Fitz hugged Jack’s arm tightly, his expression one of awe. He leaned in. “Oh, Jack. It’s beautiful!”
“You helped make this happen,” Jack said, turning to bring Fitz into his arms and kiss him. The night was perfect, with the twinkling stars blanketing the sky almost as bright as the Christmas lights twinkling around them. Snow flurries had started to fall, completing the magical feeling of the holidays in Winterhaven. Then his phone buzzed and rang. Pulling it out, he sighed. “It’s Maury.”
“Oh.” Fitz nodded and dropped his gaze to his gloved hands. He pasted a smile on his face. “You should see what he needs.”
Jack hated how the delight and joy faded from Fitz’s expression. “I’ll just be a minute,” Jack promised. He noticed some of the guys had started making their way to the stall renting ice skates. “Why don’t you get in line for ice skates?”
“Okay.” Fitz kissed Jack’s cheek and joined the others, Duchess on his heels. Leo said something to Fitz that made him smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Obviously, he didn’t expect Jack to return, especially when he asked for only one pair of skates. With a heavy sigh, Jack answered his phone.
“Hey, Maury. What’s up?”
“I’m so sorry to bug you on your vacation, but we have a problem.”
CHAPTERSEVEN
It had been nice while it lasted.
“I’m sorry,” Laz said quietly as he wrapped an arm around Fitz and squeezed, offering him comfort as he had countless times. His best friend was always there for him, often including him in his plans when Jack was away for several days or when something had come up and Jack had to cancel their plans.
Fitz shrugged and tried to smile, even if his heart hurt. He understood, he did, and he should have known better than to get his hopes up. It wasn’t Jack’s fault. He’d been working in cybersecurity long before he’d met Fitz.
Even if Jack planned on making changes, it wouldn’t happen overnight. What Jack did was important. His clients and his department needed him. Some jobs required a level of security clearance only Jack had access to. Four Kings Security didn’t just offer security to individuals and small businesses but to giant multi-million and multi-billion-dollar corporations.
“We can watch Duchess for you while you ice skate,” Leo offered. “We’re doggy-sitting.”
“You don’t want to skate?” Fitz asked Leo.
Leo’s eyes went wide. “Me? On razor-sharp metal blades? No thanks. I’d rather play with Duchess, Chip, Cookie, and Cocoa in the snow. That way, if I fall, I’ll hit something soft.” He ran off with the dogs, the pom-pom dangling off his hat bouncing.
“Where’s he getting all those hats?” Fitz asked King.
King shrugged. “I don’t know. He didn’t bring them with him. Is there a pom-pom hat store on the main street? He has a new one on every time we leave the house.”
“Maybe it’s Santa,” Fitz teased.
King chuckled. “I’m starting to wonder if the mayor really is Santa. No one has seen him. Except Leo, but he still won’t tell me what he’s been up to.” Leo waved excitedly at King with both mittened hands. “Excuse me. He’s discovered the cookie stall, and by his excitement, I’m guessing there’s something of the fish-shaped variety.” He walked off, and Fitz couldn’t help his sigh. Those two were so darn sweet.
Fitz sat on the bench on the edge of the ice rink and tightened the laces on his pristine white skates when a pair of black skates skidded to a halt in front of him. He lifted his gaze, eyes wide.
Jack held out a hand, a big smile on his handsome face. “Ready to get your skate on?”
“But…I thought you had to work.”
“I’d rather go ice skating with you.”
Fitz’s heart did a flip, and he stood, happiness bubbling up inside him. “Are you sure?”
“I have a great team, and Maury is more than capable of taking care of things. He was excited when I told him we had a lot of good things to talk about when I got back, and he was in charge until I return to the office. Right now, I’m on vacation with my beautiful boyfriend.”
Forgetting they were on skates, Fitz threw himself at Jack, who caught him but lost his balance. Fitz yelped as the two of them crashed onto the ice, Fitz landing Jack.
“Ouch.”
“I’m so sorry,” Fitz said through a gasp. “Are you okay? Did you hit your head?”
Jack blinked up at him and started laughing, the sound filling Fitz with so much happiness. How was it possible to love someone this much? He thought he’d known what love was, then Jack had come along. Even with Jack away working long hours, Fitz never questioned whether Jack loved him.
“You two are dorks,” Joker said as he skated by with Gio, who shook his head, amused.
