Chapter Nineteen

WINTER INsouthern California meant rain… or at least most of the rain they got during the year. In Cinnamar, they got showers from the mountains and the runoff kept the lawns green.

Truth was, Josh didn’t like driving in crappy weather, and already that morning he’d had to dodge a couple of news vans and a cluster of sleep-deprived jerks who had camped outside his driveway all night.

He’d watched Tyler’s insane game last night, the epic fake out and that perfect, miraculous pass. Truth be told, he’d gotten nervous that Tyler had stayed on the field longer than his five minutes, but then he’d made that beautiful touchdown and exited stage right in one piece. Tyler had called him from the locker room right after, breathless and triumphant, but he hadn’t made much sense in the moment. His mood ranged from manic to mellow to pissed to proud.

All that mattered: Tyler was alive and negotiations with the Swells were ongoing, even if he didn’t seem to know when his next game was or what came next.

Josh knew the sports press hoo-ha would die down and they’d lose interest eventually, but the constant sense of anxious anticipation sucked, especially when they got up in his face. By now he’d gotten the hang of it; getting to school just meant moving fast and treating them like ugly scenery.

Fun? No. But manageable.

The wet streets hissed under his tires as he threaded through the early morning streets. Soccer season was upon them, and that wasn’t his turf. A little breathing room and spare time sounded pretty sweet.

He might even get a couple of weekends off so he could finally get to San Diego.

Tyler had ended their call last night in a funny mood, almost dazed but super affectionate. Whatever was bugging him about negotiations with the Swells was starting to intrude on every conversation they had. Were they trading him after all? Something worse? Josh didn’t want to push him, but he also knew that Tyler didn’t like overthinking any of this.

Instead of dealing with whatever the trouble was, Tyler had wanted another full blow-by-blow of the Musketeers reading and again asked when Josh might have a couple of days they could escape somewhere.

What the hell?

As Josh pulled through the Hamilton gates, tacky TV madness had taken over the school.

Instead of the empty lot, there were eight vans, about forty people, and a set of police barriers blocking the high school entrance. Lights and flags lined the sidewalk. Kids and parents were pushing and shoving themselves in front of cameras while cops waved the jostling news crews back toward the parking spaces. A mess.

Fortunately everyone was too busy acting stupid to notice Josh’s approach, so he steered well clear, hugging the outside lane and hooking around toward the back and the loading zone where deliveries reached the cafeteria.

After parking his truck, he pulled his hood up and tucked his chin, sticking close to the wall. He popped open one of the emergency exits with his keys. More noise at the main doors and around the high school office, but he didn’t see Principal Carver.

A cold knot settled in his stomach. Was this more library blowback? Or had Cilla finally blabbed? Had someone caught wind of her fake jockstrap story? Was all this why Tyler had been so cagey on the phone? A weird blend of fear and rage chilled him as he navigated the dim halls to his office.

As Josh arrived at the Hamilton Athletics office, he was surprised to see Elise coming out the door with her purse and a cardboard box of personal items.

“What’s up?”

Elise shivered like a puppy. “I’m taking the day off. And then some.” She looked down at the box. “Driving to San Diego. Well, to be totally honest, I just handed in my notice to Carver, and I could pee.” She bobbed in excitement. “I should have said that first. So not the day, I guess I’m taking the rest of my life off. Eee!” She actually squealed.

Josh gawped at her. “Elise. Why would you do that? Are you okay?”

“So get this,” Elise announced. “I’ve been offered a TV show by station KSDF.”

“What now?” Josh faltered, not certain he’d heard that right.

“After some vigorous conversations”—Elise flashed her eyes excitedly—“station KSDF, Channel Twenty-four, wants to produce and broadcast Yoga for Oldies for thirteen weeks to start. And they’re even paying for cosmetic surgery to fix the bite mark on my arm.”

He cocked his head. “You sent the evidence.”

She smirked and arched an eyebrow. “So much evidence. A mountain range of evidence.”

“Because of Cilla flipping out before Three Musketeers.”

“Well, that and everything else. You warned her. We gave her plenty of chances to save herself. But nope. Her phone was chock full of landmines. Gracious!” Elise seemed to relish the redheaded reporter’s comeuppance. “Let me say, her former producers have been incredibly accommodating. The station lawyers couldn’t kiss my butt fast enough.” She nodded, a smug smile spreading across her face. “We made a deal to settle any claims against them. Originally they even offered me some weather girl position, but it’s California! I was like, ‘What weather?’ so I negotiated for my own yoga program instead.”

Josh stood awkwardly in the doorway. How would her departure or Cilla’s arrest impact his own situation? Or Tyler’s, for that matter?

“I’m really sorry, Elise.”

“Sorry! For getting me a television show? Boo-hoo.” Heartbroken she wasn’t.

“The chaos. All of… this.” He gestured at the parking lot outside, filled with cameras. “Just a bummer. But I’m really happy for you.”

“No bummer. I’m going to be in San Diego, where Captain Fantastic has been known to brown his buns. Maybe whenever you two are around, we can double date. ’Cause I plan to be dating finally. Plenty of fish there. Better than Cinnamar, for sure.”

He nodded. “When do you leave?”

“Right now, actually. My bags are in the car. I have a meeting at ten thirty with the Channel Twenty-four lawyers to finalize the settlement,” Elise replied. “I just came by to give you and Carver the news, had no idea the press would be swarming outside so soon.”

Josh twisted to try and see, but the scrum seemed to be focused on the front doors across from the office. “Is that because of Cilla? I figured she must have run her porn thing or my jockstrap. Some gross story that got the vultures circling.”

Elise gave him a funny look then. Her brow furrowed, her eyes flicking to the right. Was she telling him everything?

“What?”

She shook her head with a worried frown. “I think…. Uhh. So he hasn’t called you.”

“Carver? No!” Why was she eyeing him like that? “Elise, you’re killing me.”

“It kind of sounded like Carver’s already trying to find a replacement. You know… just until things calm down. Everything has been nuts. Plus the board terminated Myra, and so they need a college counselor too, so I think he’s trying to kill two birds with one stone. He got on the horn immediately.”

Josh felt a spike of anxiety, wondering if he was next on the chopping block due to all the stupid melodrama of the past three months. Hell, the past week.

“But don’t worry, hon. Nobody terrible. In fact, he wanted to talk to you the second you got in,” Elise added with a crisp grin, embracing Josh tightly. “I’ll stay in touch, I promise. And San Diego.”

Josh shook his head, confused. “San Diego?”

“Tyler. Double date?”

“Right.” He felt numb.

“I’m going to try and sneak past them out the back.” She blew him a kiss. “Talk soon.” And she vanished through the locker room.

As Elise exited, Josh was left with an icy knot in his gut. He called Tyler but only reached voicemail. Feeling off balance and panicked, he headed for Carver’s office, dreading the conversation ahead.

Josh walked down the empty hallway, his anxiety mounting with each step. He passed Otis carrying two empty trash cans and nodded hello. A few teachers stood outside their empty classrooms looking equally perplexed and unsure of what was happening. “Boy, it’s crazy out there today, huh?”

Mr. Chan shook his head and shrugged as he passed. Nobody knew yet.

What if he was being fired over all the drama with Tyler and the reporters? What if Tyler got traded or lost interest or moved on? Or what if Cilla’s gross jockstrap plan had gotten leaked somehow?

Josh kept his face turned from the doors as he got closer, angling his back to the mob as much as he could.

When he reached the receptionist desk, Vicky gave him a strange, evasive look. “Oh, Josh. Phil was… uhh… just asking after you.”

Before he could respond, the door to the inner office swung wide. “Vicky, please give Coach Ayres a call down in athletics right away. Otis says he just saw—” Carver stopped short when he saw Josh already standing there. For a long, awkward beat their eyes shifted uncomfortably.

“Sorry about the circus outside. I’ve called the police again to clear them out,” Carver said with an exhausted sigh. “Between the sports nuts, that Miller woman, and the book burners, it’s been a hell of a morning already… and the kids haven’t even made it inside yet.”

Josh shifted nervously. Was this it? Was he being let go?

“Josh….” Carver paused, sizing him up, as if assessing him or worried about him. “I know it’s been a chaotic couple of weeks around here. But I wanted you to know— Well, I’m not sure how to put this. Elise has—”

“I just saw her.” Josh cut him off with a curt nod. “Yep. Good for her.”

“Bad for us, though. Or not. See, I’m interviewing an amazing candidate for a new coaching position right now.”

Josh’s heart sank. So he really was being replaced.

Carver must have read the distress on his face. “Now, Josh, I know the timing is bad, but just come in and hear me out.”

Josh glanced at Vicky, but now she wouldn’t even meet his eyes. How had everything gotten so screwed up?

“Come in, come in.” Carver ushered Josh inside. He closed the door behind them.

Josh stared at his feet, feeling like an abject failure.

The applicant sitting in the chair before Carver’s desk looked pretty big… and then he stood and Josh looked up.

“Hey.” It was Tyler, looking tired but gorgeous and absolutely elated to see him. Without hesitating, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Josh, lifting him into the air and squeezing the breath out of him.

“Oh my God. Tyler? What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me?” His heart beat so hard it hurt.

“It’s okay. We’re okay.”

Carver sighed. “He swore us to secrecy.”

“Sorry about the cameras. It’s kind of a long story. But I wanted to make everything official before anyone tried to spin it wrong.”

Carver shook his head. “No worries there. Elise kicked that reporter’s butt so hard all the stations will be playing nice for a while.”

“Tyler?” Josh gasped. “You’re the new coach?”

“Well, assistant. I hear the head coach is a real hardass.” Tyler grinned sheepishly. “If he’ll have me.”

Josh laughed in disbelief. After everything, Tyler had come back. The tangle of doubt unfurled in his chest like a flag.

Tyler was home, and that was all that mattered.

Josh settled into the chair across from Principal Carver, his palms sweaty. Tyler reached over and took his hand, lacing their fingers together.

“Everything happened so fast,” Carver began.

Tyler chimed in, “And by accident, in a way.”

“In a lot of ways.” The principal steepled his fingers. “After Cilla showed at the lock-in, Elise made good, but good. Yikes.”

Josh jerked his thumb back toward the gym. “She just told me.”

“So now Elise is headed off to be a fitness instructor on some daytime talk show in San Diego. That leaves us short an assistant coach for you this year.”

Tyler’s hazel eyes twinkled at him. “I quit.”

Josh nodded, his throat tight. Had Tyler just come to break the news that he wouldn’t be coming back after all? “You just got hired.” He wasn’t following, obviously.

Tyler squeezed his hand. “The Swells. I quit the NFL.”

“On live TV, I might add. We all saw him do it, but he didn’t tell anyone.” Carver shook his head. “Craziest thing I’ve seen in a playoff game in twenty years. He just quit in the middle of a game.”

“You did what? But you won. That was you quitting? I thought you just did your five and split. We talked right after. You didn’t say anything. Nobody said anything.”

“The team didn’t know. This just happened yesterday. I didn’t know it was happening until it did. And then I just knew.”

Josh’s eyes widened in surprise. “Off the field and out the door.” Now he understood the camera bloodbath outside.

“Beautiful.” Carver beamed.

“You okay?” He squinted at Tyler.

“Are you kidding, I’m fantastic. Everybody knows that.”

“Shut up.” He chuckled. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were quitting.”

“I had to get back here from Dallas so I could tell you right now, in person. But I had to protect you. And me. Which meant I called your principal last night from the plane.” Tyler looked extraordinarily pleased with himself.

Carver rocked back in the chair. “Which shocked the absolute hell out of my wife, for the record. America’s Tightest End calls me from a private jet and says he wants to apply for any job in the building. For anything. This joker says he’ll mop floors.”

“Are you serious?” Josh laughed wetly. He punched Tyler’s shoulder. “Jerk.”

Tyler shook his head apologetically. “I told him I’d quit the team and needed a job. My degree is sports medicine anyways.”

Phil leaned forward, elbows on the desk. “I still think you should consider taking over as college counselor. But that’s a separate discussion. Getting you cleared will be no trouble. Credentialing for someone with your record? Gimme a break.”

Tyler jumped in, squeezing Josh’s hand. “I’m sorry I worried you. After I did what I had to, I couldn’t stay one more second.” His hazel eyes were earnest. “I was at the airport within the hour. All I could think about was getting back here to you.”

Josh exhaled in relief, tears pricking his eyes. “I thought… when you acted so cagey, that you’d gotten traded or changed your mind about me or worse.”

Carver smiled. “Quite the opposite. Tyler wants to come work here as your assistant coach, if you’ll have him. I guarantee we can get a certification waiver until next year.”

Tyler leaned closer. “You see? Boris almost killed me, and the team saved my life. I had to get back before anyone tried to talk me out of it. The fans were berserk. The press was camped outside my place laying siege.” He squeezed Josh’s fingers. “And I didn’t want you to try and convince me to be reasonable.”

Josh nodded. “Fair.”

“Because I didn’t feel reasonable. I don’t now. I’m tired of pretending to be reasonable with these maniacs. I knew the vultures would descend. I knew the Swells would flip out. So I met Phil here this morning.”

Carver grinned. “But what he didn’t know about was Cilla’s break-in.”

“Which, I might add, you didn’t bother to tell me either.” Tyler raised his eyebrows.

Oh. Right.“About that….” Josh grimaced. “You had enough to worry about.”

“Hi? Pot, kettle, black.” Tyler glared at him. “Nice try, Coach.”

Josh rolled his eyes. “Nothing happened. Not really.”

“Nothing.” Tyler scoffed. “Well, aside from several crimes, a bloody assault, Cilla Miller arrested, an apology from three TV stations, the Swells publicist falling on his sword, and a fat settlement from Boris Jarlson, who orchestrated all this ugliness with KSDF to get me back out on the field so he could make me go smash a second time.”

“Wait… Cilla?” Josh looked up at him in horror. “Clickbait. Jesus.” He squeezed Tyler’s hand and kissed the knuckles. “You put me through hell this week, you know that? Get ready, because I plan to make you pay in spades for messing with my head.”

Tyler grinned sheepishly. “I know, I’m sorry. But I’m here now. For good.” His voice softened. “If you’ll give me a shot.”

Laughing and crying at the same time, Josh just shook his head in wonder. “Of course I will, you big idiot.” He pulled Tyler into a tight hug, beyond grateful to have him home at last.

“I’m so sorry. I should have told you everything instead of trying to handle it solo.”

Josh sighed, breathing in Tyler’s familiar scent. “We’ve both got some making up to do.”

Carver cleared his throat, a smile on his face. “We do have one or two other bits of business to discuss.”

“Sorry.”

“So as I’ve explained to Tyler, the lock-in did more than just raise money. Demand for round two is through the roof. We’ve gotten more requests for a follow-up than questions about prom.” Carver spread his hand wide. “As of Sunday at 11:00 a.m., the town council has funded our library fully and put protections in place to combat censorship. Thanks to you two.”

Tyler squeezed his hand. “But that’s not my big news.”

“Ditching the NFL isn’t news?”

“No. It is, but it’s not why I waited to say anything.” He nodded at Carver.

“Mr. Fantana has asked, and the district has agreed, to host a pilot program.”

“It’s a lot of money, Josh, from Jarlson. A whole lot.” Tyler grinned like a naughty kid ready for a tear. “We’re going to launch a charity focused on abused and at-risk kids.” His eyes were wet.

“Oh, Tyler.”

“An athletics camp with visiting pro players, free academic tutoring, and long-term counseling for the families.” Tyler wiped his eyes. “I’m going to name it after my mom. Nadia will run the internals. She gets a big fat salary. I get to do something that matters.”

Carver said, “And I’m honored to say that Hamilton High will be the pilot program.”

Tyler squeezed his hand tight again. “All the communities in a fifty-mile radius. And then we expand to cover families across the entire country. If it’s okay with you.”

Josh nodded, crying for real now and wiping his face. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.”

He gazed at Tyler, who was practically vibrating with excitement discussing the details. After everything they’d endured, they were finally able to work together to help others. And Tyler was here to stay.

Carver stood up. “Now I suspect you have details to discuss. Maybe in your office.” He smiled then.

Josh rose and embraced Tyler, unable to contain his joy, his pride. “Thank you,” he said to Carver. “For everything. We couldn’t have gotten this far without your support.”

Carver waved him off. “You two have worked harder than anyone. I’m just happy to play a small part. Go get cracking. You’ve set a high bar.”

“Yes, sir,” Tyler said, giving a mock salute.

“Congratulations, gentlemen.” Carver extended a hand and shook both of theirs. “All for one.”

“One for all,” they said. Tyler opened the door to go.

Outside the office, Vicky reached out to squeeze both of their hands, her face aglow. Outside the school, the police had cleared a path for the students, who for their part seemed downright amused by the pushy press. If anything could drive the buzzards off, it would be a steady stream of ripe adolescent ridicule.

Nearly eight o’clock now. A group of kids hunched over textbooks raised their hands in greeting. “Hey, Coach.” When they noticed Tyler, their eyes got wide, but they tried to play it cool.

Good job, Josh thought.

Mrs. Grappo waved hello from the door of her classroom.

As Josh and Tyler walked toward the athletics office, there was a crackle between them, a sense of relief and possibility after the tumultuous events of the past weeks.

“You did it,” Josh said, glancing over at Tyler as they walked. “Nobody else could have.”

Tyler smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “We did it. We make a pretty fantastic team, Coach.”

He reached out and took Josh’s hand, intertwining their fingers. The simple touch made the tiny hairs on Josh’s neck stand up. After being apart for so long, that brush of connection meant everything.

“I’m so proud of you,” Josh said. “Walking away couldn’t have been easy.”

Tyler nodded, his expression growing serious. “The hardest thing I’ve ever done. And the smartest. I felt so alone. But I knew if I stayed, I’d never make it back where I belonged.”

Josh squeezed his hand tightly.

“I swear I wanted to call you or say something,” Tyler continued. “But it was such a mess. I couldn’t drag into it more than I already had. I needed to sort everything out on my own first, but it kept getting bigger and stickier.” He shook his head. “Maybe I’m done leaping without looking. You taught me to take a look, weigh the options.”

“Well, a little looking and a little leaping make a good combo,” Josh replied with a smile. “From what I can tell.”

Tyler chuckled. “Mixed properly.”

They reached the office then, and Josh unlocked the door, ushering Tyler inside with a hand on the curve of his lower back.

As soon as the door closed, Josh couldn’t wait another moment. He pushed Tyler up against the desk and claimed his mouth without apology, kissing him hard and lifting him up to sit on the scatter of pages.

“Mmf. Hi.” Tyler grunted in pleasure and kissed him back. “Golly, Coach. This is so sudden. I haven’t even started working under you and you’re already sexually harassing me. Please continue.”

“I missed you. I don’t ever want to miss you like that again.” Josh licked his lips and ground against him, savoring the heat and strength of the big body.

“Me either.” Tyler dropped his head back, giving Josh access. “I think I might have a serious injury. Some kind of big swelling.”

Josh took a handful of the thick erection between them. “Tell me about it, jerk. Do you know how much I’ve whacked off the past month?”

“Is that so?” Tyler nipped at his lips. “What if you go blind, Coach?”

“I’ll learn to use my hands.” He reached inside Tyler’s waistband and took a juicy handful of Tyler’s slick stiffness.

“I don’t think you need practice there. Oh. Oh God.” Tyler hissed and pulled his hips back. “Easy. You’re going to make me make a gooey mess all over your nice office.”

“Promises, promises.” The heat and hardness were not helping Josh’s self-control any.

Tyler rose up to kiss him hungrily, his hazel eyes glimmering with heat. He spread his thighs and tugged Josh closer to the desk. He wrapped his legs around Josh’s hips and pulled him close. “You taste so goddamned good.”

Josh drove himself against the hunk of meat stretching Tyler’s sweats, rutting and pushing the swell behind his nut sack. He grunted, wondering how it would feel to split Tyler open and take him entirely. He groaned in frank appetite, unwilling to let Tyler get any farther away from him than this.

Tyler responded in kind, sliding his hands down to grip Josh’s waist as their erections jousted through the bunched fabric. Tyler whimpered and shook under him, against him. He reached back to cup Josh’s flexing butt and drove their hips together, riding the full hard length of Josh’s erection like he wanted it inside him, like he could take as good as he gave.

Josh held himself in check, barely. As much as he wanted to, he didn’t yank Tyler’s sweats down. He didn’t rip open his shorts. His full balls ached and shifted inside his briefs.

Tyler kissed the corner of his mouth, then his jaw, making Josh quake and shiver against his massive body.

Josh felt himself starting to crest, falling over the edge. “Wait. Hold on. Jesus. Give me a second. I’m sorry about that. Stupid. Whew! Okey-dokey now.”

When they finally broke apart, panting, Tyler pressed his damp forehead to Josh’s. He chuckled, and his body relaxed gradually as his breath slowed and steadied. “I missed you so damn much.” He licked Josh’s jaw.

“Me too,” Josh laughed, the sound shaky with emotion. He took a handful of the soft cotton of Tyler’s T-shirt, holding on. “Sorry about that. I’m not usually that impatient.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Tyler nuzzled his neck, his ear, and whispered, “Hey. Josh. It’s okay. There’s no rush. Save it for home. I want to take our time together. We have all the time you want. I swear.”

Josh chuckled. “You’re right. I just missed you pretty terribly, Mr. Fantana.”

“Why don’t you give me the full tour?” Tyler smirked shamelessly.

“I think you’ve seen every square inch of it.”

“As a player, but now I’m assisting you in all ways. I need to know every nook and cranny.”

“Home sweet home,” Josh said, opening his arms to the familiar space. “My desk. Your desk. Our lockers. Private shower.”

“Yes, please.” Tyler stepped behind him, his hard cock tucked into the small of Josh’s back.

“Don’t start something you don’t plan to finish.”

Tyler took a small step back. “I always figured the coach’s shower felt way better than the locker room’s.”

“You don’t even know. So much better.” Josh turned in Tyler’s arms and kissed him, soft at first and then deeper.

Tyler grinned and kissed him again, slow and strong. “I’d forgotten how good you smell. How right this is.” He ran his big hands over the planes of Josh’s chest and back and hips.

The words sent a wave of warmth through Josh’s chest. He pressed his mouth against Tyler’s again, harder this time, desire welling up sweet and sharp inside him. It had been so long, and he didn’t know if he could last until they got home.

Tyler seemed to sense the shift, kissing back just as fiercely, his hands roaming over Josh’s body, kneading and pulling him closer, crushing his body close.

Josh slid his hands under Tyler’s shirt, reveling in the feel of smooth skin and hard sinew.

When Tyler started undoing the buttons of Josh’s shirt, Josh forced himself to pull back. “We should stop.” His voice came out rough. “I’ve got a gym class in an hour. And apparently, so do you.”

“Oof. Harsh.” Tyler groaned. “You’re killing me, Coach.” But he took a step back, running a hand through his hair. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes dark. “I see how it is.”

“Payback. Plus I think we need to keep it cool here, for obvious reasons. Just as a rule.”

“Same. Besides, I’m a selfish bastard. You get too loud, and I don’t like to share.”

“I get too loud.” Josh swatted him, laughing.

“But you’re right, as much as I hate to admit it.”

“Patience.” Josh grinned and did up the buttons of his shirt again. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

Tyler blinked at him. “That a promise?”

“Absolutely.” Josh straightened his collar and smoothed his shirt front. Having Tyler here, in the flesh and larger than life, felt better than any dumb high school fantasy.

Tyler tipped his head, just gazing at him with a goofy expression. “Look at you. I see a lot of cold showers in my future.” He reached down and shifted his enormous boner to make it less obvious. “Just a heads-up, I’m still going to sneak a feel and steal a kiss now and again… so long as the door is locked and we don’t get frisky.”

“Deal.” Josh laughed. “I know it’s not exactly an NFL locker room—”

“It’s perfect.” Tyler turned to Josh, his expression open and earnest. “You know glitz doesn’t matter to me. I just want to do work I love, with folks who care about something besides clickbait.”

“You will. It’s a pretty great gig, this place. And that charity is going to save so many kids.”

Tyler shrugged and scrunched his lips together as though he felt abashed. “I hope so.”

“I don’t need to hope. I know.”

Tyler came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Josh’s shoulders. “You okay?”

“I’m fantastic.” Josh leaned back into him, covering Tyler’s hands with his own. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispered.

“So glad I’m home.” Tyler hugged him tightly. In that moment, standing together in their office, the future felt bright with promise.

After a moment, Tyler blew out a breath and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Right. I should go check in at Nadia’s, anyway.” He gave Josh a rueful smile. “She only knows I quit. I need to let her know I got hired.”

“And Poops.” Josh was smiling too. “Take my keys. I’ll make it up to you.”

Tyler took them and pulled him in for one more searing kiss, then stepped back. He opened the door, checked the hall, winked, and sauntered out whistling. “Practice makes perfect.”