Page 112 of Wild Side
Rosie winces and covers her mouth with her palm, shoulders shaking as she laughs and looks back at Ford. “What are the fucking chances?”
Ford tips his head back and groans. “Fuck my life.”
And I’m already piecing it together. I didn’t even think about that night when Cora showed me his entrance. Or the fact that she seemed so excited about him being back.
“Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?” Rhys is still bewildered.
“Cora is a huge WPW fan,” Rosie says carefully.
“Okay and?” West asks, also confused. Because… men.
His sister glares back at him. “More specifically, a huge Wild Side fan.”
“And?”
Skylar lets out a little snort before turning to him. “Seriously? You, of all people? My number one fan doesn’t recognize someone who has a crush on someone famous?”
West’s mouth turns into a roundOshape as realization dawns on him, and Rhys sits up straight, staring back at our friends and looking like he’s in trouble. “But I’m… old?”
“You do wear a mask, so it’s hard to tell,” Rosie says with a light laugh. “Honestly, who hasn’t had a crush on an older man in their life, ya know? Totally normal. This too shall pass. I’ll go find my little storm cloud and show her some other good options for crushes, so it doesn’t have to be on our friend’s husband.”
“Rosalie.” Ford sighs.
But she’s already walking away. “Don’t Rosalie me, bossman. We’re not at work.”
She’s to the stairs when he shouts, “Can you at least give her some age-appropriate options?”
That sends Skylar and me into a fit of giggles.
“Anyway.” Ford reaches forward to toast Rhys. “A fucking wrestler, man—that’s pretty cool.”
West lifts his glass, but then pauses. “Wait, so are you just a cat dad?”
Rhys shrugs, looking almost bashful. “I’m a cat dad. And I was friends with Erika, so I’ve done my best to fill that role for Milo. Like where I can. I love him like he’s my own. Even though I know it’s not the same?—”
“Nah.” West waves him off. “Don’t qualify that. Parenthood isn’t black and white. It sneaks up on us where we least expect it. If it walks like a duck and all that.”
Rhys gives him a grateful smile. And like West can tell he’s struck an emotional chord, he pivots to lighten the mood. “I mean, look at Rosie. Who ever knew she’d be a mouse mom one day?”
Skylar laughs. “Hey, don’t pick on, Scotty. He is a well-loved—and fed—mouse!”
West chuckles and lifts his drink once more. “To parenthood, in all its iterations.”
With that, we all toast. And I watch my husband smile as a visible weight lifts from his shoulders before settling in to enjoy a night with friends. One less secret weighs him down, but a brand new one pops into existence for me.
My newest secret is that I’m happy.
Being married to Rhys makes me happy. Really, truly happy.
So when we get home and he turns like he’s going to go to the basement, I stop him.
I take him by the hand and lead him up to my room instead.
CHAPTER 39
RHYS
I wakeup early to burn off some steam. And I decide to do that with my jump rope out back, even though it’s fucking freezing.
