Gretchen threw back her shoot and yelled, “Hot damn! Also—” She picked up another shot glass and held it into the air.
Sanders squeezed my side and I gave him a questioning look. I had no idea what she was on about but Suzie and Ford seemed happy enough to let her lead the show.
“Another toast. To Jethro Winston.”
Suzie, Kim, and I exchanged a wide-eyed look. Sanders stiffened at my side. Devlin and Ford looked downright grumpy.
“Uhh, what the cluck?” Suzie said.
“Hear me out.” Gretchen held up her free hand. “Romeo Jr. was a dumpster fire of a person. We can all agree he was on the path to become his father. But Jethro Winston … well, he tried to make things better, didn’t he?”
Kim and Suzie exchanged a look I couldn’t read. And I wondered if there was more to their Jethro story than I knew.
I thought about Jethro’s proposal all those years ago and what he was trying to do. His heart had been in the right place. He had loved me in his way. Young love. First love maybe, but not real love. We would have never worked out. I had to admit he had been trying to rescue me from the Wraiths. I was just too damn stubborn to let anybody save me.
Looking around the table, Gretchen sighed in resignation, “And if we aren’t even able to agree on that, we have to concede that he had fan-fucking-tastic taste in women.”
“Well, that’s true,” Sanders said loudly with a shrug. He winked at Gretch and she rolled her eyes at him.
“Everything happened as it had to,” I said loudly, finding my voice as I spoke. “I don’t regret our pasts. Everything we have been through made us who we are. But that doesn’t define us, right?” My voice grew stronger as I spoke. “We all have shit that we don’t want to think about, but what we do now, how we act and love and all that shit. That’s what matters, doesn’t it?”
“I’ll drink to that,” Gretchen said and the rest chimed in with similar sentiments.
Heat burned my cheeks, but looking around the table, I knew I meant everything I said. And all the people at this table understood it too. We all have a story. We all have a life and things that make us strive to live better. We’re all just trying to get by. These people brought joy to my life. But more than that, they made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself. I needed people and that was okay. The SWS, and the men that love us, they made me a well-rounded person. It wouldn’t always be easy … but I was happy, dammit.
After another few shots and a few more hours of dancing, we were all slouched along the couches of the VIP area again to continue Suzie and Ford’s engagement party.
“Have you guys decided when the wedding is?” I asked Suzie.
“Next summer, we think,” she answered.
“Where at?” Kim asked.
“I’m fine with the courthouse. Maybe Vegas. Oh, or a destination wedding! Unlimited drinks on white sandy beaches. What do you think, babe?” she asked Ford.
He smiled slowly, his salt-and-pepper hair disheveled and Suzie ran a hand through it to sweep it off his face. “I don’t care. I just want to marry her. I want to let the whole world know I snagged the best woman.”
“Aww,” we all chorused and Suzie blushed deeply, happiness seeping out of her.
“Seriously, how did we all get so damn lucky?” Sanders asked.
“You’re welcome,” Gretchen chirped and I just shook my head. “I have a gift.”
“You sure do. Well, let’s see …” Kim said. “Devlin and me.” She pointed to Suzie.
“Me and Ford,” Suzie said.
“You led me to my Roxy,” Sanders jumped in seeing where Kim was going.
“Don’t.” Gretchen warned as she straightened in the couch. Her red hair was a mess from dancing. “Do not even go there. We know this isn’t happening for me.”
“Why?” I asked.
She gave me a look like I of anyone should know why.
“Please. This isn’t about me. Let’s just be happy for the engaged couple. Okay? Soon, you all will be shacking up and popping out babies and I’ll be cool Aunt Gretchen who helps them buy booze for parties.”
“Wait, what?” Kim said.
