Page 143 of Asystole

Maybe it’s his way of making up for all the years he had no control, but I’m certainly not complaining.

“Aren’t we cute?” Hanlon asks, grabbing his husband’s hand as he bats his eyelashes at Chase while Chase locks the front door of our brownstone. “Just two tops and their incredibly manly bottoms out for a stroll.”

“Hanny, I love you, but you’re such an idiot,” Chase laughs.

The walk to Derringer’s isn’t far, which is one of the perks of our new place.

We’re seated right away, and I’ve never felt so happy in all my life.

“Hey, isn’t that Declan?” Chase says, tapping me on the thigh while pointing at a man sitting at the bar.

“Yeah, I think it is,” I agree.

“Like, your old boss?” Hanlon asks. As though he can feel eyes on him, Declan turns in our direction, catching us all staring, and Hanlon speaks again. “Oohh, Daddy alert.”

Stone punches him in the shoulder.

“Watch your mouth,” he growls grumpily, making me smile.

“Did you guys know he’s Deacon’s brother?” I ask, giving a small salute of acknowledgment before turning away.

“Like, our Deacon?” Stone asks.

“Yup.”

“Knew he had a brother, two, even. Never heard him mention a name. Doesn’t talk about them much,” Stone says as our beers are placed on the table.

Declan turns back toward the bartender and slides something across the bar to her. She shrugs and gives him a sympathetic look as she pockets whatever it was.

And then he leaves.

That guy is seriously weird.

We pass the rest of the evening with greasy food, too many beers, so much laughter my cheeks hurt, and the kind of night I never knew could exist.

I finally have my happily ever, and it’s not lost on me that instead of stealing it from me, it was Hanlon who helped give it to me.

Raising our fourth, or maybe it’s our fifth round, I hold my glass up in a toast.

“To all the crazy rides life likes to take us on, may the dick we find be the best of them all.”

Stone clinks his glass to mine while Chase playfully slaps me on the thigh, and Hanlon throws his napkin at me, laughing as he says, “And here I thought it was going to be heartfelt.”

“Oh, it was.”

Chase smacks his palm against his forehead. “Okay, I’ve got one.”

We all touch glasses in the middle of the table again.

“To being who you were meant to be and finding the person who gives you the courage to live life on your terms. I’m lucky to be surrounded by three of those people now. Hanny, you taught me to broaden my horizons and explore relationships outside of society’s boxes… that true love can look a lot of different ways, including the way a man friend feels about his best friend. Stone, you showed me what real courage looked like when you chose your stepbrother over everyone else, despite the backlash you knew was coming. And Logan, you encourage me to be the best version of myself for myself every day. You’re the most selfless person I’ve ever met, and you fill my heart with so much fucking love and joy that I didn’t realize I was as dead as Erik until you woke me up. You were my shot of epi when I needed it the most.”

“Cheers,” Hanlon says.

“Cheers,” Stone repeats.

“Cheers, Buttercup,” Chase says as I fight to hold back the tears filling my eyes.

“Right back at you all.”