Put a Ring on It (23 page)

The blocking was terrible.

Too many bodies down right, when the main action was upstage. They needed a bump up in key lighting, not to rely on backing light. You couldn’t see any reactions.

Kieran shouted, “Stop,” and, “Turn it off,” at the cameraman, but it was his hand aimed at the lens that made the guy back off several steps.

Martin reached for Kieran to pull him away from the cameraman.

Kieran twisted out of his grasp. “What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought you were his friend.”

Meanwhile Uncle Spiro lurched to his feet, bellowing, “Is this my big break?” He mocked out a dance, humming “Tea for Two” while doing a decent twirl with his cane before tipping his hat. The camera swung away from Kieran and onto Spiro.

Mama lunged over Uncle Spiro’s abandoned chair. “Aggie, he’s going to break his other hip. For God’s sake, stop him.”

Mama didn’t quite clear the chair, ending up draped over it, legs kicking as it started to overbalance.

Not bad for a first attempt at slapstick. Not that it would bring down a house. Just good enough for Luke and Bastien to start snorting as Dad snapped, “Lukas, help your mother.”

This was what Theo lived for, what he was good at, what he’d honed since he started out as a flyman working ropes for
Phantom
while he was still in school.

He fixed things. Made them better. Turned chaos into perfection.

They just needed a push to turn this into comedy gold. The crazy family, raging lover, poorly timed reunion, and high stakes in the form of a camera.

“Excuse me, Dad.” Theo’s voice projected calm and confidence.

Except this was his ridiculous family, his furious lover, and his failings being recorded to be exposed for a digital eternity. Bastien was even creating a backup on his phone in case Kieran was successful in keeping the cameraman from getting the best shots.

Theo walked past them all and out the door into the lush green air.

NOW KIERAN
knew why celebrities smashed people’s phones. He was about ten seconds from knocking this guy on his ass.

Getting in the face of the producer, Kieran said, “Take the cameraman out of here now or we’ll stop the whole thing. You can have Casey tell his viewers how he screwed it all up.”

The producer nodded at the camera guy, who shut off his light.

“Hey, get married or don’t. It’s money in the bank either way,” Martin said. “Though I’m surprised at you, kid. This is your meal ticket too.”

Fury—a pure, clean charge of it—rocketed adrenaline to every part of Kieran’s body. He shot forward, but his hands never quite landed on Martin before a grip bit into Kieran’s shoulders and dragged him away.

Kieran jabbed his elbows backward and got a satisfying grunt and rush of wind as he connected, but the grip didn’t slacken. It tightened, lacing between his arms and back and pinning him against the man who held him.

“You’re still on camera,” Gideon grunted in Kieran’s ear. “I would think one viral video was enough for a lifetime.”

“I’ll take care of my nephew.” Theo’s dad moved toward where Theo’s cousin was panning with his phone.

Gideon shifted in a way that made Kieran’s shoulders ache. “If I let you go, are you going to kill anyone on camera?”

“No.”

“That tone doesn’t sell it. Exactly what were you planning to do once you got a grip on Martin?”

“I don’t know,” Kieran admitted, though murder had registered high in probability at that moment.

“Let’s take a walk.” Gideon kept a grip on one arm, and they went out the doors that led to the Sunset Terrace.

Kieran wondered if Nalani, my name means calm and tranquil, would be surprised at how well everyone was getting along before the rehearsal reception. Gideon steered Kieran toward the end where birds of paradise hung heavy over the stone wall that enclosed the terrace.

He wanted to walk, burn off some of the heat urging him to do something. He’d never gotten why people punched walls before, but his fists seemed to be clenching and unclenching without his control.

“Take a breath,” Gideon suggested unhelpfully.

“Yeah, I’m sure that’ll help a lot.” Kieran shoved his fists into his pockets. “How could Martin do that to him?”

“Welcome to show business—wait, that was all about Theo?”

“What happened to you knowing him for half your lives? You don’t know how he feels about his family? How cut off he is?” Kieran jammed his foot against the top of the wall. “Bastard wanted it all on film. He set Theo up.”

“He’s quite the charmer,” Gideon agreed.

Kieran thought about beheading a bird of paradise but slouched onto the wall instead. “And his dad—fuck it. I’m going to go find Theo.” He started forward, but Gideon stopped him with a hand across his chest like a human seat belt. “What now?”

Gideon spoke in a murmur. “Maybe Theo’s about to find you.”

Voices carried from the breezeway’s tile flooring.

“It’s been great any way you slice it, but God, what we could have done if you’d stuck with the last one…”

Martin loved to hear himself talk. Kieran had heard that voice a thousand times, grating from Theo’s cell phone.

“…Jason, right? Now he was full-on camera ready. Hair. Looks. Clothes.”

Jason. As in Theo’s ex-boyfriend Jason? As Kieran’s brain made the connection, he looked at Gideon, who nodded in confirmation.

“Damn well should have been. I spent enough money on all three of them for him.” Theo’s voice was hard. Like nothing Kieran had heard from him before.

“This kid, though—”
This kid
should have punched Martin in his face. “—what’s he bringing to the table? Well, besides his United Colors of Benetton family to get us a decent cross demographic.”

Us? Kieran waited to hear Theo defend him, to tell Martin where to shove his cross demographic.

“I’m in love with him, Martin.”

Not a defense, but at least Theo wasn’t agreeing with this asshole.

“Yeah? Next time pick a musician if you’re sick of actors. Much better angle.”

“There’s not going to be a next time. I’m marrying Kieran. Tomorrow.”

“Assuming he doesn’t follow through on his threat to stop it.”

“Then we’ll get married somewhere else.”

It should have been exactly what Kieran wanted to hear. It was what he’d wanted, what Theo had promised. Nothing mattered but them.

So why were goose bumps breaking out all over Kieran’s arms, crawling up the back of his neck?

Their voices faded for a moment and then returned, louder as they came along the breezeway. In a couple more steps, they’d be in view.

Martin was talking. What a surprise. “…call it off or don’t. Doesn’t matter. Pfarrer is ready to sign for shares. Hell, you could start auditions when you get back to New York if you wanted.”

“No one is calling this off.”

“Right. This time it’s for real. The big finish. Like it was with Jason? Weren’t you thinking of marrying him too?” Martin laughed. “That’s why you’re so good at stagecraft, Theo. You believe the show is reality. Anyway, I’ll see you tonight. Heartbreak or romance, it’s a win either way.”

Footsteps slapped on the tile, moving away.

Gideon moved his arm. Kieran had forgotten it was there, holding him on the terrace. He wobbled, then caught his balance.

“Sorry. I did try to warn you.” Gideon’s voice was almost kind.

THEO TOOK
two steps and got a chest full of Kieran coming around a pillar. “Hey. Don’t bump your head again. I was just coming to find you. Sorry I had to—” Theo’s scrotum hiked his balls up close to his body, like he’d stepped into an ice bath. His brain was slower to see the warning signs. “What’s wrong?”

Kieran’s body was strung tight as a guy wire, face all hard angles. Theo blinked, got a bigger picture. The terrace. Gideon. Familiar looking bushes. Because Theo had just seen them from the other side.

Oh. Shit.

“How much did you hear?” He reached for Kieran but fell short, as if pushed away by the force field of Kieran’s anger.

Kieran’s jaw remained clenched shut.

Gideon swung his legs over the low wall and stepped into the breezeway. “I’m going to hazard a guess and say we caught pretty much all of it. The worst parts at least.”

“Kieran?”

He wouldn’t meet Theo’s eyes. Shrunken in on himself, Kieran stared at a point off in the distance.

“Actually,” Gideon went on. “Kieran seems to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time to catch up on the news. Did you tell Theo about the last time you listened in?”

“Go ahead.” Kieran spat the words out. “Tell him anything you want. I really don’t fucking care anymore.” He ducked around Theo and stalked off.

Theo took a step after him, his reach exceeding his grasp once again.

“I’d let him go.” Gideon stood behind him.

Theo knew that. Knew the worst thing in the world would be to corner Kieran now. But standing there with nothing to hold on to but a carved post felt exactly like giving up.

His thumbnail dug into the line of a hibiscus flower petal, sinking into the varnish, deep into the wood. Not that the truth ever did anything but make a bad situation worse, but at this point it was better to know what he was facing. “The last time?”

Gideon moved to face him. “You told me you met at a coffee place. That wouldn’t by any chance be the one on Eighty-Third Street? The one where we met for your little intervention last month?”

“Yeah.” Last month. It seemed like years ago. Theo’s conscience was clear on that score, though. “I didn’t say anything then I wouldn’t say to his face.”

“Unlike now?”

“No, that wasn’t me. It was all Martin.”

“Huh.” Gideon rested his hand just above Theo’s. “Who does Martin work for again?”

“He’s actually a limited partner—shit.” Theo laced his hands behind his head and pressed the top of his head gently into the hibiscus flower. “But Kieran knows Martin is full of crap.”

“Which crap would that be? The number of times you’ve ‘fallen in love’ since I’ve known you or that the objects of your affection are usually reasonably talented and attractive actors?”

Theo lifted his head. “Not true. Eric was a shitty actor.”

Gideon did not pick up the cue. “Or maybe it was the information that all of your wedding hype had served its purpose and the actual completion didn’t matter.”

“It does matter.” The words tore out of Theo, ripped from his gut. God, he was so close. He could feel Kieran’s hands in his under the chuppah, the breeze coming in off the ocean. The sun kissing the water as Theo kissed his husband for the first time.

“I’m not sure that part of the message was clear.”

Theo straightened from his lean. “Then I can damned well make it clear.” Now that he knew what had gone wrong, he could fix it. Except…. “What did Kieran mean by tell me anything you want?”

Gideon had an even better poker face than Kieran. But Theo had had years of experience in reading Gideon, so he knew exactly when Gideon decided how and what to answer. He also knew Gideon had changed his mind about what he was going to say.

“After you and Jax and Dane left, Kieran and I had a brief conversation. And then a few others by phone.”

“The prenup? Because I introduced you last night and he didn’t say anything.”

Gideon’s nod was close to subliminal. More of a deep blink. “Among other things.”

“What other things?”

“I think that should be something you ask him. Preferably before six o’clock tomorrow evening.”

Life hadn’t given Gideon any good reasons to trust people—even before Dane broke his heart—but it didn’t stop Gideon from being the most loyal man Theo knew. And now he was extending that to Kieran.

Gideon’s nose wrinkled like a skunk had trotted through the breezeway. “I know that sappy expression. Whatever it is, don’t.”

Theo smiled. “Gideon, thank you.”

Gideon crossed his arms. “For what?”

“Martin told me you intervened earlier.”

“Yeah. Kept me from punching him myself. Manipulative fuck.”

That was for sure. Setting the whole thing up— “Oh my God, my family’s here.”

“Yup.”

One disaster at a time. Except they were all converging, like the lead up to an act one curtain. Leave ’em hanging. Get the audience back in their seats after intermission.

“Theo. You’ve had my back since the day we met. If you need help, just ask.”

“Yeah, like that’s so easy for you.”

“Not my show.” Gideon brushed Theo’s shoulder.

“You met them at graduation. Could you just… keep the damage to a minimum?”

“Damage control from an insurance lawyer. Yeah, I think I can manage that.”

“Thank you.”

To Theo’s surprise, Gideon wrapped him in a tight hug and kissed him before whispering, “I love you. Always will.”

When Gideon released him, Theo fought a hint of panic. He couldn’t handle another disaster. Not a personal one. Not—

“You’re all right, aren’t you?” He studied Gideon for any sign of illness.

“Yes, I’m fine. Same bastard I always was. Blame it on tequila and too many damned flowers around here.”

“Okay.” Theo slipped his hand into his pocket to brush his room key. Kieran would be there.

“Hey. Martin may be full of bullshit, but before you talk to Kieran, you might want to think about something the asshole said.” The uncharacteristic gentleness in Gideon’s voice made Theo pay closer attention than if Gideon had shouted.

“What?”

“Are you in love with the idea or the guy?”

THEO STROKED
his fingers along the key card, then tapped it against the ring on his finger before knocking on the door to their room. Cheap bastard McMann hadn’t put them in a suite. Theo could have used some extra room to pace.

“Kieran?”

“Yeah.”

Not exactly an invitation, but it wasn’t
fuck off
either. Theo slid the key through the lock. Kieran had been stretched out on the bed—at least they’d gotten a king—and as Theo came in, he rolled up to sit on the side facing the door.