Relay for Life
Page 18
Rodney whistled. “Well, if that is the result of having a permanent lover on hand, I’ll have to see if I can add that to my training regimen.”
Andrew couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Let me know how that works for you.”
“I will,” he said, extending his hand for a shake as one of his handlers tapped him on the shoulder and motioned for him to walk through one of the side exits that would no doubt lead to his own signing tent. “See you around, Andrew.”
“You, too, Nickels.”
As soon as he was gone, Marcel stepped in beside him. “What did he want?”
“To congratulate me, actually.”
“Huh. That’s new.”
“I think he was more congratulating me on my man choice than anything,” Andrew said, smiling.
Matthew pinched his ass from behind. “Well, you do have excellent taste.” In the months since his father had returned, Matthew had regained the confident, sexy man he’d been in the field before they’d returned to civilization. He was the one who pushed them into new situations and never let them settle for less than what they deserved.
“Here, here,” Marcel said, grinning. “So we’ve got the signing and then a dinner with the company presidents at Jewl Tones.” Marcel was their rock, the one who stayed steady emotionally no matter what. Andrew wasn’t sure that they would’ve survived had it not been for his calm reassurance.
“Hmm, yum. I love Japanese food,” Andrew said, his stomach growling. He twined their hands as they made their way down the track. Their signing booth was at the very end so as to be less crowded than the other stations. It was part of his nonnegotiable wants in his contract.
“I love you,” both his field agents said in unison. He smiled. They may have only been together for a couple of months, but they shared something that didn’t need ten years to formulate. Andrew might not have been a big believer in fate before he’d been lost in the wilds, but he was now. They were just meant to be, and nothing anyone could say could convince him otherwise.
“I love you, too,” he said.
“Hey,” Matthew said, tugging the two of them to a halt.
Andrew turned around in surprise, looking up into Matthew’s worried face as it scanned the crowd. “What is it?”
Marcel frowned. “What?”
Uniformed UMF soldiers filtered out of the side entrances, surrounding them. Fear speared his gut. What was going on? They hadn’t said anything to anyone and were just trying to live their lives together. Recognition flickered as Jack stood in the exact center of the throng as they filed in front of them and fell into a hard salute.
“Matthew?” Marcel asked. Andrew didn’t understand what the hell was going on.
Matthew pulled away from them and stood facing them. “I know we haven’t known one another long, but in the time I’ve known you both, I’ve realized how empty my life was without you. The men you see behind me are men who have watched my back in missions past and the ones who I trusted with my life before I met you. You both know my father. He’s been the rock in my world since I was born. They’re here to witness the next step in my life, the step where I trust my back and my heart to the two of you and you alone.” He knelt on the dirt track, and Andrew’s mind went completely blank. What is— He pulled a small black box from his pocket. “Andrew Ainsley, Marcel Carter, will you do me the honor of becoming my husbands?” He popped the lid, and Andrew gasped at what was inside. Two gorgeous-looking platinum rings rested against the velvet with three perfect diamonds inlaid in the design.
“Oh God,” Marcel whispered, looking like he was two seconds away from passing out. “Oh God, Matthew. You big idiot. Right now?”
Matthew gave a strained chuckle. “Well, no time like the present.”
“Yes,” Andrew whispered, finally regaining the ability to speak. “Hell yes, I’ll marry you.” He looked over at a shaking Marcel. “And you better say yes, too, Marcel.”
The entire unit of soldiers started laughing, including Jack. Even Matthew cracked a genuine smile at that.
Marcel smiled softly and gave a shrug. “I guess I have no choice then. Yeah, I’ll marry you, you big lug.”
Matthew gave a whoop of joy and took out the rings, slipping first one on Andrew’s finger and then one on Marcel’s. Jack called out an order to salute, and the men gave a bark of approval before raising their weapons and firing three shots in rapid succession into the sky. Andrew barely heard the deafening sound of the cheers that erupted from the stands and the announcer’s booming voice over the sound system, announcing their engagement to the crowds. His entire world narrowed down to the look of pride in Matthew’s eyes and the trembling acceptance in Marcel’s.
Matthew gave them both a hell of a breathtaking kiss in turn, and Andrew’s heart expanded impossibly. He wasn’t sure what the future held for them or for the human race, but he knew that whatever it was, he wanted to experience it, treasure it with his two lovers.
“Tell me we can have a long engagement? I want you guys to meet my parents before we do anything drastic,” Marcel said as they shared a huddled hug together.
“As long or as short as you want it,” Matthew promised. “So long as we’re together, I don’t care.”
Andrew smiled. He’d found his place in this world of theirs, at last. “The fans are waiting,” he reminded them as they were surrounded by Matthew’s friends and his father.
“Let them wait. Everything that is important is right here in my arms,” Matthew rumbled. Andrew nodded. He was so right. He turned to the throng of people who offered up their congratulations and didn’t even feel the first flicker of fear as he was embraced by the crowd, the strong presence of his two field agents warm and comforting against his back.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jana Downs lives in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina with three cats, one dog, several dozen fish, and a very understanding partner-in-crime who hates to read but makes exceptions for her stories.
You can usually find her either watching bad reality TV, buying way too many books on Amazon, or dreaming up another man or two to occupy her time because life is good but several drop-dead gorgeous nonexistent men is just better.
For all titles by Jana Downs, please visit www.bookstrand.com/jana-downs
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