GENRE: Gay Romance
LENGTH: 12,829 words
RATING:

Nineteen-year-old Nick Wattley is serving as the best man in his father Tim’s wedding to his partner, Craig Pearson. After being closeted for years, Tim is finally out and proud and Nick is happy for his dad.

But a weekend that’s supposed to be filled with pre-wedding preparations turns into a nightmare for Nick as he’s forced to deal with one uncomfortable situation after another. A day after witnessing a terrible argument between Tim and Craig, Nick mistakenly walks in on his father and his partner while they’re in flagrante delicto. Just when he thinks things can’t get any worse, Nick has to deal with Tim’s anxiety over walking down the aisle again and fend off an old friend of Craig’s who tries to make trouble.

Can Nick keep his cool long enough to get his dad to the altar?

EXCERPT:

But Dad ignores him and asks me again what I saw. I have no idea what to say to my father that won’t make him even angrier than he already is. I consider going with, “I saw you and Craig in flagrante delicto,” but since Dad’s practically frothing at the mouth, I keep my own mouth shut.

“Well?” he asks, folding his arms across his bare chest.

When I still don’t say anything he narrows his eyes at me. “You can’t even say it, can you?” he asks.

He stares at me, waiting for an answer, so I swallow down the lump in my throat and give him one. “No, I can’t,” I tell him, “so please don’t make me.”

I wait for the wrath to come, but it doesn’t. Dad heaves a heavy sigh and runs his hands through his hair before turning to Craig.

“Give us a minute, okay?” he asks.

Craig’s eyes go from my father to me and then back to my father again before he nods. “I’ll be right outside,” he says before leaving the room.

Once he’s gone, Dad turns back to me. “Look, Nick, Craig and I have a sex life and neither of us is ashamed of that. But I am ashamed that you saw us. This is our fault. We were careless in leaving the door open and I’m sorry for that.”

I start rambling then to try and explain myself. I apologize and tell him that I couldn’t sleep and how I saw the door slightly open, so I figured he and Craig were still awake too. I must have said “I’m sorry” four or five times before my father finally interrupts me.

“Nick, stop,” he says. “You’re making my head hurt. Just go to bed and let’s try to forget this whole thing ever happened, okay?”

“Okay,” I say.

He leaves my room and I hear him and Craig speaking softly in the hall for a few seconds before they retreat to their bedroom and I hear the door close firmly behind them.