The Wedding Planner's Best Man/Part 2/J2/Nc-17
When Jared wakes up in the morning or early afternoon, he’s not quite sure at this point. He’s not sure how he got on the sofa because he’s doesn’t remember much after passing out with Jensen on the floor.
He sits up, stretches and yawns, his head is pounding and his mouth is dry. He smells coffee, coffee he is sure he hasn’t made. He figures Jensen is in the kitchen, possibly enjoying a cup and reading the paper because this is what happens in his fantasies once they’ve settled into domestic life.
He’s still naked and his clothes are in a pile on the coffee table. He slips on his jeans and pads barefoot out to the kitchen. He cautiously turns the corner, fully expecting to see Jensen but all he sees is a note taped to the coffee maker.
Jared,
Sorry, had to run, rehearsal’s today and the wedding dinner. See you later. I’ll call. Jen
After several cups of coffee and a handful of headache pills Jared knows he has to go into work and have everything made ready for delivery to the wedding party.
He grabs a quick shower and throws on a very unconventional outfit of a polo shirt and jeans before running out the door with wet hair.
He calls Gen on the short drive in to the shop to make sure they’ve started preparing things. She might be a bit ticked at him for being so late but she maintains a professional attitude with just a slight edge of sarcasm.
It’s two fifteen when Jensen peeks at his watch. He’s already been here for two hours as they go through the wedding pomp and circumstance. He can’t seem to concentrate even though as best man, he’s playing a big role too.
He just can’t seem to stop thinking about Jared.
There are dress bags and corsage boxes strewn about when Jared walks into the shop. Gen is on the phone with the flower shop demanding to know where the bouquets are and the other two girls are flitting about putting shoes into boxes then tagging them.
“Okay girls,” Jared says throwing down his cell phone and drinking the last of his coffee before pitching the cup. “Its wedding prep time,” he swishes through the two racks lined with empty suit and dress bags. “Let’s get this done.”
They’re working fast as Jared gently stuffs the bags with each bridal party dress. The flowers arrived just minutes before and each tiny wrist corsage is packed and labeled. The pink carnations and soft white rose interlaced with babies breath is a perfect combination to the barely pink satin sleeveless bridal party gowns.
He’s pulling out the tuxes and bagging them up when he comes to Jensen’s. He takes a minute and smells the collar, his aftershave still lingering on the silken shirt. His heart flutters and he wants to bury himself in the memory of last night. He zips up the bag and tags the deep red rose boutonnière.
The last thing to be done is the Bride’s dress. He smoothes the silky fabric and gently rolls the creamy white tulle train into the bottom of the dress bag. He gently lays the veil in the box, adjusting the silken floral tiara so it won’t be crushed. The last thing is the bridal bouquet. The red, pink and white roses bound by a thick bow of cream colored silk. It’s exquisite. He wraps it gently in tissue paper and puts it into the box.
He loads the delivery van so everything can be taken to the church tonight.
Once Jared has a moment to himself he’s relaxing with a nice glass of wine. He keeps thinking about last night, how fast it all went and he’s starting to wonder if he didn’t rush into things too quickly.
He worries that with Jensen living in Dallas while he’s here in Austin they won’t see each other or worse, it was a one night stand just to get out old high school crush feelings.
One glass of wine turns into three as Jared thinks about how he’s not the kind of guy who has one night stands. How he doesn’t rush into things and long distance relationships never work out.
Once rehearsals are over, Jensen sneaks off to call Jared. He’s excited to talk to him, can’t wait to see him again and thinks about the fact that there are three hours until the wedding dinner that he can sneak off to rendezvous with him.
Jared’s pouring himself a fourth glass of wine when his cell goes off. He looks at the caller ID, its Jensen. He hesitates, then takes a deep breath before hitting ignore. He can’t talk to him right now. He’s not sure how he feels about last night and until he knows for sure what he wants, he shouldn’t be letting him tease him and tempt him with more sex.
Jared’s voicemail comes on. “You’ve reached Jared, now leave a message and I’ll call you back.” Jensen frowns but leaves a message. “Can’t wait to see you later, call me, the dinner isn’t until seven, would love to see you.”
The voicemail message icon blinks on the screen and Jared can’t bring himself to listen to it.
Later that night they’re setting things up at the church, hanging the baskets of silken flowers on the pews, stringing up the floral garland and putting the arch of flower pillars on the altar.
Jared’s putting the racks in each of the dressing rooms when his phone goes off. Its Jensen again, he hits ignore and tries to excuse it because he’s too busy and can’t talk.
Jensen stops by the shop but Jared’s not there, so he tries to call him again, and again it goes to voicemail. He’s concerned but leaves another message.
“Hey, stopped by the shop, would love to see you again before seven, call me.” When he hangs up, he’s feeling a bit crestfallen over the fact that Jared’s not answering his calls.
The phone goes off three more times, each time its Jensen and each time he lets it go to voicemail.
It’s nine o’clock and the wedding dinner is breaking up, Jensen checks his phone for a call from Jared but nothing. He’s not sure what happened, he can’t be so busy that he doesn’t have a minute to answer his phone. He decides to let it go and just head back to the hotel for the night, maybe Jared is too busy or at least that’s what he’s telling himself.
Jared finishes the catering call, the decorating of the reception hall and oversees the cake delivery. He’s ready to head home and fall into bed.
He’s makes himself a sandwich since he’s starving. He’s eating at the counter, he sees Jensen’s note taped to the coffee maker and he pulls his phone out of his pocket. He thumbs over the missed calls. Five of them are from Jensen and two have voice messages attached. He takes another bite of his sandwich and plays the messages.
Jensen sounds cheerful in the first one but not as much in the second. Jared wants to call him back and tell him he was busy, to come over, to rush over but he can’t bring himself to do it. His stomach is in knots now and he can’t finish his sandwich.
Jensen’s on his mind while he brushes his teeth and climbs into bed. He lies awake staring at the ceiling, the night before is playing out in his head. The woodsy smell of Jensen’s cologne, the way he touched him, his mouth, and the kisses.
He waited so long, always with Jensen in the back of his mind. Whenever he dated anyone else they had to live up to the JA standard, a silly rule Jared invented after the kiss, and really, not so silly because the way he feels right now, he’s spoiled for anyone that’s not Jensen. Even though he can’t get the nagging feeling out of his heart that Sunday, Jensen is going home, back to Dallas, and away from him. Long distance doesn’t work for him and even though it’s not that long of a drive between them, it’s still too far away.
Every single one of those damned heartbreaking feelings is inching their way back to the surface again. Watching Jensen go back into the gymnasium after the kiss, watching him dance with Danneel Harris and then graduate and walk out of Jared’s life for the next 18yrs. Sunday is just graduation day all over again.
When Jensen gets back to the hotel he’s tired. He wants to call Jared again, ask if he can come over but he doesn’t. He can’t, he won’t, but he wants too with every ounce of his being.
He pours himself a scotch from one of the tiny bottles in the mini bar and throws it back. He looks out the window down onto his hometown. Street lights, stop lights and high rises but beyond that are the houses, one he grew up in, one where his family lived until he moved them closer to him. He hasn’t felt at home here in years, hasn’t been back here in possibly ten years but now there is an ache in his chest to be here.
He tried for years to forget about his life here, tried to make it like his life didn’t start until college when he came out but there was always that first kiss, the one he shared with Jared popping up in his mind whenever he met someone new and they shared that proverbial first kiss. The way he felt when he did it, the way Jared returned it, wanted more of it, and the sparks it ignited inside of him. He never forgot Jared, couldn’t but he also never wanted to come back to his past again either, but he did and now he doesn’t want to leave it.
Jared’s flitting about before the wedding. Making sure that all of the wedding party dresses fit exactly and that the bride is perfect. He watches Genevieve helping the bride’s maid to fix the veil over the brides head and he feels a tug at his heart. He’s a sucker for weddings and may very well be why he became a wedding planner.
He goes over to check the tuxes and he sees Jensen helping Jason with his bowtie, standing behind him while tying it and telling him not to be nervous, that he’s marrying the love of his life. He can’t help it but the scene makes him melt just a little bit more inside. He loves how Jensen looks in his tux, the red bowtie against the cream suit making his green eyes stand out even more and accentuating his freckles. His heart skips a beat.
“So, how is everything?” he says entering the room, trying to be professional and focusing on the groom.
Jensen’s heart drops to his knees; he takes a deep breath and smiles. “Groom’s ready, how about the bride?”
“She’s beautiful,” Jared walks over and brushes Jason’s shoulders. “You’re a very lucky man,” he pats him on the back. “See you at the alter,” he looks down with an almost ashamed head bow then barely glances upward at Jensen, before leaving the room.
Jensen takes a deep breath and smiles trying to hide his concerned feelings as he goes back to helping Jason on with his jacket. He knows something’s up but now isn’t the time to approach Jared about it. He just hopes that he can talk to him at the reception.
The wedding goes off beautifully and Jared tries to leave for the reception hall before the bride and groom make their return march up the aisle. He’s ducking out of the side door when Jensen comes out; hands full of string and tin cans to tie onto the back of the limo.
Jensen stops in his tracks. “Hey,” he says timidly.
“Hey,” Jared swallows and looks down like he’s guilty of something.
“So, I guess you’ve been really busy since yesterday,” he shifts the tin cans and they clang together as they fall through his arms.
Jared rubs the back of his neck nervously. “It’s been pretty hectic,” he bites his lower lip and squints into the bright sun to avoid looking Jensen in the eye while he lies to him.
“Yeah,” Jensen figures he’s lying to him. “Well, better get these put on the limo, don’t want to disappoint the happy couple,” he starts down the steps again.
Jared’s sick about lying. “I…” he calls out, his conscience getting the better of him.
Jensen turns back around. “I have to get these on the limo,” he calls back.
“Yeah, okay,” Jared bites back his emotions. He watches Jensen walk away.
When people start coming out of the church, Jared knows that this is the time to make his exit and to the reception hall to make sure everything is ready for the party.
He walks right past Jensen as he’s decorating the car. He wants to say see you at the reception but he can’t, he just goes straight to his car and leaves.
There are so many things to finish up before the reception guests arrive.
Jared’s busying himself; trying not to think about Jensen and how he must have hurt him, but knows that he wants to make it right, somehow.
The guests start filing around and Jared falls into the background, he’s not a greeter, he’s the planner, paid to keep everything running smoothly.
The reception is going very well, things are moving along swimmingly and everyone seems to be having a festive time.
Jensen’s giving his best man’s toast. It’s witty and loving as he tells the story of how the happy couple met with a few sweet dating antidotes and then he ends it on a very touching note about how they are true soul mates.
Jared watches from the back, he gets a tear in his eye at all of the sentiment. He ducks into the bathroom and braces himself against the wall to get control of his emotions. “Calm down Jared, be professional,” he’s wiping his eyes with some toilet tissue when the door opens and Jensen walks in.
He’s caught off guard when he sees him and turns to face the wall. He clears his throat and wipes his eyes one more time before turning around. “Hey,” he’s trying hard to hide his shaky voice.
“Hey,” Jensen tilts his head. “Have to recycle some of the champagne,” he jokes as he steps up to the urinal.
“Oh, yeah,” Jared smiles shyly. “I’m just, uh, taking a break, lots to keep me busy,” he winces at his cheesy excuse. He tries not to watch, tries really hard not to look in Jensen’s direction as he exposes himself. “So, going back tomorrow,” he’s making small talk to try and keep his wandering eyes preoccupied. He looks over after asking and quickly regrets it.
“Probably,” Jensen looks at Jared from over his shoulder as he’s relieving himself.
Jared looks down nervously not wanting to look Jensen in the eye while he’s at the urinal. “Yeah,” his voice is distant.
“You know it’s just Dallas, not that far away at all,” Jensen says as he’s washing his hands. He watches Jared’s expression in the mirror and sees the sadness.
“Yeah,” Jared’s still guarding himself and staring at his shoes.
“Jared,” he walks over and tilts Jared’s head so that he looks him in the eyes. “Are you afraid because I live far away? Is that why you didn’t answer my calls yesterday, do you think all the other night was; was just a one night stand for me?”
He looks into Jensen’s eyes; the warm touch of his fingers on Jared’s skin is sending soft tingles through him as he loses himself in those concerned green eyes. “I don’t,” he swallows and looks down then back up into Jensen’s eyes again. “I can’t do one night stands.”
“And you think I do?”
Jared thinks for a second and then answers with hesitation. “Maybe,” he furrows his brow and his lip quivers a little bit.
“Jared, I don’t just sleep around. The other night was special to me. I don’t know, I guess I have been waiting a very long time to take what we shared together for a fleeting second to another level. Maybe I’ve played it out in my head a thousand times, maybe I’ve wondered what would have happened if I had just given in and let myself be open back then but I didn’t and no amount of apologizing will change that.”
“I know things can’t be different in the past, I don’t want that, I want now. Being with you opened me up; I let everything that I’ve wanted for so long happen. Trust me, I was drunk, I know that and it helped lower my inhibition which was a good thing or it never would have happened,” Jared touches Jensen’s hand as it cups his chin. “I want you to be part of my life.”
“Oh Jared, I want to be part of your life,” he leans in and gently kisses Jared’s mouth. “I’ve wanted that since I walked into your shop a week ago. All of these things I’ve wondered about over the years, all of the feelings, the nights I fantasized about what might have happened became a reality when I saw you. I just wanted to run over and kiss you again, kiss you like all those years hadn’t been between us.”
Jared caresses the side of Jensen’s face. “I wanted you too,” he takes a deep breath. “I was so scared, so afraid that you’d reject me.”
“But I didn’t,” Jensen kiss him again, this time with more feeling, a deeper more passionate kiss.
Jared’s knees buckle and he wraps his arms around Jensen’s neck as he returns the passion fueled kiss.
“I need you in my life,” it’s like a confession when Jensen says it. His hands are gripping Jared’s shoulders as they press into each other.
“How is this going to work,” he pushes back with his whole body. “You’re leaving tomorrow.”
Jensen runs his fingers through Jared’s hair in a soothing manner. “I don’t have to leave tomorrow, or the next day. I could stay for a bit longer.”
“Really,” Jared’s smiling; his hazel eyes are filling with unshed tears of joy.
“It’s not like I have a boss, oh wait, I do. Me, and boss me says.. Take a vacation, you deserve it.”
Jared’s laughing. “I would listen to my boss if I were you,” he laughs. “Sounds like you have a very sensible boss.”
“Oh very, and very understanding too. I can pretty much do as I please and he can’t fire me.” Jensen’s working his mouth over Jared’s jaw.
Jared tilts his head back; he’s losing himself in Jensen’s words and touches. “I can’t wait to wake up beside you tomorrow,” his words are breathless. His hands are clutching Jensen’s hips.
“And every day after that,” Jensen’s pinning Jared to the wall with his weight, his knee is pushed between Jared’s legs as they clutch and writhe against each other.
Jared pulls back so he can look into Jensen’s eyes. “What?”
“Nothing says I have to stay in Dallas, I can work anywhere. Don’t you want me to be with you if this works out?”
Jared pulls Jensen forward. “Of course,” he leans in and claims his mouth. “How could you think I wouldn’t?”
“I didn’t, I was just making sure,” he returns the fevered kiss.
Suddenly the bathroom door opens up. They’re caught off guard. They push apart and stand awkwardly facing each other.
“So,” Jensen stuffs his hands in his pocket to hide his erection.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Jared’s tone is uneasy as he quickly buttons up his suit coat to cover the bulging line his hard on is making.
Jensen goes out first, then Jared right behind him.
Jared’s walking close to Jensen, his fingers pinching the pleat of his jacket to keep him close as they make their way to the crowd formed around the cake.
Genevieve sees Jared and scowls at him. Jared just smiles and points to Jensen then mouths Thank you to her for taking over when he so abruptly disappeared. She just gives him a confused look before turning her focus back to the bride and groom.
They stop beside the cake to watch the bride and groom cut the first slice and feed it to each other. They laugh as the cake is smeared unceremoniously over the bride and groom’s faces.
“I can think of better places to smear that cake,” Jensen chuckles as he takes Jared’s hand and squeezes it tight.
“And then I can lick it off,” Jared waggles his eyebrows.
Jensen smiles wide before leaning to kiss Jared as a camera flash goes off. They aren’t sure if they’re in the photo or not but they really aren’t worried about it.
The sun’s shining through the window when Jensen opens his eyes, he squints and rolls over. He reaches for Jared but he’s not there. He sits up and looks around. He smells coffee and bacon. He has to investigate.
When he walks into the kitchen, Jared’s sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee and eating a few slices of bacon while looking through a pile of photographs.
“I wondered if the smell of coffee would stir you,” Jared laughs.
“Ha ha,” he mock laughs as he walks towards the fresh pot of coffee. “Wha’cha doing,” he’s pouring himself a cup of coffee before grabbing a slice of bacon off of Jared’s plate as he sits down.
“Just looking through some of the reception photos from Jason’s wedding. I found them at the shop yesterday tucked away under a pile of invoices.”
“Jeez, that was what, five months ago and you just found them.”
“They always make two sets, I gave all of the wedding photos to them but I must have only given one set of the reception pictures,” Jared shoves the ones he’s already looked at towards Jensen.
“Damn they had a lot of pictures taken.”
“Part of the package,” a huge smile grows across Jared’s face as he looks at another one of the pictures. “You have to see this one,” he scoots his chair over towards Jensen.
“What,” Jensen leans in as Jared tilts the picture and he sees them kissing next to the cake, it’s a photo of them. Not the cake, not the wedding couple but them. He looks at it and smiles. “I guess we were in that photo after all.”
Jared leans over and kisses Jensen’s cheek. “The best kiss at the wedding, in my opinion,” he puts his arm around Jensen’s shoulders.
“The absolute best,” he gives Jared a playful kiss on the lips.
The End