“Yum, hospital dessert. How can I say no?”
Ryden chuckled, his breathing soon evening out. With a contented sigh, Jay leaned back in the chair, their fingers still laced together. For years, Jay had tried to flirt, sass, and charm his way around feeling too much, refusing to see what was right in front of him. Ryden had called Jay’s bluff.
And Jay happily folded.
EPILOGUE
several months later
It wastimes like these when Ryden thanked the universe for his good fortune. A great deal had happened in the last few years, and his life had taken a drastic turn for the better. It had been challenging, but he’d been determined to make the most of his second chance.
Ryden took a sip of his soda, his heart full as he watched Jay, Leo, and Joshua running around the beach playing with Chip, Cocoa, Duchess, and Cookie, who was off duty. It always amazed Ryden how Gio’s Golden Retriever switched from service dog to playful pup with just one word.
Chip was a maniac, like always, and Ryden expected nothing less from Joker’s Belgian Malinois bestie. Cocoa had gotten so big, so fast, but as a German Shepherd, that had been a possibility. There was a good chance he might end up bigger than Chip. For now, despite his size, he was still in his puppy phase, all legs and no coordination. Duchess, the standard poodle, had the most graceful little trots.
Mostly, Ryden loved to hear Jay laughing, pure joy radiating from him. Even at the beach, Jay looked gorgeous. His hair was windswept, his cheeks pink from the Caribbean sun, and he wore designer pink tropical swim trunks with a matching top. Jay had even gotten them matching outfits, which made everyone say, “Aw,” when they saw them, and Ryden didn’t even care. He and his boyfriend looked damned good.
“Hey.” Saint sat down on the stool next to Ryden and leaned against the bar.
“Um, hey.” Ryden peered at his best friend. “Is there a reason you’re grinning at me like the Cheshire Cat?”
“Yes, there is. I just wanted to say, I told you so. Also, I knew it. And, oh yeah, I was right. Plus, oh my God, I told you so.”
“Really?” Ryden shook his head at his best friend. This was his twelfth “I told you so” of the night.
“Yep. It’s not every day I get to rub such an epic fail in your face.” Saint ordered a drink from the bartender before turning back to Ryden, his smile still huge. “Did I mention I told you so?”
“Wow. I might trade you in for a different model. Where’s Finch?”
Saint laughed. “Ass. But seriously. I’m happy for you both.”
“Thanks.” Ryden was happy for them, too.
“What’s it like going from driving each other batshit to being all kissy and romantic?”
“Is that what you are with Val? Kissy and romantic.”
Saint waggled his eyebrows, making Ryden laugh. “He would call it something else, but yeah.” His gaze went to his beefy boyfriend sitting on the large half-circle outdoor couch beneath the shade as he talked and laughed with Red, Frank, Nash, and Bibi.
Finch headed their way, beer bottle in hand. He stopped in front of them. “So this is how the other half lives, huh? Just hop on your private jet to your private island?”
“This is how Ace lives because he’s married to a billionaire,” Ryden said with a chuckle.
“Never knew anyone who owned an entire island,” Finch murmured, looking around. “It’s wild.”
Saint nodded in agreement. “Ace said Colton got the idea after the last barbecue at their house when the dogs knocked him into the pool while they played. Said our family had outgrown their mansion and they needed something bigger.”
Finch stared at Saint. “Bigger than a mansion?” He turned, taking in the twenty-two people in attendance, along with the four dogs. And that was without Bibi and Nash’s girls, who were visiting the Cuban Mom Mafia while their parents were on a much-needed mini-getaway. “Then again, you could populate a small town.”
Ryden snorted. “Don’t give Ace any ideas.”
“Not gonna lie,” Finch said with a chuckle. “I had to take notes on my phone. I need a diagram to remember who everyone is and how they’re connected.”
“Really? It’s easy,” Saint said, waving a hand in dismissal. “Ace met Colton on the job. Colton is best friends with Gio, who won Joker at a bachelor’s auction at one of our charity events. Laz is Gio’s brother, and he met Red at a party at Colton’s. Fitz is Laz’s best friend, so that’s how he met Jack. Joshua was in Frank’s club when he met Colton and Frank. Bibi is King’s sister and Nash is her husband, Leo is King’s husband. He and Leo met in a government black site. Lucky knew Mason through Ace, who had dated Mason before Colton. Colton and Mason are now good friends. Ry met Jay when he started working for the Kings, and I met Val at Frank’s. And Kazi works for Val at the tavern. See? Easy.”
Finch blinked at Saint. “That’s…I don’t even know what to do with that.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Ryden laughed. Finch had been invited to the family barbecue because of Jay, but Ryden had a feeling King was sizing up whether Finch would end up part of the Kings’ family.
