Page 135 of The Long Game

“Literally,” Colton muttered. “The hand-holding was insane.”

“Isn’t two weeks kind of fast?” Jack asked, because it felt like he should.

Grady’s mouth kicked up on one side. “Well, two weeks or four years, depending on how you look at it.”

Jack laughed because that was true. They had been building toward this for a while, even if neither of them realized it until recently.

He looked at the boys and Hannah. “Is this okay with you?”

Colton sighed like Jack was the dumbest person he’d ever met. “Are you shitting me right now?”

Jack arched an eyebrow. “Is that a yes?”

Sam shoved Colton before he could say anything else. “Of course it’s a yes.”

“What about what Daphne said? That my being involved might work against us in court?” Jack asked. It had to be addressed.

“The whole point is to keep this family together,” Sam said. “We can’t do that if you’re not with us, living here or not.”

Jack felt overwhelmed by that, but also…like he was full up for the first time in his adult life. He hadn’t realized how lonely he’d been, how starved for love and family and touch until he’d found all three. He’d been walking around, an empty vessel, and believed that was how it had to be.

He didn’t believe that anymore.

“That’s…thanks. For saying that,” he said, his voice hoarse.

“It’s only the truth,” Sam murmured shyly.

Jack threw his arm around Sam’s shoulder and pulled him in, still clinging to Grady with his other hand.

“Well, then, I guess the only question is, when can I move in?”

Garrick let out a whoop, circled the island, and grabbed Jack’s face in both hands to plant a disgustingly wet kiss on his forehead. “Jesus Christ, that tookforever.”

“First of all,ew,” Jack objected, wiping at his forehead. “Second, it’s only been two weeks.”

“Only if you don’t count the pining. There wereyearsof pining. The rest of us are definitely counting that.”

“I don’t know why I’m friends with you,” Jack muttered.

Garrick, the asshole, had zero shame, grinning at Jack and whacking Grady on the back like an idiot. “I’m so glad you finally pulled your head out of your ass,” he told Grady. “I began to despair you’d never do it.”

“Hey, maybe I was biding my time. Playing the long game,” Grady said with a joking shove to Garrick’s chest.

“You can pretend you weren’t clueless, and we’ll all pretend to believe you, how’s that?”

Grady rolled his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m friends with you now.”

“Sure you can,” Garrick said with his usual, possibly warranted, confidence. He turned to Jack. “How about we move you in today?”

“Today?” Jack repeated, dizzy at the idea.

God, when had his life gotten this crazy? When had change become the norm and something he embraced?

Actually, he knew the answer to that. And while he’d like to blame Barnaby or John Babcock or even Colton, the truth waseverything had changed when he’d decided to tell Grady about his past and Grady hadn’t even blinked. It had all changed the night they held hands.

He smiled at his boyfriend, then squinted at Garrick. “I’m not packed. You can’t just move me today.”

Garrick crossed his arms over his chest. “Wanna bet?”

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