The Map Home (Collier’s Creek Christmas)

Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN

Dakota

Teeth-rotting, cheerful music bombarded Dakota as he strode along the square and tried to avoid bumping into other last-minute shoppers attending the Collier’s Creek Holiday Bash, the traditional insanity held the last weekend before Christmas.

He avoided bulging bags of gifts and shoppers while also glancing into every window he passed by, hoping something would pop out at him. Fucking anything at this point.

He was meeting Tad at Odette’s in their outdoor cocktail garden in less than twenty minutes and still didn’t have a gift for his boyfriend. Tad had been irritatingly secretive about what he’d picked out for Dakota. Not even morning blow jobs had gotten him to confess. What was Dakota supposed to get the boyfriend who already had everything?

Rock Around the Christmas Tree was battling it out with All I Want for Christmas, making Dakota want to gouge his ears out. Tad, of course, would be in blissful holiday heaven. The thought made him smile—he liked it when Tad was happy.

Glancing across the street, Village Jewelers caught Dakota’s attention. He wasn’t ready to buy a ring. Not yet. He knew he would be, but not quite yet. But what about a pre-ring , a promise for their future? People did that, right? He had no idea.

Stepping off the curb, he weaved through the slow-moving traffic and came to a stop in front of the jewelry store’s window. The glittering display of rings, necklaces, and other stuff was too much, entirely overwhelming, and sort of made his chest pinch. A weird feeling of wanting something but not confident he’d be able to keep whatever it was if he got it.

Tad would tell him to stop being silly. And Tad would be right.

Dakota’d had the whole day off, dammit, and no gift to show for it. He might have to resort to a sexy firefighter calendar and a gift card from Gustoso. He’d just started to turn away from the display when his cell phone buzzed. It was Tad, of course.

“Hey,” Dakota said.

“Hey back.”

“Why are you calling me? Are you at Odette’s already?”

“Yep, I got here early. Are you on your way?”

“I guess.” Like it or not, the right present wasn’t going to magically appear.

“What’s the matter?” Tad asked.

He might as well confess. “I still can’t find a gift for you. It’s pissing me off.”

Tad laughed before lowering his voice to say, “Kota, you already gave me the best Christmas yet. I don’t need a gift when I have you.”

In spite of himself, Dakota smiled.

“Gross. Maybe you should quit your fancy job at The Chron and start writing sappy greeting cards.”

“Ha, ha, ha. Quit stalling and get over here. I ordered us drinks and some appetizers. They’ll be here any minute.”

“I thought we were sitting on the patio?” He liked the outdoor with its propane heaters and fire pit.

“Change of plans. I’m inside, at the back.”

Even though he couldn’t see Tad’s face, Dakota could tell he was excited about something. Or up to something.

“I’m suspicious but on my way.”

It took a second for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting inside. Odette’s owners liked their candles and fairy lights. Looking quickly around, he didn’t see Tad so, as instructed, he started toward the back and the area normally reserved for larger groups. Dakota only knew this because Penny had celebrated her birthday at Odette’s earlier in the year. Since she knew just about everyone in town, it had been quite the party.

A sixth sense crept up his spine, making Dakota slow and then stop in his tracks. Tad had been up to something. He’d been secretive over the past couple of days—talking on his phone at weird times, ending the calls when Dakota appeared. And suddenly Dakota thought he knew what the calls had been about.

Rolling his shoulders and taking a deep breath, he forced himself to start moving again. His idea would also explain why Niall had been extra Niall on the phone the other day. His half brother had seemed distracted, muttering something about airports but stopped himself before finishing his thought. At the time, Dakota had assumed Niall had to travel for West Coast Forensics, something that often seemed to piss off his brother even as he loved his job.

Nope.

“Surprise!” Tad whisper-yelled when Dakota came around the corner. His suspicions were confirmed.

Niall, Mat, and Tad sat around a rectangular table. Tad grinned a bit sheepishly and patted a chair next to him.

“Hey, Dakota, merry holidays and all that,” Niall said. He wore a knowing grin that said he too hated this kind of stuff.

Before he could sit down, Mat rose to give Dakota a hug.

“Merry Christmas. It’s good to see you,” Mat said, squeezing tight before releasing him and thumping Dakota on the shoulder for good measure.

“I just want you to know, they were already planning on coming out,” Tad said. “I just thought it would be fun to surprise you. Besides, if you’d known they were coming, you would’ve brooded about it for days.”

Mat snorted as he sat back down. “It’s eerie how alike Dakota and Niall are.”

Niall nodded, arching a brow. “Nothing wrong with brooding, although I like to call it deep thinking.” He started to stand, but Dakota waved him off.

“Seriously, that’s about enough hugging for now.”

Mat and Tad laughed. “I swear, it’s like a mirror sometimes,” Mat said quietly.

“Sit down,” directed Tad. “I already ordered you a beer. And yes, a big one.”

Dakota sat as directed but had another question for Tad. “Why are we back here if there’re only four of us?” Tad wrinkled his nose in that way that made Dakota want to kiss him while also knowing it meant there was more coming for Dakota to cringe over. “What did you do?”

Tad didn’t have time to answer his question because Penny’s voice carried through the restaurant to where they were sitting.

“Are they here already?” she asked someone near the front.

“They’re in the back,” Waylon replied. “That’s what Tad said.”

“Oops?” Tad said.

At that moment, a server appeared, as if he knew Dakota needed his beer desperately. He carried a tray loaded with several beers and a basket of rolls. From experience, Dakota knew they were warm and delicious.

“Thanks,” Tad said as the server set everything down. To Dakota, he said, “Please don’t kill me. They were coming here anyway, and I couldn’t figure out how to tell them not to. And I guess it just seemed like some kind of weird fate.”

He handed one of the beers to Dakota, who immediately took a long gulp. They could walk home.

Which, yes, home was with Tad. They’d stay in the apartment for now, maybe find another place together when Tad’s lease was up. As long as Tad was where he was, Dakota was home.

Why had it taken him so long to figure that out?

“I’m good,” Dakota assured Tad. He reached out to squeeze Tad’s thigh and then left his hand there, the heat from him warming Dakota’s chilly fingers.

“Just…roll with it, that’s all the advice I have for you,” Niall said quietly. “If Tad is anything like Mat, you’ll soon realize it’s best to do what they suggest—within reason.”

Niall shot his husband a look that had Mat laughing again. Dakota figured Mat was the force behind Niall traveling to Collier’s Creek and he couldn’t be mad at him for that, not really.

“Tad, are you going to introduce us?” Penny asked her son as she took a seat. “Dakota, will you forgive us for crashing your party? We’re just so incredibly happy for the both of you. Waylon and I, we consider you family and have almost since the day you arrived at the ranch. We feel protective toward you, same as we do with Tad and Boone, so we had to meet the rest of your family. Although”—she frowned—“Boone is still in the doghouse at the moment.”

Dakota thought he’d been embarrassed by the Gillespies’ reaction after he and Tad drove out to G-Bar to tell Tad’s family they were officially together, but this get-together had the potential to be a million times worse.

“Let’s talk more about Boone,” he said.

“Yeah, let’s,” Tad chimed in.

“I’d rather you introduced us, Tad,” Penny said cheerfully, looking across to Niall and Mat.

Tad obliged and when he was finished, the server reappeared to take Penny’s and Waylon’s orders.

“And how about one of those goat cheese and pear tarts and a baked brie with cranberry, as well? I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starving,” Penny added, glancing around at all of them.

“This is on us tonight. A thank you, Mat and Niall, for making the trip out here.” Waylon raised his glass. “Here’s to family of all kinds.”

“Hear, hear!” Mat added, earning a look from his husband.

They all followed suit, clinking their glasses against Waylon’s.

“Fucking hell, we’re outnumbered,” Niall said so only Dakota could hear.

Nodding his agreement, Dakota took another long sip of his beer. He was going to need the next one soon and maybe even a third before long. “Maybe tomorrow you and I can go on a long drive and not talk at all.”

“You really think they’ll let us escape?” Niall did not sound particularly hopeful.

“Nope.”

“It’s probably for the best anyway. You know,” Niall said thoughtfully, “I used to hate hearing people talk about their better half—I still hate it, if I’m being honest—but Mat really is a better person than me. He makes getting up in the morning worth it. Don’t tell him though. He’ll get a big head.”

Leaning into Niall again, Mat said, “I heard that.”

Dakota and Niall both started to laugh, and Tad, who was definitely Dakota’s better half, smiled and scooted his chair as close to Dakota as he could.

Dakota let the moment flow over him: Penny and Waylon’s joy, Mat’s solid presence, Niall’s—well, Niall was Niall—and Tad, who loved him unconditionally. Tonight, life was good, like it finally fit him right.

He wasn’t ready to say I love you . Not in front of everyone at the table, even if they all knew he loved Tad, but he could send Tad a secret message, and he had the perfect medium.

I- squeeze -Love- squeeze -You- squeeze .

Bumping his shoulder, Tad slid his hand onto Dakota’s leg and sent the message back to him.

Maybe the holidays weren’t so bad after all.