The Commonalities of Silk and Leather

Forty Five

"I'll get it!" I called to Haydn as I threw on a pair of pants. He was still in the shower when the doorbell rang. I'd been living with him for a little over two weeks and Thanksgiving plans had been solidified. He'd be coming to my family's dinner and his family would join us. I told my father the moment we'd decided since I didn't want it to loom over my head. I had enough planning to do. Ivy and I chose a theme, and now she was looking through my Pinterest board to bring samples of things. She was working with Haydn on an engagement trip. I wasn't allowed to know anything about that.

I threw open the front door with cash in my hand to tip the delivery driver and realized that was very much not who was on the porch. I slid the money back into my pocket as I stared up at the small giant in front of me with wax-parted black hair and familiar reddish brown eyes in chinos and a button-up with sunglasses hanging from the collar and a phone clip on the belt before I glanced to the woman. She was considerably shorter than the man, full-figured, and smiling at me in a gorgeous sweater dress that complimented her tanned skin and dark springy hair. To her side was a teenager a little taller and darker than her, eyes focused on a phone and similar hair hanging down.

"Um, hello," I said politely.

The woman practically shoved the man out of her way, unable to contain herself. "Hi, sweetheart. Gabriel, right? We're Haydn's folks."

Oh. Oh! I threw on a smile and wished I'd ironed my tee shirt. "Yes, Ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you. He didn't say you'd be stopping by. I would have helped make something."

She laughed. "Oh, he doesn't know. We weren't supposed to be here until the twentieth." That's what I'd thought. They were four days early. "I'm Maeve"—She motioned to the man—"This is Harris"—then the child—"And this is my baby Troi—"

Xe picked xer head up, mortified. "Mom."

She ignored xem. "I hope we're not intruding. I just couldn't wait to meet you."

"Not at all." I'd literally just folded her son like a pretzel half an hour ago. They were intruding but it would be fine. "I'll go grab Haydn." I was so glad I'd ensured I was presentable before coming down here. I went back upstairs and practically ran down the hall. "Sir," I hissed. "Help."

He blinked. "Did I hear who I thought I heard?" I nodded. "Jesus, why today? I'm sorry, sugar. I'll get 'em out."

"What? No, they're fine. I just don't know how to entertain them." I didn't entertain guests. That was Lawrence's thing back in the day and now as evidenced by his party.

"Are you sure?" he fussed. "How's your back?"

I laughed. "I'm fine, Dn. I promise." The light marks from my new riding crop had closed. I was sore but nothing unbearable. Last night had been crazy. Good crazy. I'd probably have some scarring and I was excited to see. "How's your back?"

He sighed and sighed as he smoothed his hair and pink rose to his face. He loved that nickname almost as much as he loved his pet name. "Yeah. Come on."

I had enough sense to bring out glasses of water when I was getting his family settled, and they knew how to work the TV, so I'd been a somewhat decent host. Luckily, Haydn took over while I hid in the kitchen to throw together chopped fruit and veg with their respective dips. Haydn briefed me on the stairs. No one had allergies and Troi was picky but grapes were always a hit in xer case so I washed some off and made xem xer own plate.

Between the grapes and helping xem with the daily sudoku, I'm now loved more than Haydn is. The two of us sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the coffee table and turned to see the TV but focused on our phones because I'd done all the daily challenges for the month, xe'd done the event, and all of the grapes were ripe so xe were having a great time and I figured I was doing a good job.

"Gabriel, can we talk on the porch for a minute?"

That had been Haydn's father and I was promptly terrified. I tried to hide it but my voice cracked when I said, "Of course," and Troi, the little shit, laughed at me. For the record, I meant that affectionately.

I stood and followed him to the door. Harris Roscoe was about the same age as my father, give or take a year or two. I didn't know, but he was just as put together, even on a day off. He'd spoken with my father, apparently, and he disagreed immensely with the rushed timeline of my marriage to his son. "It's nothing against you," he said. His voice was softer than I thought it would be from looking at him. Less stern. "Haydn raves about you, so I'm not worried about the quality of your relationship or anything. The pairing didn't last much longer the last time he brought a man to us."

"Right," I said. "Lucas."

His brow's furrowed. "He told you?"

He didn't tell him I knew? "Uh, both of them did? Separately. He works for me." I wasn't sure if he was aware of who else would be at Thanksgiving. "He'll be at dinner. He's seeing my brother."

Harris's eyes widened. "I wasn't aware."

I'd calmed down while we'd been out here but now I was nervous again. What did that tone mean? "Will that be an issue?"

"No," he said quickly. "No--Just--Isn't that concerning?"

A laugh forced its way out of me. "Definitely but you'd be surprised. They're better together than I thought they'd be."

He hummed with a nod and eventually an eye roll. "Alright. I'll keep an open mind. I suppose." I could see where Haydn got his stubbornness from. Also, his face in general. "Do you plan on having children?"

Woah, hard shift. "Not that I know of but it would have to be planned, obviously."

He chucked. "Very true but, as I said, I'm not letting Haydn get married so soon. I heard you're looking at February?" I nodded. I'd had my heart set on it for years. I needed snowy wedding photos and a cabin honeymoon. Maybe we could go to the mountains. I'd have to ask Haydn what he thought. "Well, instead of this February, plan for next February. There's no reason to rush."

Actually, there kind of was. "With all due respect, Mr. Roscoe, it's a stipulation for my succession."

He shook his head. "That's being handled. I don't believe in that kind of thing. Whether you're married doesn't affect a thing about your ability to run a company. You're already living together anyway and I see the den's still there." He paused, blinking as if that would clear some kind of mental image. I needed to ask Haydn about that too. "Point is, you're waiting to marry. I'm not gonna argue about it. That's just how it's gonna go. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir," I said. "Clear as crystal."

After the snacks were finished, we'd gotten through an episode of Westworld--Maeve's choice, a great one at that. I'd have to start the show from the beginning--the three of them left. I gave Troi a nod, Maeve, who insisted I call her Momma, gave me a hug just as tight as she gave her son, and Harris got a firm handshake from me.

The visit had been lovely, and Haydn seemed happy, and I knew I was. I was promptly dragged into the den once the front door was locked though. He didn't even bother taking off his shirt before he threw himself into his cage. The man needed a nap. He loved his family, but considering he'd been coming down from a high when they arrived, he was overdue for a little him-time and I was at about the same point, so I made sure he had water in his vicinity and conked out on the bed.