Page 108 of Close Quarters

“Sure, Mr. and Mr. I Mooned Over Each Other for Months,” I shot back at him. “You’re completely normal and not at all weird.”

“At least my sex life doesn’t make me wonder if I’m going to be walking funny for the rest of the day,” Reed said. “Or worry, I might not be able to sit down.”

“That’s a shame,” Riley and I said as one and then had to choke down our laughter as Max sighed heavily.

The speech finally ended, not a moment too soon, from the distinct coloration filling Reno’s features. He was probably on the edge of bursting into flames as everyone began clapping, with a few people starting to hoot and call out. Mona appeared, beginning to shoo everyone out toward the dining hall, where the customary celebratory dinner would take place. Mona and Mr. Isaiah would make an appearance, give their own little speech, and if Reno wanted, would even be offered a few drinks from Mr. Isaiah’s personal store of scotch.

It was very tasty.

I stood at the back of the room as everyone began following out, as noisy and rambunctious as I remembered. I felt a small twinge of nostalgia at the sight, but only because I missed the place. I worked at one of the neighboring ranches because I enjoyed the work, it was close, and it wasn’t exactly filled with calm people. We could get just as noisy over at Cactus Hide Ranch, though the fact that we could drink when off certainly didn’t help.

“Oh, you two did show up,” Mona said when she reached us, eyeing Max and Riley. “Good, I need to talk to you, Riley…well, Max, you should come to.”

“Oh boy,” Max said dryly.

“Something up?” I wondered.

“A little, but it’s a good thing,” Riley said with a wink. “I’ll tell you after dinner.”

The two of them walked off as Leon approached with Reno at his side. He glanced at Mona, giving her a wink before he walked over to Reed. The two talked briefly before walking off, Leon squeezing my shoulder as he went. They trailed behind the crowd, but if Leon thought he was slick by stealing a kiss in the hallway, then…well, he was right. No one but me saw him.

“I have to say,” Mona said, smiling warmly at Reno. “I had doubts about you once upon a time, but honestly? I stopped doubting a long time ago.”

“Thanks?” Reno asked, brow furrowing in confusion.

“More importantly, you stopped doubting yourself,” Mona said, brow flipping upward.

“Yeah, well…I had some help with that,” he said, eyes darting away from her and toward the hallway and then back to rest on me.

“Which means you learned a few important things,” she said with a smirk. “Don’t take too long out here. You’re expected.”

Reno groaned as she marched off swiftly, heels thumping on the carpet. “I really do not like being the guest of honor.”

I slid up to him, waiting until I saw he was okay with my presence before wrapping my arms around his waist. “And you are a guest now. You’re officially out of the program, a free man. You deserve this.”

“This is torture.”

“I know, but at least the worst is over. Now you get to eat, talk to people, and have your first booze in years.”

“I couldn’t drink before I went to prison.”

“Neither could I. Didn’t stop me.”

He snorted and caught a kiss from me. I was more surprised that he let it linger, his fingers tightening on my shoulder as he held me. Then I realized he had a lot of tension inside him right now, the excitement of finally being free, the embarrassment of being on stage, and the worry of what the future held. Reno didn’t let his anger express his tension nearly as much, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have other ways to unwind.

“Stop it,” I told him with a laugh as I felt my pants getting tight. “I got us a room for the night. You can take it out on me later…after more drinks.”

“More drinks?” he asked, raising a brow.

“Umm…she couldn’t make it to the ceremony, but your sister should be here soon. I told her we could go to the bar over in Rapture to celebrate.”

His eyes widened. “What? But she couldn’t afford to make it! Damn it. I told her a million fucking times not to spend her?—”

“I paid.”

“What?”

“I paid for her to come. I’m paying for drinks at the bar for us, and I paid for her room.”

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