Sandy waved a hand at me dismissively. “You have a lifetime ahead of you for those. Charlie wants us together for the big introduction.”
“Ooh,” I said, shoving Vince away. “That is so much more important than the first-time married-couple sex I was going to go have.”
“Hey!” Vince said. Then, “Okay, you’re right. It is a little bit more important.”
“He’s so nervous, it’s adorable,” Sandy said. “He’s doing that thing where he’s trying to pretend he’s not, but he’s all twitchy. Ah, the throes of young love. Or. Well. Young old-people love.” He frowned. “Elderly boning? Never mind. It’s… cute.”
I’d only caught glimpses of Robert, having been swept up in everything else going on to be able to stop for an introduction. I knew that this was important to Charlie, especially in light of that fact that this was the first time this had ever happened. Not once in all the years I had known him had he ever brought someone for us to meet. It’d made me sad for the longest time, especially since I still wasn’t clear on his relationship with Sandy’s old mentor, Vaguyna Muffman. Regardless, her death had been devastating for Charlie. And not to mention his bitch of an ex-wife who’d taken his kids away from him.
So this was important.
First-time married-people sex could wait just a little bit more.
“Are we supposed to go find him?” I asked.
“No,” Sandy said. “He was going to grab Robert and bring him out—there they are.”
There was a dapper man walking next to Charlie, his suit looking perfectly cut for his slender frame. He was of the same height as Charlie and walked smoothly with the help of a wooden cane. His hair was salt and peppered and thin, but the beard on his face was full. The skin around his eyes was wrinkled prominently, but even I could see that age had not diminished his handsomeness. He held on to Charlie’s elbow as they walked. They made a striking couple, Charlie rough and strong, Robert elegant and wispy.
“Wow,” Corey murmured. “Old dude is hot.”
“Don’t let Charlie hear you say that,” I whispered. “Might think you’re trying to get all up on his GILF.”
Corey choked out a laugh.
And I could see what Sandy was talking about as Charlie approached. He was a little stiffer than he normally was, and it had nothing to do with his arthritis. He was nervous about this, and any thought I had about teasing him immediately went out the window. Maybe there had been other people aside from Vaguyna. But maybe they hadn’t been important enough. This was obviously important to him.
I reached over and grabbed Sandy’s hand, squeezing it sharply. He squeezed right back, and I knew he understood.
No one said a word as they approached. Charlie looked over all of us before his gaze rested on Sandy and me.
“Everyone,” Charlie said. “This is Robert Olsen. My… date.” He blushed furiously.
I wanted to aww them both so hard.
Somehow, I resisted.
Robert looked amused when he glanced over at Charlie. When he spoke, his voice was soft and not as deep as I thought it’d be. It had a slightly effeminate quality to it, and I decided right then and there that I wanted to make sure Charlie kept him forever. “Your date? Is that what the kids call it these days? I prefer us going steady myself. You can give me your letterman jacket later if you’d like, when we go parking.”
“Oh my God,” Sandy and I both said at the same time, obviously unable to last even a few seconds without embarrassing the crap out of Charlie.
“You have to keep him,” Sandy demanded.
“Forever,” I agreed. “Never let him out of your sight.”
Charlie sighed. “Robert, these are my—”
“Your kids?” Robert asked. “That’s what you call them.”
Charlie blushed again and wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.
And that just wouldn’t do. “Yes,” I said, taking a step forward. “We’re his kids. I’m Paul. This is my new husband, Vince. And there’s Sandy and his boyfriend, Darren. And the baby of the group, the beautiful Corey.”
Robert shook my hand, his grip firm. “It was a lovely ceremony. I particularly liked the way you knocked down Vince here. Charlie told me he wasn’t surprised that it happened that way.”
“That’s because they never do anything normal,” Charlie mumbled.
“Pish posh,” Robert said, swatting Charlie’s shoulder lightly. “You were just as proud as Paul’s parents. I could see it in your eyes. Don’t you try and deny it, you old coot.”