Page 118 of Employing Patience

He reaches up to tuck my hair behind my ear, and I warm at the familiar touch. “It’s easy to storm your way through life when you have money to ease the way. You really are a fighter. And I want to be there to fight right along with you.”

When I can’t find the words to tell him how much that means, I lean in and kiss him instead. I’ve always seen us as me pursuing him, me trying to get to his level, me not measuring up or being worthy of him. But knowing he wants to stand by me, knowing he wants to be there while I fight my way through whatever goals I have? It’s the first time I’ve ever felt supported. Felt like it’s not just me against the world. I have someone in my corner who only wants me to succeed.

I cup his face. “I promise that one day, we’ll be equals.”

Art’s eyebrows pull down into a frown. “That’s impossible.”

Before I even have a chance to ask why, he continues.

“I will never be half the man you are, meu lutador. So stop setting me up to fail.”

EPILOGUE

TWO YEARS LATER

ART

I heft Joey off his feet and into a bridal hold before stepping up onto the table. Joey laughs, and I sway, and it’s a teeny tiny bit maybe possible that I’m drunk.

As a cow.

“Wead ’em and reep, fuckers. I’m officially off the market. A cock-one man. One-man cock. Wait. Something about a dick.”

Joey’s head tosses back before he kisses me and climbs down out of my hold. Then he turns to my friends of crowd—wait—crowd of friends and shouts, “Does anyone want to trade for the night? Beau? Orson? I’m happy to take home a man with tats.”

“Mine,” I grumble, wrapping my arms around him again. He’s so solid and warm. Smells so familiar. Love the way he tickles my nose.

“I really thought this off-the-market party meant we wouldn’t be seeing any of this anymore.”

I blink open my eyes to find Payne shaking his head. “What?”

Joey rubs his thigh into my crotch. “You’re kinda humping my leg, but I’m enjoying it. Carry on.”

“Off-the-market party?” Will echoes, turning his big eyes on Keller. “I thought this was Joey’s graduation party?”

Keller shrugs. “It’s been called at least five different things tonight. Just go with it.”

“Mmm, happy graduation, meu lutador,” I murmur into Joey’s ear. After getting his high school diploma, Joey stopped working for me and threw himself into college. Between the mornings with Freddy, both his sisters picking up part-time work, and subleasing his spare room, he flew through his business degree. He’s spent the last two months learning everything he can from Houston about the brewery, and now he’s ready. To run this place. With me.

As my fiancé.

A shot of pure fucking dopamine hits me as I remember why I’m more tipsy than usual. Before everyone got here, I got down on one knee and asked Joey to be mine always. Then, when he said yes, I got down on both knees to show him how serious I was about always making him happy.

I hum happily by his ear, rubbing up against his leg again. “Gonna be my hubby.”

“Sure am.”

“Gonna move in with me and have my babies.”

“You’re enough of a handful without kids involved.”

And after seeing the hoops Beau and Payne had to jump through with their adoption, Joey and I agreed that wasn’t in our cards. Alice and Gus are more than enough energy for the both of us.

“I’m so looking forward to our future …” Joey sighs, and it immediately makes me suspicious.

“Why?”

“Well, I’m marrying an old dude. Accidents happen all the time, and when you’re gone, I’ll have the Killer Brew, and I’ll be able to shack up with Will. I’m playing the long game, don’t you know?”

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