A content smile tickled his lips when he looked around. He couldn’t recall his grandmother’s jet ever being this full and he enjoyed the energy. He watched Holden and Molly, their heads close together and their smiles radiant. Luke could only hope that this time the wedding would actually happen, so this mass migration of Snyders would not be in vain.
Luke’s smile grew when he thought about Reid’s facial expression seeing all the relatives. Although his socially challenged partner handled those family gatherings pretty well, Reid always felt a little uncomfortable in large groups. And this was a pretty large group. Carly and Jack, who had decided to turn this visit to Vegas into a second – or was it their third or even fourth? – honeymoon, joined without their children. Abigail and ‘her’ doctor Rainsby were having a soft conversation and Emma, Seth and Lydia were in the front of the plane, watching over Natalie, Ethan, Zoë and Danny, while Faith was listening to her iPod. That was about the turnout Luke had expected, but to his surprise others had joined them. Kim and Bob had shown up and even Katie, Simon and Jacob were present. Kim had arranged for a WOAK camera man, so Molly’s wedding could be shared with the Oakdale viewers.
Another unexpected part of the following were Lucinda and John. Sure, it was Lucinda’s plane and she loved Holden…with Lily. Everybody knew her feelings about Molly, so her presence was peculiar to say the least. As was the attendance of Lily and Damian! Luke had been in shock seeing his mother arrive in the plane, warmly welcomed by bride and groom. It was little short of a miracle.
And speaking of miracles…Luke looked next to him and felt his smile even grow more. Sensing Luke’s attention, Reid looked up from his magazine and gave him a quick smile. It made Luke nestle a little closer to his companion.
The last time they traveled on this very same plane, it had been the two of them. Luke closed his eyes to go back to that day, over a year ago. Their trip to Dallas to fight for Reid’s job. Luke remembered his despair, seeing Noah on a date with someone else. He had been so off his stroke, that he hadn’t noticed he’d left Al’s with a very small portion of chili. Reid had made some telling groaning after seeing the small bag in Luke’s hand.
“I thought you were planning to feed me,” he had said and Luke, barely able to keep his eyes from the laughing Noah and his date, had looked up with an annoyed “What?”
When Reid pointed out the little portion, he had managed a small laugh.
“Oh. Yeah. That’s not enough.”
“Not nearly,” Reid had agreed, but when Luke wanted to return to Al’s, Reid had stopped him.
“Let me. No need to wander into the lion’s pit.”
Luke hadn’t realized it then and there, but it had been Reid’s way to protect Luke. Thinking about it, still made Luke all warm inside.
Their trip to Dallas had been reasonably pleasant. Reid had buried himself in a magazine, just like today, but Luke had noticed that Reid had given him some searching glances. He had more or less expected Reid to make cynical remarks, but he hadn’t. He had looked worried, in a way, but he had kept his mouth shut.
So Luke had taken the initiative. Almost hoping Reid would put his foot in it – like usual – so Luke could bite his head off and vent.
“Noah was on a date,” Luke had said, his eyes pinned on the clouds outside.
“So I noticed,” Reid had calmly responded.
“He said it wasn’t a date,” Luke had continued on a provocative tone.
“It looked like a date to me,” Reid had shrugged.
“Then again, what do you know about dating…” Luke had sneered, causing Reid to look up for a moment.
“True,” he had calmly agreed and Luke had felt horrible.
“I’m sorry…I shouldn’t be taking this out on you,” he had stumbled and Reid had given him that quick smile.
“True again. You’re on a roll, Mr. Snyder.”
“It’s just…” Luke shrugged, “It hurts to see him with someone else.”
Reid had looked at him again. No smile, this time.
“I can see that.”
There had been no judgment in that remark and that had made Luke feel surprisingly safe. Accepted. And after a year, he still felt safe and accepted with this man.
“It’s a little more crowded than during our trip to Dallas,” Reid whispered after kissing Luke on the temple and the blond looked up.
“I was just thinking about that trip,” he whispered back.
“You were all upset after seeing Noah with someone else,” Reid remembered too.
“I was. You were kind.”
“Kind?” Reid’s question was teasing. “Me? Kind?”
“Yeah, you.”
“Hmmm, maybe. It was all mixed up. I hated seeing you so hurt, but Noah on a date also gave me some hope…”
They both chuckled.
“Did that give you the courage to kiss me in Dallas?”
Reid shrugged again.
“I really don’t know. I guess it was a sum of circumstances. The adrenaline of being reinstated just pushed me over the edge,” Reid laughed, “your face was priceless.”
“I was in shock,” Luke laughed too. “I never saw it coming and I never thought I’d like it that much…”
“That suggests that you had been thinking about it…” Reid teased and Luke gave him a quick kiss.
“I had,” he admitted without any hesitation.
“It was so awkward between us, on the way back to Oakhell…” Reid shook his head, remembering the tension. He had been in shock too. Afraid he had overplayed his hand, scaring Luke away.
“It was. A large part of me wanted to kiss some more, but my brain came up with many reasons why that wasn’t the smartest thing to do.”
“And here we are, one year later…” Reid playfully pinched Luke’s chin. “Still kissing.”
“And still enjoying every minute of it,” Luke grinned, pulling Reid’s head closer so he could collect.
A content smile tickled his lips when he nestled himself against Reid and felt the strong fingers playing with his. Way up in the air, Luke felt more grounded than he’d ever felt before.
