Page 57 of Subtracting the Heart

He shook it, hearing it rattle. He saw the tag on top read,Borrowed, so he tore it open, excited to see what was inside. Much to his shock, it was his grandfather’s World War II dog tags on the original chain.

Ford had no idea where they’d come from, but he was starting to worry. How would Cade have come into possession of the dog tags?

He quickly picked up the last package with the tag,Blue. It was soft as well, so he opened it quickly, finding a blue, silk garter with white trim. There was a tiny, goldDhanging from it, and that really had him puzzled.

Cade came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, steam invading the bedroom from what must have been a scorching shower. He walked to the bed.

“What’s all this?” He picked up the handkerchief to examine it.

Ford chuckled. “You know damn well what it is, sweetheart. I’d be offended at having been labeled thebrideif this watch wasn’t so exquisite. Did you get Jax one to match?” Ford handed the watch to his young lover.

Ford saw the stunned look on Cade’s face as he examined the watch and then looked up. “Bix, this didn’t come from me. It must be from Jax in honor of your wedding. It’s customary to buy a gift for the spouse-to-be. I got the two of you wedding gifts, but nothing this fancy. I’m a man of limited means.”

Jax came out of the other bathroom with a towel around his waist and another around his neck as he dried his hair. “What’s wrong?”

Ford looked at Cade to see he had the same look on his face… one of disbelief.

“These things. This is amazing, Jackson.” Cade walked over to take his hand, leading him to the bed. Jax perused the torn paper and the gifts Ford had carefully lined up on the bed.

The big man picked up the dog tags and read them, glancing at Ford. “Who’s this?”

“My grandfather, Silas Branford Thomas. He fought in World War II.”

Jax placed them gently in the box from which they’d come. “That’s cool.” With that, he went to the dresser and grabbed a pair of boxer briefs, pulling them on.

“Where’d you get them? They look authentic, Lucky.” Cade picked them up and examined them again.

A puzzled expression crossed Jax’s face. “Baby, I didn’t do this. I’m not that romantic. I wish I was, but that’s something our Cade would do, not me.”

The three of them stared at each other, unsure of what to do or say. It was truly a mystery.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Jax

Jax watched as Ford went to the bathroom to partake of his morning routine. He glanced at Cade, who appeared pale. “Are you sure we did the right thing?”

“Hey, we didn’t think to dothis, but we’ll get roundabout credit for it. I need to get ready so I can get out of here. You two are going to the venue, right? Play up the angle Rina mentioned about me not seeing it until it’s time for the ceremony.”

Cade laughed at the nonstop instructions. “Gotcha.”

Jax chuckled. “Anyway, we’ll meet you at your momma’s place around five for the rehearsal. I gotta pick up my tux and some other shit. You need anything while I’m out today? Pantyhose?” Jax smirked at his smartass comment.

Cade slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “Condoms. I plan for us to be busy tomorrow night. Are you sure you guys wouldn’t like to have the night to yourselves? I can stay at…”

Jax stopped him from talking by covering his mouth with his own. They’d discussed it, and it would be their first wedding night. Their spiritual joining… adoption… would take place the next Monday, and then the three of them were on a plane that evening for three weeks in a villa in Matera, in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. The location was decided after receiving a great recommendation from one of Jax’s former teammates.

“Okay, fine. You’re picking up the rings, right?” Cade cocked his eyebrow, and Jax chuckled.

The beautiful rings Jax had purchased for them had to be sized—Cade’s hands were substantially smaller than the other two men, so Jax had sent them to the jeweler in New York from whom he’d purchased them, and they were to be ready that afternoon, along with the engraving inside Ford and Cade’s rings. It was a simple inscription:1+1+1= 4 Ever.Yeah, it was corny, but it was a wedding. Jax was sure there was some special rule about corniness at a wedding.

After he dressed in a pair of khakis and a sports shirt, Jax kissed Cade and stuck his head in the bathroom. “Babe, I gotta run. I’m supposed to meet with that kid we picked up in the draft for lunch. I’ll be back, but if I run long, I’ll meet y’all at Rina’s place.” Jax lied, but it would be worth the surprise he and Cade were trying to pull off.

Ford stuck his head out of the shower and smiled. “Kiss me.”

Jax grinned before walking over to the shower and wiping the shampoo from his soon-to-be husband’s forehead so it didn’t slide into his eyes.

“I love you, Branford. I can’t wait for tomorrow.” Jax did his best to hold back the water that welled up. He had no time for tears, so he quickly kissed Ford and dried his hands as the man went back to his shower.

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