Will & Patrick Wake Up Married by Leta Blake

Hartley, who lounges back and spreads his legs out casually. There’s not even a hint of shame on his face. Ryan, though, looks like he just got caught with his hand down his pants in public. “You’re back early. I thought you were supposed to be in Vegas for the rest of the week?”
    “There was a change of plans.” Will sets his jaw, glaring. “I see your plans changed too.” His heart throbs painfully in his chest.
    Ryan takes hold of Hartley’s hand. “I know this is awkward, and I’m sorry if this hurts you. We never wanted that.”
    Will’s shoulders tense and he crosses his arms over his chest. He uses his thumb to twist the ring on his finger. “Oh yeah?”
    “Of course. I’ll always care about you, Will. We had a lot of years together and those can’t be erased. But…” He swallows and looks to Hartley. “We both haven’t been happy together for a long time. You have to admit that.”
    “Do I?”
    “Please, Will. We just want to finally do what’s best for everyone.”
    Hartley nods.
    “I’ve got news too. I met someone in Vegas.”
    “You met someone?” Ryan sounds like Will’s not speaking English.
    “Yep.”
    “As in you met a man?” Hartley asks quietly.
    “Yes.” Will can’t even feel his lips but he yammers on. “I’m in love with him. And he’s in love with me too.”
    “Will,” Ryan says, pity swimming in his eyes.
    “We got married.” He waggles his left hand in front of them. He sounds insane. He suspects he looks it, based on the way Ryan and Hartley are staring at him.
    Ryan’s face goes pale and his eyebrows crawl together. “You what?”
    “You heard me.” Will can’t breathe. He spins on his heel and walks out of the coffee shop. The fresh, cool air slaps his face and he gasps it in like a floundering fish. He hasn’t gone fifteen steps before Ryan grabs his arm and pulls him around. Hartley lingers in the background, radiating concern as the end of his dark braid flaps in the breeze.
    “Will, tell me you’re not serious.” Ryan’s grip is tight on his arm.
    “I am. Deadly serious. We met the other night and, well, one thing led to another.” The smile on his lips is a tight, painful mask.
    “You married a man you met in Las Vegas? After what? One day?”
    The fact that Ryan’s expression slides somewhere between worry and disgust just eggs him on. Will shrugs. “What can I say? He’s incredible and we both just knew it was right. You know how it is.”
    “No. I don’t know .” Ryan’s grip tightens enough to hurt and Will jerks his arm free. “Will, two days ago, you were going on about how we were right for each other. And now you’re married ?”
    Will lifts his brows slightly in Hartley’s direction. “Funny how things change, isn’t it?”
    Ryan gapes at him.
    Hartley steps forward gingerly, saying in his quiet, calm way, “Congratulations, Will. What’s his name?”
    “Dr. Patrick McCloud.” Will lifts his chin. “He’s a neurosurgeon.”
    “Will?” Ryan sounds like he’s speaking to a wild animal or a very stupid child. “Have you been drinking ?”
    Will snarls, turning away.
    But Ryan grabs his arm again, holding him fast. “Does your mother know about this? She doesn’t, does she? She would have said something when I dropped off your stuff from the apartment.”
    Will’s laugh hurts. “So, you’ve already packed up my things and moved me out? In a hurry much?”
    Ryan’s eyes fly wide like Will’s gone even crazier. “Me? I’m not the one who married some stranger on a drunken fling in Vegas!”
    Will flashes cold and hot. He’s shaking all over. He wants to deny it, wants to say that Ryan’s accusation is entirely untrue, but people are standing around outside the coffee shop listening. He remembers Eleanora telling him to act his butt off, and he hears Patrick’s voice in his head snarking about Molinaros lurking in bushes.
    “I’ll have you know,” Will says, jabbing his finger in Ryan’s chest.