Page 62 of Losing his Daddy

Our waiter returned right as I pulled away from the kiss. I thanked him as I took the glasses from his tray. He drifted back into the crowd with ease. Not wanting to risk anything, I sipped from both glasses to ensure there was no mix up in the back. Both proved to be what I’d requested.

I handed Gerald his. “Here you go. When you need more, let me know. I’ll take care of it.”

He shook his head. “This is too much. You’re not the one who…”

I knew what he meant. I wasn’t the submissive. I wasn’t the one who should be waiting on him.

“Didn’t we discuss this before? I’m getting déjà vu,” I teased.

He smiled demurely. “We did. I just feel like it might be a touch uneven. I don’t want to confuse things.”

“There is no confusion here for me. I know who you are and who I am. I know what you mean to me, which hopefully one day I’ll mean as much to you. Sometimes we have to change things up a bit given the situations we find ourselves in. Let me be the guide you need tonight. We are still who we are beneath anything that happens.”

Gerald didn’t respond right away. His eyes drank me in, going over my words over and over. I could see him working through them in his head.

I didn’t dare rush him. There was no need. We had the entire night together. And if I played my cards right, I’d have the rest of my life to prove to him just how serious I was about everything.

“Ok. I’ll let up again tonight. But I really wish you’d have mentioned this before we arrived. I was prepared for battle, and you’ve put me in the reserves.”

His description felt so fitting. To him, everywhere like this was a battleground. An unknown place, with people he might or might not agree with. He’d be surrounded by temptation as well.

It hit me then how monumental it was he’d come with me. I pulled our linked hands between us, bringing his to meet my lips.

“I want to make a promise to you, Gerald Grimes, here and now. I will forever be your safe place. The person you can trust to take care of things when you can’t. The person who walks by your side proudly. The person who will bribe any and everyone to get you the things you need, whether it be non-alcoholic drinks, a place to nap quietly, or a haircut at the last minute.”

He laughed as I referenced everything we’d done earlier, including the nap he snuck between his haircut and our evening plans.

“Thank you,” he sighed. “Now, let’s get started. I’m sure you have a lot of people to greet. I want to get through them all.”

“What’s the rush? You’ve got plans later?” I teased him.

“Not really. I might have an idea or two of how we could spend the evening after this though. Only if you’re up for it. I’ve been sort of planning something.”

Before I could pry, I heard my name being called. Patrick and Tucker made their way through a gap in the crowd over to us.

“Look who it is!” Tucker squealed, then wrapped Gerald in a tight hug. “You look amazing!”

They pulled apart after a long hug. “You didn’t tell me you would be here.”

Tucker grinned and cut his eyes to Patrick. “I might have convinced him to get us tickets. I wanted to give you more backup if you needed it or in case Wes got called away. Plus, that thing we talked about is still on the table. I can totally help if you want.”

Gerald glanced at me briefly, then pulled the other man closer. I wanted to sneak over to listen, but Pat clapped me on the back for one of those guy handshakes. There was no pretense here, no posturing. We were truly friends, and I had a feeling he knew more about what Gerald and Tucker were talking about than I did.

I motioned towards them. “You know?”

He motioned zipping his lips. “I’m sworn to secrecy, I’m afraid. Though, I will say, I was rather shocked. Can’t wait to see how it goes.”

My mind fought to decipher the cryptic words my friend tossed out. He knew I’d overthink it, and the smirk he wore said he was enjoying himself.

Tucker moved back over to Pat with a gleam in his eye that hadn't been there before. “This is going to be the best night! Wes, can you lead our party around? I doubt I know most of these people and Daddy couldn't care less.”

“That’s a true statement,” Pat added.

I checked on Gerald to see how the Daddy slip hit him. He was smiling over at me, his face the picture of calm. It was like he didn’t care at all.

Inside, I could feel my heart speed up at the implication. While it had been months since we talked about Clancy and the rough last few months of his life, there hadn’t been any obvious proof that Gerald was strong in the ‘moved on’ column with his past.

Now, I wasn’t an idiot. He’d battle with insecurity and loss for the rest of his life. I didn’t need a psychology degree to know that. It was more that I needed to know I could bring him around others like us, that I could take him to Club Deny and know he wouldn’t be triggered.

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