Chapter One
Oz hovered beside the table he’d been sent over to by his new sister-in-law, hesitating. The man sitting at it was staring intently at his phone, in the normal way people did when they were at an event they felt out of place at, or weren’t interested in.
Based on the two empty beer bottles at his elbow, Oz guessed he felt out of place.
Before Oz could make the decision to walk away, the other man looked up at him, taking him in with wide, but sharp eyes.
Oz licked his lips nervously. “Hey, uh. You’re Seth, right?”
The man nodded, but didn’t otherwise react. He was waiting for Oz to say something, but Oz was suddenly tongue-tied.
Seth was exactly his type. A little on the short side, delicate, but still masculine, his artful stubble highlighting a strong jaw. He was pretty, like his sister, but in a decidedly male way.
He and Mason had always had similar tastes.
“Do you mind if I, uh…?” He indicated the seat across from Seth. The table was big enough for eight people, but the other seven who’d been sitting with Seth had obviously chosen to mingle instead of sitting the festivities out.
Oz had only been mingling this long because he hadn’t been able to get away. Normally, he didn’t mind going to weddings, but being forced to play the part of dutiful son was wearing on him.
“It’s a free country,” Seth said.
Oz’s heart sank. A little enthusiasm would have been appreciated. He didn’t expect Seth to be his instant best friend, but it would have been nice to feel wanted.
Even as he was thinking that—still hesitating to sit—Seth’s face softened. “Jesus, you look like a kicked puppy. Join me, we can both be miserable together,” he said, waving to the seat Oz had been hovering next to.
Oz sat, feeling a little better about the whole situation. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
Seth sighed a heavy, tired sigh. “I was actually getting incredibly self-conscious about sitting here alone, so your timing is perfect. I’m sorry. I’m just exhausted.”
“I know how you feel.” Oz smiled wryly. “I’m Mason’s brother, by the way.”
Seth nodded. “I figured you had to be part of the family. Nice hat.”
Oz cleared his throat, blushing. “Thanks.”
“I didn’t realize they were going to be part of the dress code,” Seth said, looking around. “I am into the whole cowboy vibe, though. Are you an actual real-life cowboy?”
Oz chuckled at that. “I’m a lawyer.”
“Huh.” Seth looked Oz up and down again. “You’re way too hot to be a lawyer.”
Oz blushed again. “Well, I am one, but the light in here is very flattering,” he said.
“What kind of law? Please say criminal.”
For a moment, Oz almost wished he could have. Impressing Seth was quickly moving up his list of priorities. “Sorry to disappoint. I actually specialize in elder law.”
Seth raised an eyebrow. So did most people.
“Wills, power of attorney, end of life care, retirement and pension advocacy… if you need legal advice after you turn sixty, I’m probably your guy.”
“It’s never occurred to me that there’d be lawyers for that, but I guess they’d need to exist. Cool. Do you like it?”
Oz shrugged. “I think it’s a good use of my time. I like being the guy people can rely on to speak for them when they maybe can’t speak for themselves anymore, though obviously that’s a lot of pressure. And the way some people fight over wills, man. Sometimes grandpa’s body isn’t even cold and they’re carving up the estate already. It’s hard to know that a lot of your clients are gonna die on you, too. You become a part of their life. I go to a lot of funerals.”
“Explains the black,” Seth said, nodding to Oz’s suit. Even the shirt he was wearing today was black, which seemed fitting. He was the black sheep, after all.
Oz felt as though he was talking too much, but Seth didn’t seem to be bored. He’d been listening the whole time. Not politely or passively, but with obvious, genuine interest.
