CHAPTER 368: YOU CONFIRMED THE RESERVATION?

They didn’t spend the rest of the night in the little closed off area, since over time Andrew relaxed and finally felt like he could go out and face everyone again.

Maxwell was all for it, holding his hand the whole time as they left the safe space, everyone else around them. It felt like Andrew had a wall of support for him, giving him the safety that he needed to step out again.

Did that mean that Andrew didn’t keep an eye on what was happening between Ellis and Richard? Absolutely not. Andrew and Rose were both watching them intently, sharing knowing looks as Ellis laughed, clasping onto Richard’s arm, giving it a squeeze when Richard told a joke.

It was a classic, and Andrew was pretty happy to see that Richard was getting somewhat flustered at the other man’s attention. Andrew could also tell that it didn’t go unnoticed either.

Many, many people were looking at Richard and Ellis, some with curiosity, while others looked at them with a kind of possessiveness that made Andrew’s hackles rise. He didn’t want some damn idiot to approach them, but he didn’t have to worry.

While Ben, Maxwell and Andrew broke off from the group, Amir, Rose and Jordan stayed nearby. An unspoken bond between them, and Andrew was glad for it. Especially since Amir was getting more spicy the longer he was pregnant. He had been relatively quiet before, but now?

He wasn’t going to let anything fly.

Andrew floated, happy to be Maxwell’s arm candy while he went around the room. Andrew recognised a few faces from the wedding, winning himself some brownie points as he spoke to the people in not just Maxwell’s, but the Beckett’s families good graces. Andrew could tell that a few people gave Maxwell encouraging looks and a few thumbs up when they thought that Andrew wouldn’t notice.

Andrew did, and Maxwell didn’t hesitate in the slightest to let Andrew know about it either. Maxwell was all for bragging about his man, and often introduced Andrew as the Doctor that he was, and also introducing the fact that he was going to become a double Doctor. Like how Andrew gushed about Maxwell to anyone who could hear him, Maxwell was making sure that Andrew got the same treatment.

Honestly, after the interaction he’d had with his father, it was appreciated.

So, Andrew went around the room, running into the people who cared about him periodically, and for the first time since his breakdown, no one gave him a strange look if he had a sip of liquor. In fact, Kim forced a glass of wine into his hands with a pointed look.

Andrew laughed, but even Maxwell gave him a look.

"You’re allowed to drink today. It’s been a fucking day." Maxwell whispered, and Andrew couldn’t help but feel so loved and supported when he heard that, even if they were encouraging him to do something that could hurt himself.

Andrew, of course, didn’t go off the handle. He had Maxwell now, he wasn’t lost, and in fact, he was glad to know that the update on Maxwell’s engagement ring was good. He had wanted to have a moment with Amir’s grandparents to have a chat about the progress, and what Amir’s grandfather thought of the ring, but after what happened, Maxwell wouldn’t leave Andrew’s side.

It was understandable, even if it meant that Andrew was just going to have to make sure they met up for coffee or something to get their opinions on it. He was sure that Amir’s grandfather would like it. He was pretty sure.

He just needed to be sneaky enough to do it around Maxwell, which the man was making quite hard for him to do. Every time that Andrew tried to sneak away, Maxwell was there, tugging at his hand, making it obvious that he was concerned about him.

Andrew was flushed, embarrassed at the attention, while still soaking every ounce in. While it made being sneaky hard, he couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t thriving under Maxwell’s soft, but aggressive way of showing his love. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was in love with Andrew.

Andrew glowed under the attention, and the sly looks that Kim, Jenny, and even Luis threw his way on occasion only proved that the others could see it too.

Eventually though, the party began to wind down, and Andrew could feel a small thrill of anticipation go down his spine. He hadn’t forgotten that they had booked a room in a hotel tonight. It was something he was looking forward to before his father showed his ugly face, and he was still looking forward to it now.

As the room slowly cleared, and people Andrew had spoken to came to say goodnight to him, including Mr. Dalton and his wife. Andrew was nervously fidgeting beside Maxwell, checking to make sure that no one else was around before he spoke. The room was relatively clear, at least around them. He was fairly certain that others could tell that Andrew was nervous, but that wasn’t a hard thing to see.

Andrew was over 6’2 at this point, anyone could tell if he was nervous. They had been able to tell when he was that height too, now he just also came with a scent.

"Have we confirmed the reservation?" Andrew asked nervously, leaning down to whisper to Maxwell. He didn’t want others to think they were up to something, or fighting. Why he thought others would think they were fighting, Andrew wasn’t sure. He wanted to go for more of an intimate moment energy, and when Maxwell turned to look up at him, scanning Andrew’s face before smiling, he was pretty sure that he got what he wanted.

"Baby, do you really think I, of all people, didn’t already have someone check to make sure that the reservation was solid before we left the house?" Maxwell asked, his tone scolding and Andrew gave him a warm, mushy smile.

"I just wanted to make sure. Today has been crazy, and I just wanted to make sure that you knew that I was still looking forward to it." Andrew said. "Plus, I haven’t drank in a while, and it’s probably just making me a little extra anxious." Andrew admitted and Maxwell softened immediately. He was already holding his hand, but now he reached out, holding onto his hand still and touching Andrew’s face gently.

"Baby, you couldn’t stop me from my plans for later tonight. Your father showing up or not, I had every intention to completely and utterly seducing you later, with your permission of course." Andrew felt that the man said the second part only to appease him. Not that Maxwell should worry that he was doing anything against Andrew’s will.

The day that Andrew truly turned down Maxwell was the day that Andrew wasn’t himself in the slightest. Someone else was inhabiting his body. Or something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"Well, I’m glad we’re of the same mind on that. I didn’t really care that he’d shown up either. I didn’t want you to think I cared. I just wanted you to know that I’m still all for it." Andrew told him, reaching down to cup Maxwell’s face as well. He just wanted to show Maxwell that he cared.

Maxwell’s face broke out into a wide smile, his eyes warming as he stared up at Andrew.

"Are you a little tipsy, Andy?" Maxwell asked, humour in his voice. Andrew didn’t really appreciate being made fun of, even if he was fairly certain he was right.

"Are you making fun of me?" Andrew asked and Maxwell shook his head.

"No. Of course not. I just haven’t seen you like this in a while. It’s cute." Maxwell told him, and Andrew felt his lip jut out as he pouted. Maxwell laughed, pulling the man down to kiss him even as they heard footsteps approach.

"I hope we’re not interrupting anything. We were just swinging by to say our goodbyes." It was May and Ford, along with a tired looking Jordan and relatively calm looking Rose. She hadn’t gotten up to too much mischief tonight, probably because of Jordan. Andrew pulled away from Maxwell, much to the smaller man’s frown, as Andrew turned and hugged his adoptive family.

"Thank you for coming tonight." Andrew told them warmly, meaning his words. May was the first to get a hug, and then Ford and then Jordan. Rose was the last to go, and she gave him a tight, tight hug.

"Always. You can’t stop us from coming out for these kinds of things. Don’t hesitate to reach out. We don’t care if we’re the poorest people around, we’re here to support you." Rose told him. May nodded.

"While I can’t say anything about being the poorest in the room, I do agree with Rose. Never feel shy about reaching out. Also, I spoke to Ben earlier, something about the Gates and Beckett family merging?" She said, raising an eyebrow as Jordan, still looking exhausted, let out a chuckle. Andrew flushed, but Maxwell was unrepentant.

"Yes. We have planned to adopt Richard, Rose, and Jordan into the family. Obviously we aren’t going to adopt Andrew, since he’ll be marrying me, but we were going to ask your permission. Especially about how the names should be hyphenated." Maxwell said it so casually, with enough seriousness that no one could not take him seriously.

May blinked, while Ford started laughing.

"Hmm. Well, since they are both patriarchal last names, shall ole Thomas and I do a rock paper scissors match? I heard he wasn’t too great at those." Ford said with a smile and Maxwell’s eyes widened before he let out a quick laugh.

"I don’t know where you heard that, but it better not come back that I’m the one who spread that. I like the level that he’s been budding out of my life. I do not need him barging in more." Maxwell said, and May smiled.

"We never said we heard it from you. I don’t even know where I heard it." She said easily, and Maxwell smiled. "Well, we need to get these two home. Rose didn’t drive, nor did Jordan, and it seems the party is winding down. We were invited to a few afterparties, but we’re getting too old for this kind of thing." May said with a very put upon sigh.

Andrew snorted.

"You were never the kind to party. Ford is probably worried about his plants." Andrew said and Ford gave him a thumbs up before he reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

"That’s my boy for knowing your father. The new plant that Max gave me is doing quite well. It’s almost time to trim it down." Ford said, beaming, and Andrew was glad that it was doing so well.

They left after that, Jordan giving a sleepy wave as he left, and then Maxwell and Andrew shared a look. It was time for them to leave too.