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My own blood rushed south, heat pooling low in my belly. “You’ve got five minutes.”
James leapt from the bed. “Challenge accepted.”
“Ryder,you know you have to give her back, right?”
“I don’t want to,” I complained, tucking Evie closer to my chest and ducking away from Raleigh’s outstretched arms. She curled closer, settling deeper into sleep. Oh, my heart. “See? She doesn’t want to leave her Uncle Ryder.”
We stood in the airport lobby, both Raleigh and I stalling the inevitable. Angel would never admit it, but he was lingering as well.
Angel was the one to respond. “You could always get one of your own.”
“No, thank you!” I returned Evie so fast that her eyes shot open—briefly, but long enough to glare at her daddy taking her away from me.
Raleigh was grinning. “Nice work,” he said to his husband.
As Angel juggled the baby and their luggage, I turned to Raleigh, my arms suddenly empty. I crossed them, ignoring an odd pull in my chest. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”
“Aw.” Raleigh cocked his head. “If you missed me, you can say that.” He expertly dodged the shove I aimed his way. “I wish we could. Even if it’s only to stare at your boyfriend a little longer.”
“Raleigh!” Angel scolded. He stepped over to us, stamping a kiss to my cheek. “As much as I would love to watch you two bicker in an airport lobby all day, we should go. Thank you for having us, Ryder.”
And with that, he walked away. Short, sweet, and to the point, but that’s how affection was with Angel. Strong arms jerked me forward, and I let out an unflattering “oomph” as I connected with Raleigh’s hard chest.
“Thanks, Ryder.” He pulled back, and his blue eyes met mine. “James is amazing. I’m really happy for you. You know you always have a place with us, right?”
“So do you. James loves you.”
Raleigh crossed his arms, giving me a onceover. “So, are congratulations in order? I heard something big happened last night. Something of the lifelong bond variety?”
My eyes slid to his husband. “Angel!”
“Can’t hear you!”
“You could have at least told me you knew,” I shouted after him. Shaking my head, I turned back to my best friend. “I guess something did happen: I accepted.”
“Look at you. I’m proud of you.”
I scoffed. “Tell me that again in six months when I haven’t fucked it up. You’ll let me know when you make it home?”
He nodded, gave my shoulder one last squeeze, and walked away. I rested against a pillar, watching them disappear behind the security barriers.
I yawned the whole drive to the bar, hoping the insanity of a weekend there would be enough to keep me awake until I got home. It was only September, but fall in Salem was an event, something people counted down to and celebrated. Halloween decorations had been up for weeks, and the tourists were beginning to flock in. New staff typically started during the week, when things were slower and they’d have more time to learn. Starting Shiloh on a Friday night during the busiest part of the year was a bold move, but I trusted James to know what he was doing. When I walked through the back entrance of the bar, Shiloh was exiting the supply room with an armful of napkins they could barely see over, and they nearly collided with me.
“Whoa!” I caught some of the bundles before they tumbled to the ground. “The hell do we need all these for?”
“I’m nervous and I’m trying to keep busy,” they admitted.
“There’s no need to be nervous, Shi.” I smiled at their glare. “I’ll be here with youallnight long.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” they mumbled.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.” Though the flush creeping over their cheeks told me otherwise.
James’s voice came from the back. “Ryder, stop terrorizing the employees.” I looked over my shoulder to see him enter the room. I couldn’t have fought the smile that curled my lips if I’d wanted to.
“There’s only one employee!”
