Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 92899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“How’s Hazel?” I asked, looking around in hopes of finding her somewhere nearby, beckoning me over with a wild wave of her hands.
A woman with reddish hair streaked with gray came barging through the crowd, elbowing people out of the way. “Everyone give the guy a break, alright?” She met my eyes and beamed. “You must be Foster?”
Before I could finish nodding, she threw herself against me and hugged me tight. “Thank you so much for saving my daughter.”
Her voice was full of emotion and gratitude. I realized I had Tommy’s mother in my arms, and I carefully hugged her back, suddenly wanting to thank her for gifting the world, gifting me, the miracle of her son’s existence.
“You’re very welcome,” I said instead. “I didn’t do much. Honestly, it was your son who—”
She pulled back and held on to my shoulders, eyes full of unshed tears. “I already thanked him, too, don’t worry. But he said without you keeping a cool head, you might not have gotten there before someone made a mistake.”
I shook my head. “It’s my job. And I was proud to be there to witness Tommy in his element.”
She squeezed my arms before throwing herself into me for another quick hug. “I’m so, so happy you’re here. Ignore all these idiots and come with me. I’ll find you something to eat. Tommy says you like tomatoes on your hamburger, so Avery and I saved the best from their garden just for you.”
I let her lead me away, shooting one last look over toward Tommy, who was done talking to Ella but was now standing off to the side, talking on the phone.
Once I’d been seated among the scattered outdoor sofas and chairs, Hazel wheeled over in a mobility scooter. She still looked pale, but she was obviously feeling much better.
“How are you doing? It’s good to see you out of bed.”
She reached over and squeezed my arm. “I’m only allowed to stay out here for an hour, but I’m very happy to thank you in person.”
“Everyone keeps saying thank you to me. I didn’t do anything but get Tommy there safely so he could help.”
Avery came up behind Hazel and rubbed her shoulder. “Don’t listen to him, babe. He worked side by side with the firefighters to get the door off the car. I was there, I saw everything. He was amazing. Foster also kept the media away.”
Out of desperation, I did what my mother and cousin had always taught me never to do. “When are you due?” I asked them. Thankfully, I had solid proof Avery was actually pregnant, so I figured the question was justified.
They both beamed. “Four more weeks.”
That was enough to get the subject fully off me. Everyone around us began talking excitedly about the baby. I was able to pitch in every now and then since I’d recently become a kind of uncle to my cousin Sheridan’s baby.
Tommy finally joined me, sitting down with his own plate of food and a muttered “I’m starving.”
As he ate, I realized this big group of Marians reminded me of home, of my cousin Way and his group of friends. I’d envied Way the family he’d accidentally married into, the group of guys and their husbands who’d formed a brotherhood of sorts in Majestic.
They’d done a good job of including me in most things, but I’d still never truly felt a part of the group. I was usually good at getting along with most people, and I felt like I was doing a fine job of it here, too. Everyone was friendly and kind. I appreciated watching the little moments of teasing, flirtation between spouses, and snarky banter between siblings. As I watched the family dynamics play out, I was struck by how amazing it was to be among this many examples of happy marriages between two men.
Tommy had grown up surrounded by gay men, and yet he’d never dated one before. Why in the world had he picked me?
I glanced over and caught him looking at me. “What?” I asked.
“Making sure you don’t bolt and leave me without a ride back to SERA.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my keys, handing them over easily. “I go when you go, Doc.”
As my fingers brushed his hand, he clamped his around them, pulling me in so he could whisper something in my ear. I tried not to look around guiltily to see if anyone had noticed the intimacy.
“I’ve been watching for the international distress signal,” he teased, the breath warm against my ear. “So far, so good.”
I patted my chest and gave a thumbs-up, the SAR signal for “I’m okay.”
He grinned. “Gotta admit, I enjoyed seeing the big, bad sheriff intimidated by my family.”
“Intimidated? Pfft. Hardly. Oh shit.” I spotted Tilly making her way toward me. This time, she was flanked by the other old ladies from Hawaii. “Abort, abort.”