Second Chance(71)

“These are awesome too. I guess Mum must have helped you with these?” Nate smiled at his mother, who nodded.

“Yes, I let Jack loose on my photo collection. There are a few gaps in my albums now, but I’ll get to see them when I visit.” She beamed. “I thought it was such a lovely idea.”

“And this is the last one—for now,” Jack said, passing Nate the final package.

Nate pulled the paper off, grinning when he saw a recent photo of himself and Jack, taken by Cass when they were snuggled up on the sofa one night looking “disgustingly happy,” according to her. There was another one of Nate, his mum, Jack, and Cass posing by a tree when they went out walking one day (taken by Adam), a recent one of his mum with Jess lying next to her on the sofa, and one of Cass and Adam dressed in their finery for school prom just a couple of weeks before.

The rest of the frame was empty.

“You might not want to put this one up yet, because it’s a work in progress,” Jack said. He paused for a moment, and then continued huskily, “We’re only just starting our life together. I’m looking forward to seeing what moments we capture to fill the rest of it.”

A swell of emotion rose in Nate’s chest, a lump filling his throat so he struggled to answer. “Me too,” he managed in a whisper. Then he cleared his throat and said more clearly, “These are awesome.” Putting the third board down carefully by his chair, he stood and cupped Jack’s jaw. “Thank you.” He kissed him, leaning into Jack’s embrace as Jack wound his arms around Nate and tugged him close.

“Well, I think that’s our cue to leave….” Cass said teasingly. She was staying at Adam’s tonight, giving Jack and Nate the place to themselves.

Nate and Jack separated, smiling sheepishly. “No need to rush off on our account,” Jack said.

“I need to get back anyway,” Nate’s mum said. “Jessie will be fed up of being on her own all afternoon, and impatient for a walk and dinner.”

Nate wasn’t going to try to persuade them to stay longer. He loved his family, but he wanted to be alone with Jack because he had something important to ask him. Sweat bloomed on his palms and his heart kicked up a notch when he remembered what was coming.



Cass and Adam were the last to go, and Nate had never been so glad to get rid of his daughter. As the front door closed behind them Jack said, “Phew. Peace at last. What do you want to do now?”

“Um… maybe go and chill in the living room for a bit. Snuggle on the sofa?”

“Uh. Yeah. That sounds fine,” Jack said. “You go and put some music on or pick a movie to watch. I’ve got to go and get something… I’ll be back down in a second.”

Fuck.

Nate needed to get something from upstairs too. Luckily the only bathroom was upstairs so he had the perfect excuse to follow Jack upstairs. “I need a pee anyway so I’m coming up too.”

He used the bathroom, waiting until he heard Jack go back downstairs before hurrying into the bedroom and reaching right into the very back of his sock drawer. When his hand closed around the small box his heart ramped up even faster.

What if he says no?

There’s no way he’ll say no.

But what if he does?

Steeling himself, Nate put the box in his pocket and walked downstairs. He opened the living room door to find Jack standing by the fireplace rather than sprawled out on the sofa as Nate had been expecting. The TV was off, and Jack hadn’t put any music on either.

“You okay?” Nate asked, momentarily forgetting his mission.

“I think so,” Jack said tightly. He looked like a man facing a firing squad. Then suddenly he dropped to one knee in front of Nate, digging in his pocket with one hand.

“Damn, where is the stupid thing,” he muttered, finally pulling out a small black box before dropping it. It bounced on the wooden floor and skittered under the coffee table. “Bollocks!” Jack crawled after it.

“Jack, what…?” Nate’s brain short-circuited. He’d spent the last week preparing himself to do exactly what it looked like Jack was trying to do, only Jack was fucking it up epically.

Nate knelt down too as Jack reached under the coffee table and returned with his prize, flushed and triumphant. “Okay let’s try this again.” He frowned when he saw Nate was down at his level. “No, that’s not right. You’re supposed to be standing up for this.”

“How about we both kneel down, because I think we’re on the same page.” Nate reached into his own pocket and pulled out the almost identical black box—way more smoothly than Jack—he popped it open to show the ring inside, and held it out on his palm. He tried to hold back a grin, watching as shocked realisation dawned on Jack’s face.

“But I was going to…. But you… what the fuck?” Jack gaped, clearly suffering the same mental struggle that Nate had worked through moments before.

Taking advantage of Jack being lost for words, Nate forged ahead with the speech he’d prepared. “Jack. I loved you half a lifetime ago and I never thought I could have you the way I wanted. Now I’ve found you again, I want you in my life forever. Will you marry me?” Nate’s voice cracked on the last words as emotion made him well up.

Jack’s eyes were filled with tears too. “Yes.” It came out as a hoarse croak and he nodded emphatically as though to make up for his lack of volume. “Yes. I will.” A tear escaped and he wiped his eyes with his free hand, half laughing as well as crying.