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"Where's your boyfriend?" Ryde teases.
I frown at him. "He's not my boyfriend."Yet. "And also, respect your elders."
He chuckles. "I believe we've established that I'm the alpha of the group."
"Whatever." Where's Linus when you need him to pop up? "Are you still on that?"
"I learnt from the best," Ryde answers cheekily, and he's got me there, because, yeah, he has.
"Col texted just before," I tell him. "He's jumping on a call with his boss and will come down once he's finished with that."
"Sweet."
Linus, Muir, and Fitz arrive with our drinks. Fitz and Muir are wearing matching, super tightKiss Me, I'm a Vetshirts. They look about two sizes too small and like Fitz's and Muir's muscles are about to tear through the fabric. Seriously, these two.
"About bloody time," I mutter as I take my beer and scull half the pint. "What? Why's everyone looking at me like that?"
"Uh, no reason," Muir says.
He starts talking to Fitz about something, leaving me to face Linus and Ryde, who may not even be aware of it, but is totally leaning into our boss.
"So how are you feeling after Sydney?" Linus asks, taking a sip of his wine.
"Mentally exhausted. It was so full-on. All the farm stuff, finding out I have a dad…"
Linus and Ryde both nod their heads as if they're trying to coax something specific out of me that has nothing to do with the farm or Gus.
"And, yeah, things got serious with me and Col."
"Boyfriend-level serious?" Linus asks.
I shake my head. "We haven't put a label on it since, you know, we're down to our last couple of days together, but we've talked. We're on the same page. I think I'm the best, and he agrees."
They both laugh.
"Well, I'm happy for ya." Linus taps his glass against mine. "You've been through a lot and you deserve to be happy."
I'm happy now, but when he leaves? Fuck. I don't even want to think about it. It's going to be unbearable.
Muir and Fitz join the convo, and I tell them more about the deal we worked out to keep a small portion of our land. Linus offers me a full-time position if I want it, which I gratefully accept. And then the conversation diverts back to Col.
"But listen, fellas," I say, "There's still one final hurdle Col needs to overcome before I know for sure if he's the one."
"Hasn't he suffered enough?" Fitz says with a shit-eating grin. "He puts up with you, doesn't he?"
What I wanted to say gets lost in their laughter. What I wanted to say was that while I think I've finally met my match in Col—he's just as competitive, just as stubborn, just as determined as I am—what's his singing like?
For all the times I've suggested he sing along with me, he hasn't taken me up on it once. Am I seriously contemplating being with someone without knowing that vital piece of information?
I. Don't. Think. So.
I glance towards the entrance and wonder how far off Col is. Karaoke has already started, and it's a crime to deprive the good folk of Scuttlebutt my angelic vocal cords any longer.
I head for the stage to treat the crowd to one little warm-up song before I put my mainget Col to singplan into action.
29
Col
