“Hello, my name is Declan Holt. My husband and I got married in Vegas several weeks ago, and I need to contact the wedding chapel, but I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the place.”
Mentioning I was too drunk to remember I got married didn’t seem pertinent.
“What’s your husband’s name?”
“Hayden Marin.”
Computer keys clacked in the dead air, and then the lady said, “Love Me Tender Chapel of Love.”
I groaned at the ridiculousness of the name. The only thing I could think of that would be worse was Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Love. I thanked the lady and searched for the chapel’s number.
“Love Me Tender.”
“Hello, my husband and I were married there several weeks ago, and I was wondering if you took photos?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Fabulous. Is there any way I could get the digital files sent to me?”
“Absolutely. There is a fee.”
“I’ll pay it.”
Moments and several hundred dollars charged to my credit card later, and the photos and the video of the wedding were in my inbox. They weren’t great, but they were better than nothing, and everything said to include them. I printed out the couple where we didn’t look utterly trashed and added a couple of me.
I’d never felt so ridiculous in my life. Every negative thing I could think crossed my brain as I held the photos in my hand as I stood over the box. Hell, the thoughts were still running through my head now, and I mailed that damn package weeks ago.
Just like I had the day I put those photos in the sappy ass “missing you” card I tucked in the box next to an even sappier handwritten letter, I shoved aside the negative thoughts and self-doubt. While I didn’t know if they’d end up at the bottom of the ocean or not, I wanted him to know I was thinking of him.
A fucking lot.
Like all the damn time.
The man had invaded my psyche, and I couldn’t escape his presence.
Not that I wanted to, but if I was going to be hounded by him, I’d prefer it be the live-action version and not the ethereal one. I wanted him all up in my business, pushing me as hard as I would let him and nudging me an inch further out of my comfort zone.
Dammit. I wanted my Papi back.
Istilldidn’t know how the fuck we would figure this shit out. I only knew that his being away gave me time to think, which was a double-edged sword. It gave me the chance to come to terms with the man I was with him, which was so fucking different than who I was with anyone else. Ever. With him, I wanted to hand over control and let him take care of me. I’d never wanted anyone to take care of me. Mama and Daddy always said I was in such a hurry to grow up and so damn determined to take care of myself that they hadn’t known what to do with me.
“Hey kid, you doing okay?”
Walker’s voice pulled me out of my head. Looking up at him, I said, “Same as every other day.”
“So confused, lonely, and horny.”
“Damn, old man, what are you doing thinking about me that way?” I jokingly asked him.
“Defensive? That’s never been a good deflector during an interrogation.”
“So, now I’m being interrogated?”
“Hmm. One would think my old man would’ve trained you up better than to answer a question with a question?”
I swallowed the growl that built in my throat and glared at him when his head fell back as he burst out laughing at me.
I stood up and headed out the door, stopping when my phone buzzed in my pocket. My heart hit my feet before bouncing up into my throat. I grappled for something to keep me upright. I couldn’t believe it. He’d emailed me. Which meant he got the package.
