Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 89350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“Me too.” Mark tugged him into the hallway before pulling him into a tight embrace.
“I don’t want to wake up in a few years wondering what if.”
“Exactly.” Mark kissed him softly. “And we can still go slow—”
“No, I mean wondering what if, what if we’d been crazy and spontaneous? What if we’d just gone for it, crazy idea and all? I want you as my family too. I want to show that to the court.”
“You mean it?” Mark’s eyes went wide and he broke into a huge grin.
“I do. Let’s do this thing. Fair warning that my dad may kill us both, but yeah, let’s do it.”
“In three days, I’ve got another forty-eight hours off. We could get it done before the court investigator meeting end of next week. What do you say we run off to Vegas? Tell him after?”
Isaiah laughed. “Nope. Not Vegas. We need to take the kids with us. They’re at the center of this thing, even if we’re doing it for each other too. We’re making a family.”
“Where then? Courthouse here?”
Making another executive decision, he grinned broadly. “Disney. We’re going to Disney.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Somehow Mark made it through the day on duty. They had the candidates in the pool most of the day, and he emerged every bit as waterlogged as them, muscles burning from demonstrating different dive techniques. Finally, when he was alone in the locker room, he got a chance to fish out his phone and call Bacon, who thankfully picked up right away.
“I’m about to do something reckless and probably ill-advised,” he said without preamble. “But I need a favor.”
“I’m in,” Bacon said without hesitation, proving why Mark thought so highly of him. “What do you need?”
“I’m getting married. On Thursday. And I want you to see if you could get leave, come with us up to Disney.” Just saying the words made him need to sink onto one of the wooden benches in the room. They’d picked Thursday because it was another rare forty-eight-hour block of time off for him.
It was to Bacon’s credit that he didn’t even gasp. “I take it you fixed your fuckup?” he said dryly.
“Yeah. I think I did.” Mark still couldn’t believe that Isaiah had decided to forgive him, to take this chance together. “Anyway, we want to present a unified front to the court and get married—fast. But I want you there.”
“I’m typing an email to my senior chief as we speak.” God, Mark really did have the best friends. “Tovey’s on two weeks of leave right now. You gonna call him?”
“He’s next on my list,” Mark promised.
“He’ll have your six with your team. If you’re worried.”
“I’m...” Mark started to say he wasn’t worried, but honesty got the better of him. “Maybe a little. Guys might not know what to make of me getting married. I’m not exactly known for impulsive actions. And you add in that it’s to a guy—”
“It’ll be okay. Tovey will help if you let him. The man’s a bulldog. And your senior chief’s as good as they come. No one’s going to hang you out to dry.”
“Yeah.” Mark’s stomach still fluttered, but Bacon’s words were helping.
“Now. Let’s get you married. What you gonna need from me? Let’s make a list and split it up, ask Tovey to help too.”
“You’re the best, man.” Mark’s voice was hoarse. They worked on a list, Mark scribbling on the back of an envelope as Bacon rattled off things he never would have thought of. Then he made the second, harder call to Tovey. His brother. If he thought this was a terrible idea...
Tovey picked up right away. “Wizard! It was good to see you last night. What can I do for you? In case I didn’t say it last night, Maddox and I are here for you. Babysitting. Stuff sorting. Whatever you need.”
Mark’s heart seriously wasn’t going to recover from the generosity of his friends.
“Actually, I need something on Thursday.”
“You’ve got it. What’s up?”
“I’m...” Mark took a deep breath. He could do this. He could. “I’m getting married. To Isaiah. We’re eloping to Disney.”
The line was quiet several long moments. Then Tovey barked, “Maddox? Can you clear Thursday? We’re going to Disney. Wizard’s getting himself hitched. And you’ll never guess to who.” To Mark, he said, “Congrats. Seriously. He’s a great guy—”
Mark let out a warning growl.
“Ancient history. Maddox would flay me alive if I even looked twice. Trust me. He’s all yours.”
“Yes, he is,” Mark said more emphatically than he’d intended. “He’s my guy.”
“Okay. What do you need from me?”
Instead of saying he had everything handled like he might have a few months ago, Mark had a list of requests.
“I’m on it. I’ll see you Thursday. Oh, and can I tell anyone else? Or you need this on the serious down-low?” Tovey asked.
“No, tell anyone you want. I’m getting married. Can’t expect it to stay secret forever.”