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“Oh, I assure you, I have.” He pointed toward the door where a horse-drawn carriage was pulling up. “That, my friends, is a movie star honeymoon.”
Several sets of eyes blinked back, jaws slack. “No way,” Benny griped, skeptical. “That could be… like, just a couple of random joes. Who says they’re movie stars?”
“If you don’t believe me, just wait until you see who walks through the door.” Gerald squared off his shoulders and beamed at them, before slipping the money into his pocket and heading across the lobby, serious swagger in his step, arthritis be damned.
Max Shepherd had already stepped down from the carriage by the time Gerald arrived on the sidewalk. “Good evening, sir,” he said congenially, even while on the inside, he was giddy as a schoolboy. “I trust you had a lovely evening so far.”
Max turned, his eyes alight. “Gerry! Great to see you,” he greeted the older man, clapping him on the back. “We’ve had a great night. We picked up some hotdogs from the street vendor, then ate them on our carriage ride through the park. How’s that sister of yours?” he asked.
Gerald couldn’t believe he’d remembered. “She’s well, just won the bingo jackpot last night. Thank you for asking.”
Max raised his hand to help his omega down from the carriage. It was impossible to miss the love and chemistry between these two men. Gerald was proud to say he’d been one of the first to witness it firsthand. “Please accept my congratulations on your nuptials,” Gerald said, shaking first Max’s hand, then Arlo’s. “Though I must say, while The Scarlet Hotel is lovely, it isn’t quite what I expected for your honeymoon. You’re not even leaving town? Going somewhere tropical, perhaps?”
Max leaned in and lowered his voice. “Shh, no one is supposed to know we’re married yet. This is our secret honeymoon, after our secret wedding. We have another honeymoon planned for after the big official to-do, but we needed to do something special. My parents are in town, so we left the baby with them for the night so we could sneak off for some one-on-one time.”
The word secret sent a thrill through Gerald, because you truly only told your secrets to good friends. “Sounds wonderful. I’ll have the kitchen send up some champagne to celebrate.”
Max’s eyes flared as he peeked back at Arlo, who was nibbling his lower lip. “That champagne comes with a bucket of ice, I hope?” Max asked, his mouth twisting into a sly smirk.
Gerald didn’t need to try very hard to imagine what they needed ice for. He chuckled under his breath. “I’ll have them send extra, sir. And perhaps some strawberries and whipped cream?”
Max slapped him once more on the back. “You’re a good man, Gerry.”
Without any warning, Max bent down and scooped his new husband up into his arms, who squealed and slapped at his chest. “Max! Put me down!”
“No way. I’m carrying you all the way to our room,” he declared. “Gerry, could you get the door?”
“Absolutely.” Even though it was literally his job to open this door for the hotel’s patrons, he felt genuine honor to hold it for this couple. He watched, smitten, as Max swooped through the door, carrying Arlo with little effort.
Ahead of them at the check-in desk, Gerald could see the staff were all still lingering, their skepticism shifting to disbelief. Yep, thought Gerald. I won that bet, patting his pocket where he’d stashed his winnings. Maybe he would take his prize to bingo tomorrow and see if his luck would hold—never mind that very little luck had been involved.
Gerald positioned himself at his station beside the door, gloved hands tucked behind his back, chest puffed out. He breathed in the warm downtown air, perfumed with car exhaust and now the steaming pile of horse manure at the curb, police sirens wailing in the distance, and he grinned.
Life can’t get any better than this.
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