After saying goodbye to Josh and giving both him and the social worker their thanks, Tyler and Marcus met the guys in the waiting area. Nick had arrived in his firefighter jacket, stopping by on his way back from teaching a training class.
“So, what happened?” Julian rushed up to them.
Tyler couldn’t hold back the smile. “I won.”
The cheers got them kicked out of the waiting area, with the court officers not amused nor interested in anything they had to say. Out on the street, everyone hugged him, and they decided to meet tonight at their apartment for a little impromptu celebration. It wasn’t until they were in the cab going home that the nerves finally got to him and he began to shake.
And just as he’d been from the very beginning, Marcus was right there. “It’s okay. Let it go. I understand.”
And so he wept for his poor, dead sister and his little niece who’d never know her mother. After several moments he wiped his eyes and pulled himself together.
“Thank you. I know this was never your plan to be saddled with a child, so I am letting you know you don’t have to feel obligated to me or Lillie. What you said in the courtroom was beautiful, but,”—he shrugged helplessly, afraid to hold on to Marcus too tight and yet fearful to let go—“I’ll understand.”
Marcus cupped the nape of his neck, drawing their mouths close.
“What part of forever don’t you understand?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
‡
The party wasin full swing by the time Marcus came home from spending some much-needed time at Sparks. Marcus gladly put aside the daily running of the club to help Tyler, however there were some things only he as the owner was able to sign off on.
He and Tyler had spent the early part of the afternoon with Lillie, explaining to her that she never had to worry about someone else coming to take her away; her uncle Tyler and he were always going to be around to take care of her.
And because she was an intelligent child, so aware of her surroundings, Lillie listened to Tyler with wise eyes and had only one question.
“Are you and Marcus going to stay together forever?”
Tyler smoothed her dark curls. “I’m hoping so, honey. But no matter what, we both will love you always, okay?”
Holding tight to the doll Marcus bought her, Lillie nodded. “I don’t wanna hafta leave.”
Marcus took her on his lap. “And so you won’t. I see you, Uncle Tyler, and me together until you’re an old lady.”
She giggled. “As old as you?”
He tickled her. “Waaay, way older.”
That proclamation was enough to satisfy her, and when he left, Tyler was busy creating a card to mail out to the list of clients he’d been compiling, announcing his new dance studio.
When he opened his door in the early evening, he was greeted not only by Tyler, Lillie, and his friends, but Josh and Micah had come with their children and another couple. Marcus recognized his former neighbor and Micah’s best friend, Alex, who married the guy Marcus vaguely recalled flirting with years ago. Sparks was in its infancy then. A lifetime had passed since he thought of the handsome man who lived a floor above him in that walk-up; once he started making money from Sparks, Marcus moved from that depressing building to the luxury of this apartment and never looked back. With a pang, he also remembered his old dog, Jameson. Maybe Lillie would like a dog.
To his surprise, Zach’s mother was there with an older man, who, Zach informed him, she’d recently begun seeing “for coffee.” Lillie sat in all her glory on Cheryl’s lap asking if Cheryl could braid her hair, and Cheryl happily complied, insisting she was always free to babysit this “adorable child, since she didn’t have any grandchildren of her own yet.”
“That’s great. I’m glad she’s finally putting her past behind her and moving on.” He handed Zach a beer and was about to leave the kitchen, but stopped at the touch of Zach’s hand on his arm.
“Don’t you think it’s time you did the same?”
He checked himself, then froze, giving Zach a death glare.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You know what I mean. Your father said your mother was sick. Have you gone to see her?”
If it were anyone but Zach, Marcus would tell them to mind their own fucking business, thank you very much, and ignore them. Not with Zach.
“You know I haven’t. And I don’t plan to, either.”
