The Marrying Kind – Jay Northcote

Blurb:

Nathan wants to put a
ring on it, but is Owen the marrying kind?

Two years on from their first date, Owen and Nathan are
living together and life is good—except they’re not on the same page about
marriage.

A traditionalist at heart, Nathan wants it all: the wedding,
the vows, and a pair of matching rings. Owen, on the other hand, believes
marriage is old-fashioned and unnecessary. They don’t need a wedding to prove their
commitment to each other. Love should be enough on its own.

All it takes is one moment of weakness on a night out to
force the issue. Owen finds himself engaged after a half-drunk proposal, and
Nathan’s enthusiasm sweeps him along. But as the big day approaches, the
mounting tension finally combusts.

If he’s going to save their relationship, Owen will need to
decide once and for all if he’s truly the marrying kind.

Excerpt:

Nathan glanced surreptitiously at Owen sitting beside him as
Jack and Simon spoke their vows. Jack’s voice was quiet but sure, and Simon’s
rang out clearly over the assembled crowd.

Owen’s gaze was fixed on the couple, and his eyes were
suspiciously bright. As Nathan watched, Owen cleared his throat and wiped what
Nathan assumed was a tear out of the corner of his eye.

Nathan suppressed a smile and turned his attention back to
the groom and groom. So much for Owen’s protests that he didn’t see the point
in weddings and that they were outdated, pointless events that were stupid even
for straight couples unless they were religious. Even if he didn’t believe in
the principle of marriage—gay or otherwise—it was nice to see he wasn’t totally
immune to the emotion of the occasion. Nathan was going to enjoy taking the
piss out of Owen later. But in the meantime, he reached for Owen’s hand and
squeezed. Owen squeezed back.

Nathan’s eyes were moist too by the time they’d finished.
The part where the celebrant said “I now pronounce you husband and husband”
really set him off. Simon looked so utterly radiant after he and Jack finally
stopped kissing and turned to face the wedding guests, hand in hand. Jack was
flushed and awkward compared to Simon. He obviously wasn’t happy being the
centre of attention, unlike his new husband, but his smile was genuine and the
joy rolled off both of them, touching everyone in the room.

Nathan sighed. Owen’s hand was still in his. Their fingers
were tangled together casually—just like their lives. They’d been in a
relationship for over two years now, living together for half of that, and
Nathan had never been happier. But looking at Simon and Jack, he wanted more.
He wanted that. But he was afraid to ask Owen, because he was pretty sure what
his answer would be, and it wouldn’t be the one Nathan hoped for.

Jay’s Bio and Links:

www.jaynorthcote.com

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