My stomach clenched at the thought. As much as I dreaded that conversation, I knew it couldn’t be put off forever. Especially not with Dayton. He was too good a friend, too important to me, to keep this from him for much longer.
“Yeah,” I said heavily. “But we will have to tell them soon. I hate keeping secrets from the people I care about.”
Forest reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “I know. I’m sorry I’ve put you in this position. If you want to back out…”
“No,” I cut him off, turning my palm over to lace our fingers together. “I’m in this with you, Forest. For better or worse, remember?”
His answering smile was small but genuine, and I felt a now-familiar tug in my chest.
The day of the barbecue arrived, and my stomach bubbled with nerves as we pulled up to the park where it was being held. I helped Forest out of the car, steadying him with a hand on his elbow as he found his balance. We’d agreed on a simple story—that we’d met when he’d become my roommate and had hit it off, deciding to get married after a whirlwind romance. It was close enough to the truth that I hoped it would hold up under casual scrutiny.
As we made our way toward the crowd of people gathered on the grass, I kept my arm looped through Forest’s, feeling the slight tremor in his muscles. He was putting on a brave face, but I could tell he was anxious about all the attention we were likely to attract as a newly married couple.
I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ve got this. Just stick to the story and let me do most of the talking, okay?”
He nodded, letting out a slow breath. “Okay. I trust you.”
Those three little words hit me like a punch to the gut. He trusted me, even after everything I’d put him through these past weeks with my emotional distance and withdrawal. Guilt and longing warred within me, but I pushed the feelings down. Now wasn’t the time to get lost in my own inner turmoil.
We made our way to the cluster of picnic tables, where my coworkers were already gathered, the savory scent of grilled meat wafting on the breeze. Kaelan spotted us first, his face lighting up as he waved us over. “Nash! Forest! Over here!” he called out, drawing the attention of the others.
All eyes turned to us, and I felt Forest tense beside me. I gave his hand another squeeze before plastering on a smile and leading him forward.
“Hey, everyone,” I greeted as we reached the table. “I’d like you all to meet my husband, Forest.”
A chorus of surprised exclamations and congratulations followed my announcement. I fielded the barrage of questions as best I could, sticking to our preplanned story.
“When did this happen?”
“Just a few weeks ago. We wanted to keep it small and intimate.”
“How did you two meet?”
“He became my roommate a while back, and we just…clicked. It was a whirlwind romance.”
Through it all, Forest stayed quiet at my side, offering a shy smile and nod when appropriate. I could tell he was overwhelmed by all the attention. Hell, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed myself.
“Nash, you old dog!” A meaty hand clapped me on the shoulder. Jake, a firefighter from another station. I’d met him a few times, and crude didn’t even begin to describe him. At least he wasn’t homophobic. “I can’t believe you went and got hitched on us. Never thought I’d see the day you’d stop fucking around.”
I forced a chuckle, pulling Forest a little closer. “What can I say? When you know, you know.”
Kaelan threw an arm around my shoulders and announced, “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving. Let’s eat!”
Bless that man for saving my ass. He answered my look of gratitude with a wink.
There was a general murmur of agreement, and the group began to disperse toward the food tables laden with every barbecue dish imaginable. The smoky, mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat filled the air, mingling with the sweet and tangy scents of barbecue sauce, baked beans, and potato salad. Colorful picnic blankets were spread out on the grass, invitingpeople to sit and enjoy their meals. Coolers filled with icy drinks dotted the area, promising refreshment from the summer heat.
I kept a protective arm around Forest’s waist as we navigated through the crowd, his muscles slowly relaxing under my touch. Condensation dripped from the red Solo cups of lemonade and iced tea people held. Kids darted between the adults, their laughter ringing out across the grass along with the distant strains of upbeat music from a portable speaker.
I turned to Forest. “You doing okay?”
He nodded, though I could see the strain around his eyes. “I’m okay. Just a lot of people and noise. I might need to sit down soon.”
“Of course.” I spotted an empty picnic table a little removed from the main crowd. “How about over there? I’ll grab us some food and drinks.”
Relief flickered across his face. “That sounds perfect, thank you.”
I walked him over to the table, making sure he was settled before heading to the buffet line. I loaded up two plates, making sure to get a hearty portion of the barbecue ribs I knew were Forest’s favorite, along with some mac and cheese, cornbread, and coleslaw.
