Chapter Fourteen

"T hanks for coming to the deposition with me today," Kerry said. Finding support hadn't been hard. He'd turned down several kind offers to join him, but Kerry reached over the console and laced his fingers with the only person he'd wanted by his side.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," Keegan replied.

"Hands at ten and two," Lucinda instructed from the back seat.

His mother was the only one Kerry hadn't been able to persuade to stand by for updates. Watching Keegan and Lucinda go several rounds of insisting the other sit up front with him had been amusing. The whole thing reminded Kerry of when he'd learned to drive. His mother had wanted to be included, but she'd been too nervous to ride in the front passenger seat. Lucinda volunteered Steven to ride shotgun and grip the oh-shit handle while she called out instructions from the back seat.

"Yes, Mother." Kerry exchanged a quick smile with Keegan lest he earn a lecture about keeping his eyes on the road. A glance in his rearview mirror earned an approving nod, but it would be hard to get on Lucinda's bad side after she noted Keegan's radiance when they picked her up. Steven had already left for work and would meet them at Bozeman's attorney's office for their noon deposition. Like Lucinda, Steven insisted on being there for moral support.

"How long do you think it will take Vinny to shred Bozeman and his ambulance chasers?" Lucinda asked. "I say fifteen minutes."

"I hope you're right," Kerry said, but he wouldn't bet on it. The opposing counsel wasn't up to Vinny's level of brilliance, but they weren't likely as inept as Lucinda hoped. Kerry didn't care how long it took, as long as Bozeman dropped the case against him. Vinny was confident of that outcome after their phone call on Sunday afternoon. He'd been just as impressed with Sven's sleuthing as he'd been with Dom's, and he'd started referring to Bozeman and Chuck as Beavis and Butthead by the end of the conversation.

Chuck was supposed to be deposed at the attorney's office, but he was still in county lockup. The least of the charges was the minimal damage he'd managed to a Hart's Creek Rescue vehicle. He might've been released the next morning for that, but he'd taken a swing at a police officer with a crowbar, and his breathalyzer test came back as over the limit. Good ole Chuck had an arraignment to attend instead of the deposition, though it was unclear if Bozeman and his attorneys knew that yet. He really hoped not. Kerry wanted to see their expressions when Vinny produced evidence that the primary witness for Kerry's supposed negligence was actually a coconspirator in the scam to fleece Kerry out of money. No matter the deposition's outcome, he would not offer a settlement. He'd take the case all the way to trial if necessary and put his financial fate and reputation in the hands of strangers before he shelled out a penny of his hard-earned money to those fraudsters.

Ryker, Free, and Halbert's office was in the newest commercial development that combined retail stores, business offices, and restaurants in a complex that mimicked a city within a city.

"Could they make these parking spaces any tighter?" Kerry groused as he dismissed one spot after another, looking for enough room to accommodate his vehicle.

"We're totally going to the Cheesecake Factory after this is over," Lucinda announced when Kerry finally found a spot he liked. "Good thing you parked three miles from the building, so I won't feel guilty about the carbs I plan to devour." The distance was a great exaggeration, but she raised him to have better manners.

Kerry met her gaze in the mirror. "I should've dropped you both off before looking for a spot. We're here early, so I can drive you back up."

His mother rolled her eyes and waved off the notion. "I'm just keeping you humble."

"We're attending a deposition because I'm getting sued," Kerry reminded her. "How much more humbling do you think this day could get?"

"But you woke up next to this one," Lucinda said, patting the back of Keegan's chair. "How much luckier do you think this day could get?"

Keegan's eyes went wide, and his cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink.

Kerry gathered his hand and raised it to his lips. "She's right, though she's only guessing about the overnight part." It was a safe bet since Keegan stayed over more nights than he spent at the ranch.

"No guessing necessary. Mothers know everything," Lucinda said as she unbuckled her seat belt and reached for the door. "Was I correct when I said you'd never let your special person go once you found them?"

Kerry smiled as he stared into Keegan's eyes. "You were."

She leaned forward between the front seats. "And didn't I tell you Keegan was your person the first time I saw the two of you together?" She made explosive gestures with her hands that made Keegan giggle. "Fireworks."

"Yes, and now who needs humbling?" Kerry grumbled.

"Oh, there's my honey!" Lucinda exclaimed like it had been months since she'd seen her husband instead of hours. "See you inside, boys." With that, she was out of the truck and heading toward Steven.

"Did she really say those things?" Keegan asked.

"Yes," Kerry replied. "When people expressed concern that I hadn't settled down by thirty, she pointed out that I hadn't met my person yet. And she pulled me aside the first night Sven brought you home to meet the family and announced that you were my person."

Keegan radiated so much joy that Kerry expected beams of light to shoot out of his ears. "Is that why you resisted even harder?"

Kerry tilted his head and considered. "But did I? Okay, maybe a little, but it's not like I made myself scarce every time you came around, and I could've easily used work as an excuse. You enthralled me then, and you do even more now." He cupped Keegan's neck and leaned into his space. "I can't touch you, kiss you, or hold you enough."

A tapping at the window behind Kerry cut him off. He turned and found his parents smiling like twin lunatics. Steven gave him the wrap-it-up gesture, then pointed to his watch. They still had a solid twenty minutes before the deposition, and Kerry could accomplish a lot in that span. But perhaps not in a public parking lot.

"Hey," Keegan said when Kerry moved to exit the vehicle.

Kerry held up a forefinger to his parents, asking for a minute, then made a shooing motion at them to get some privacy. He could tell by the slight quiver in Keegan's voice that he had something important to say. Kerry gave him his full attention again. "What, baby?"

"You're my person too. The night I met you, I came alive in ways I never dreamed possible. I wasn't ready for you—for us—then, and I'm still going to struggle with my insecurities for a while. Maybe a lifetime. But I want you to know something before you go into the deposition." He paused and cycled through some shaky breaths, but his hazel gaze never wavered. Kerry couldn't recall a time when Keegan had looked so certain.

"And you don't have to say it back now, or even ever," Keegan rushed to add. "You've demonstrated what I mean to you, and that's more important to me." His words came faster, breathier, and Kerry's heart raced in anticipation. "I love you. I don't care what anyone says about you in that deposition. You are the best man I've ever known. I know this sounds soon and maybe a little desperate. We've only really dated for a month, but—"

Kerry cut him off with a kiss that went from tender to fierce in a heartbeat. When he pulled back, tears trailed down Keegan's cheeks, and he fully understood what it cost to put himself out there. "I love you, Kee. Other people's opinions and timelines don't matter. The ones who love us the most have been encouraging our relationship for a while now."

Keegan smiled through a laugh. "They didn't bother with subtlety."

"It's not the Hart way."

The knock came back, more persistent this time. Kerry whipped around and found Seth and Rueben standing on the other side. Beyond them were Rick, Debbie, Sven, and Dom. Kerry sought his mother through the crowd, and she just shrugged when he found her.

"Looks like the cavalry has arrived," Keegan teased.

Kerry looked at him with a raised brow. "Did you know about this?"

Shaking his head, Keegan said, "No one told me they were coming, but are you really surprised?" He gestured to Kerry's family. "Show up and show out. That's the Hart way, and you're so lucky to have them."

" We are so lucky to have them." Kerry sighed and reached for his door handle. "Might as well greet the crowd and head into the deposition." It didn't feel like heading to the gallows, though he could think of a hundred different things he'd rather do. He stepped out of the truck and into a swarm of hugs from his loving family.

"Let's head on in," Steven told the gathering.

They looked like a small army as they entered the lawyer's office. The receptionist looked up from her task, and her dark blue eyes widened. "Um, can I help you?"

"I'm Kerry Hart, and I'm here for a deposition." He gestured over his shoulder with his thumb. "And this is my support system."

She recovered quickly and introduced herself as Mabel. "And is your attorney among them?"

"He's not here yet," Kerry told her.

"I'm afraid we don't have seats for everyone, but I can probably bring some out of a conference room."

"That won't be necessary," Lucinda said kindly. "There are plenty of shops to check out while we wait."

"I could use a good cup of coffee," Rick said. "Can you recommend a coffeehouse nearby?"

Mabel gave him directions to the place she visited every afternoon. The Kerry Hart Fan Club wished him luck and filed out the door, leaving only the president behind to wait with him. "Can I get either of you something to drink?" Mabel asked.

"I'm fine," Kerry said before checking with Keegan.

"Nothing for me either."

They settled into gray chairs in the waiting room, and Keegan reached for a magazine. Kerry knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate and let his gaze wander to the artwork hanging on the walls. He wasn't aware his knees were bouncing until Keegan's hand landed on his thigh. Keegan's warm gaze brought him immediate peace. Movement at the entrance pulled Kerry's attention, and he stood up as Vinny walked through the door. His attorney was dressed to kill in a navy three-piece suit and polished dark brown dress shoes that matched his leather briefcase. Kerry shook Vinny's hand and introduced him to Keegan.

"Steven has said so many wonderful things about you, Keegan," Vinny said when they shook hands. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Keegan said.

"Is this your attorney?" Mabel asked.

Vinny spun and introduced himself. The receptionist's eyes widened with recognition. "Will you let Mr. Ryker know we're ready to go, please?"

"Absolutely." Mabel picked up her phone and talked quietly into the receiver, darting a glance in Vinny's direction every few seconds. She hung up the phone and stood up. "I'll show you to the conference room."

Keegan stood up and hugged Kerry. "See you soon," he said. "Then we can put this whole mess behind us."

Kerry gave him an extra squeeze before he stepped back. "You can always track down my mom and Debbie."

"This is where I'm needed." Keegan resumed his seat and picked up the magazine he'd abandoned.

Vinny clapped him on the back as the two of them followed Mabel down the hallway to the conference room at the very back. Two women were already in the room. One was the videographer setting up a camera to record the depositions, and the other was the court reporter unpacking her stenography equipment. Vinny introduced himself to both women, shook their hands, and gestured for Kerry to have a seat. He reviewed with him again what he could expect and the conduct he'd need to adhere to. Kerry figured this was mostly for show because Vinny had a devilish twinkle in his eye that spelled trouble. He figured it was code for "sit back and behave because I've got this under control."

Two newcomers entered the conference room a few minutes later. The first man was tall, slender, with thick gray hair nearly the same color as his expensive suit. It took Kerry a second to recognize the second man, who somehow slouched while wearing a rigid back brace. The black device stood out against his untucked and wrinkled white dress shirt, which was likely the intended effect. Keith Bozeman raised his head and briefly met Kerry's gaze, but it was enough to show off his sallow skin and bloodshot eyes. He looked like he'd just rolled out of bed after a hard bender and threw on the first thing he could find.

"Roger," Vinny said, extending his hand to the attorney.

"Good to see you again, Vinny." Roger Ryker was cordial but tense. "Let's take a seat so we can get started."

Kerry didn't look in Bozeman's pitiful direction even once as the court reporter took control of the room and signaled for the videographer to record. She introduced herself as Selma Brown, then stated the date and time of the meeting before introducing the parties present, including the videographer.

"It looks like we're missing the deponent named Charles Dahl and his legal counsel. Is anyone aware of the circumstances there?" Selma asked.

And that was the opening Vinny needed. "He's being detained for driving under the influence, aggravated vandalism against my client's commercial property, and assaulting a police officer." Vinny turned a hard stare in Bozeman's direction. "The events occurred on Saturday evening after Mr. Dahl met with Keith Bozeman to discuss their scam against my client."

"Nonsense," Roger Ryker yelled. "How dare you sully my client with your accusations?"

Vinny pulled out a small stack of photographs from a folder and slid them across the table. "I believe this is your client with Mr. Bozeman."

"There's no date stamp on this photograph." Ryker looked over at his client and noticed the sweaty sheen on his pallid face. Bozeman kept his gaze down and didn't acknowledge what Vinny said about him. The attorney sounded less confident when he added, "It could've been taken years ago."

Vinny hit a button on his cell phone. Bar noises and angry male voices filled the room.

"You owe me, Chuck. I went to bat for you with my uncle and convinced him to invest in your company. If not for me, you wouldn't have the fancy new service truck." Keith Bozeman flinched when he heard his voice. "Lot of good that's done for you with your stupid stunt on the bridge. I thought you would've learned a lesson."

"Fuck you!" Chuck screamed. "I had everything under control, but those wimps weren't brave enough to listen to me. They called in Kerry Fucking Hart to save the day. The asshole has ruined my career twice now."

"This is no one's fault but your own," Bozeman yelled. "I did my part and got you the money you needed. Sober up and honor your part of the bargain on Monday."

"I'm going to hit that fuck boy right where it hurts the most," Chuck said. "His crew can't answer emergency calls if they don't have trucks to drive."

Vinny stopped the recording and sat back. "That's just the beginning of the damning evidence I have against you. Shall I continue?"

Keith Bozeman waved him off and then covered his face with both hands.

Ryker leaned toward his client. "I think it would be wise to drop the lawsuit, Keith. If you decide to continue, you'll need to hire new representation. You might reconsider the offer from Mr. Hart's insurance company."

Bozeman hung his head but nodded. Ryker assured Vinny that he'd file the dismissal paperwork by the end of the day. With that, Kerry and Vinny left the office. The reality of the moment didn't hit him until Keegan leaped to his feet upon seeing them.

"Well?"

The tension drained from Kerry's body, and he smiled at Keegan. "It's over."

"Yes!" Keegan threw his arms around Kerry's neck and hugged him tightly. "Now, we can celebrate with your family."

Pressing his lips to Keegan's ear, he said, "Or maybe we sneak off to someplace private."

"I need to head out, Kerry," Vinny said. The two men hugged, and Kerry thanked him profusely. "Are you kidding? Dom and Sven did most of the legwork. Let's do dinner sometime soon. I don't get to see you guys enough, and I'd like to get to know your guy."

"I'll talk to Mom and put something together."

"Sounds good. Take care." And then Vinny was off with his phone pressed to his ear.

Kerry hauled Keegan back into his arms. "About that celebration…" His voice drifted off when it sounded like a stampede of elephants, or possibly a zombie horde, was approaching the lawyer's office. After some pushing and elbowing, Lucinda came through the door first. "Hello, Ma."

"We saw Vinny leaving," she said as she rushed forward. "He looked especially smug."

"As he should be," Kerry said. Accepting there was no way he could sneak off now, he looped an arm around Lucinda's shoulders. "I'll tell everyone about it over lunch."

"To the Cheesecake Factory!" Lucinda called out in a near battle cry. "My treat." That earned clapping and cheers.

Kerry and Keegan joined hands and followed the group down the sidewalk toward the restaurant. "That poor staff doesn't have a clue what they're in for, do they?"

Keegan laughed and nudged him with his elbow. "Your family is wonderful."

"That's not in dispute," Kerry replied. "But you have to admit they're a lot to handle sometimes, especially to people who don't know them."

"Fair point." Keegan looked up at him with a coy smile. "So, do you have some free time after lunch?"

"I'm taking the entire day off," Kerry replied. "Have something in mind?"

Keegan smiled and nodded. "A few things. I didn't bring index cards with me, but I can still give you a choice."

"Okay, let's hear my options."

"We finally watch Jurassic Park , eat popcorn with M&M's, and then we engage in animalistic sex where I make you roar like a T-Rex."

Kerry nearly stumbled over his two feet. "Damn, that sounds like a perfect afternoon. Favorite movie, favorite snack, my favorite guy, and my favorite activity. I don't even need to know the second choice. I want that!"

"You're not even a little tempted to know what else I had in mind?" Keegan teased.

Kerry stopped a few feet away from his family since they'd nearly caught up to the horde. "Of course I want to hear it. Just know it couldn't possibly be as perfect."

Keegan slid his arms around Kerry's waist. "We fuck like animals until you roar like a T-Rex, then we watch Jurassic Park to rate your impersonation while eating popcorn and M&M's."

Kerry pursed his lips and pretended to think hard. That's when he noticed the rest of his family had disappeared inside the restaurant. "Let's go!" He grabbed Keegan's hand, and they ran for the parking lot.

"You didn't tell me which option you chose," Keegan called out as they ran.

"I will always choose to get you naked before anything else." And that's just what he did.