Page 7 of Cosmo

“I guess,” he said lowly, like if he said it too loudly, it would disappear. “How soon can I get out of here?”

“Is a week too long?”

Finally, Liam smiled and said, “That would be a miracle.”

“I have friends in high places, just notthathigh, so we can’t call it a miracle.”

Absinthe and Mimosa were in his kitchen when he got back home, and both were waiting impatiently for confirmation they’d get some help.

Mimosa was a sultry thing, moved like liquid metal, and his voice was as smooth. “Paps, tell me we will have our rainbow flag intact again.”

“Stop calling me Paps, you little fucker,” he said before kissing Mims on the forehead.

Andre, or Absinthe, whispered, “Well?”

“He’s taking the job. The bartending job, that is. As for the rest of it, we’ll see how he fits in first. I’m not taking any chances with any of you or my family.”

Absinthe fluttered his thick, mascara-black lashes at Murphy. “He’ll love us. Everyone loves us.”

“Those cops on burglary patrol don’t,” Eazy said as he came in with Little Mick on his hip.

“Shh, Dad,” Murphy said before grabbing his giggling son from his husband and blowing raspberries on his belly.

“Daddy! Stop,” Little Mick yelled as he laughed in that giggle that made everyone smile along with him. After setting Mick on the floor, he ran off and a tired Eazy went after him. “Get him riled up, why don’t you?”

“He’s a kid and they’re supposed to have a lot of energy.”

Eazy’s deadly look made Murphy lose his smile. “Sorry, baby.”

“You will be,” Abs told him, laughing in a whisper.

“Don’t I know it?”

Mims hopped back onto a stool and said, “Paps, come on, tell us about Red.”

“Red is not a drink and won’t be his name.”

Abs suggested, “Bloody Mary.”

“Ew,” Mims groaned. “Yes, it’s red, but it’s not the nicest name, and it’s two words.”

“Gold Rush is two words,” Abs countered, straightening his back as he challenged anyone to disparage his best friend, Goldie.

“Nobody, not even the customers, call him that. It’s shortened to Goldie, so what would we shorten Bloody Mary too? Blood, bloody, or Mary?”

Abs deflated and agreed, “True.”

Murphy leaned over the counter and confessed, “We still haven’t had the most ordered weekend drink in this place.”

In unison, the two said, “Cosmo!”

Murphy winked at them. “I think it’s perfect. And it’s perfect for him. He’s a pretty man, I’ll tell ya.”

“As pretty as us?” Abs asked.

“Almost.”

Satisfied, Abs got off the stool and started for the door that led from Murphy’s apartment to theirs. “See ya later, Murph.”

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