TD buzzed in disagreement.
“Oh, right, I forgot about the baby.” Harley laughed. “Drat. Well, maybe if you’re just in attendance, and not the one getting married, it won’t be so bad. Who else can we get hitched? Knot is too much of an asshole—”
“Guilty as charged,” Knot said with a grin.
“—and I’m not good husband material—”
“Harley!” TD objected, his mouth finally empty. “Don’t say that! You’re wonderful husband material.”
“—so I guess that leaves you, xV.” Harley waggled an eyebrow. “You’ll get married so all of us will have an excuse to head to Fiji, right?”
Vincent raised an eyebrow. Harley snickered.
“I mean, it could be somewhere other than Fiji,” Harley conceded. “I’m sure all of us will compromise on our preferred vacation destination if it means we get to globe trot.”
“It’s not happening,” Vincent said flatly. “I’m not even in a relationship right now.”
“And neither was I two years ago, and here I am, married.” Gwynn rested his elbow on the table. “A lot can change in a really short time. I wouldn’t discount it. You’re moving to Aurora, aren’t you, xV?”
“Yes.” Vincent tightened his lips. Was Gwynn trying to set him up? Vincent didn’t know how to politely turn him down. Apart from Mal, who he’d taken a chance with to fantastic results, he didn’t date. It was too easy to be hurt. Vincent’s heart already knew the game, and it chose not to entangle itself anymore.
But for dark curls? A small, indulgent smile?
One exception wouldn’t be so bad.
“One change leads to a cascade of other changes,” Gwynn promised. Whether it was drunken wisdom or a genuine belief, Vincent couldn’t tell. “Your life may have been quiet before, but it’s going to pick up when you move to the city. You’ll meet new people, and while most of those new connections will lead to workplace friendships, there’s a chance for more…”
“I don’t know,” Knot said skeptically. “I think that Harley’s our next contender for marriage. Do we have a Single Dad Betting Pool? We should make one. Now that there’s only three of us still single, the odds are better than ever, and since I’m too much of an asshole to ever find love, then there’s a fifty-fifty shot of being right. Invest now!”
TD narrowed his eyes. “How about we not start up any other Single Dad groups. The insurance one didn’t end that well.”
“I know.” There was gravity in Knot’s voice that Vincent hadn’t been expecting. “But if you’re going to let one bad experience ruin the rest of your life, then you’re not going to have much fun, are you?”
TD’s shoulders tensed. He looked away. The conversation had been derailed and gone in undesirable directions, and as the unofficial leader of the Single Dads, Vincent believed it was up to him to set it straight. He clapped his hands together, ending the moment and effectively drawing everyone’s attention his way. After a moment of silence, Vincent spoke. “I’ve been meaning to ask all night, what do you guys have planned for after the reception?”
Gwynn pushed his glasses up his nose, a mischievous look on his face. “Well—”
“Gwynn, we all know whatyou’regoing to do once the reception is over,” Knot said with a good-natured roll of his eyes. “I think all of us would be better off spared of the details. TD is already slated to burn his eyes out thanks to your little limo romp—if you value his mind, you’ll keep us in suspense.”
“Oh my god.” TD sank onto the bar counter, burying his head in his arms. “Knot!”
“Just saying it like it is.” One corner of Knot’s lips twitched up into a smirk.
Gwynn chuckled. With a shake of his head, he climbed off the tall bar chair and plucked at his shirt a few times, like doing so might fix his mismatched buttons. “Speaking of, I think I should get going. The banquet hall only has us booked for another ten minutes.”
“You’re not going to close down the bar with us?” Knot asked.
“Nope.” It wasn’t Laurence who replied, but Alex. He’d wrapped his arms around Laurence from behind and perched his chin on Laurence’s shoulder. “Those ten minutes are mine. He’s coming home with me, and we’re going to close down the bedroo—”
“Aaand that’s enough for tonight.” TD hopped down from the bar and pushed Alex and Laurence away while the newlyweds laughed. While TD escorted them to the front doors of the banquet hall, he looked over his shoulder, back at Vincent. “To answer your question, Aaron’s going to come pick me up, and we’re going to go to bed. He went to drop Bo off with his family. They’re going to look after him tonight. Knowing my luck, he’s probably already waiting outside, so I’ll show Alex and Gwynn out. It was super nice meeting you guys! Next time, let’s plan it so that we have a few days together where we can hang out.”
“Take some vacation time when TD gets married next year,” Laurence urged. He was caught between Alex, who was holding onto him from behind, and TD, who was pushing both of them along, but Laurence did his best to turn at the waist and look back at the bar. “When he gets married, we can all spend a few days together, even if it’s not in Fiji.”
“The wedding’s not going to be in Fiji,” TD said with a plaintive laugh. “Goodnight, everyone. I love you guys!”
“Night, TD!” Harley called. “Night, Gwynn! Congratulations! It was incredible to get to meet you. And you too, TD. And you, Alex.”
“Night, guys,” Knot called. “Try to behave.”
