The Storm: Safe Harbor
Chapter Seventy-Nine
By Gayforkurt
Summary: Kurt and Dave have come to terms with the past but can they battle the envy and jealousy of others to make a future for themselves? This is rated M.
Disclaimer: Messrs. Ryan, Falchuk, et al are the owners of my favourite boys. Only the OCs and situations belong to me, alas.
It was June and Kurt was jittery with anticipation. No one who didn't know him well could be able to tell, though, and now he sat in the living room at Chiswick, smiling at Monica and the Johar sisters, Marianne and Hélène, the owners of Joyeux. The wedding planners were both beautiful, exotic-looking women and for a second Kurt was immensely happy that David was gay.
He smiled down at the huge book that apparently held all the details of his wedding and he had one very important question for them.
"When am I going to sample the grooms' cakes?"
Monica had expected his first question to be about either the accommodations or décor at the Castle or the selection of the jewellery that were gifts for his family, but no, Kurt wanted cake.
Marianne's green eyes twinkled as she nodded, removing a brochure from the depths of the huge wedding planning book and turned it towards Kurt.
"We actually have an appointment for a tasting session tomorrow, noon? Is that okay?" She watched as their client's eyes lit up.
"Oh, lovely, yes. Tomorrow morning is when that film crew will be coming, right, Monica?" Kurt turned to his intended's PR head, his whole demeanour broadcasting happiness and excitement.
Monica nodded, a slight frown bringing her eyebrows together. "Yes, I'd not really wanted them to come by so early but that was the best that I could get."
Kurt held up a hand to stop her. "No, no, it's fine! I don't mind at all and now I know I have the cake-tasting to look forward to, I'm perfectly happy." He giggled and Hélène, the younger sister joined in.
"Y'know, I think you must be the most relaxed client we've ever had, eh, Marianne?" She grinned at Kurt and crossed one long, pants-clad leg over the other as she sat back. "Are you always this cheerful?"
Kurt grinned as a tiny sound escaped Monica. "Oh, please! You should hear the things my colleagues call me behind my back. 'Diva' is the nicest epithet, believe me."
They all laughed and then the discussion moved on to the thousand and other things Monica needed him to approve and sign off on. They stayed to lunch where the talk continued around the upcoming nuptials and, at one point, Kurt remembered Mercedes and the music.
"Oh, by the way, Monica, my friend is in charge of the wedding music, Mercedes? You, however, will need to find a deejay and hopefully they can liaise. Is that workable?"
Monica chewed and swallowed the bit of tender roast she'd been enjoying and nodded at Kurt. "There shouldn't be a problem. I take it she's on vidchat?" At his nod, she continued. "Well, that should be easy for them to link up and sort out the lists. Anything else?"
Hélène leaned forward and pointed at Kurt with her fork, her eyes gleaming. "You need to have your family here in that last week running up to the wedding so they can fit their outfits."
Kurt dabbed his lips with his napkin and nodded, moving a hand to his smartphone so he could enter a note in it. "Okay, I'll get on that and, oh, Monica, the accommodations at the castle. Will it be a problem if people turn up unexpectedly? I know we got almost all of the RSVPs but what if something happened and they couldn't get back to me but they still turn up anyway?"
Monica smiled at him but nodded. "It shouldn't be a problem as Mr. K. has leased the entire castle for that week, actually. I told him the weekend should be enough but he wanted to be extra sure there'd be enough room."
Kurt's eyes widened as he grinned. "Yay! He didn't tell me that. So if I wanted to, I could move my family in from before the eve of the wedding? That's great!"
The Johars chuckled as they watched him resume eating with a gusto that secretly impressed them. He appeared to be the sort of person who watched everything he ate so he could stay fit and fabulous, but the way he was digging into the Yorkshire pudding dispelled all those thoughts.
He looked up when he realised they were watching him and he waved to the food before them. "Hey, come on, don't make me look like a pig; eat up!"
Mrs. Lawrence and Eddy had set out a lovely lunch for them of roast beef, the inevitable Yorkshire pudding, a steaming, savoury Lancashire hotpot and, if meat wasn't your thing, Eddy had done up a wonderful pan-fried bream with minted peas and asparagus. For afters, Mrs. L brought them in a yummy Victoria cake practically oozing with cream and raspberry jam.
She laughed indulgently as Kurt thanked her effusively, his eyes riveted to the slice of cake she'd placed before him. "Really, Mr. Kurt, I don't know where you put it all!"
Hélène hummed in agreement and then 'mmmed' happily as she swallowed her first bite. "Oh, this is lovely. More of these lunches and I'll have put on a stone by the end of the month!"
The others laughed and Mrs. L left them to it, smiling to herself at how happy her young employer was these days. "Practically glowing, he is," she told Eddy when she returned to the kitchen.
After lunch, they had only to wrap up a few things more before the Johars took their leave, assuring Kurt that they'd meet him at the bakers the next day at noon. Monica was the last to leave and she had only to remind Kurt once again that the film crew would be on hand early the next morning and that he didn't need to be worried about them being too intrusive.
Kurt laughed at that. "The last few months have been the most unusual ones of my life but I can say I am really happy. I don't care what the interviewers want to ask; my life, unfortunately, has been a pretty open book to the press."
She nodded as she gathered her things, smiling at Kurt appreciatively as he walked with her to her car. "Kurt, I've just one tip to give you for tomorrow: don't answer anything that is not asked."
She paused to look at him, wondering if he understood but at the puzzled look in his unusual eyes she hurried to clarify herself. "What I mean is, sometimes people being interviewed don't listen carefully to the questions being asked and answer something else instead. TMI, and that sort of thing."
Kurt's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, yes, I see what you mean. Kind of like when someone asks: are you going to eat that last sandwich? Some people get defensive and say something like: why, do you think I shouldn't? Are you saying I'm fat? And totally go off on the person."
Monica laughed out loud, unable to help herself. She shook her head in amusement as she watched Kurt grin back at her. "Yes, okay, something like that. But in your case, be your usual charming self but keep your private things very close to your chest, okay?"
Kurt nodded and opened her car door for her, stepping back as she tossed her things over onto the passenger seat. He knew what she meant; so often you see celebrities hurriedly backtracking, trying to take back things that were said that were taken out of context. He'd never done an interview that focused on himself and his private life and Monica's advice was a pretty good one.
He moved to hug her now, thanking her for the tip and stepped back to let her slide behind the wheel. As she moved off down the driveway, he turned back to stare up at the façade of his favourite home and hoped the interview would go well. He wanted nothing to taint his memories of the place and having all the technicians and other folk tramping all over the place might tick him off. He promised himself he'd hold his temper in check; it wouldn't do to go all 'bridezilla' on the crew and interviewer tomorrow.
.
KHDK
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The next morning found Kurt up with the birds, already dressed for his interview. His top was almost the same colour as his eyes, a simple button up shirt that he left open at the neck and the sleeves rolled up. He wore tight black pants and black knee-high boots. On one wrist he wore his favourite watch and on the other, the diamond and platinum bracelet David had given him last Christmas. His engagement ring gleamed on his left hand and he checked his manicure to see if it needed a touchup.
When he was satisfied with the way he looked and David had kissed him thoroughly in agreement, he headed down to the kitchen, his cheeks flushed and his eyes sparkling. No one could deny they were seeing a man in love. He bounced into the kitchen, greeting the ladies in his melodious voice and demanded he be fed.
"I'm going into battle this morning, ladies, and I can only face the barbarians on a full stomach!" He broke into laughter as they stared at him.
Finally Mrs. L shook her head and told him to sit at the kitchen table and she'd see what they could rustle up quickly. Within minutes Kurt was chomping into a thick ham sandwich, his fingers sinking into the freshly-baked bread. One of the girls placed a mug of coffee before him and another, a dish of fruits. He thanked them, although they could barely decipher it around his mouthful and he got on with it.
When he finished he bowed to the ladies who stared after him as he exited the kitchen with a flourish. He went back upstairs, passing David who was coming down to head into his office and got down to the business of cleaning his teeth and fixing his face. He knew about looking good on camera and figured a light coating of his airiest foundation, a layer of waterproof mascara and a smear of tinted lip gloss ought to do the trick. Finally he eyed his hair critically, sighing as he tried to tweak the mass into submission. He decided a bit of gel would do the job and he ended up spiking the top a bit and smoothing back the sides. Some of it curled onto his collar but all in all he was fairly satisfied with the outcome.
He heard a commotion downstairs and figured the film crew had arrived. Julian and Xavier were already up so he knew they'd keep an eye on things so he took one last look at himself, spritzed a bit of Tom Ford's latest oeuvre on his throat and sauntered out of the bedroom.
He came down the stairs just as the interviewer, a striking woman with dark hair streaked liberally with grey turned to Kurt, introducing herself in a very forthright manner.
"Hello, I'm Gabriella Ricci – call me Gabby; and you must be Kurt Hummel." She held her hand out and Kurt took it, nodding and about to reply when she turned and walked away from him towards the living room. She started issuing orders left and right and Kurt stood for a second, dazed, just watching her.
The men scurried about, some laying cables for the light and some for equipment he assumed was for the sound. The Ricci woman stared about the room critically and then she went "aah!" and pointed to one of the love seats set at right angles to the floor-to-ceiling windows.
She turned to Kurt with an eyebrow raised imperiously. "You will sit there – the lighting's great – and I'll be facing you."
Kurt nodded and stepped gingerly over the cables snaking everywhere, making his way over to the couch. He seated himself and crossed one leg over the other in his signature manner and awaited her next directive. Some of the technicians, who were both male and female, watched him surreptitiously but there was surprisingly little chatter. Apparently la Ricci didn't hold with unnecessary chatter, he grinned to himself.
It was all reminiscent of the controlled chaos one saw backstage during rehearsals when everything was just being set up and equipment was being tweaked and adjusted. However, where there would have been people shouting questions and instructions back and forth, here it was almost too quiet. He watched patiently, unaware that Gabriella was watching him in turn and he smiled a bit as two workers almost collided in the doorway.
"Five minutes, people," Gabriella suddenly called out in her resonant, TV anchor voice. Kurt almost startled but he pasted a serene expression on his face and gave her his famous close-mouthed smile.
"That won't do, you know," she said to him with one eyebrow raised almost snarkily. "That Madonna and Child expression you're known for won't work for this interview."
Kurt's back stiffened but he refused to frown. "I beg your pardon?" His voice was a touch frosty, yes, but it still didn't betray how annoyed he was becoming with this woman.
She sighed and pursed her lips before replying. "I mean that the viewers are going to want to see some warmth. They'll want to see behind the lovely façade you show to the world and your audiences. You're handsome, successful, talented and rich. You are also in love for the first time; let them see what that means to you, okay?"
Her voice had softened a bit as she'd elaborated and Kurt glanced down at his hands, the engagement ring gleaming up at him. He smiled ruefully as he caressed it with the index finger of the other hand. When he looked up everything was in place and only the absolute minimum of staff was still in the room; everyone else had cleared up and gone outside to wait.
"Okay," he sighed. "What do you want to know?"
For the next twenty minutes she fed him questions and he answered in as relaxed a manner as he could. The best results she got was when she asked him to describe David and how they'd met. Kurt's eyes sparkled and a mischievous glint appeared in their blue-green depths.
"Oh, no," he chuckled. "That's a bit R-rated and very private but I can say he definitely swept me off my feet!" He stroked his knee and laughed, trying to stifle it because he didn't want to disturb David who was working in their office.
It was too late, however, because as he looked up, wiping at his eye as he giggled, David came into the room, staring at him with a look of amusement. Gabriella got up and introduced herself and she indicated that David should join Kurt on the love seat.
The two men almost forgot the camera quietly filming their interaction as they gazed at each other, Dave sliding a hand along the back of the sofa and Kurt inclining his upper body ever so slightly towards him. They didn't kiss but it was a close thing, Gabriella clearing her throat softly to get Kurt back on track.
He glanced quickly up at her and then coloured, which she privately thought was adorable but she continued with her brisk questioning. Kurt leaned into David as he chatted, talking about his days back in Ohio, the bullying, the music, his time at Juilliard and his present tenure with Rex and his company.
Dave would interject little tidbits every now and then and Gabriella knew she had struck gold with the way the two men, so obviously in love, interacted with each other. One question, though, caused both men to stiffen, their faces going neutral as Kurt answered.
"Kurt, please tell us how you felt after Cooper Anderson, the company's Assistant Artistic Director, assaulted you in Italy."
Kurt's full pink lips thinned and the brightness in his eyes dimmed slightly and no one watching would be in any doubt that he was furious.
"I don't want to talk about that, Gabriella. I only want to say for the record that Cooper Anderson is getting the help he needs and my heart goes out to his family."
Gabriella was reminded that she was dealing with a professional here and she nodded quickly before moving onto a happier topic.
"So, a little bird told us that your wedding is going for a Brit-Indian theme? Want to shed a little more light on that?"
Immediately the singer's face lit up again and he gushed. "Oh, gosh, yes! I've had the help of a wonderful team, the Johars who run Joyeux and David's head of PR and I couldn't be any happier with the way things are going!"
She asked him a couple more questions and then she wrapped it up, signaling the camera and sound guys with a discreet gesture with her right hand. She then turned to Kurt and David and asked if they could finish the interview outside in the grounds. Kurt was surprised but not averse and he looked at David who, unfortunately, had to decline.
"I've still got a couple of overseas calls, sweetie." He dropped a quick kiss on the tip of Kurt's nose and wished Ms. Ricci a good day before exiting.
She turned to watch David leave and when she turned back to Kurt, the singer was watching her with one eyebrow raised sardonically. He smirked as he spoke: "Yes, he is hot, isn't he?"
Gabriella shrugged and gathered up her things, indicating that Kurt should lead the way. "I might be married but I've still got working eyes."
They chuckled as Kurt led her outside and he breathed in the fresh morning air. The gardens were looking splendid and he felt a little pang at the thought that the grounds weren't large enough to hold the wedding. He led her down the path that bypassed the tennis courts and towards the cottage where his parents had stayed. He told her about that, explaining how wonderful it had been to have his parents visit.
Gabriella nodded and then indicated that the cameraman should turn and film the façade of the manor house. She turned to Kurt and asked: "This is a rather large house for just the two of you; are there plans for children in the future?"
Kurt felt his gut clench and for a second he considered ignoring it but then he relaxed, a small smile coming to his lips. "Most people contemplating marriage also have some hope of children, don't they?" He stared at her until she nodded and then he turned and led the way back up to the manor.
Gabriella didn't fall into step beside him but she indicated to the cameraman that he should keep filming Kurt as he walked, his head held high and the sunlight bouncing off his dark hair and striking auburn lights. There was something about the scene that she really liked and she decided then that she would use it as her closing shot.
She eventually caught up to Kurt and after ascertaining that they had permission to take quick shots of the interior of the house – and of only one of the unoccupied guest bedrooms – they were finished. She thanked him and assured him that the interview would air in about two weeks and after the crew cleared up every last piece of wire and cable, he was left alone, standing in the foyer of his home.
He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck, unaware before of the tension that had crept back into his body and gasped as two large hands slid around his waist. He smiled and leaned back into David's warmth before shutting the door and turning in his arms.
"Mmmm, I didn't think it would be this tiring," he murmured as he rested his head against his lover's sturdy shoulder. "I need a drink but I'll settle for a coffee if you'll buy me one." He looked up to smile flirtatiously at David who leaned down to kiss him.
When the kiss ended, Dave nuzzled Kurt's neck, drinking in his delicious scent and then stepped back. As he did, the front door opened and Julian and Xavier came in, both smiling and chatting. Well, Xavier was smiling and Julian was chatting. Kurt and Dave turned to them, eyebrows raised.
"Well, we've seen to it that the vultures are off the property," Xavier announced, his distaste for the press evident in his tone. "If I never see another camera I'd be a happy man."
Kurt laughed and nudged David, narrowing his eyes at Xavier as he teased: "What did I tell you about the wedding, eh? Your mug is going to be uploaded to the Internet and plastered all over tabloids and magazines. You'll be all the rage!" and he walked away laughing as he tugged David behind him.
Xavier shook his head as he and Julian followed the two men into the kitchen. Mrs. L looked up at the mini invasion and turned to Eddy with a resigned look. "Break out the ham again, Eddy. Oh, and find me that carton of eggs, girl!"
Soon they were sitting down to a fry up; in addition to the eggs and ham slices they got mushrooms, potatoes and tomatoes. One of the girls placed a rack of toast and a dish of butter before them while the other one filled and refilled coffee mugs and juice glasses. Mrs. L gave Kurt a look as he nibbled on the vegetables only to crack up when he stuck his tongue out surreptitiously at her.
"Got hollow legs, he has!" Eddy declared while frying up some more eggs for them. Their huffing was only for show though because both women just loved it when they could shovel food into people.
Kurt swallowed a bite before piping up: "Oh, by the way, Eddy, David and I will be tasting the grooms' cakes today. When will we get to sample the wedding cake?" His eyes twinkled as he gazed avidly at the two women who had paused to stare at him.
"Sample? What, don't you trust my baking?" Eddy's outraged expression made Xavier almost choke on his juice and he nodded gratefully as Julian slapped his back. Everyone stared between the cook and the singer, waiting to see who would win this little showdown.
Kurt gazed dejectedly down at his plate, putting down his fork before raising huge, sad eyes at Eddy. "B-but I thought – isn't that, oh, it's okay, never mind." He pushed his half-empty plate away from him, his head bowed. Xavier had to bite the inside of his jaw to stop himself from bursting out laughing while Julian stared in concern at the singer. David simply rolled his eyes and finished his coffee, waiting to see what would happen.
When Mrs. L turned to look reproachfully at Eddy the cook couldn't stand it anymore. "Oh, alright! I've never heard of such a to-do over a 'sample'!" She grinned, though, when Kurt's head came up and his eyes brightened. He smiled beatifically at her and hummed as he drank the last of his juice. He jumped up and came around to fling his arms around the rotund woman.
"Thank you! I just can't wait to taste it and the big day's just too far away, that's all." He planted a quick kiss on the woman, stuck his tongue out at Xavier and bounced out of the kitchen, leaving a tiny silence behind him.
Mrs. L looked at Eddy and shook her head. "You've been had, you have," to which Eddy simply shook her head and turned back to her stove muttering, "men!"
David and the others thanked the ladies for the food and followed after Kurt, Dave heading upstairs to go and get ready for their outing.
Later, at minutes to twelve, they met the Johar sisters outside of a very discreet building with the words Cake First on the dark-tinted glass of front doors. When they were let inside, Kurt took a deep, happy breath of the smell of baking cakes and pies. The young woman who let them in showed them to a small reception area where they waited on the proprietor to join them.
She turned up within a few minutes, looking a little flushed and flustered but with a huge smile on her face. "Hello, I'm Kelly, welcome to Cake First!"
Kurt grinned as she shook David's hand and then his. He couldn't hold back his curiosity, though, and had to ask: "Cake First?"
Kelly smiled as she removed her pink striped apron, smoothing down her hair as she took a seat behind a huge desk laden with books and papers and pencils and at least two telephones.
"Oh, it's just because, as a child, I always wanted pudding first. Later when I was wracking my brain for the name of this place, I remembered that."
Kurt laughed aloud and nodded in understanding. "Oh, my, I totally agree with that concept. I was one for rushing through everything so I could get to dessert."
They settled down then to go through the books and then Kelly changed her mind. "You know what, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourselves and what your hobbies and interests are."
Two hours later found both Kurt and David swooning over the flavours of their respective grooms' cakes. The Johars didn't even need to try and sell them on anything; they simply stood back and watched the two men getting orgasmic over the cake samples.
At one point Kurt couldn't choose between the dark chocolate cake with the milk chocolate ganache between layers and the red velvet cake with the cream cheese flavoured with Grand Marnier. Dave had suggested he get both sets of cakes in his groom's cake which Kurt acceded to. The design of the cake – or rather cakes – was a stack of Louis Vuitton luggage and from the drawings they could see it was going to be marvelous.
David's cake was a replica of his London office building that he had designed which had won quite a number of awards and he flushed when he saw what the baker had drawn. It was fabulous – the icing looked as if it would be as glassy as the actual façade. The flavour was what blew them away though: lemon-flavoured cake with lemon curd and a rich coconut Swiss-meringue buttercream between the layers. Kurt loved that people would have a choice of three uniquely different cakes at their wedding.
"Mmmm, wow," Kurt breathed as he stared at the baker. She looked a bit relieved as she nodded at them and then the Johars stepped in to finalise details with her while Kurt and David finished up the cakes on their plates.
Dave chuckled as he watched Kurt; his fiancé was in serious cake heaven and he looked positively post-orgasmic as he placed his fork down on the plate.
"David, please, do not let me eat any cake between now and the wedding!"
Dave burst out laughing and hauled Kurt in to kiss the smiling lips. He tasted delicious as usual and the cake simply added to his natural flavour. There was a slight clearing of the throat and when they looked up they saw Marianne and the blushing baker trying not to stare at them. Hélène, however, gave them a little wink and then turned back to her sister and the slightly flustered baker.
Kurt giggled softly and then they both rose, turning to the women and thanking them again for their help. "Ladies, it has been a pleasure," he smiled now, almost purring after all that cake. "We'll be in touch although I have to get back to Milan tomorrow."
After one final word with the baker, the Johars walked with them outside, stopping on the pavement while David signaled the car.
Marianne looked back at Kurt. "You will be in town the last week of June, won't you? So that means you have less than three weeks left of your time with the company."
Kurt nodded, his smile dimming slightly. "True; I'm going to miss them but I think I really ought to take a break after the wedding and honeymoon."
Hélène grinned, a look of mischief coming into her green eyes. "You know, we don't only handle weddings, we handle all sorts of joyous occasions," she paused with her eyebrows waggling. "Like baby christenings, for instance."
She and Marianne started giggling when Kurt's face flushed and Dave's eyes widened. Still laughing they waved goodbye and headed towards their own vehicle, Hélène turning back to wink broadly again as she walked backwards.
Kurt stared at them and then at Dave, shaking his head. "Those two_!" He sputtered a bit before giving in and chuckling. Dave slid his hand to the small of his back and ushered him towards the car that had just pulled up. Kurt sighed as he settled against David's large, warm body; he definitely could use a nap after the morning they'd had. In fact, he yawned as he closed his eyes, it would be smart to start right now. When Dave next glanced down, Kurt was fast asleep and he dropped a soft kiss against the hair already flopping onto his forehead.
They had had an early start to their day so Kurt had a right to be fatigued, he thought, but he still had stuff to sort out, especially if he planned to take nearly a month off for their honeymoon. He hadn't told Kurt this as yet but he wanted them to visit as many of their properties as possible. By ship, if at all possible, he reminded himself, and he smiled in happy anticipation as he gazed out of the window at the passing traffic.
Sailing the world with his beautiful husband was definitely something to look forward to as well as showing Kurt all the things and places he loved. He'd been lonely for a long time, even when he was dating Emma Smythe-Heffley. Kurt filled up all the lonely places inside of him and as he tightened his arm around the sleeping man, he marveled at how lucky he'd been. Never in a million years would he have thought he could have all this… and Kurt, too.
He congratulated himself on the boneheaded plan that he'd come up with last year because it had led to Kurt falling in love with him. That's a story that he would be able to tell their children and grandchildren and that thought alone made him clutch Kurt to him involuntarily. When Kurt stirred, muttering something incomprehensible, he whispered soothingly to him to go back to sleep.
"I've got you, sweetheart… I've got you."
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TBC