Somebody to Cherish by April Wilson

Author:April Wilson [Wilson, April]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Gay / Lesbian / LGBT
Publisher: Wilson Publishing LLC
Published: 2021-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Ian Alexander

Today’s going to be a busy day. There’s still a lot to be done in preparation for our wedding this coming weekend. After breakfast, Tyler and I head to the Cook County Clerk’s office to apply for our marriage license. We take a number and wait in line with all the other couples. I’m glad to see we’re not the only same-sex couple applying for a license. Two women are applying as well.

After the clerk hands our license to Tyler, he hands it to me. My heart skips a beat when I see our names printed on the certificate.

Tyler Jamison

Ian Alexander

We have an official marriage license.

It’s for real, completely legit, and I feel utterly overwhelmed. I could pinch myself.

As we drive away from the county building, I can’t stop staring at the piece of paper in my hand. I just keep reading our names over and over. Tyler’s gaze is on the road for the most part, but I catch him casting glances my way. I’m not sure if he’s looking at the license or at me.

“You okay?” he finally asks, sounding more curious than anything.

I clear my tight throat. “Oh, my god, yes. I’m more than okay. I’m—I can’t even put it into words. When I was a kid, opportunities like this didn’t exist for same-sex couples. I assumed I’d never be able to get married.”

Tyler looks pensive as he watches the road. “To be honest, I never expected it either.”

I know Tyler struggled with his sexual identity for a long time. Until he met me, he only dated women, and no matter how hard he tried, it just wasn’t working for him. “I’m surprised you didn’t just settle down and marry a woman.”

“I thought about it. A lot. I came close to proposing once, but I couldn’t go through with it. It didn’t feel right to saddle a woman with a husband whose heart really wasn’t invested in the relationship. Not like hers was. So, I resigned myself to being a lifelong bachelor.”

My heart breaks for all the lonely years he endured. I lay my hand on his thigh. “I’m glad you waited.”

He smiles at me. “So am I. You are worth it.”

I nearly choke up. “Now you’re just sweet-talkin’ me.”

When I glance forward, out the front windshield, I notice we’re in Lincoln Park, Tyler’s old stomping grounds. He drives slowly down Armitage Avenue, past a row of quaint shops, until he parks in front of one called The Black Tux.

“This looks good,” he says.

The front windows are filled with mannequins dressed in stylish tuxedos. My pulse flutters when I imagine Tyler in one of them. Just picturing it makes me weak in the knees. He’s a handsome man, and he looks amazing in a suit. But put him in a tux, and oh, my god. I can’t even imagine the swoon.

Tyler opens the door for me, and I step into a classy, well-lit storefront. Inside, the shop is clean and tidy. The floors are a polished light wood, and the walls are whitewashed.

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