Page 77 of Worship Him

Barrett groans. "Don't remind me. I swear, that kid's got more energy than a nuclear reactor."

"You know," I say, turning to Barrett, "I never properly thanked you for looking out for Destiny and Avery."

Barrett waves his hand dismissively. "No need. It's what friends do."

"Still," I insist, "I owe you one. Both of you," I add, nodding at Jackie.

"Well," Jackie says with a mischievous glint in her eye, "you could always babysit Mimi for a weekend. Give us a little break."

I laugh. "Nice try. I think I'll stick to my own kid for now."

Jackie pretends to be disappointed, and everyone chuckles, the atmosphere of the night becoming even lighter.

"Alright, folks," I announce, grabbing a bottle of tropical coconut rum. "Who's ready for some real drinks?"

Barrett smirks, settling into one of the Adirondack chairs. "Pour me a double, Adam. I've earned it after dealing with your stubborn ass in court."

I grin, filling his glass generously. "Careful there, counselor. I might just hire you full-time to keep you in line."

Jackie rolls her eyes, accepting a glass of wine from Destiny. "Please don't. I'd like to keep my husband, thank you very much."

Destiny leans against the porch railing, nursing her own glass of wine. "Don't worry, Jackie. Adam's bark is worse than his bite."

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Is that so? I seem to recall you enjoying my bite quite a bit, Mrs. Ryder."

She nearly chokes on her wine, and I can't help but grin. God, I've missed this banter.

"So," Jackie interjects, clearly trying to change the subject. "How's it feel to be back together? I mean, after everything..."

I glance at Destiny, catching her eye. There's a moment of understanding between us before I answer. "It feels right. Like we've finally found our way back home."

Barrett nods, swirling his whiskey. "I gotta say, when Destiny first walked into my office, I never thought we'd end up here. But I'm damn glad we did."

As the evening progresses, I find myself watching Destiny. She's laughing at something Jackie said, her dark skin shining beautifully in the moonlight. I'm struck by how beautiful she is, how much I've missed her.

"Earth to Adam," Barrett's voice cuts through my thoughts. "You still with us, man?"

I blink, realizing I've been caught staring. "Just admiring the view," I say, not taking my eyes off Destiny.

She meets my gaze, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Smooth talker," she murmurs, but I can see the flush creeping up her neck.

"Always," I wink.

We settle back into easy conversation and I can't help but feel grateful for this moment.

"So, counselor," I say, leaning back in my chair. "Ready to admit you missed going toe-to-toe with me in court?"

Barrett chuckles, shaking his head. "I'd sooner admit to enjoying root canals, Ryder."

We share a laugh, the tension from our past encounters melting away. Barrett takes a sip of his drink, his expression turning serious.

"You know, Adam, I gotta be honest. When Destiny first told me you two had made up, I was worried as hell."

I raise an eyebrow, my grip tightening slightly on my glass. "Oh yeah? Afraid I'd corrupt your star client?"

"More like afraid you'd break her heart again," he says, his tone matter-of-fact. "But seeing you two together... it's clear how much you love each other."

I nod. "She's everything to me. Always has been."

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