Page 91 of The Long Game

“For what?”

“Knowing what needs to be done. Looking after the boys and helping them get settled. Being you.”

Jack shook his head, but he smiled. “I didn’t do anything.”

“That toaster, this meal, those friends, and everything else says otherwise.”

Jack shrugged, his eyes glued to the pot of water working its way up to a boil. Grady put a finger under Jack’s chin and tipped his face up for a kiss.

“Oh my god,” Barnaby whispered breathlessly.

Jack smiled and turned back to his cooking while Grady braved facing their friends.

Barnaby looked like he’d been hit in the face with a shovel and Travis was grinning like a loon.

Grady took a sip of his wine. “What?” he asked innocently.

“Youkissedhim,” Barnaby accused.

Jack’s shoulder shook where it was pressed against his.

“I did,” Grady agreed.

Travis’s eyes narrowed. “Is this like the thing where you guys hold hands but pretend it’s a totally normal dudes-who-are-friends thing?”

Colton cracked up.

Grady glared at his supposed friend. “No, it’s not,” he said. “Jack and I are…”

Shit.He should have had a conversation with Jack about this.

“Boyfriends,” Jack announced, turning to smile at their friends. He ended up glaring, though, because Barnaby was a grown-ass man bouncing up and down on his toes and clapping his hands.

“Right.” Grady threaded his fingers through Jack’s. “Boyfriends.”

Jack squeezed his hand, but had to let go when Barnaby hurled himself at Jack and hugged him so hard he wheezed.

Travis was more sedate, but his handshake still nearly took Grady’s arm off. “Congratulations.”

“It’s about sodding time!” Barnaby added.

“You can say that again,” Colton agreed. “And I’ve only been here a week.”

Jack thoughtthe evening went well, even if Barnaby and Travis continued to exhibit an extreme lack of chill. Honest to god, Barnaby watched every interaction Jack and Grady shared as if it were miraculous instead of like most every other couple on the planet. And while Jack felt weird being one half of that equation, it didn’t warrant Barnaby watching everything like he wished he had a bucket of popcorn and a box of Junior Mints.

Once Travis and Barnaby had gone back upstairs, Grady put the unopened bottle of wine away—life was definitely different with kids around—and cleaned up the kitchen, while Jack helped Sam inflate his bed and made up the couch with Colton.

“We’ll spend some of this weekend looking into a bigger place,” Jack promised as he wedged the air mattress between the coffee table and Grady’s free weights. “Hopefully, one where you and Colton can have your own rooms.”

Sam paused in the process of making his bed. “If it’s easier, I can find my own place.”

Grady wandered over from the sink, dishtowel in hand. “We want you here with us. You don’thaveto live here, of course, but don’t leave because you’re worried about the rent, okay?”

“Well, I’ll be able to help with that, either way,” Sam said. “I’ve applied for a job at the Dipsy Doodle Dangle.”

“Yeah?” Jack asked. “That’s great. Have you done that sort of thing before?”

“I was working at one of the big chains when I left Edmonton. I’m guessing I won’t be able to get another job with them, though, since I didn’t give any notice.”

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