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Well, he could think of one, but that would come soon.
For now, he was just happy to bask in this break from his hectic business and enjoy the lake with his friends. His sigh was a long and contented sound. Noah splashed Andrei, making him smile. Noah had slid so smoothly into his family. Blue eyes met his, followed by a sexy wink. Damn, Noah was gorgeous wet. His hair, slicked back from his head, left his handsome face clear, showcasing those dimples Rowe couldn’t resist. His heart swelled and he leaned his head back, looked at the stars in the clear sky, and realized that he—who had found love like this twice—had been blessed in ways that so many weren’t. The warmth that filled his chest then was profound. A swell of thankfulness that this one person, in a world of many, found a place to belong. Twice. It no longer phased him that he’d fallen for a man the second time around—he’d long since figured out that for him, the person came first, and he’d loved Noah for a long, long time.
“This was a good idea,” Lucas murmured from beside him. They were both stretched out in lounge chairs not far from the tub where Andrei, Noah, Snow, and Jude relaxed. Their deep voices drifted through the night air, punctuated by the occasional chuckles. “The houseboat,” he said. “I like the setup and the lake is gorgeous. It’s private.”
Rowe nodded. “We should make this an annual thing. Try to take an entire week. I’ll pay next time. No arguments.”
Lucas merely smiled and Rowe knew exactly what he was thinking. They rarely won out when it came to paying for their trips. God, Lucas was such a control freak.
“I miss Ian,” Rowe added. “I think he’d like this sort of camping. Soft beds and bathrooms.”
“And a fully functioning kitchen.” Lucas sipped his whiskey. “But yeah, I miss him, too. These vacations aren’t the same when someone is missing.”
The corner of Rowe’s mouth turned up and he had to look away. Everything that he’d gone through—his loss of Mel, his realization that he had also been in love with his best friend, it had made him…different. He was quicker to get that mushy softness in his chest. Quicker to realize that he had something special with these men.
Lucas was a big fucking softy. He would never admit it, but it was there. All the time. He spoiled the rest of them, the men he considered family. Hell, he’d gone to a horrible party thrown by a crime boss years before and had taken a young man in the kitchen in as his own. He’d pulled Ian from that mess, given him a place to live and made him understand that not everyone who loved him wanted to use him.
As a rush of warmth filled his heart, Rowe realized he was not only mushy but drunk. He rolled his head on the back of the lounge chair to look at the man who remained the center of their world. He smiled. “Did you ever think you’d reign over a family like this one?”
Lucas was silent a long time before the corner of his mouth went up. “I don’t reign, Rowe. I just care. There is nothing in this world more powerful than the connection a person feels for another.” He aimed his sharp, green-gray gaze at him. “I am the lucky one in our relationship. And I will never forget that.”
Rowe’s heart skipped a beat. He stared at his friend, his heart frozen after that big hoorah. “I’m not sure what brought me into this sphere, but I thank the universe every single fucking day.”
Lucas smiled. “Me too, Rowe. Me too.”
Silence had him glancing over to find the guys all watching them.
Snow snorted and rolled his eyes. “The schmaltz, it burns!”
Jude lurched up and pushed Snow under the water, then he grunted in surprise and sank quickly, eyes flying open wide when Snow obviously did something to him under the water. Laughing, Noah and Andrei climbed out of the hot tub and grabbed towels.
“I knew better than to trust them in a hot tub after that time skiing,” Andrei muttered as he walked past them, stopping briefly to drop a kiss on Lucas’s forehead.
Lucas looked surprised and kind of bewildered—his expression so funny, Rowe busted into laughter just as Noah reached his chair. He stood up, patted his friend’s shoulder then grabbed Noah’s hand. “We’re off to bed.”
They made their way to their room and Rowe held up a hand outside the door. “Hold on while I check for booby traps.”
Noah snorted and crossed his arms. He hadn’t dried off completely and beads of water tempted Rowe toward his chest but he shook his head and cautiously opened the door. Surprised when he found nothing left in retaliation, he grabbed Noah and yanked him into the room. He had his mouth on his chest and his hands inside his swim trunks within moments.
