The energy in the room shifts, and everybody cracks up, laughing and hugging each other. I put the water on to boil, and the guys work together to add a leaf to the table and set it.
Just as we’re finishing up, Sebastián and Luke walk in.
“What? We weren’t invited?” Luke says, winking at us.
“Are those your famous meatballs?” I ask my son-in-law.
“Well, they’re my famous meatless balls, but I'm told that marketing doesn't like it when I call them that.”
We all laugh as they clear space on the bar for some snacks and dessert-type things, and I tip the meatless balls into the spaghetti sauce to let them simmer for a bit.
Charlie and his guys join us a little later, looking exhausted. We exchange handshakes and make sure they’ve all got fresh cold beers in their hands before we squeeze in around the table.
It doesn’t take long to get the food ready, and we all gather around the big table and go to town. We don’t say it out loud, but it seems like everyone understands how close to tragedy we came this afternoon, and we all need the reassurance of enjoying a meal together.
After putting away the dishes, Luke walks over to the chest that serves as a coffee table in the library area, opening it up. “I don’t know about y'all, but I could use a couple of rounds of Pounce,” he says, holding up several decks of cards.
We all cheer to that, and spend the rest of the evening teaching Wills and his crew how to play our favorite card game, enjoying each other's company, counting our blessings, and feeling grateful for a good end to a long day.
It doesn't take long for Colt to tire, and once they've all left the barn and Abel’s gone up to his room, Wick and I look at each other. There's no way we’re letting Colt out of our sight.
We make our way upstairs, and nobody protests when I usher the two of them into my bedroom.
23
COLT
Isleep hard through the night and am still exhausted when I wake up. Even though I had on a bandanna, I still inhaled a fair amount of smoke, and it really took the stuffing out of me. I find out that Erik is promoting the kitten from barn cat to house cat, and his name is Smokey. His ears are gonna be a little weird, but I'm glad I was able to save him from the fire.
More importantly, I somehow manage to wake up with two beautiful men surrounding me. I yawn, and Wick cracks his eyes open.
Sliding his hand under my shirt, he rubs my belly and smiles at me. “Good morning, sunshine. How are you feeling?” Cupping my cheek, he kisses right below the area of my burn. “Looks like that aloe vera stuff that Joaquin put on it is working pretty well.”
“I heard my name?” Joaquin yawns and adjusts on his side of the bed. His pretty black-and-silver hair is a mess and his eyes are darker and more lined than usual. That makes him impossibly more handsome, which is entirely unfair.
His hand meets Wick’s under my shirt, and they both let out little satisfied sounds as they run circles up, down, and around my chest and belly.
“If I knew that this is the treatment I get after nearly dying in a fire, I’d have started playing with matches a long time ago,” I say, pushing into their hands as I arch my body for a yummy stretch.
They grumble under their breaths and Joaquin crawls up, kissing me like it’s the last thing he’ll ever do. Wick does the same, and my face flushes from their attention.
“I think Colt likes it when we double-team him,” Wick says, grinning at me.
Joaquin reaches across and kisses Wick. “Oh, I know he does.”
We pile into the bathroom. I still smell ash, so I take another shower while Wick and Joaquin brush their teeth and wash their faces. When I get out, they’re waiting for me with a towel. Wick carefully dries me off while Joaquin reapplies aloe to the small burn striped across my cheek.
“I think we’ll just need the aloe for another day or two,” Joaquin declares, kissing my knuckles, the concern on his face going straight to my heart.
I cup his cheek. “Joaquin, look at me.”
He complies, and his eyes fill with tears.
“I'm okay. I made it out okay, thanks to you two. I’m sorry that I scared you.”
“It's just…you have this sneaky method of making your way into someone's heart, don't you?”
I shrug and smile. “What can I say?”
