Fitz handed over two hundred with a dramatic sigh. “I really thought you’d divorce.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” I said dryly.
“You didn’t disappoint,” Nathan said, handing over his money. “You just surprised us. Which is arguably better.”
“I thought you’d keep her at arm’s length forever,” Gabriel said, adding his bills to the pile. “I’m glad I was wrong.”
“Me too,” I admitted.
Winnie was the last to pay up. “I had a side bet with Quinton,” she said. “I bet you’d figure it out, but he bet you’dsurrender. Turns out we were both right, but his was more specific.”
“So you’re both winners,” I said.
“Exactly,” Quinton said, pocketing the cash. “Which is how it should be.”
“Now,” Hayden said, opening his folder with a smile, “shall we discuss Wednesday’s patient load?”
“Please,” I said.
“Before we do,” Fitz said, “I just want to say—”
“Fitz.”
“—that we’re happy for you,” he finished. “Genuinely. You look good, Julien. You look... alive.”
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
“Even if you are wearing dad shoes,” Nathan added.
“Especially because you’re wearing dad shoes,” Gabriel said.
“The shoes are a symbol,” Quinton said sagely. “A symbol of surrender.”
“The shoes are comfortable,” I said. “That’s all.”
“That’s everything,” Winnie said softly.
Looking around the table at my friends, my colleagues who had bet on my happiness, who had watched me be miserable for years and wanted better for me, who were genuinely pleased that I had found something good... I had to agree.
It really was everything. The friends, the laughter, the ability to be late and wear sneakers and not care that everyone was betting on my marriage.
The ability to behuman.
“Right,” Hayden said, still smiling. “Now that we’ve established that Julien has been completely transformed by his chaos wife and Quinton is twelve hundred dollars richer, can wepleasediscuss this week’s patient load?”
“Please,” I said.
“We have three complex cardiac cases,” Hayden began, pulling up his notes. “The first is a sixty-two-year-old male with—”
My phone buzzed.
I glanced at it.
A text from Athena:Missing you already. The universe says you’re having a good day. Is it right?
I smiled and typed back:The universe is correct. See you tonight.
Her response was immediate:Can’t wait. I love you.
