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“I plan on doing just that,” Joey said, grinning. “We’re headed to Europe for a month, somewhere I never thought I’d want to visit. I tell you what, falling in love changes a man.”
“Yeah, I can’t believe Julie can put up with you.” I couldn’t help but tease him. He’d been the guy considered the least likely to settle down. I was a close second.
He huffed then motioned for the bartender to get me a drink. “She has the patience of a saint. I do admit that.”
“She must.” I nodded at the man behind the bar. The long-term employee didn’t need to ask what I preferred to drink; my favorite scotch slid across the bar only seconds later. “I’m really happy for you, man. Shocked she can tolerate your sorry ass, but happy for you both.”
His laugh and the excitement on his face was really something. His exuberance had made me question what I wanted out of life.
“You know what’s funny?” he asked as he sipped his beer. “Eight months ago, I would have punched you in the face if you’d told me I’d be getting married. The day I met Julie, I knew she was the one. True love hits you like a ton of bricks.”
“You forget that I was there. I almost fought you for her.” Which wasn’t true. The look on his face when the beautiful redhead had walked into the restaurant was something that only happened in the movies. To say he’d been smitten was ridiculous but the goddamn truth. He’d tripped over his tongue and both feet after being pushed into opening up a conversation. Cayman, Mark, and I had watched him behaving just like he’d done with every other woman, swaggering up to meet her then putting his foot in his mouth.
When she’d slapped him, we hadn’t been able to stop laughing. How he’d managed to go home with her that night was still a mystery and one that would go down in the books.
They’d been inseparable since, the whirlwind romance the shit romance books were made of. Or least that’s what I’d heard from my sister. I certainly couldn’t confirm since women were nothing more than arm candy for a bad man like me.
“I would have put a bullet in your brain,” he snarled.
Dominick made the mistake of walking up at that exact moment. I still found it hard to believe the newly ordained Catholic priest continued to run with the old crowd. His fake look of horror was following by a lift of his arm for a toast. “To true love.”
“Hear, hear.” I lifted my glass, encouraging the other boys to form a circle around us.
Once they all clambered around, Joey grinned from ear to ear like a kid, his eyes dancing with happiness. He even puffed up like I’d seen him do a thousand times, a showman through and through.
“To Joey and Julie. May love, light, and happiness bring them joy, peace, and a huge family,” Dominick continued.
Joey tossed me a look then placed his index finger across his mouth. “Interesting you should suggest that. I might have a secret.” His voice was almost singsong, which made us all laugh.
“Uh-huh. I’m not sure we want to know,” Mark said through gritted teeth.
“He’s right,” Steve added. “Too much overload of icky-sticky.”
“What the hell is that term?” Carter snorted, making a face.
I gave Joey a hard look. “Confess or we’ll tell Julie about every second of your debauchery tonight.”
“Them’s fightin’ words.” Joey fisted one hand, taking a fighter’s stance. Then he slipped his hand into his suit jacket pocket. When he pulled out cigars, I stumbled backward.
“No!” several of the guys shouted at the same time.
“A baby?” I asked, more shocked than ever.
“Hard to believe, huh?” the father to be grinned and finished handing out the Cuban cigars. “We’re as shocked as you guys are.”
“Well, you do know how that happens. Right?” Dominick teased.
“How the hell would you know?” Steve pushed.
Dominick shook his head and grabbed one of the cigars. “I wasn’t always a celibate man. This really is a celebration. God is good.”
I backed away, trying not to dampen his spirits. We were all at the age we’d started to think about settling down, something I’d witnessed with my sister over the last few years. Marital bliss.
It was difficult to stomach the thought. Every time my sister pushed me into finding someone, I started to shut down. Which I felt like doing right now. The pomp and circumstance of the wedding and reception was enough to deal with. After placing my drink on the bar, I yanked out my phone, double checking there weren’t any issues with the two recent acquisitions.
Joey slid beside me seconds later, slowly tipping his head in my direction. “No business tonight, remember?”
I shifted against the bar, shoving my phone back into my pocket and surveying the party. The music was blaring, the liquor already flowing, and the amount of food being served could feed three dozen people. “Yeah, just a quick check. I feel something brewing.” There’d been unrest on the streets, the chatter indicating one of the lower players in the world of crime syndicates was making threats to various customers of our regime and others. That wouldn’t bode well for overall business, whether legitimate or our more profitable side.
