Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
M iles shook Killian Collins’s hand. “That was a great show.”
“Thanks,” Killian replied. “I have to admit, I enjoyed that more than I thought I would. I’m not one for standing in front of a camera, but Justin refused to let me say no when your producer called to set it up. That guy is happiest when he’s front and center.”
Miles chuckled, glancing across the construction site to where Killian’s partner, Justin, was chatting with Joey, their producer, Sherri, and the director.
He and Joey had been in Baltimore for four days. Four long, painful, lonely, miserable days.
They’d tried to fill every minute of their waking hours with activities, be it filming the show, hanging out with Layla, Finn, and Miguel, touring around Baltimore, or watching a hockey game at Pat’s Pub. Neither he nor Joey allowed themselves a second of downtime.
Because downtime was bad. It gave them too much time to think about…
Fuck it.
That was his current internal mantra. Every time that blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty’s name tried to sneak into his head, Miles just closed his eyes and thought “fuck it.”
The only time that intonation failed was when Miles allowed himself to stop moving. Every night, when he crawled into bed alone, he was forced to remember what—who—they’d left behind. Consequently, Miles was running on fumes after four shitty, restless nights spent tossing and turning and regretting every single one of his life choices. This was why he’d stayed away from relationships after Rhiannon. He had sworn to himself years ago, he’d never put himself through the gut-wrenching pain of loving and losing ever again.
What a joke.
Less than a month. That was all it had taken for Lucy to revive his dead heart, for her to stake her claim. He’d missed her every single one of the 345,600 seconds that had passed since he and Joey said goodbye and left her on that damn farm.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Joey was in the same state. His typically jovial, good-natured best friend was currently absent, replaced by a shell of a man who was simply going through the motions.
Considering the two of them had been about as much fun as dental surgery, Miles was surprised this week’s filming had been so successful. They had Killian and Justin to thank for that. What the hosts lacked in charm and wit, the guests had more than made up for. At this rate, he and Joey would be lucky if the production company didn’t replace them with Justin and Killian.
“I enjoyed getting to know you, Miles. I spent quite a bit of time with Joey when he and his brothers were helping me and Justin rebuild the pub after the fire, but you and I have never really had the chance to talk. My family was thrilled when we heard Joey landed the hosting gig, and we haven’t missed an episode of ManPower since the debut. The two of you are a good fit.”
Miles had met Layla’s uncle-by-marriage a couple times in the past two years, but he was right; they’d never had a real conversation before this week. Killian was a bear of a man, size-wise, which was saying something, considering the Moretti men weren’t exactly known for being small. Killian dwarfed Miles and Joey, as well as his partners, Justin and Lily.
Like all of Joey’s siblings, Killian was also in a committed threesome relationship. A very committed one.
When they were at Stormy Weather Farm, Miles had told Joey that his siblings’ relationships didn’t count because they were all still in the honeymoon phase. He didn’t really mean that. After all, Tony and Layla had been with their partners for years and he had eyes, and he could see they were very much in love. But at the time, he’d been shaken by Rhiannon’s reappearance in his life and trying to ignore his growing attraction to Lucy.
Killian, Justin, and their wife, Lily, had been married for well over thirty years, the three of them raising a son together, Fergus. So it was safe to say their honeymoon period was over. Though…maybe not. He and Joey had been invited to dinner with the trio last night at their house. The bloom was definitely not off their romantic rose.
When Miles had complimented Lily’s cooking, she’d grinned, telling him she’d been slaving in the kitchen the entire afternoon. Justin had taken great delight in outing her, claiming she’d ordered takeout from Pat’s Pub, then putting the food in her own dishes to make it look home-cooked.
Lily laughed as she slapped her husband’s shoulder, chastising him, though it was obvious she’d intended to confess herself. Killian had leaned toward her, placing a kiss on the side of her head, assuring her they didn’t marry her for her cooking. Justin, the jokester, couldn’t resist chiming in to say they’d married the successful marine biologist for her awesome 401K and health benefits.
The love the three of them shared for each other was almost palpable. And again, while it should have been a great night, one he and Joey would have enjoyed under regular circumstances, last evening they’d been subdued. He wasn’t sure what had been going through Joey’s head, but Miles had spent the entire meal wishing it was him, Joey, and Lucy sitting at that table, hosting guests together as a married throuple.
Killian glanced over at Justin and Joey, deep in conversation now that their director and producer had moved on. “Can I ask you something?”
He nodded.
Killian gestured toward the construction trailer. They’d been filming at the site of J their team was expanding the habitats of some of the larger animals at the zoo. The locale had been ideal because it gave them the added opportunity to capture some awesome footage of bears, tigers, and gorillas to include in the show. With the exception of the catio guy episode, which was a fairly meh interview, this season was shaping up to be one of their best with the brewery, Hank’s ranch, and now Justin and Killian at the zoo.
The two of them climbed the steps into the trailer, Killian offering him a chair. They sat down as Miles glanced around, noting the photos on Killian’s desk. One of him, Justin, and Lily, another of his son Fergus, with his wife and their baby.
“I hope you won’t think I’m out of line, but…” Killian paused. “Is everything okay between you and Joey? I’m aware I don’t really know you from Adam, but I know Joey, and that ,” Killian pointed out the window to where Joey was standing, “isn’t him.”
Miles considered making up some excuse for why Joey was so subdued, but Killian had opened a door, and he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to talk to someone who would truly understand.
“I’m sorry Joey and I haven’t been ourselves.”
Killian waved his hand. “Not asking for an apology. I’m just concerned.”
Miles wasn’t sure what to say, so he just started at the beginning. “A few weeks ago, we filmed an episode at a brewery. The brewmaster, Lucy, is…” Miles grinned. “She’s amazing. Sweet, funny, beautiful.”
Killian nodded. “I see. So you and Joey are fighting over a woman?”
Miles shook his head. “Not exactly. Not at all, actually. We, um… Well, you know all of Joey’s siblings have relationships similar to your marriage. It turns out, he’s interested in the same.”
Killian’s eyes widened. “Oh. I see. It makes sense that he’d be open to that kind of relationship, considering he’s around it so often. But it’s new for you. Are you uncomfortable sharing?” he asked, searching for some understanding. “Jealous when he’s kissing Lucy?”
“Jesus, not a drop. I love watching them together.”
Killian laughed. “That was a quick answer. If sharing isn’t the issue, what is?”
“The production company set us up in an RV this season as we travel around the country to film. They’re including outtakes of our travels as part of the show.”
Killian smiled. “Sounds fun.”
“We convinced Lucy to join us on the road. The three of us traveled to Nashville and then Texas. Things between us…” Miles ran a hand over his head. “Joey wants a committed threesome. He’s not looking for a casual affair, but I…”
“You aren’t sure if you want the same?”
“I was pretty damn sure I didn’t want the relationship or the affair, but Joey can be a sneaky, persuasive bastard. He kind of inched me and Lucy toward his vision for our future.”
Killian tilted his head. “No one can inch you toward anything if you don’t take those steps yourself.”
Obviously, he wasn’t going to let Miles get away with downplaying his own role in everything that went down between him, Lucy, and Joey. He respected that as much as it annoyed him.
Miles leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking down. “You’re right. Joey opened a door, let me see inside. I’m the one who made the decision to walk in.”
“What was holding you back to begin with?” Killian asked.
Miles lifted his gaze, wondering how forthright he should be. In the end, he just said it. “I’m straight, and Joey admitted a while back that he’d gone on a couple dates with guys. I was worried…” He blew out a breath, not wanting to sound like a homophobe or an asshole. “I’m not wired that way.”
Killian crossed his arms, nodding slowly. “Neither am I.”
“Justin?” Miles asked, before quickly raising his hands. “Ignore that. Out of line. That’s none of my bus?—”
“He’s straight too, though his line might have one or two curves in it. We’ve never explored that because he knows I’m not interested in him sexually. To be perfectly blunt, I’m closer to Justin than I am my twin, Tristan. Justin’s my brother, so the idea of us being together that way feels almost incestual.”
As soon as Killian said the words, Miles realized that was how he felt too. And hadn’t Joey said basically the same thing? They were brothers. “That makes sense.”
“Did Joey put a move on you? Is that why you two are out of sorts?”
Miles shook his head. “No. Joey knows where I stand, and he says he’s okay with it.”
“You don’t believe him?”
Miles didn’t even need to think about that question. “I do. He is okay with it.”
Killian leaned back in his chair, crossing his ankles. “I’m struggling to see the problem. Was it Lucy? Was she uncomfortable about the idea?”
Miles smiled when he thought about Lucy’s outright enthusiasm. Once the three of them made up their minds to hop into bed together, Lucy was all but leading the charge.
“Okay,” Killian said. “The smile answers that question. Lucy was in.”
“Oh yeah,” Miles murmured. “The thing is…she approached our time together as an adventure. One with a time limit. She lives and works on the family farm. Her future is tied to that land, while, God willing, Joey and I will continue to host ManPower .”
“Long-distance relationships aren’t unheard of. If the two of you care about this woman as much as you say?—”
“Well, that’s part of it too, isn’t it?” Miles interjected. “We’ve known her less than a month. We haven’t had enough time to get to know each other, to see if this is something that will go the distance. Committing yourself, giving your heart to someone is hard enough when it’s just two people. There are three of us, all new to…” Miles waved his hand.
“A threesome,” Killian helpfully supplied with a grin, clearly amused by Miles’s reluctance to say the word.
“Yeah. A threesome.”
“Love always comes with risks. Doesn’t matter if there’s one person in the bed with you or two.”
“How have you, Lily, and Justin held it together for so long?” Miles asked.
“The same way every other married couple in the world has. By putting in the work. Supporting each other through the rocky times, fighting our way through the bad stuff, remembering that, even when we’re arguing, at the core of everything is our love for each other. No marriage is perfect, but if you’re with the right person—or people—it’s perfect enough.”
Killian’s words soothed a part of Miles he hadn’t realized was so ragged. He’d been pushing away the idea of a committed threesome because, in his mind, it was a more difficult relationship to maintain. He’d genuinely believed that if he couldn’t make Rhiannon happy for the long haul, what chance did he have with Joey and Lucy?
“Thanks, Killian.” Miles had put the brakes on him and Joey seriously pursuing Lucy because of his own baggage, his own insecurities. Joey had wanted to find a way to make things work with Lucy—even if that meant a long-distance relationship—but Miles had piled on one excuse after another because he was afraid of getting hurt again.
“Not sure I helped much,” Killian said, rising.
Miles reached out and shook his hand. “You did. More than you know.”
Now Miles had to figure out how to fix what he’d broken.
Sitting at the bar at Pat’s Pub a few hours later, Miles was no closer to an answer about how to proceed from here. All he knew was that he wanted to. With their interview of Justin and Killian completed, he and Miles were basically off the clock for the holidays as far as ManPower was concerned, until early in January, when they hit the road again.
Tomorrow, they were heading on to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving. Something that would take them even farther away from Lucy.
Loud laughter had him glancing over his shoulder. Joey was sitting with Layla, Finn, and Miguel, splitting a huge plate of cheese fries while chatting with Finn’s mother, Riley, and her best friend, Bubbles. Given the way Riley was waving her hands around as she spoke, Bubbles interjecting something every few words, it must be one hell of a story.
It was the first time in days he’d seen a genuine smile on Joey’s face. Miles hated that he’d played such a big role in robbing his best friend of his happiness.
Padraig placed a pint of Guinness in front of Miles. “Why aren’t you sitting with them?”
He shrugged. “Thought Joey might like some time alone with his family.”
The bartender frowned. “Pretty sure he considers you family.”
Miles liked Padraig Collins. The man had definitely found his calling because on top of being a great listener, he was astute and a straight shooter.
“He does,” Miles admitted. “I just needed some quiet time. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
Padraig nodded. “Want to talk about it, or should I just keep the Guinness coming?”
Miles chuckled. “How about both?”
Talking to Killian this afternoon had helped a lot, so Miles decided to go for broke. See if Padraig could drive him the rest of the way home.
“Hit me with it,” he offered, leaning his elbows on the bar.
“I’ve never had much luck with love. Fell for the wrong girl in high school and basically let her play racquetball with my heart for the better part of my adult life.”
Padraig winced. “Ouch.”
“Yeah. I’ve been trigger-shy about relationships ever since Rhiannon. We grew up together and were best friends literally since birth. We started dating in high school, thus beginning too many years of me being the yo-yo, dangling from the end of her string.”
“Yo-yo, huh?” Padraig pulled off the towel draped over his shoulder and wiped some condensation off the bar.
Miles sighed. “She has a way of reappearing in my life just when I think I’ve got my shit together. She’s not a bad person. I think if she was a heartless, cruel woman, this would be easier, but we had a lot of great times together. And to make matters worse, our moms are best friends who are absolutely convinced we’re going to get married and give them grandbabies.”
“Ouch again.”
Miles grimaced. “Yeah. So when Rhiannon calls after a couple of years and we start reminiscing, it takes me back to happier times. For a little while, anyway.”
“Then you remember she hurt you too.” Padraig was a clever guy.
Miles tapped the end of his nose, letting the bartender know he got it in one. “Unfortunately, those bad memories never manage to resurface until she and I have embarked on something new, and I’m convinced that this time we’ll go the distance. She was my first love, my first everything, and she has this uncanny skill for turning me into a complete idiot.”
“Women can do that,” Padraig agreed with a grin. “So is that what’s happening? You’re being an idiot again?”
Miles shook his head. “No. I’m over Rhiannon. For good.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I met someone a few weeks ago. Lucy.” Miles couldn’t say her name without smiling, even though the thought of being without her had his insides tied up in knots.
Padraig glanced down to the end of the bar where his wife, Emmy, was typing away on her laptop, and he grinned. The bartender had fallen head over heels for the romance writer, who’d set up camp at Pat’s Pub a few years ago.
He turned his attention back to Miles. “So tell me about Lucy.”
“Joey and I interviewed her for an episode of ManPower . She’s a brewmaster. You’d love her.”
Padraig looked intrigued. “Cool job. I’ve always been interested in brewing my own beer. I’ll have to be sure to catch that episode.”
“She’s an amazing woman,” Miles said. “I haven’t felt like this about someone in a long time. Rhiannon did a number on my head and my heart, so…”
“You’re worried about being hurt again,” Padraig said, not bothering to make his statement a question.
Miles nodded. “Rhiannon started calling again about the same time I met Lucy. I didn’t want to get dragged through all the emotions that come with my ex, so I shut down. Or I tried to, at least. Lucy’s a hard person to push away. I only spent a few weeks with her, which is way too fast to fall in love?—”
“No, it’s not,” Padraig interjected. “I fell for my first wife in a single night.”
Miles had heard all about Mia, who’d died of a brain tumor. “And Emmy?”
Padraig rubbed his jaw, stealing another glance down the bar. “Probably fell just as fast for her, but, like you, I was afraid to admit it. Broken hearts… They take a long time to heal.”
“They do,” Miles agreed. The two of them fell silent for a moment. Then he glanced over his shoulder at Joey. “I shouldn’t have been such a coward about acknowledging how I feel because I’m not just hurting me.”
Padraig followed Miles’s gaze. “Joey?”
“He’s in love with her too. We, uh… I mean, the three of us…”
Padraig chuckled. “I’m well aware of the Morettis’ penchant for sharing. Two of my cousins married Moretti girls with their best friends, remember?”
Miles laughed. Because Layla was currently sitting between Padraig’s cousin Finn, and their partner, Miguel. At a nearby table, his cousin Oliver was sitting with Erin—also a Moretti—and their partner, Gavin.
“Fair enough,” Miles conceded. “Joey and I fell for Lucy Storm. And like a dumbass, I gave my best friend a million reasons why we couldn’t be with her because Rhiannon had gotten into my head, and I was too afraid to open myself up to another heartbreak.”
“What kind of reasons?”
“The lame kind. I told him we didn’t have the right to ask her to give up her job or her life on the farm with her family. I said it could negatively impact our jobs. I told him I didn’t want to be part of a threesome beyond the bedroom.”
Padraig tilted his head. “Wow. That really was quite the grocery list. You were fighting your feelings hard.”
Miles rubbed his temple. “Yeah. The worst part is, it’s the first time ever I convinced Joey to do something he didn’t want to do. Leave Lucy behind.”
Padraig grinned. “That guy really isn’t very easily swayed.”
“You can say that again,” Miles grumbled. “Of course, there’s a very good chance Lucy won’t leave the farm.”
“Long-distance relationships aren’t unheard of,” Padraig pointed out.
“You’re right. They’re not.”
“You’re over the first love, right?” Padraig asked.
Miles nodded.
“You’re in love with Lucy, and you don’t mind sharing with Joey, right?”
Miles nodded again.
“So?”
“So…” Miles mused.
“So stop drowning your sorrows and go get the girl,” Padraig summed. “Because I’m really not seeing a problem here.”
And just like that…Miles didn’t feel quite so down in the dumps.
He was in love with Lucy. Joey was in love with Lucy. The three of them fit together—and they deserved a chance to see if this thing really was as special as he believed.
He was ready to take a chance on love again.
Miles laughed. “You’re right. There isn’t a problem.”
Or, there wasn’t .
Until Miles heard a voice he really—REALLY—didn’t want to hear.
“Hey, Miles.”
He spun the barstool around, gritting his teeth. “Rhiannon. What are you doing here?”
Rhiannon looked over his shoulder, her forehead creasing. He could just imagine what Padraig’s face must look like. It almost felt as if Miles had summoned her like fucking Beetlejuice, simply by saying her name too many times.
“I was wondering if you and I could talk,” she said before shooting another glance behind him. “Alone.”
Miles knew when he’d sent that email, he hadn’t heard the last of Rhiannon. But after so many days of silence, he hoped that maybe she’d taken him at his word and was ready to move on as well.
He gestured toward the front door of the pub. They could grab a table in here—there were plenty of empty ones—but he didn’t want to drag this out any longer than he had to. While it was November, Baltimore was having unseasonably warm weather this week, so they wouldn’t freeze outside.
She led the way, Miles following. He didn’t bother to glance in Joey’s direction, hoping his best friend hadn’t noticed Rhiannon walking into the pub. His plan was to reiterate what he said in the email, then send her on her merry way.
The two of them walked away from the entrance of the pub.
“How did you know where I was?” Miles knew she had his filming schedule, courtesy of his mother, but it sure as hell didn’t say he’d be drinking a pint at Pat’s Pub tonight.
“Your mother. She knew I’d traveled down to see you. I was hoping to reach the construction site where you were filming before you finished, but apparently I missed you. When I called your mom to see if she had the address of where you were staying, she mentioned she’d spoken to you.”
Mom had called just after he finished talking to Killian. Typically, she didn’t reach out when he was filming, but he hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. Now, he wondered if she’d been fishing to see if Rhiannon had arrived. No doubt Rhiannon’s mom had been sitting there with her, the two of them working themselves up into a frenzy, hoping for his and Rhiannon’s reconciliation. Mom had been hands off since he graduated high school, letting him make his own adult decisions about everything.
Except Rhiannon.
When it came to her, Mom always took a very keen and sudden interest in his life, offering lots of advice, constantly dropping her name into conversations, keeping him abreast of his ex’s life even though he never asked. He’d planned to talk to her about Rhiannon in person over Christmas, but clearly he should have approached it on the phone.
Miles had told Mom he’d call her back tonight because he and Joey were heading to the pub for dinner and a drink. He’d thought it odd when she asked the name of the pub, but he brushed it off as no big deal.
“She told you I was here.”
Rhiannon nodded. “I didn’t tell her or my mom about your email.”
“Why not?”
“I knew it would upset them and?—”
She stopped talking when Miles scoffed. “This has nothing to do with them.”
Rhiannon sighed, taking a different tack. “Why are you so angry at me all of a sudden? I thought the other night, when we talked, things were cool between us, but now, I can tell you’ve blocked my number.”
“I’m not angry, Rhiannon.”
She crossed her arms. “It feels like you are. You know, I wasn’t proposing we get back together, Miles.”
He scoffed. “I’ve got at least a dozen photos and countless texts from you that suggest otherwise.”
Rhiannon had looked sad at the beginning of the conversation, but he saw the brief flash of annoyance in her eyes when he called her on her bullshit. She recovered quickly, tempering the anger and resuming the role of injured party. She really was a wonderful actress.
“I’ve missed you, Miles. I’m back in New York now, and being there without seeing you feels wrong. I mean, we should be getting an upside-down slice at Rosa’s, hanging out at Grover Cleveland Park, and watching a Mets game in the nosebleed section. And I don’t mean as a couple. Just as friends.”
He tilted his head at that lie, letting her know he’d already called her on that. “We can’t be just friends, Rhiannon. Past history has proven that.”
She sighed. “We’re older now, Miles. Wiser. I think we can. I’d like to try anyway.”
“No.”
Miles was already over this conversation. He had a million things he could say to her, things he probably should say, but anger like that takes a lot of energy. He was tired of being mad. Tired of being sad and depressed and bitter and vulnerable.
Lucy and Joey had washed all those shitty feelings away and replaced them with emotions that felt good. Happiness, humor, peace, a feeling of truly belonging, and of not only being accepted for who he was but also loved for it.
Rhiannon blinked a few times, frowning in confusion. He got why. He’d never told her no, always letting himself be swept back. “I don’t understand. I swear I’m not asking for more.”
She never was. Until she did.
Miles gave her a sad smile. “I know you believe that, but it doesn’t matter. I’m putting myself first this time, which means I’m moving forward. I’m not interested in looking back.”
Those words seemed to hurt her, her eyes suddenly glassy with tears. The less generous part of himself wondered if they were sincere or if this was more acting on her part.
Rhiannon looked away, swiping at her eyes. “You’re my best friend, Miles. Even during the times when we aren’t talking, I always know if I need you, if I call, you’ll pick up the phone.”
In the past, he would have. Hell, even just a month ago…he did. But he couldn’t do that anymore. “I’m not going to pick up the phone again.”
This times, tears flowed down her cheeks, and he understood this was no act. He hated hurting her, but if that was what he had to do to convince her once and for all, then that was what he had to do. “You need to move forward too,” he said gently.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “You’ve met someone else.”
He refused to answer that. He hadn’t even told Joey about his change of heart, so he wasn’t going to tell Rhiannon first.
She sniffled. “You know, a small part of me always thought it would be you and me at the end of the day.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “No, you didn’t. I was just the consolation prize, the thing you held onto until something better came along.”
Rhiannon scowled. “That’s not?—”
“I deserve better than that. I’ve found better,” he admitted.
True to form, Rhiannon proved she wasn’t going down without a fight. “I love you, Miles. I’ve always loved you.”
“You’ll get over it,” he said. “I did.”
It was a cruel thing to say, but he needed her to understand, all the way to the depths of her soul, that what they shared—the good, the bad, and the ugly—was truly over.
For the first time, his words seemed to truly sink in, Rhiannon showing true remorse over her actions. “You’re right, you know. About all of it. I’ve been terrible to you.”
He didn’t respond to that. Maybe if he was a better man, he’d forgive her, but he wasn’t there yet.
She reached out to touch his forearm. “You did deserve better from me. And I’m sure I could?—”
“No,” he repeated. He crossed his arms, dislodging her touch, putting a period on this conversation. If he didn’t, Rhiannon would stand here until the end of time, pulling out every trick in her bag to get her way. “Goodbye, Rhiannon.”
Rhiannon stood there and held his gaze, as if she was waiting for him to tell her he was just kidding or for him to come to his senses and go back to her.
When it was clear those words weren’t coming, she whispered, “Goodbye, Miles.”
He stood there a minute longer, watching as she crossed the street. When she reached the driver’s side door, she glanced back at him and once again, he knew she was waiting for him to call her back.
Hell would freeze over first.
Her shoulders slumped when he simply stared her down, then she got in the car and drove away.
One problem down, four hundred and thirty-seven more to go.
Miles walked back into the pub, surprised to find Joey standing by the door. He’d clearly been watching Miles with Rhiannon through the front window.
“What’s she doing here?” Joey asked, anger lacing his tone.
“What do you think?” Miles said.
Joey scowled. “She wants you back.”
“She said she just wants to be friends. But yeah, ultimately, I think she thought we were starting over again.”
Joey rubbed the back of his neck wearily. “What did you say?”
Miles placed his hand on Joey’s shoulder, squeezing. “I said no thanks. I’ve already got a best friend. Besides, I’m not sure my new girl would like it if I was friends with my ex because I sure as fuck don’t like her being friends with her exes.”
Joey froze for a second, and Miles could almost see him replaying those words, trying to decide if he’d heard him right. Then he grinned. “You got a new girl?”
He nodded. “We both do.”
“I was talking to Justin about us today,” Joey admitted.
He laughed, wondering if the older men had decided on a divide-and-conquer tactic, Justin pulling Joey aside, Killian claiming Miles, in an attempt to help them to pull their heads out of their asses.
“I talked to Killian.”
“Oh yeah?” Joey said.
“He showed me the error of my ways. All relationships take work. Doesn’t matter if there are two people in the bed or three.”
Joey crossed his arms. “Thought you weren’t interested in a long-distance relationship?”
“To be honest, I’m not. I’m hoping we can convince Lucy to come back out on the road with us because having her with us was fucking perfect.”
“What if we can’t convince her?” Joey asked.
Miles sighed. “Then I guess we’d better learn how to till and hoe and shit like that because we’ll be spending a lot of our year on that farm. How’s your southern accent?”
Joey laughed. “Yeehaw!”
“That was terrible,” he said, shaking his head.
Joey wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “So I guess there’s only one thing left to do.”
“What’s that?” Miles asked.
“We get another round to celebrate, then we get a good night’s sleep. Because tomorrow morning, you and I are driving back to Stormy Weather Farm to get our girl.”
Miles grinned.
Yeehaw!