Addison fidgeted from his seat in the back of the really expensive car that has picked him up at his house. He knew his stepmother had seen it and would ask him about it. And he really didn't know what to tell her. It was also the first time he was going to meet Lyle's parents and he was dressed as himself. They decided it would be okay because the car would pick him up and drive him straight to Lyle's patent's house. Straight into their garage and he'd be ushered right into their house.
The hecklers that were so interested in Lyle's live life would have no opportunity to find out anything. And... it was Christmas day. A majority of the city was indoors with family.
Addison gawked as they pulled into t the long driveway of a humongous mansion. It was a house that screamed old money and appeared to jump out of the past, more like a French cathedral than anything else.
It was grand and beautiful. And Addison was already beginning to feel out of place. He had spent all his life in a humble town house. He barely had enough money to buy food for himself after taking care of his bills. This place was decadence and extravagance.
The car pulled into a garage and soon the frog be was holding Addison's door open for him. Time to meet Lyle's family. Addison convinced himself that it was going to go well. That they'd all get along.
Then he followed the driver into the house.
The inside was just as extravagant as the outside. They seemed to have entered into some side sitting room that was decorated tastefully with live greens and red ribbons.
Addison noticed a small two foot Christmas tree sitting on a table in between the two chairs. It was white but looked real. He went over to examine it and, sure enough, it was real and looked to be spray painted white with lots of sparkles.
Unable to resist, Addison flicked one of the branches and glitter rained down on the table.
"My mother went a little overboard didn't she?" a voice asked making Addison jump nearly a foot in the air.
He turned around quickly to find Lyle walking over to him, bounce in his step and grin on his face.
Addison found a smirk threatening to appear on his own face when he saw what Lyle was wearing. It had to be the ugliest Christmas sweater he had ever seen. It was knitted. A blob that looked suspiciously like a reindeer was on the front surrounded by brightly colored Christmas packages that looked more like the deer had eaten some skittles and vomited the rainbow. It was a hot mess.
"What are you wearing?" Addison asked trying and failing to keep the laughter out of his voice.
"Oh, you noticed," Lyle intoned flatly.
"How could I not?"
"You like it," Lyle asked with a knowing smile on his handsome face.
"Love it."
"Good. My mom made it. I'm pretty sure she made you one too. Maybe we can match," Lyle laughed at the horrified look on his boyfriend's face. Lyle pulled Addison into a quick embrace and kissed him on the head before holding the man at armslength. "I have to warn you, my parents can be... a little intense."
Intense was not the word Addison would have used to describe Lyle's parents. Overbearing; yes, strange; yes, intense... not so much. And Lyle's mom had, in fact, made Addison an almost identical shirt.
The meal went off without a hitch and then they had moved into a parlor room with a piano and several chairs sitting by a grand fireplace. They all sat in the chairs even though Addison was dying to get his hands on that piano.
It was a Steinway!
Then the inevitable began... It was nowhere near as bad as Mel's talk and Addison actually ended up learning something about his own life.
"So, Addison, what's your last name?" Lyle's dad asked while getting comfortable in his chair.
"Montgomery," Addison answered lazily. He was tired after so much delicious food but even with the sleepiness he didn't miss the little tinge of interest in Mr. Prince's eyes when he mentioned his last name.
"Any relation to Frank Montgomery?" the man asked excitedly.
"Yeah?" Addison answered slowly. Why did Lyle's father know his dad's name? It's not like they were even close to being in the same social circle, hell, the same social sphere.
And to make the situation even stranger, Lyle had been throwing him oddly calculating glances since his father asked about Addison's dad, as if trying to piece a puzzle together that was missing more than a few pieces.
Addison saw Mr. Prince open his mouth to speak but he was cut off by a very loud exclamation from his son, "Holy shit, I'm dating Frank Montgomery's son!"
Lyle jumped from his seat and moved closer to Addison. He couldn't believe he has missed the resemblance. The beautiful man was pretty much the spitting image of his late father, a little leaner, but still remarkably similar looking.
Addison was confused, "How do you know my father?"
This wasn't adding up for Lyle. Frank Montgomery had been his father's biggest business rival back in the day. The man was an international success and was frequently flying cross-country and oversea to further expand his business up until his death fifteen years ago...
"Addison," Lyle began slowly, "do you know what your dad did for a living?"
He watched as the man slowly shook his head from side to side. "He-he traveled a lot. But whenever I asked him what he did he'd say he would tell me when I was older. Then," Addison paused, swallowing the lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat, "then he died," and no one else ever told him anything about his father again.
"WHAT?" Lyle's father boomed making everyone else in the room jump. "Frank Montgomery's kid! No one ever told you about your dad?"
Addison shook his head demurely.
"Well, I'll tell you something about him," the man growled. "He was an amazing investor and a complete and utter arse when it came to spending money." Addison let out a small laugh. His dad would never spend money if he could avoid it. "And I bet you he has billions tucked away for you somewhere."
"I'm dating a billionaire?" Lyle asked sounding slightly awed.
"I don't have any money," Addison murmured softly.
"Poppycock!" Lyle's mother chimed in.
"Yeah, what she said," Lyle agreed before adding, "and you do have money. You told me yourself that your dad left it for you and your stepmother was keeping it from you."
Lyle watched as Addison's eyes grew as wide as saucers. Probably thought his dad left him some money for school loans, not billions.
Addison watched Mrs. Prince whisper something to her husband that he was reasonably sure concerned him and his lack of money. They whispered a little longer before excusing themselves to, "go see a man about a horse."
Lyle chuckled and walked over to Addison deciding to perch on the armrest of the other's chair. "That wasn't nearly as horrible as I thought it would be," he admitted.
Addison just nodded in agreement.
"I can't believe you're a billionaire."
"Neither can I," Addison managed to breathe out.
"So, can I say I'm using you for your money now?" Lyle asked wanting the shoe to be on the other foot... for once.
Addison smirked, "Is that what you're gonna tell the papers? You're using me? Maybe they'll stop calling me a gold digger then."
Lyle just laughed.
Then Lyle was kneeling down in front of Addison. Love shone in his eyes and Addison found his own reflecting much the same sentiment. They had only known each other for two months yet Addison couldn't picture himself being with anyone else. "I love you," he whispered and his cheeks instantly flushed scarlet. He hadn't meant to say that aloud so soon.
"I love you too," Lyle answered back almost immediately. He reached a hand out, taking one of Addison's into his grasp.
"Addison, Addi," Lyle's heart soared as the man smiled at the nickname, "I know we haven't known each other very long, but I need to ask you this now... Are you familiar with the ultimatum I have to find a person to marry?"
Addison nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak. His heart was traveling a million miles per minute and threatening to leap right out of his chest. Why was Lyle bringing that up now?
"I need to announce my engagement to the person of my choice by March or I'll be forced into an arranged marriage."
Again Addison nodded.
"I really want that person to be you."
Addison gasped. Lyle was holding out a box that definitely contained a ring. He opened the lid and Addison felt tears welling up in his eyes. And then Lyle began to babble. "I saw the stone and immediately thought of you. It's so beautiful and... oh... this isn't an engagement ring. Just a promise of sorts. My mom has a hand me down from her mother but this one... It's so special. I made the design and had the stone put in and, oh, I hope you want it and—"
"Lyle?" Lyle looked up to Addison grateful for the cutoff, "shut up and kiss me," Addison demanded before jumping out of his seat and into his lover's arms. He smashed their faces together and they shared a searing kiss.
They broke apart grinning. "Does that mean you'll wear it?"
Addison didn't respond. Instead he dove in for another kiss and took the ring, slipping it on his finger.
Comments (0)
See all