Page 82 of The Temptation
Rome shook his head. “Not a clue. You know how Sebastian is. He’s got some crazy idea or scheme in his head. I don’t know how Byron manages him.”
“I suspect quite easily. He was Sebastian’s personal assistant for three years prior to dating him. He knew exactly what he was getting into.”
I leaned against the back of the car and lifted my eyes to watch the numbers steadily tick higher until we finally reached the top floor. As we stepped out, I was a little surprised not to find Kaylan waiting to greet us. However, it was after hours and since this wasn’t a business meeting, Sebastian had likely shooed him home to be with his own boyfriend.
When we reached Sebastian’s office, Declan was already seated on the sofa, a glass of scotch in one hand. Sebastian was leaning against the front of his desk, his hands animatedly waving in the air as he told Declan a story that was likely half chaos and half insanity, and all completely true. His tie wasalready missing, and the top button of his shirt was undone, giving him a more relaxed air.
“Great! You made it!” Sebastian greeted us as soon as we walked in the door.
“Well, you flashed the Bat-Signal in the sky. When have we not shown up?” Rome teased as he tossed his long wool coat over the back of a chair. He was wearing a soft sweater and slacks that somehow made him look like a very fashionable librarian.
Sebastian bobbed his head. “True, true.” He pushed off his desk and motioned toward the bar. “You want something to drink? The restaurant is within walking distance.”
“I’ve got it,” I volunteered as I tossed my coat on top of Rome’s. I looked at my elevator companion. “What do you want?”
“Vodka tonic is fine if he’s got any of the good stuff left.”
I snorted, and Sebastian looked affronted—as if he would ever not have his bar well stocked for his friends. I crossed the room to make drinks for myself and Rome before rejoining my friends. Rome had dropped into the far corner of the sofa with Declan, and I settled in one of the chairs.
“Okay, we’re here. What craziness do you have rattling around in your brain?” I asked, motioning toward Sebastian with my drink.
“First…” Sebastian paused and lifted his scotch so that the crystal glass caught the lighting of the office. “I want to propose a toast. A year ago, we were all painfully single. I had what I was sure was an unrequited crush. Declan hated the idea of dating. Rome was stuck going on endless rounds of go-nowhere dates.”
“Hey! You’ve got to keep throwing your line out there if you want to catch anything,” Rome squawked.
“And Pierce…ah, Pierce. He was a traumatized, emotionally constipated, undatable mess.”
I glared at Sebastian. “Remind me again why we’re friends.”
Sebastian appeared completely unmoved by his dark words. “But look at us now. We’re in stable, loving relationships with people we would move mountains for. We’re happier, more fulfilled, and just all-around better people for it. So, a toast to us and our significant others for helping us find joy in life we probably never imagined possible.”
“And because we found the wisdom to snatch up our partners before someone else could steal them away,” Declan added.
Yes, I could definitely drink to that. I was beyond lucky that Simon had been so patient and willing to chase me for years. If I hadn’t gotten my act together, Simon could have wised up and found someone who would have appropriately appreciated him for all his wonderfulness.
Leaning in, I clicked my glass against the glasses my old friends held, an easy grin spreading across my lips. Something inside my chest squeezed as my gaze skimmed over their faces. So many of my free hours had been spent in their presence for nearly two decades. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone an entire day without talking to at least one of them. Our group chat was always buzzing with some random nonsense, and they were always there for me in a crisis, even if I wasn’t ready to confess what I was feeling.
Sebastian, Declan, and Rome were as much brothers to me as my own flesh-and-blood brother. I’d do anything for these men, and I knew without a doubt that they would do anything for me.
I took a deep drink of my scotch and winced slightly at the burn, happy for the distraction that kept me from suddenly weeping into my drink.
“What else is on your mind?” Declan prodded, and I smirked. No one could read Sebastian like Declan. The toast had been the warm-up act. Declan was determined to slice straight to the heart of the matter.
Sebastian clasped his drink in front of him with both hands, his eyes locked on the amber liquid that remained in it. For a moment, I could have sworn that his expression looked a little sheepish and embarrassed, which was surprising. At this point, I didn’t think Sebastian could feel embarrassed. The man was shameless.
“Earlier today, I was talking to Byron, and he mentioned something about planning a trip for early summer. It dawned on me that we haven’t gone anywhere as a group in a while.”
Rome huffed out a laugh. “What are you talking about? We just went to Charlotte a couple of weeks ago. Had our little reunion with Sawyer.”
I threw Rome a look, and Sebastian’s face wrinkled up as if he was wondering whether Rome had lost his mind. Even Declan seemed like he wanted to punch Rome in the shoulder.
“That wasn’t exactly a happy trip,” Declan pointed out.
“And not what Sebastian had in mind,” I added.
Sebastian nodded. “A couple of years ago, we all went to Bangkok for two weeks. Before that, we tried surfing in Australia. Recently, it’s been getting harder to plan our dinners and hangouts, because we’re also trying to coordinate with work and the needs of our partners. I guess…I’ve been getting worried that we might drift apart as we get more wrapped up in our lives with our boyfriends. Think about it—Declan already has a baby. Once she starts school, he’s going to be locked into a strict schedule. What if we all start getting married and popping out babies?”
Rome giggled. “I think you’re going to have bigger problems than hanging out with us if you or Byron suddenly pop out a baby.”
