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angel to have. Tyler shook his head.  I told you I wouldn t be able to describe it.
Tyler gazed across the room at where Jay was sitting.  I tried to get him to join us, but
he said he felt better staying out of the way. Tyler put his hand to his chest.  If he were a
few years younger I think I d adopt him myself.
Hearn glanced at the young man. Telling himself he had nothing to be jealous of, he
glanced back at Tyler.  I don t need to worry about the two of you, do I?
Tyler lobbed the carrot stick at him.  Don t be a dork. I guess he just brings out my
maternal instincts or something. Anyway, don t judge me until after you ve met him.
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86
 Whatever, Hearn quipped, throwing the carrot back at Tyler.
Hearn took a bite of his brownie when a chicken wing hit him in the face. Startled, he
swallowed the bite before he could get it chewed. The large piece of food started to get stuck
in his throat, he gasped for a breath and grabbed his glass of punch, trying like hell to soften
the brownie. After a bit of coughing, he was finally able to get a breath. He glanced down at
the wing on the table and turned to Gracie.  Did you just throw that at me?
Gracie clapped her hands and giggled.  I wanted to play like you and Dad, she
informed him.
Hearn scowled at Tyler who was cracking up.  Nice. Teaching your daughter to throw
food.
* * * *
Cleaning up the last of the mess, Rio put the broom away.  You guys about ready to hit
it?
 Yeah, Nate yawned.  Just let me finish wrapping these leftovers. I ll take  em home
for now. Thought maybe I d give them to Jay in the morning. I doubt Tyler left anything in
his kitchen to eat.
 Want me to start loading them up?
 Sure, Nate yawned again.
Rio grabbed a big box full of food. He peered over his shoulder at Ryan.  You gonna
just stand there? Can t you see your boss needs to get to bed? Rio chuckled on his way out
to Nate s SUV. He knew Ryan hadn t given the small detail much thought, but officially, as
soon as Nate was sworn in, he d become Ryan s boss.  God, is this a great country or what?
He put the box in the back of the vehicle and went back in for the next load. He wasn t
sure how many people Nate had expected to feed, but they had a ton of leftovers. Jay would
be eating high on the hog for days. Not that the skinny fella couldn t use it. Damn, he d never
seen anyone as tiny as Jay. Although the guy was probably five-foot-six or seven, Rio bet Jay
didn t weigh more than a hundred and five or ten pounds.
Ryan stumbled out as Rio was going in.  Is your boss about ready? Rio asked, twisting
the knife.
 Shut up, Ryan snarled.
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87
 Or what? Rio taunted.
 Or I ll sell my third of The Gym to Nate and he ll become your boss, too.
 Damn. You fight dirty, Rio said, pretending to lock his lips and throw away the key.
Nate met Rio at the door and handed him another box.  That s the last one. I ll lock up.
Rio loaded the food into the SUV and got behind the wheel. Thankfully, he d taken Jay
over to the loft earlier, because all he wanted was to get home and crawl into bed. It had been
a big day for all of them, especially their new mayor.
Instead of fighting over who would ride shotgun, Nate opened the back door and
climbed in.  Wake me when we get home, he mumbled.
Ryan got in the passenger seat and buckled up.  I m damn proud of you, Nate, He
reached over the back of the seat to swat Nate s ass.
Nate was already so out of it, he didn t even protest, simply grunted a reply neither of
them could understand. Chuckling, Rio pulled out of the parking lot.  I wonder how big his
head ll get once all this sinks in? he mused.
 Shit, if I know Nate, the only thing that ll change is we ll have to go to City Hall to
satisfy his mid-day hungers, Ryan joked.
 I heard that, Nate piped up from the backseat.
 You denying it? Rio chimed in.
 Nope.
 Didn t think so, Rio said with a grin.
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88
Epilogue
 It s Sunday, where re you going? Hearn asked, from his position on the couch.
 To the shop, but I won t be long, Tyler answered. He hated not telling Hearn the
entire truth. He d gone over it a hundred times, and there was something he needed to do.
 Can you stop by and pick up something for dessert? Nate and the guys are coming
over for lunch.
Slipping on his light jacket, Tyler gave Hearn a quick kiss.  If you promise not to wake
Gracie from her nap, I ll pick up a pie. Although it s Sunday, so Kyle s is closed. You ll have
to make do with one from the grocery store.
 Mmm, sounds good. Cherry if you can find one, Hearn s attention returned to the
movie.
Tyler drove to the shop and parked in back. He turned up the stereo as he worked,
putting together the bouquet. After gathering a rather large bunch of daisies, he started to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]