“Heard it all already!” Sydney cried out.
The crowd laughed, which helped to ease Chad’s nerves. He risked a glanced at Owen, whose head was bent, staring at the table. But the man’s whole body was tense. He was listening. Chad knew it.
He licked his lips. “But there is always that one person who’s worth it. That person you’ll lay your pride on the line for. That person who makes you want to be the best you can be, and you can’t imagine your life without them. And when you find that person, you gotta do all you can to keep them.” He turned to Austin and Marley and raised his glass. “I’m glad you both found that person in each other. I love you, and wish you many, many years of wedded bliss.”
Then he gulped his entire glass of champagne.
Chapter Sixteen
Owen didn’t know what to do. He ate his food robotically, listening to coworkers talk about the amazing engagement and how they should take pictures for a Gamers article and a zillion things that went in one ear and out the other.
But there is always that one person who’s worth it. And when you find that person, you gotta do all you can to keep them.
Chad’s words played over and over again in his head. Was he imagining the glances Chad had sent his way? Was there any meaning to them beyond wanting to wish Austin and Marley well?
He dared to hope. Because he didn’t know how not to.
Owen took a gulp of his tea and glanced up. Chad was staring at him. Owen watched as Chad stood up and whispered something in Marley’s ear. She nodded, patted his arm, and said something back. Then Chad glanced at Owen one more time and began walking on a path around the back of the stage.
Someone was talking to Owen, but he didn’t even know who or what it was about. He mumbled, “Excuse me,” and got up, wishing he’d had more than one glass of champagne.
He took off on the path after Chad, darting glances left and right as the trail meandered in a densely forested area of the park. He stopped walking as he spotted Chad about ten yards ahead of him, leaning casually against a tree.
They stared at each other for a full minute before Chad straightened up from the tree and stuck his hands in the pockets of his pants. He toed a loose rock on the ground, head bent, and when he lifted it to look at Owen again, his expression was somber. “You look good.”
Owen blinked. “You do, too.”
Chad gnawed on his lip. “I got a helmet.”
This wasn’t how Owen had thought the conversation would go if they talked again. “I noticed. That’s…good.”
“I do care. About my well-being,” Chad said.
“Okay.”
Chad took a step forward, hesitantly. Owen didn’t move as Chad ran a hand through his hair. “I care about yours, too. Your well-being, I mean.”
“Chad—”
“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could do a lot of things over, but I can’t. I wish I’d told you where I was working. And why. I wish I hadn’t said those things to you in the bathroom. I wish I’d handled a lot of things differently.”
“It’s not all your fault,” Owen said. “I smothered you. And some of it was altruistic, because I wanted to encourage you to follow your dream. But it was selfish, too. I thought if I made myself useful to you that you’d consider staying with me.”
Chad cocked his head. “What?”
“Chad, you’re…” Owen waved his hand, searching for words. “You’re light and fun and spontaneous. Shiny things distract you.” Owen took a step forward. “I wanted to stay shiny for you.”
“O,” Chad groaned. “I don’t need you to be shiny. I just need you not to give up on me.”
Owen took another step forward at the same time Chad did. They stood within touching distance. “Does that mean you’re giving me another shot not to give up on you?”
Chad nodded. “I know we still have some stuff to talk about, and I need to explain about that night but…yeah. Yeah, O, I want to give this another shot.” His gaze shifted down Owen’s chest and then back to his face, then Chad’s lips quirked. “Plus, you look really hot in that harness.”
Owen grinned. “You look pretty hot yourself.” He reached out and ran the back of his fingers along the stubble on Chad’s jaw. Chad’s eyelashes fluttered as he leaned into the touch. “You wanna blow this joint and head to my place?” Owen asked.
Chad brushed his chest along Owen’s then leaned in to run his nose along Owen’s neck. “I know something I wanna blow.”
Owen groaned and palmed Chad’s ass, pressing their hips together. “I’m not messing around in this damn park again.” Chad’s mouth was open on Owen’s neck now, and he was sucking on the skin. Owen shifted. “My place. Now.”