Page 80 of Exhale
“Oooooh, they’re doing it again,” Weston said.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss!” Elliott yelled at the top of his lungs.
Elliott had become a ton more vocal over the past month, and everything was said pretty much at full volume.
“Inside voice, buddy,” Owen reminded Elliott.
“But Daddy, we are outside,” Elliott pointed out with wide blue eyes.
“He’s a mini you,” Creed said with a deep booming laugh.
Owen groaned and released him, but did manage to snag a cookie from the plate.
It was Sunday, and rather than go to Owen’s mom’s house, Owen decided to have the guys over to thank them all for everything they’d done for the boys.
Jordan thought it was a grand idea and had everyone bring a side dish and whatever they wanted to drink. He and Owen hadinvested in the main course, which was currently cooking on the barbecue.
Jacob and Ace, both armed with spatulas, were flipping burger patties and hot dogs on said grill.
Owen’s mom was watching the little boys and organizing them at the Play-Doh table. She absolutely adored them, and they loved the idea of having a grandma. She was a wonderful woman and had welcomed him into Owen’s life.
“You’re spacing out again,” Owen murmured, closing his arms around his waist.
Jordan turned around and gazed up into Owen’s brilliant blue eyes.
“Have I told you how happy I am?”
“No. How happy are you?”
“More than I ever thought possible,” he said, his voice tight with emotion.
He loved Owen with a depth that sometimes scared the hell out of him. But his days of running from that feeling were over.
Owen was it for him, and he wanted nothing more than to forever stay by the man’s side.
Owen saw the love in Jordan’s eyes and emotion clogged his throat.
“I love you, baby.”
He could never say those words enough and made a point to tell Jordan all the time that he loved him. And he didn’t do it to hear it back, he did it because he never wanted Jordan to forget he and the boys were his world.
“Burgers and dogs are ready!” Jacob announced, and Owen and Jordan hurried over to each grab a tray and take it to the long food table that sat on the porch out of the sun.
Everyone crowded around, piling plates high amidst laughter and ribbing.
Owen gazed over his family, team members who were all his friends, and thanked the powers that be that he had come to work for Pegasus.
Once everyone was seated, Owen cleared his throat.
“Shush,” Hunter said from his spot near Seven.
Since Hunter and Seven had gotten together, they were seldom apart, as well as the other couples. He saw Parker with Oliver, Ace with Jacob, Link with Eagle, and Creed with Kellum.
There were a few who had retired from Pegasus over the past few years but had made the trip out for the barbecue.
Dalton and Adam had made the trip over. Along with Gage and Mason, the four men had gone out to Colorado to work at a training facility Dave owned, and were talking about retiring there.
Cooper was there. He still wore an eye patch, and beside him sat a lovely lady he introduced as his fiancée, Lilly.
