“Yes.” TD paused, then frowned. “Well, and I guess Nikki, but she’s too little for a cell phone still, right?”
“Right.”
Momentary melancholy settled in Vincent’s soul. Nikki, his five-year-old daughter, was at home with her mother thousands of miles away.
“So?” TD grinned expectantly. “Who are you talking to?”
Vincent stalled his reply, and was rescued when Gwynning’s husband, Alex, joined the group and tapped TD on the shoulder. Trouble sparkled in his eyes, rivaled only by the glitter that clung to his purple-black hair.
“Yes?” TD asked, turning his head in Alex’s direction.
“You left before we were done,” Alex said. “I have something for you.”
“Oh?”
Alex raised his clenched hand, unfurled his fingers so his palm faced the ceiling, and blew a mountain of blue glitter at TD’s face. TD danced back, swinging at the air in front of his face as he laughed. Then, his lips twisted with mischief, he took a small jar from his pocket.
More glitter.
Alex gave Vincent an apologetic look, likely for stealing his company, then went to make war with the man who’d glitterbombed his wedding. Vincent watched them struggle for possession of the glitter pot for a moment, then saw his opportunity and slipped away. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to the other Single Dads, but all of them seemed happy doing what they were doing. When the excitement of the moment wore out, Vincent would join them. For now, he needed to keep his mind busy so he didn’t feel guilty about leaving Nikki behind.
It was time to see if the clock really had struck twelve.
* * *
There wereno dark curls by the dance floor, nor near the dining tables that lined the side of the room nearest the windows. Vincent ventured down the quiet hallway with the storage closet in which he’d enjoyed the most exhilarating encounter of the last decade of his life, but there was no sign of Mal there, either. It occurred to him, as he headed back to the reception hall, that there was a chance he and Mal were passing each other as he wandered. Would it be better if he stayed still and simply observed?
Vincent stopped by the edge of the dance floor and surveyed the crowds. People had begun to move, splitting from their groups to mingle with others. Music started to play—slow and emotional—and there was a rush as people surrounded the dance floor. Gwynn and Alex were likely sharing their first dance.
The migration of guests allowed Vincent a better view of the rest of the venue. It was a waste of time to look for someone who’d already told him they’d left, but Vincent clung to hope that they’d cross paths again. His skin still prickled with excitement from their encounter in the storage closet, and the short text conversation they’d exchanged softened Vincent’s heart.
Mal was gorgeous, but he was also a genuinely interesting person. Vincent hungered to know him better.
As he searched the crowd for his missing prince, a familiar face approached. KnotMyProblem glided effortlessly through the crowd, never once looking anything less than relaxed and casual. His hands were in his pockets, and one of his eyebrows was lifted the slightest bit, as if he was perpetually intrigued.
“Hey,” Knot said as he joined Vincent. “Is your phone on silent? We were trying to get in touch with you through the group, but no dice. TD got worried and sent me out on a rescue mission. On second thought, it was probably because he was worried I’d start shit with his fiancé, but whatever.”
“Oh.” What kind of shit would Knot want to start? Vincent felt very much like an outsider looking in. There was something going on that he wasn’t aware of, but that he caught glimpses of every now and then. “I must have been lost in my thoughts.”
“Weirdo.” Knot offered him a kind smile. Beneath his snark and blunt honesty, Vincent got the impression he was a good guy. “Listen, I’m not here to police you or drag you back into the group if you want to be on your own, but… I know all of us would be glad for your company, even if you’re not TD levels of talkative. Just having you there with us is enough.”
The sincerity in Knot’s voice caught Vincent by surprise. He paused before replying, trying to find the right words to say, but Knot resumed the conversation before he could pull his thoughts together.
“Anyway, if you want, all of us are going to hit the open bar.”
“All of us?” Vincent raised an eyebrow.
Knot rolled his eyes skyward. “All of us except TD, who happens to be gestating another spawn. But, you know, he can have juice or something, I guess. Pretend to be one of the big kids.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“Whenever you’re ready, you know where to find us.” Knot took his hands from his pockets. He clapped Vincent on the shoulder. “It’s a pretty surreal feeling to finally meet you, xV. I hope you’ll come sit with us and have a good time, but I understand if you need some time to yourself to get your thoughts together. I’m going to head over to the bar and make sure I’ve got a good seat. Harley said that he’s on it, but I don’t know if I trust him yet. He knows too much.”
“Knows too much?” Vincent chuckled. “Really? Harley seems just as goofy in real life as he does online.”
“I’m just saying… there’s something going on with him. I’ve got good instincts, and they’re telling me he’s the tip of an iceberg that none of us are seeing in full.” Knot shrugged. “But, then again, I thought I had a chance with TD, so there’s that. I’ll see you at the bar, okay?”
“You got it.” Vincent crossed his arms loosely over his chest, smiling. A chance with TD? Knot? Maybe Knot’s judgment really was shot. “I’ll be there in a sec.”
