Saturday

He turned up at the hotel half an hour early, he wasn't due to meet Aaron there until one but the little errand he had run that morning hadn't taken as long as he had expected. Pulling his van into a space in a quiet corner of the car-park he stayed sat behind the wheel and grabbed some paperwork from the glovebox, Aaron was never early and rather than sit like a lemon in a busy restaurant waiting for him Jackson thought he'd take the opportunity to catch up on those outstanding invoices. Until, that was, he caught sight of a familiar 4x4 in the rear view mirror. Fiddling to unattach his phone from the hands free kit that Aaron had insisted he install his heart dropped just a little. He loved Paddy and Rhona but Aaron had been working such long hours recently that he'd really been looking forward to having him to himself. Finally freeing the handset he hit 1 on speed dial, pausing briefly as always to sneak a little smile at he and his boyfriends smiling faces, side by side, staring back at him from the screen.

'Jackson? What's up?' Aaron sounded a little out of breath.

'You never told me this was a double date.'

'Huh?'

'I've just seen Paddy's car.'

'Oh, yeah right...wait a minute, you're here already?'

'Yeah, I was gonna wait in the van but I'm guessing you're here already so I'll come in and meet you now'

'No...I mean yes I am here but don't come in. I'll come out and get you. Give me two minutes and I'll meet you outside the main entrance.' And with that he hung up.

Curious but knowing better by now than to bother ringing back for an explanation Jackson made his way to the top of the steps and stopped outside the rotating glass doors. Five minutes later and with no sign of Aaron Jackson stepped towards the door about to push it inwards when he caught sight of the familiar figure almost running towards him across the lobby. Stepping back to avoid a whack in the face as the door swung towards him he looked down at his dark jeans and red checked shirt then back at the distinctly unfamiliar sight of his boyfriend in a white button down shirt, dark grey suit trousers and smart black shoes.

'You could have told me there was a dress code, I feel like a right prat' he started before noticing the red flush spread across Aaron's cheeks. 'Are you alright?'

'Yeah why wouldn't I be?' He paused still trying to catch his breath before placing a quick peck on Jackson's designer stubble. 'Don't worry about it; I've uh...bought you a change of clothes. They're upstairs in the room' and with that he turned on his heel, beckoning for Jackson to follow him as he made his way towards the lift and pressed the button, the doors opening immediately.

Confusion now etched across his face Jackson followed Aaron into the lift and watched as he pressed 3, 'What room? I thought we were here for lunch...'

'You complaining?' came the response as a mischievous grin was accompanied by Aaron closing the gap between them.

'Well no but...' he was cut off by lips crashing onto his and hands roaming across his back. As easy as it would have been to get caught up in the moment Jackson knew Aaron and this was as much a stalling tactic to fend off any further questions as it was a gesture of intent.

He finally managed to pull away just as a ping sounded and the lift doors opened but before he could open his mouth he was practically dragged by the hand out and down a long corridor.

'Aaron!' he spluttered as they came to a stop in front of a door with 176 on the front of it and his boyfriend of four and a half years removed a key card from his pocket and inserted it into a slot on the handle. 'You know this is pretty much my idea of a perfect afternoon and all but why all the secrecy? And why the hell is Paddy here?'

As red light was replaced by green Aaron turned to face him, his earlier grin now replaced by a mixture of fear and excitement; 'He's here for a wedding.'

'What wedding? He never mentioned anything.'

'That's cos I told him not to!'

'What? Why? Who's wedding is it?'

Still facing Jackson but pushing the door with his right hand and grabbing a handful of red check with his left Aaron slowly led them both into the room.

As the older man stood just inside still waiting for an answer he silently took in the scene before him. Another door, presumably leading to a bathroom, a wardrobe, a dresser and a double bed. Nothing unusual there.

But what took his breath away was what he saw laying on the bed. On one hanger a dark grey suit jacket with a sky blue tie strewn across it. On another an identical jacket with matching trousers, a plain white shirt and a midnight blue tie. Above them both a small red box was sat open and two plain gold bands caught the light.

As he felt a pair of strong arms envelop his waist from behind and heard the door close softly Jackson finally got the answer he had been waiting for.

'Ours. Paddy's here for our wedding...that is, if you'll have me?'