Kane's heart hurt on a level he'd never experienced before. Why did this seem to ache so much worse than both Brian and his mother?
"You all right, man?" Rodney asked as Kane walked past the bar, heading toward his office.
"Sure. Can you watch things for a minute?" Kane asked, barely looking over his shoulder or waiting for Rodney's answer. Kane pushed through the doors to find Avery pacing the hall from his office to the kitchen. Crap. Desolation filled his soul as Avery looked at him with worry. Kane kept quiet, dropping his sweaty palms inside his pants pockets as he decided to take it like a man, and forced himself to walk toward Avery.
"Is everything okay? Do you have time to talk to me right now?" Avery asked, and Kane nodded, coming to stop about five feet from where Avery stood. The sounds from the kitchen filled the small hall. Avery looked antsy and intense. Kane crossed his arms over his chest, trying to hold his heart inside. "Can we go in your office?"
"Please just say whatever it is you have to say. We're busy," Kane responded. His tone didn't come out harsh like he intended. Instead, he was more quiet and resolved. The super calm was completely in place. Kane knew what Avery came here to say, and he really didn't want to listen to any part of it.
Avery hesitated, seeming unsure. The emotions playing out across his face matched the havoc tearing through Kane's heart. After a second or so, Avery visibly squared his shoulders, firmed up his spine, and took the few steps separating them, wrapping Kane inside his arms. Kane resisted, but the smell of Avery's cologne, the feel of strong arms wrapping around his waist threatened tears, and he dropped his hands to his side. Crap, was he going to cry? He closed his eyes and dropped his head as Avery went in for one brief, swift, chaste kiss.
"I know you're busy, I just couldn't wait, I'll plan better next time. I turned down the Democratic Party today. They wanted me to run for the senate," Avery said, and Kane snapped his head up.
"I heard about you possibly running. You hadn't said anything. Avery, why didn't you run? Everyone's talking about you running…" Kane started but Avery cut him off, pulling him tighter against his body.
"I'm not running for office. Not anymore. Because of you," Avery said, smiling down at him.
"What? Avery, no," Kane argued, he was completely confused and too much emotion rolled through his brain to allow him to think properly. "I never asked you not to run."
"No, wait, Kane. Let me finish. Will you please hold me? Put your arms around me. I need you touching me right now." Avery lifted Kane's arms, draping them around his body. Kane was stunned as the magnitude of Avery's confession settled inside his heart.
"Avery, you can't give that up…" Avery looked frustrated and gripped the sides of his arms, pushing Kane back a step before he bent down to one knee. The whole action confused Kane as he looked down to see Avery extending a hand.
"No, Kane, you aren't listening. Let me finish. I need you to listen. I know this is too soon. And I'm not saying right now, but promise me, one year from today, that you'll marry me if you still want to be with me." Avery held a small black velvet box and flipped open the lid. Kane's eyes landed on the ring and then darted straight to Avery's face where an intense expression stared back at him. A minute or two passed with neither man willing to look away.
"Say something," Avery finally said.
"You barely know me," Kane shot back. A few minutes ago, he thought they were breaking up, and now, Avery was down on one knee. What?
"I said in a year. One year from today. I don't want to marry you tomorrow. A year will give us time. If either of us wants out, it's all right, but for now, this is a promise ring. You are promising to be mine," Avery said, carefully explaining everything while still down on one knee.
"We can't marry," Kane fired back.
"We can in the church. We can be married by your God's word," Avery said, pleading with him now.
"Avery, my God doesn't believe in us," Kane said. That had Avery faltering. He lowered his arms and stood, backing Kane against the wall both literally and physically.
"But he does. I know he does. I know you're meant for me. I know you're the other half of my soul. We are meant to be together. I know in one year we will be married, and I promise to spend the rest of my life loving you, taking care of and standing beside you. Say yes," Avery said, placing both palms on the side of Kane's face, slightly lifting his head to look into his eyes. "You're killing me, Kane. You told me always on the phone. You said you agreed with always."
"I'm scared," Kane whispered. He wasn't sure he'd ever said those words out loud before in his life.
"Me too. What we have between us is so strong. Please say yes," Avery said, placing a simple kiss on his lips.
"Okay," Kane said, his voice growing stronger with each word he spoke. "Yes, I will marry you in one year."
"Thank you, I'll hold you to that!" Avery grinned before devouring his slightly parted lips. Kane kissed him back with everything he held inside his heart. The barriers he'd constructed over his heart tore free. He was so completely in love with Avery Adams, and they hadn't broken up, actually quite the opposite.
Paulie stuck his head around the side wall separating them from the kitchen. They must have been heard, or more likely, Paulie eavesdropped, which was completely okay with Kane. His voice didn't match the smile he wore.
"If you two lovebirds can tear away from each other for a minute, table four has the wrong bottle of wine and Rodney's playing host. You traumatized the staff doing that dead man walking through the dining room just a minute ago. It's a bad day when the staff would rather come to me, than interrupt you," Paulie said, darting back from where he'd come.