"Oh, just fuck it all to hell!" I uttered in disgust, running my hands through the bowtie and scrambling the ends into a loose knot.
"Such language," he laughed as he cautiously reached around me with his big hands. "You just need to calm down." He tied a perfect bowtie as usual. "I know today is a big day, but think only happy thoughts. You are thinking happy thoughts, right? You do want to do this right? We could cancel it."
I turned away from the mirror and dropped my forehead onto his broad shoulder. My heart was beating fast and I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.
"I think I'm getting a headache," I said, my speech lightly muffled by his fancy shirt.
"Uhm, you're going to ruin my very expensive shirt," he said, gently pushing my head off his shoulder. He grabbed both sides of my head in his hands and looked at me. "I think you need a little bit of the bubbling to settle you down." He pushed me backwards into the big upholstered chair and went over to the desk to grab the little bottle of champagne from the gift basket he had been chilling in a bowl of ice water.
"Drink it all up in one go," he said, handing me the flute of fizziness.
"Remember when we first got together after you moved back here," I asked.
"When you gave me that beer and we then fucked like rabbits?"
"No," I laughed. "We didn't fuck like rabbits. I thought it was a very sweet evening. I actually thought you were the one then."
"No, you did not."
"You threw that beer into the shrub and started pawing me. I though he's moved back just like I have...and here we are both gay. I figured it was a destiny kind of thing," I said, holding out the glass for another. "Bartender, I'll have another."
"I don't want to have to hold you up at the altar," he admonished me, pouring the rest of the tiny bottle into my glass. He held the bottle up, twisting it in the light. "About to get married and you suck down a whole bottle of champagne," he joked before throwing the little bottle into the trashcan.
"I really did. I figured fate had brought us back together after so long. And the sex..."
"Oh, boy, you are feeling better aren't you?" He slapped me on the leg.
"Oh, yeah, big daddy, do it again," I joked, leaning my head back and smacking my lips.
"Oh, I bet the sex is a whole lot better now. Oh, I know it is," he said, looking into the mirror and adjusting his tie. He looked at the clock on the wall. "It's almost time."
I sat up in the chair and took a deep breath.
"You know I love you, right?" I said very seriously.
"Oh, shut the fuck up and put on your jacket." He handed me the black jacket and leaned into me. "Yes, I know. I love you too," he whispered softly to me. He grabbed the back of my head and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. "C'mon, slide that jacket on and let's get this shit done."
I put on my jacket and headed toward the door. He grabbed me by the shoulder and glided me along. I stopped and turned around.
"Thanks, Malcolm," I said with a wide smile.
