“Maybe,” Landon yelled back, completely unfazed by such a topic. Three pair of expectant gazes turned toward Robert to find the answer.
“I’m not sure,” Robert said, mentally ticking off the different topics Landon had broached about his youth. Honestly, Landon had readily admitted he’d been a lot to handle. “He told me he had a sordid past.”
Tony burst out with a loud bark of a laugh, and Karen again instantly scolded him. “We’re not rehashing all this tonight, Tony. Robert, how did you two meet?” Karen asked again, redirecting the conversation.
Robert paused to see if Tony had anything left to say before he answered. Met with silence, Robert began. “We were at the military hospital in Germany together,” he stated as Landon came back into the room with a new, uncorked bottle of wine. “I had taken a temporary position there and met Landon a day or two after his surgery. We read together every evening and—”
“You had surgery?” his father barked in a shocked bellow, this time startling Robert with the unexpected outburst.
“Oh shit, I forgot…” Landon had started to pour a refresher in Robert’s glass when he paused and looked down at him. “I hadn’t told them about that.”
“You didn’t warn me,” Robert said as their panicked gazes collided. “I wouldn’t have—”
“You forgot you had surgery?” The volume of his father’s voice increased by a full octave. Robert swore the table vibrated under the force.
“Listen to me!” Landon demanded, his voice strong and loud.
The wine bottle was forgotten, discarded on the table as Landon turned to face off with his now standing father. His mister grew ten feet tall, his chest swelling as he prepared for a war of words.
“It wasn’t that big a deal. I broke my arm.” He flung his arm out for them to see he was fine. “See? You didn’t have to worry.” Landon then threw out his hands like a true Italian, giving his words meaning. “And good thing it happened because that’s where I met him.” Landon’s thumb hooked over his shoulder toward Robert as if it wasn’t a given that Landon had been talking about him.
Tony looked ready to blast Landon further. Robert cleared his throat, trying for the best words to help defuse this sudden burst of anger. “Not met exactly. We reconnected there. I should have started a little further back. He and I first met when Landon generously aided my family during my father’s state funeral,” Robert explained and reached over, taking Landon’s hand in his, urging him down to his seat. Landon threaded their fingers together as he sat, doing a full body turn toward Robert. His mister’s face turned ten shades of red, pausing Robert’s explanation.
What had happened to cause embarrassment?
Holding his hand?
Another first for his family, no doubt. It was so automatic for Robert that he hadn’t thought twice.
His heart melted, knowing Landon hadn’t chosen to reject his touch. “In Germany, we started reading A Game of Thrones together. I believe Michael sent the book to Landon at some point. Landon struggled reading with one hand, and I had always wanted to read the series. The book brought us together.”
“Why’re you keeping secrets?” Tony asked as if Robert hadn’t spoken. His hand tightened around Landon’s. As much as Robert loved Landon might be as much as he was growing to love his family. They were hilariously wonderful, Tony intent in finding his answers while scolding Landon with his tone.
“Pop, it wasn’t intentional—” Landon started only to have Tony cut him off.
“Sure, it was.” The blustery, animated man turned serious, maybe even hurt by everything Landon had neglected to tell them. “We’re your family. Why’re we just finding out about all this? You’ve been back in the States for months. You got hurt and you got a friend and we don’t know?”
Tony reminded Robert of his granddaddy Paulie. He’d been a forceful man. On nothing more than a gut reaction, Robert decided to side with Landon’s family on this matter. He and Landon had been so in sync that it was time to put aside whatever fears and insecurities Landon had about how well they would all fit together.
“Yeah. Why, Landon?” The swing of Landon’s head made the air shift in the room. His mister had a what-the-fuck look on his face to which Robert winked and swiped a thumb over Landon’s thumb, hoping to show his teasing.
“Honestly…” Landon gave a deep exhale and rose enough to push his chair backward, closer to Robert’s. “I’ve been a little overwhelmed.” Landon cocked his head toward Robert, his funny nature returning. “This one looks like he’s a gentleman—pfft. He’s a lot to deal with.” Then Landon tossed the imaginary gauntlet toward his uncle. “Besides, I did tell Uncle Michael.”
“You knew?” Karen said accusingly. “And you didn’t tell us?”
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus,” his uncle said in hopefully faux outrage. “I kept all your secrets. I didn’t even tell them you two planned to be married.” Michael’s hand slowly came to his mouth, showing he’d absolutely meant that slip of the tongue.
“Oh, my fucking God.” Landon gasped and jumped to his feet at the same time his father did. “You did not just say that.” Both father’s and son’s faces flushed with the news. Karen, though, garnered all of Robert’s attention. Instant tears filled her eyes as she rose from her seat and came straight to him as the other men began to argue.
“I’d hoped that’s where this was headed.”
Robert stood as she closed in on him, taking him into her arms, pure happiness in her tone.
“Hush, Landon, and get over here.” She reached out, drawing a still arguing Landon into the hug with them. “I wanted this to be the reason you brought Robert home to us. You two seem to share a great love.”
