The Current Between Us (28 page)

Rhonny scooted in next with about the same reaction. Sophia came to them, standing outside the car, ducking her head in at Em and Hunter
’s request. She took a couple more photos of Rhonny, Em, and Hunter inside the car before she rose, facing both Gage and Trent with tears swimming in her eyes. Trent knew the emotion, they shared it. Gage reached down to take his hand as Sophia came in to hug them both.

“
Ignore me. Just go, I’m really happy. Go!” Sophia said, taking several steps back, waving Trent off before lifting the camera again to snap more pictures with tears streaming down her face.

“
Babe, we have to go,” Gage said, looking between Sophia and Trent. Trent worried about leaving her alone in such an emotional state. At times like this he missed Lynn the most.

“
Go, Trent. I’m just very happy, I promise,” Sophia said and retreated again. “Go on, so I can get you guys leaving.”

“
Sophia, please email me the pictures,” Gage asked and offered up a hand to Trent encouraging him into the car. Trent slid inside with Gage’s hand on his lower back. Gage followed close behind. Emalynn was in straight up awe, touching everything. He and Gage sat along the back seat, while Rhonny sat on the side of the limo and Em and Hunter sat facing them in the front.

“
Look, Daddy, it’s wine chilling. Rhonny said it,” Em pointed to the two buckets filled with ice.

“
Very cool, Em. Hunter what’re you thinking about all this?” Trent asked. His son loved anything mobile, and Hunter’s big eyes searched the entire place although he stayed cool, calm, and collected, sitting back in his seat, his hands in his lap. Unusual behavior for Hunter.

“
I like it,” he said, his eyes fixing on the neon lights surrounding the roof of the car. They started down the street. Em and Hunter both went to the long side window where Rhonny sat, looking out. Their friends in the neighborhood still stood outside watching them pull away and Em and Hunter ate it up, waving at everyone as they drove past.

“
Rhonny, you look lovely tonight. What a great choice in gowns,” Gage said, pulling one of the two bottles chilling in the champagne buckets.

“
Thank you for all of this, Gage,” Rhonny said. Em moved to sit beside her.

“
Thank you, Gage,” Em said, finally scooting back on the seat, and placing her hands in her lap.

“
No thanks necessary, sweetheart,” Gage said, pulling the cork on the bottle. “I got you and Hunter sparkling white grape juice so we can all make a toast.” Gage poured two crystal champagne glasses, with not more than a swallow in each one for Em and Hunter. Then poured three glasses of champagne, handing one to Rhonny and one to Trent, before pouring the last one for himself.

Trent kept an eye on Em, but Hunter held most of his attention. His little boy seemed to be changing in front of him. Maybe this was part of growing up. As he continued to watch Hunter, it occurred to Trent that Hunter mimicked his moves and mannerisms. Hunter sat quietly, his suit jacket unbuttoned, one hand in his lap, the other carefully holding the champagne glass, and he just watched Trent. A smile tore across his face; it amazed him how such a small gesture filled his heart with unbelievable flattery and warmth. His Hunter was trying to be like him. He winked at Hunter who winked back, both eyes closing in Hunter
’s sweet wink back to him.

“
I have a toast to make,” Gage announced to everyone. They all turned his way as he raised his glass.

“
I believe people come into your life for a reason and as important as this night may be to me, having you all here, sharing it with me makes every moment of it better,” Gage said. He lifted his glass higher. “So this toast is for you, Hunter, Em, Rhonny, and Trent. Thank you for being here with me tonight.”

Gage extended his hand and everyone followed his lead. They clinked their glasses together and drank from their crystal champagne glasses. Gage turned on the radio, showed Rhonny how to find the music, and the children went immediately into investigation mode, turning on every light, the television, and touching all the neat gadgets the limo offered them. Rhonny soon went into texting mode, snapping pictures and sending them to her friends and family. She snapped pictures of everything from herself, to the kids, to Trent and Gage together, even proclaiming everything was now documented on Facebook. Trent stayed quiet, his champagne glass in his hand, watching his family as Gage moved around the limo answering all of Hunter and Em
’s questions. Gage stayed patient with Em and Hunter through it all. After a few minutes, Gage made it back to his seat beside Trent and took his hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss on the knuckles.

“
You didn’t have to do all this—” Trent chuckled at the look on Gage’s face when he started the sentence. He changed it up in mid-thought and re-stated it. “Thank you, we’re very grateful. Everyone looks really nice.”

“
I like that response so much better,” Gage said, leaning in a little closer and sniffing. “I like your scent. I need to know what you wear. Are you nervous?” Gage asked, staying close to Trent’s face. Gage’s eyes seemed to focus on his lips, waiting for him to answer.

“
A little,” Trent said.

“
Don’t be, you’ll be fine, I promise.” They made great time to the gallery, staying somewhat on schedule even in the traffic surrounding the building. When they were about five minutes from the front door, Gage pulled them all together.

“
Listen, guys, here’s what we do when we get out of the limo. Hopkins, my head of security, will be standing right by the car door. Rhonny you step out first, Hopkins will be there to help you. Take his hand and stand up, but stay close to the car. Hunter, you go next and then Hunter you stand by the car door and take Em’s hand, helping her out, okay?” Gage explained, and Trent chuckled at the three sets of big eyes just staring at him, soaking it all in.

“
The area’s roped off, but we have so many big names coming, they’ve already sent messages to me that the press cameras are lining up. I want you to walk straight up to the front doors. I want you to look up, with smiles on your faces. Just look and focus on the front doors. The flashes won’t blind you so badly. My security will stay with you the entire way, even inside until your dad and I get there. Trent, I want you to walk up with me. I’ll get out first and then help you out. Got it, everyone?” Gage asked, nodding his head, smiling, clearly trying to encourage them on, and they all sat there staring back at him, not one of them smiling or saying a word.

“
Got it?” Gage asked again, lifting his brow this time, but the silence continued.

“
Do I need to go over it again?” Gage asked as they waited for their turn in a long line of limos in the front of the gallery.

“
Maybe I should go with them,” Trent added, looking at the kids. They seemed to be getting smaller by the second.

“
I would like you to walk with me, Trent. I want the world to know I found you,” Gage said, gripping Trent’s hand a little tighter. Gage’s last words seemed to bring Rhonny out of her haze.

“
I can get the kids up there. We’ll wait inside for you,” she said, and he watched Rhonny trying to regain her confidence.

“
We can do this, right, guys?” she said, lifting her hand for a high five, but it took a second for each child to lift a hand for a half-hearted high five. His Hunter and Em were nervous and it showed on their faces. A few seconds later, they pulled to the front of the building, and they were all quietly staring out the darkened windows. Gage was right, the cameras were lined up, the night already dark, and the excitement filled the air with everyone outside wondering who might be in this limo. The side door opened, and after a brief pause, everything clicked into gear.

“
Rhonny, you first. Hopkins is security. He’ll stand there with you, then walk you all up,” Gage said as a hand came down into the car. “That’s him. Now remember to smile for me, and keep your head up.” Rhonny did as instructed and Gage smiled proudly back at Hunter.

“
Hunter, man, you next, then Em. Remember to smile. Let me see your smiles.” Gage waited for them to smile before continuing. “Now keep them just like this until you get inside,” Gage instructed. Hunter climbed out of the car, and then helped Em do the same. Trent leaned his head over and watched them walk into the building. Em almost pranced as she walked up the carpeted runway, and he couldn’t help but smile even with all the nerves running through him.

“
Em’s a natural,” Gage said, watching them closely, too. “Okay, Trent baby, I’m getting out. I’ll stand and button my jacket, then put my hand in for you. I know you can get out on your own; it’s more of a symbolic gesture. I’ll keep and hold your hand the entire time while walking slightly ahead of you. We don’t stop. We keep walking forward. Hold your head up, smile and stay with me no matter where I go, okay? These cameras aren’t here for me, but for the celebrities coming tonight. This is just the first time I’ve ever brought anyone to anything; someone may be interested. Good?” Gage didn’t wait for him to answer, but kissed his lips quickly and got out of the car. Trent followed as instructed and prayed the heated blush he felt wasn’t visible on his cheeks quite yet.

Gage reached a hand into the limo. Trent took it and stood, but couldn
’t help but look down. The flashing blinded him. Trent fumbled at buttoning his jacket, but got it done, and Gage stood in front of him blocking everything for a moment. He whispered a quick word of encouragement, but Trent couldn’t hear over the questions being hurled at Gage from the photographers and reporters mobbing the runway to the door.

“
Is this your boyfriend, Mr. Synclair? Is this why you’re retiring? Were those your children?”

They were still by the limo
. Gage leaned in closer and whispered loudly in Trent’s ear, “Let’s go, handsome. Take my hand, look at the front doors, and smile your charming smile. You know the one you give when you forget you’re keeping yourself at a distance from me.”

It caused Trent to look up and meet Gage
’s gaze. “There we go, now smile… Yes, perfect. Let’s go,” Gage said. He took Trent’s hand, leading the way to the gallery. Gage looked at the crowd and waved, but Trent didn’t, he walked forward, a step or two behind Gage, keeping their hands together. His face focused on the front doors, and Em and Hunter’s little heads were stuck in the window, watching him walk up. When he saw them, they waved, and he couldn’t help but smile bigger as he made his way through the reporters and photographers. His children were so excited watching them walk up.

“
Daddy, they took your picture, too!” Em said, running the few steps to him when Gage opened the door and propelled him through first.

“
That was crazy, wasn’t it?” Trent said, placing his hand on the back of her head. He looked up at the completed gallery, unprepared for the elegance. One of Gage’s photos, the shot he loved the most hung right up front. It was the only one unveiled in the studio. Gage had snapped the photo of children playing in a natural spring while covering the tsunami in Sri Lanka. Destruction lay all around them in the background of the photo, but the children’s faces held genuine delight in the spraying water raining down on them. It sank in a little more who Gage Synclair actually was in this world.

Trent looked down at Em
’s smiling face and then looked back at the photo. If he were ever going to have a framed photo of Gage’s, this would be the one. It took a minute, but he realized Hunter was tugging on his jacket, and he looked down again.

“
Daddy, I walked with my head up and smiled like Gage told me to,” Hunter said. Hunter stood close to Gage now and they were still in the doorway, cameras still clicking away.

“
I’m very proud of you, Hunter. You did really good. Em and Rhonny, too,” Trent said, but he turned to Gage. “That’s my favorite picture out of all the ones I’ve ever seen.”

“
Thank you, it’s mine, too,” Gage said, giving him a small smile. “Come this way. Let me get you three on the back patio with my family. You’ll enjoy the whole experience more that way.”

Chapter 17

Gage ignored all requests for his attention and ushered them to the back patio. A gentle breeze blew and although the night was completely dark now, the area was reasonably blocked in and climate controlled. The festively decorated patio splashed with color shooting out from every corner. The understated elegance of the main room evaporated, and in its place a decidedly fun, easy, and definitely casual area for gathering took shape. Trent couldn’t believe the transformation now that the decoration and patio furniture had been added. Gage had done an outstanding job pulling it all together. A string quartet played in the corner, quietly filling the night with music, drowning everything else out. A small buffet took shape along a side wall and a mobile bar resided in the back of the patio.

The area was already packed and he
’d seen many of these faces on local television. Everyone in the room seemed beautiful and well put together. Nothing about the occasion appeared new to them. They were at home in the elegance of what they wore. Gage escorted them directly to one table in the front of the patio and began to make quick introductions.