncle Tim doing a Dirty Dancing number with his girlfriend. Then Aunt Deborah climbed onto a table and stripped to a Rihanna song.

OMFG. Seriously?

Several laughing emojis. You are so gullible, Bryant. I get you every time.

Then he remembered what had really happened.

So what do we do now?

Nothing came through for a moment. About…?

She had to be kidding. Oh, I don't know. How about the fact that you're marrying me next month?

Oh. That.

Will looked around for one of the hotel notepads so he could start writing down all the imaginative ways in which he was going to kill her. Yes, that.

So you do remember that much?

He laughed out loud. Pretty hard to forget the reason I got drunk in the first place.

She was typing. Right now I have no idea what we're gonna do.

He blinked, his fingers stumbling on the screen. Really? Because I can see one obvious solution. Tell. Your. Mom.

I can't. Not yet.

Then when, Becca? When she asks if we've got the marriage license sorted? When you go for the final fitting of your wedding dress? Just before your dad walks you down the aisle?

There is no aisle. It's a ballroom.

You're gonna nitpick details like that at a time like this?

There was a knock at the door, and Will groaned.

Coffee. Food.

Once the server had gone, a five-dollar tip safely stowed in his pocket, Will poured himself a steaming cup of coffee, ate a strip of bacon, and checked to see how Becca was planning to extricate them from the pile of shit she'd dropped them in.

I'll tell her, okay? Just… when the time is right. What are your plans for this morning?

Will knew avoidance when he saw it, but he was too hungover to continue with this dance.

Right now, to stop my head from banging. Maybe I'll go for a walk. He glanced at the window where an inch of snow covered the sill. Or maybe not. What time are we out of here? Check out is 11.

The front desk will stow your bag until you're ready to leave. I'll pick you up outside the hotel at 2. Don't wanna get back too late tonight. Oh. And you're invited home for Thanksgiving.

Will forked eggs into his mouth and typed at the same time. When did this happen? Great. Another chance to look like an idiot in front of Becca's family.

In front of Aiden.

Last night. Sometime before everyone stopped dancing. You know what? A walk is a good idea. Fresh air to clear your head. I'll call Aiden for some suggestions. He's the hiker of the family.

Yet another thing to like about Aiden. Except Will wasn't sure he wanted to be around him after the previous night.

Don't… don't ask him, okay? I don't want to put him out.

No response.

Becca?

You didn't tell him, did you?

What? No . At least, he hoped he hadn't. That part was a little… hazy.

Not even a hint?

Well… there *was* one tiny slip up. Okay, two. Possibly. But I'm sure he'll put that down to me being drunk off my ass.

He'd better. Oops. Mom is calling. Breakfast. See you at 2.

Will finished his breakfast and poured himself another cup.

Never mind a walk. A couple more hours sleep would do him a world of good.

Except he knew what would be waiting for him behind his eyelids.

A certain ginger, with the most beautiful blue eyes Will had ever seen, and a smile that both warmed and thrilled him.

A certain ginger to whom Will might have given away way too much.

Aiden had just finished his breakfast when the doorbell rang. He smiled as he went to open it. Carol stood there, holding a pet carrier.

"One feline, reporting for kitty duty."

From behind the wire panel, Midnight glanced at him then turned away.

Great. I'm in the dog house with my cat.

He took the carrier. "Was he okay?"

Carol smirked. "If you call catching him in the closet, humping Candy, then sure, we'll go with that. I keep meaning to get her fixed. Maybe now is a good time. You know, before there's the pitter patter of tiny claws around my place."

Aiden chuckled. "Do they fix horny boy kitties too? Maybe I should look into that—unless they're human, in which case send them here."

Aiden put Midnight's carrier on the kitchen floor and opened the door. The cat was out of it in a heartbeat. Aiden grabbed the bottle of wine he'd stood on the countertop and held it out to Carol. "Thanks."

She grinned. "Any time."

Aiden closed the door and turned to find Midnight sitting in the middle of the floor, tail curled around him, covering his front paws.

"Hey, kitty. Miss me?"

Midnight yawned.

"Don't be like that. You had a great night by all accounts so don't you go giving me the cold shoulder. Because we both know that the minute my back is turned, you'll be doing a little furry paw pump, and scratching another notch on your cat tree."

Midnight yawned again.

Aiden grinned. "Maybe I should go with Carol. Think we can get a discount on having you and Candy fixed?"

He'd never seen a look of horror on a cat's face before.

Aiden's phone buzzed, and he grabbed it to peer at the screen.

Aha. The bride-to-be .

He clicked answer. "Good morning. How's your head this morning? Better than your fiancé's, I suspect."

"He needs some air. Any ideas where I should send him?"

Here. Send him here, so we can become better acquainted.

Aiden's version of getting acquainted required a bed and no clothing.

Except you'd be just as happy to talk D & D with him, wouldn't you?

Yeah, that was sad.

"Aide? You still there?"

"Still here. I could always drive him to the lake. It's pretty to look at."

"That's your idea of a good time, is it? Now I know why you don't have a girlfriend."

No, you don't. You really don't. And it's going to stay that way.

"Leave it with me. Send me his number. How long do you have left in Milwaukee?"

"We're leaving at two."

That gave him a few hours to play with.

And remember that. Play with the hours , not Will.

"Have a great morning with Mom and Dad." Aiden grinned. He wouldn't swap places with Becca right then, not for all the gold in a dragon's hoard.

His phone buzzed again, and he chuckled. Now what?

It was Mom's number.

He answered the call, and the first sound that reached him was a familiar bird song.

"Mom? Is that a chickadee?" The song always made him smile, ever since his dad had said it sounded as if the bird was singing cheese burger. And now he could never un-hear it. "Where are you?" It was way too loud to be inside the house.

"I'm in the backyard," she said in a low voice. "And I'm freezing, so this is going to be a quick call."

"But why are you out in the yard?"

"Because I don't want Becca to hear me, all right?"

Okay, something was up. "Talk fast, Mom, before something freezes and falls off."

"Last night, your sister left her phone on her chair, and—"

"I know, I was there, remember?"

"Fine. But I… I didn't give it back to her right away."

He managed a mock gasp of horror. "Mom, tell me you didn't snoop."

Her snort filled his ears. "I'm a mother. Of course I did."

He knew he was going to hate himself for asking, but… "And? What did you find?"

"What did you think of Will?"

The randomness of the question threw him for a second.

"I like him. Why?"

"Oh, I'm sure he's a lovely person, but is he really the kind of boy you imagined Becca marrying?"

"Oh my God. What did you find on her phone?"

"It's what I didn't find that concerns me."

What? "Mom, you're not making any sense."

"I only looked because I was certain he wasn't the man for her, okay? And after going through her photos, I—"

"You did what? Mom, that's awful."

"But there were no pictures of them together or anything."

"So? You still shouldn't have done it." When she didn't reply, the hairs on Aiden's arms stood to attention. "Mom? What else did you find?"

"Nothing that need concern you."

"You know what? It doesn't concern either of us, because it's Becca's business, you got that?"

"Your father's calling. I have to go inside."

"Mom, don't you hang—"

Up on me.

Aiden stared at his phone, his mind racing.

This is weird.

A soft whump frightened the life out of him when Midnight jumped into his lap.

"Oh, so now you're talking to me? Does this mean I'm forgiven for allowing you the opportunity to get laid?"

Midnight bumped Aiden's chin with his head, and Aiden absently stroked the silky fur. He couldn't explain the lack of photos, not when Becca had known Will for three years and they'd been dating for at least one.

There was only one course of action.

Aiden reached for his phone and dialed the number Becca had sent him. It rang about three times before Will answered.

"Hello?"

"Will, it's Aiden. Becca gave me your number. Listen, you wanna go down to the lake with me? We can take hot drinks and snacks from the coffee shop, and sit and look at the water."

And talk. We're definitely going to talk.

There was a pause. "Sure. But as for snacks, I could just bring what's in this fridge. Otherwise, it isn't going to be eaten, and that would be a crime."

He chuckled. "Bag 'em, and I'll meet you in the lobby in about thirty minutes."

"Great. See you there."

Aiden disconnected the call, and scritched behind Midnight's ears. "Sorry, but I'm gonna leave you alone for a while."

The purr made Midnight sound like the epitome of the perfect cat, but Aiden knew better. He knew Midnight.

‘Fine. Leave me again. And I'll leave you lots of little gifts all over the place. Where you least expect them.'

Aiden took a sip from his cup. "So you and Becca have been friends for what, three years?" Beyond the windshield lay Lake Michigan. Even though the day was overcast and the sun wasn't causing the water to sparkle like normal, the lake had a certain majesty of its own. How often had he come down here and whispered his problems to the lake, just knowing the lake would carry them away on the tide?

Will nodded. "Though there are times when it feels longer."

He laughed. "I know where you're coming from."

Will smiled. "She can be utterly adorable, though. Like when she's listening to music, and she dances in front of the mirror."

Aiden cackled. "She still does that? What about when she thinks no one's looking, and she blows her—"

"Cheeks up! Oh my God, how long has she been doing that?"

"Since she was about six."

"Did she used to eat her dessert before the main course back then too?"

Aiden laughed. "God yeah."

"Did she freak out back then when other people tried to eat stuff from off her plate?"

He pointed to his right hand, to a tiny scar on his pinky. "Yup. I got that when I tried to sneak a fry off her plate. She stabbed me with her fork."

Will gasped. "Seriously?" Aiden started laughing again, and Will smiled. "You've got a great laugh." Then he cleared his throat. "What's so funny?"

"When she was little, she had this weird idea that if she used shampoo all over her body, not just on her head, that she'd grow hair everywhere and turn into a monkey."

"That is so cute." Will chuckled. "You know what's really cute? When we're in town, shopping, and we go to cross the street. She waves her hand at the lights and—"

"And they change! She still does that? She used to say it was her secret power." He took another long drink from his cup. "It's good to know some things don't change."

His mom might not think Will was right for Becca, but the affection in Will's voice when he talked about her eased Aiden's mind.

He really does care for her.

Mom was worrying about nothing, he was sure of it.

"I guess I'll be seeing you for Thanksgiving," Will said in a low voice, staring out at the choppy waves that lapped the lake shore.

"I guess so."

Only eleven days to go.

"About my bachelor party… You don't have to organize it, you know." Will bit his lip. "Becca doesn't have to get her own way in everything ."

"No, it's fine. I don't mind, really."

"And who knows? I might not even want a bachelor party. A lot can happen before then."

Such as what?

"Something you want to tell me?"

Maybe Mom's thinking wasn't that far out after all.

Will blinked. "No, of course not."

Aiden wasn't convinced.

"I think we should be getting back to the hotel. Becca will be there soon."

Aiden gave a huge sigh. "All the way back to Minneapolis—with my sister. I feel for ya."

And you want to change the subject, don't you?

What bothered Aiden was why .

"About last night… I didn't do anything… foolish, did I? Or say anything stupid?"

Aiden arched his eyebrows. "No more than any of us do when we're drunk." He tilted his head to one side. "You don't remember?"

"Yes… well, no… it's a bit… blurry."

Aiden couldn't resist. "So you don't recall asking me to take your clothes off and put you into bed?"

The horror on Will's face was everything he'd expect from a straight guy.

"Oh God. It's all coming back to me now. Do me a favor? Don't tell Becca about that, please?"

Aiden snickered. "Your secret is safe."

"I didn't ask you to get into bed with me, did I?"

No such luck.

Aiden gave him a kind smile. "You weren't that drunk."

Great. I can see my future now. Years and years of Christmas Days, Thanksgiving, birthdays, family get-togethers… and there I'll be, lusting after my extremely straight brother-in-law.

God hated him, that was it.