Relay for Life (17 page)

Life continued as if nothing strange had happened in the wilds. Andrew had just finished running a twelve-mile race on the Churchill Downs race track. It was really one of the more beautiful places he’d run at. The open stadium was topped in an old-fashioned green roof that had spires in regular intervals at the top. Since the place doubled as a horse track, he could understand the old-world elegance. The sign boasted of its existence since 1875. It was one of the oldest structures in New America. The seminatural race had left him slicked with sweat and red dust but in high spirits. He’d won, after all.

Matthew and Marcel were waiting for him as he stepped off the winner’s podium after pictures, ready to escort him to the signing that would last a few hours. He glanced up at the crowd in the green stadium seats who were still cheering like mad. No doubt they’d be lined up to meet him for next several hours. He took a deep breath. So long as Matthew and Marcel were by his side, he would be just fine. They steadied him.

Rodney Nickels bumped shoulders with him as they stepped down from the group pictures. “Good job, kid,” he rumbled. The tall darkhaired, green-eyed runner had been his biggest rival since he’d started on the circuit. It was the first time he’d ever complimented a win.

Rodney laughed. “I’m not that bad, man. You just seemed really on today. You relaxed into the race, didn’t let the audience affect your breathing. I was impressed.”

“Um, thanks,” he repeated. He didn’t know what else to say. Matthew and Marcel stepped in behind him, doing their job and showing their support in one deft motion.

Rodney glanced behind them. “Could your two hotties have something to do with that newfound calm?”
Andrew felt his cheeks heat. “Maybe.” It had been impossible to keep it under wraps that Andrew Ainsley, one of the top athletes in the country, was now involved with two field agents. The media had a field day as soon as one of the reporters had snapped a shot of the three of them sharing a kiss at a local restaurant last month. They were now New America’s new sweethearts. At least that was what the gossip rags were calling them on the net. They’d even been approached by a few poly-love rights groups to pose for ads in their upcoming political campaign. They were still thinking about it.
Rodney whistled. “Well, if that is the result of having a permanent lover on hand, I’ll have to see if I can add that to my training regimen.”
Andrew couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Let me know how that works for you.”
“I will,” he said, extending his hand for a shake as one of his handlers tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for him to walk through one of the side exits that would no doubt lead to his own signing tent. “See you around, Andrew.”
“You, too, Nickels.”
As soon as he was gone, Marcel stepped in beside him. “What did he want?”
“To congratulate me, actually.”
“Huh. That’s new.”
“I think he was more congratulating me on my man choice than anything,” Andrew said, smiling.
Matthew pinched his ass from behind. “Well, you do have excellent taste.” In the months since his father had returned, Matthew had regained the confident, sexy man he’d been in the field before they’d returned to civilization. He was the one who pushed them into new situations and never let them settle for less than what they deserved.
“Here, here,” Marcel said, grinning. “So we’ve got the signing and then a dinner with the company presidents at Jewl Tones.” Marcel was their rock, the one who stayed steady emotionally no matter what. Andrew wasn’t sure that they would’ve survived had it not been for his calm reassurance.
“Hmm, yum. I love Japanese food,” Andrew said, his stomach growling. He twined their hands as they made their way down the track. Their signing booth was at the very end so as to be less crowded than the other stations. It was part of his nonnegotiable wants in his contract.
“I love you,” both his field agents said in unison. He smiled. They may have only been together for a couple of months, but they shared something that didn’t need ten years to formulate. Andrew might not have been a big believer in fate before he’d been lost in the wilds, but he was now. They were just meant to be, and nothing anyone could say could convince him otherwise.
“I love you, too,” he said.
“Hey,” Matthew said, tugging the two of them to a halt.
Andrew turned around in surprise, looking up into Matthew’s worried face as it scanned the crowd. “What is it?”
Marcel frowned. “What?”
Uniformed UMF soldiers filtered out of the side entrances, surrounding them. Fear speared his gut. What was going on? They hadn’t said anything to anyone and were just trying to live their lives together. Recognition flickered as Jack stood in the exact center of the throng as they filed in front of them and fell into a hard salute.
“Matthew?” Marcel asked. Andrew didn’t understand what the hell was going on.
Matthew pulled away from them and stood facing them. “I know we haven’t known one another long, but in the time I’ve known you both, I’ve realized how empty my life was without you. The men you see behind me are men who have watched my back in missions past and the ones who I trusted with my life before I met you. You both know my father. He’s been the rock in my world since I was born. They’re here to witness the next step in my life, the step where I trust my back and my heart to the two of you and you alone.” He knelt on the dirt track, and Andrew’s mind went completely blank.
What is—
He pulled a small black box from his pocket. “Andrew Ainsley, Marcel Carter, will you do me the honor of becoming my husbands?” He popped the lid, and Andrew gasped at what was inside. Two gorgeous-looking platinum rings rested against the velvet with three perfect diamonds inlaid in the design.
“Oh God,” Marcel whispered, looking like he was two seconds away from passing out. “Oh God, Matthew. You big idiot. Right now?”
Matthew gave a strained chuckle. “Well, no time like the present.”
“Yes,” Andrew whispered, finally regaining the ability to speak. “Hell yes, I’ll marry you.” He looked over at a shaking Marcel. “And you better say yes, too, Marcel.”
The entire unit of soldiers started laughing, including Jack. Even Matthew cracked a genuine smile at that.
Marcel smiled softly and gave a shrug. “I guess I have no choice then. Yeah, I’ll marry you, you big lug.”
Matthew gave a whoop of joy and took out the rings, slipping first one on Andrew’s finger and then one on Marcel’s. Jack called out an order to salute, and the men gave a bark of approval before raising their weapons and firing three shots in rapid succession into the sky. Andrew barely heard the deafening sound of the cheers that erupted from the stands and the announcer’s booming voice over the sound system, announcing their engagement to the crowds. His entire world narrowed down to the look of pride in Matthew’s eyes and the trembling acceptance in Marcel’s.
Matthew gave them both a hell of a breathtaking kiss in turn, and Andrew’s heart expanded impossibly. He wasn’t sure what the future held for them or for the human race, but he knew that whatever it was, he wanted to experience it, treasure it with his two lovers.
“Tell me we can have a long engagement? I want you guys to meet my parents before we do anything drastic,” Marcel said as they shared a huddled hug together.
“As long or as short as you want it,” Matthew promised. “So long as we’re together, I don’t care.”
Andrew smiled. He’d found his place in this world of theirs, at last. “The fans are waiting,” he reminded them as they were surrounded by Matthew’s friends and his father.
“Let them wait. Everything that is important is right here in my arms,” Matthew rumbled. Andrew nodded. He was so right. He turned to the throng of people who offered up their congratulations and didn’t even feel the first flicker of fear as he was embraced by the crowd, the strong presence of his two field agents warm and comforting against his back.

Jana Downs lives in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina with three cats, one dog, several dozen fish, and a very understanding partner-in-crime who hates to read but makes exceptions for her stories.

You can usually find her either watching bad reality TV, buying way too many books on Amazon, or dreaming up another man or two to occupy her time because life is good but several drop-dead gorgeous nonexistent men is just better.