SafetyInNumbers-Final (30 page)

“Thank you! I had this idea that I had to be something because that was always the push when I was growing up. Be the best at football, be the best at school, get a good education, have a great career—those are all worthwhile, sure, but not as much as being a good dad would be.” Liam turned as another thought struck him. “I could pass on my mother’s love of football and if my kids wanted to play, I could coach little league. How do I do that? There must be some certification I’d need, right?”

“You may have a few days before you need to worry about that.” Owen caught his arm as he bounded for the hallway, those Connor eyes bright with laugher and happiness for him. “We still have a party to finish setting up for, Dad.”

“Dad?” Billy asked from the back door as he and Chris hauled in the party crap they’d sent them out for. “Did I miss a memo?”

Liam whirled, planted his hands on his hips, and declared, “No one else is raising our kids but us.”

“I wasn’t even aware that was a possibility.” Billy’s immediate response had him bouncing around again. “Was it?”

“No.” Liam danced right into Billy’s space. He had a goal. He had Billy. He had his little family and his big family, and their future expanded family—he had everything. It snuck up on him with all the subtlety of an anvil falling on his head, and took a little reminder from his future brother-in-law, but it had been right there at the tips of his fingers all along. Now he was ready to grab it with both hands and protect it with his life. “I love you, Billy Bear.”

“Wait!” Chris yelled from where he was stuck halfway through the door. “I know you’ve all just had a, uh, tender moment or whatever the hell that was, but this shit is heavy. Can I come inside before the face sucking starts?”

“Just for that, I should leave you out there.” The quick peck he took wasn’t nearly as satisfying as face sucking would have been, but it would hold him over. “You’re lucky I love you, brother.”

It was meant to be a joke, but it stopped Chris in his tracks. “I think we’re all lucky, aren’t we?”

“Yes.” Liam felt it then, the strange current Javier once told him they emitted. It was love, not just between him and his partner or even him and his brother. It flowed through the four of them. Owen was right when he said they were stronger together and he so grateful to have these three men in his life. “Yes, we definitely are.”

Chapter 26

Decision Made - Chris

“Hey, Hulk, I don’t mean to make you angry, I know I won’t like you when you’re angry and all that, but can we switch a couple of days around this week? I need a wheel man on Monday to pick up a wrecked bike in Port St. Lucie,” Disco Ty, complete with polyester suit and platform boots, asked as he munched on a blackened—Chase’s solution to burnt—chicken finger. There was no way to take him seriously on a normal day, but dressed like this and talking like that? No. Chris could barely nod his response, actual words failing him. “Still can’t get over the outfit, huh? I picked it out myself.”

That was even harder to comprehend. There had been good money riding on whether Ty would show up in costume or not, and Chris felt the sting in his wallet. To know that this wasn’t just something Chase had used his considerable charms to make happen was way beyond belief.
“I could have gone with the whole ripped pants, no shirt look like you, but it would have gotten really awkward when everyone started drooling all over me.” 

“How did you get in the door with that ego?” Owen, dressed in basic blue jeans and a pocket tee, sidled up beside him and looked Ty over. “Or those boots. Damn.”

“I make them look good, right?” They all looked down when Ty lifted a leg to show off the boots. Good wasn’t the word Chris would have used, but there was no arguing the point. “Who are you dressed as?”

“Rick Jones.” Owen huffed for the twentieth time that night. Chris hadn’t known who Rick Jones was either before his partner patiently explained it. That patience was long gone when it became obvious no one else was up on their comic book lore. “You know, the guy Bruce Banner saved from the gamma bomb that turned him into the Hulk. He was Bruce’s confidant in the early comic books.”

“No, I didn’t know that, but it’s a cool idea.” Instead of a sarcastic retort, Ty actually graced them with a genuine smile. Then he ruined it. “Matching costumes is very adorable.”

“I was going to ask if you can be serious for even a second, but I guess a second’s about all you can manage.” Owen shook his head sadly and lamented, “Poor Chase.”

Chris had never been more proud than the moment Owen made Ty sputter. “Did you…did you just make a joke?” Of course, it didn’t last. “Oh, little Ricky, you and I are going to get along just fine.”

“How do you work with him?” Owen asked when Ty walked away still shaking his head. “I’m exhausted after five minutes.”

“He grows on you.” Chris was happy to see the two of them interact, but he and Owen had more important matters to tend to. “Sure you want to do this tonight? Once we break out the chocolate bars, we won’t be able to keep anyone away.”

“That’s exactly why I want to do it tonight. I don’t want it to become all ceremonial and somber. I want to build a fire for our friends, pass out the marshmallows, and do something fun for everyone.” Chris thought it was an excellent idea and Owen’s eagerness to turn his negative thoughts into something positive that everyone could enjoy was inspiring.

The box had taken on a life of its own, with Owen purposefully taking it off with him every morning and then handing it over every night with just that somber attitude he wanted to avoid. Chris never opened the box, so he had no idea how many little slips of paper were inside or if they were tapering off. The only scale he had for measuring the boxes success was Owen’s attitude toward himself, which had definitely shown signs of improvement. He rarely put himself down and hardly ever deflected when someone paid him a compliment. At least, that’s how Owen was when they were together.

Chris was still concerned about the hours they were apart, but he saw a more relaxed camaraderie with Colin that gave him hope. Owen had already felt a level of comfort and trust in Colin, at least enough to go into business with him, and he knew they got together outside of work to celebrate completed jobs with the crew. That gave Colin one up on everyone else, so Chris really hadn’t expected to see a real change there.

“You’re getting all somber and thoughtful on me,” Owen teased as they walked with Billy and Liam outside. “Do you need to put something in the negative box?”

“I’m sure we could all put something in the negative box.” That teasing was the most encouraging sign as far as Chris was concerned. Believing he was the only one with destructive thoughts and insecurities had allowed Owen to hold himself apart. Now he knew better and took comfort in knowing he wasn’t alone.

Owen shook his head as they uncovered the small fire pit that they dragged out of the shed. “These things are technically illegal within the city limits.”

“Huh.” Chris knew that, but most of their neighbors had one so no one was likely to call the cops. “Guess I didn’t learn my lesson the first time I went to prison.”

“That’s okay, I didn’t learn it the first or the fifth or the…” Billy grunted when Liam slapped him on the shoulder. “I mean, I’m totally reformed. Mostly.”

Chris handed the unlocked box to Owen and started arranging the kindling in the center of the pit until they had a small fire going. As he rose, Owen began tossing fistfuls of negative thoughts on the pyre, and together with their family, they watched them go up in smoke. Liam broke open the marshmallows while Billy passed around skewers, and the smell soon drew their friends out to investigate. It wasn’t somber or ceremonial—it was laughter and revelry, and perfect.

There was something special about the smell of wood burning on a late October night. Miami wasn’t chilly, but he could imagine being someplace cooler with Owen cuddled up in his arms in front of a fire. He’d never been out of Florida, so he didn’t have the first clue where they could go, but it sounded like a real romantic way to spend their honeymoon.

“You know the family has that vacation house in Colorado. It’s got a great big fireplace and spectacular views. We could go up next fall to see the leaves change.” Even in the fire light, Chris could see Owen’s ears burn in embarrassment. “I always thought it would be a really nice place to get married.”

It was like Owen plucked his thoughts right out of his head and Chris felt his heart swell with love and pride. They normally sucked at the romantic stuff and the asking stuff, but that definitely sounded like a romantic question to him. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”

“Yes.” Owen bobbed his head a little too quickly, those nerves shaking his composure but not his resolve. “If I live to be eighty, that means I will have spent twenty six thousand, two hundred days on this earth. I would really love to spend the next nineteen thousand, three hundred and forty five days—give or take—with you.”

“What if I want twenty five thousand or even thirty thousand days?” Chris closed the distance until there was barely a breath between them. “I don’t want us to be limited.”

“How about we just decide on forever?” The words whispered across his skin and sank beneath the surface, filling up all his empty places. “Whaddya say, big guy?”

Words hadn’t always come easy, but he learned to ask and listen so he could decide a course of action. Owen melted into him, his lips soft and yielding as Chris tried to convey all his feelings of love and lust and gratitude into a single kiss. It was yes and please and thank you so very much for loving me enough to find the strength to be with me. It was everything he was promising to be Owen’s whole world forever.
 

Only when he was sure he’d said it all did he ease back just enough to ask, “Are we clear?”

“Uh huh.” Those beautiful green eyes opened, and in them, he saw a future brighter than he ever dreamed possible. Decision made.

This is definitely not The End

About the Author

Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I'd begun to doubt. Thanks to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: To be a great writer you must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it's a job. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will be at writing. I took that advice to heart and write every day. With six published books to date, three series in the works and a full schedule of releases planned for the next two years, it's been amazing to have made this dream my reality.

I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics and happily ever after. I'm a lover of strong secondary characters and series filled with families, biological or chosen. All are themes you'll find throughout my books.

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Sizzling Miami Series

Book 1 - Past Hurts
(eBook & print book links
http://bit.ly/1LApGaE
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Abandoned by his mother and raised by a judgmental, homophobic father on the unforgiving streets of Overtown, Davin Monroe knows a lot about survival and little about love. As heir to the family business, Alaric Bennett’s innate strength makes him the pillar upon which the family problems fall but leaves him emotionally abandoned by those that need him.

One chance meeting and five beautiful years together do not prepare them for the dark, depraved jealousy threatening their hard earned happiness. Now a killer has forced Detective Monroe to face the past and the only man his heart has ever wanted. With only one shot at redemption, Alaric is determined to uncover to truth and bring his lover home.

When discovering the one secret that has kept them apart for eight years unravels an entire hidden life can Alaric and Davin survive the revelations that follow?

Book 2 - For A Reason
(eBook & print book links
http://bit.ly/1PnWGsH
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Former Marine and full time big brother, Bull Connor, spends his days helping those in need of a second chance and his nights fighting the inner demons that won’t let go. During a routine tow he comes face to face with the only person who refuses to need him and the one man he wishes would.