Ryan snorted as I shook Gabe’s hand. “Uh, no. GQ drove us.”
“GQ?” Ryan flushed bright red as Gabe chuckled. “Okay, so I’ll get that story out of him some other time. For now, let me just say I’m so happy to finally meet you after hitting send on that little sext message Ryan wrote out for you.”
“Gabe!” Ryan smacked him on the arm.
“What? It’s true. You were too chicken. But clearly it worked. Look at you both. So handsome together.”
Ryan shook his head, and Gabe grinned.
“I’m actually surprised to see you both here tonight.”
“I know,” Ryan said. “Alexander kind of put us on the spot last week when he caught us making out down at the fire station.”
Gabe’s mouth fell open, then he looked to me. “Oh man, so there was no way out for you, huh? He’s making sure you’re good enough for his boy here. Well, come on, then. You might as well get through the painful introductions where everyone stares at you.”
Ryan shook his head. “It won’t be that bad.”
“Yes it will be,” Gabe said, and winked at me. “But then you can drink your way through the rest of the night.”
I liked Gabe. With his easygoing attitude, he’d given me a minute to forget about where I was and why. When he turned and headed back to the table, I said by Ryan’s ear, “Your friend’s cool. Can we leave now?”
I was dead serious, but Ryan laughed. “No… And don’t talk to him all night. I don’t want Marcus to get jealous and fire me.”
Turned out that wasn’t going to be a problem, because Gabe was seated at a table that was already full.
“Marcus always attracts an adoring crowd,” Ryan explained as he gestured to the tall blond man next to Gabe, who was sporting a serious expression.
“Really? Everyone looks scared of him.”
“Everyone is scared of him. But lucky for us, we don’t have to sit over there.”
Ryan led me around the second table, where there were several empty chairs.
Alexander spotted us, got to his feet, and gestured to the two seats by him. “Ryan, Jameson, I’m so glad you could make it.” Alexander aimed that famous smile in our direction, and while it looked genuine enough, there was a curiosity in his eyes that immediately put me back on guard.
“Us too. Is here okay?” Ryan said, oblivious to any kind of tension in me.
I nodded. He took a seat, and I pushed his chair in under him.
“Thank you,” he said, those gorgeous eyes softening.
“You’re welcome.” I went to pull out my own chair, and when I looked up, Alexander smirked and sat back down.
What was that about? I couldn’t get a read on this guy at all. But before I could try an analyze it further, Alexander turned to the rugged guy in the tux sitting to his right.
“Sean, this is Jameson. Jameson, this is my husband, Sean. He’s a detective with the CPD.”
Shit. That was right. Ryan had told me that. So not only was I sitting with a journalist but also a damn detective? Awesome. What could possibly go wrong?
Alexander rubbed Sean’s back. “He’s the one who gave me the idea for the segment on Chicago’s finest.”
“Hey there, man.” Sean tilted his head to me, and then winked at Ryan. “Look at you. Finally got yourself a boyfriend, huh?”
“Oh my God. Sean…” Ryan shifted in his seat.
Clearly not getting the memo to can it, Sean kept on going. “What? You’ve been going on forever about how you want to meet someone and fall in—”
“Sean.” Alexander turned to his husband and pinned him with a shut up look. “I think it’s very nice that Ryan brought a date tonight.” Alexander turned back to us. “You both seem very happy together.”
Nice try at making things less awkward, but the damage was already done. Ryan was clearly mortified, and I was…hell if I knew. But the only way I could see this improving was with alcohol.
I flagged down one of the waiters as they walked by. “Could I please get a bourbon? Neat?”
I looked at Ryan to see if he wanted anything, and when he nodded, I noticed his cheeks were flaming red. “I’ll have the same, thanks.”
I put in the order and couldn’t help but think this night was off to a fantastic start.
AN HOUR OR so later, the event was well underway, which meant the spotlight was off me and finally on the reason why everyone had paid a small fortune to be here.
Ryan and I were clearly a hot topic tonight, and between the whispers and stares and many questions I’d been asked, I felt as though I was being interviewed for a job at ENN.
Where are you from?
What do you do for a living?
Do you have a brother?
How did you and Ryan meet?
I’d answered them all nice enough, I supposed, but that had more to do with the bourbon than my need to impress, as did Ryan’s return to his usual easygoing nature.
For the first few minutes we’d been seated, Ryan seemed as caught off guard as I was by the interest in the two of us. But two courses in and he was relaxed and laughing and…getting up from his chair?
Shit, where was he going?
“Do you mind if I go and say a quick hello to Marcus?”
I glanced over at the table where Gabe was grinning at Mr. Serious and flirting with his lapel.
“They’re kind of nauseating, I know, and usually I’d avoid this altogether. But since he paid for me—us—to be here tonight, I figure I should go and thank him.”
“Yeah, no worries. I’ll come with you.”
“Oh God.” Ryan laughed and put a hand on my shoulder. “I’m not going to put you through that.”
“He’s not wrong.”
I peered around Ryan to see Sean grinning at the two of us.
“Marcus is best experienced as you’re saying goodbye and walking out the door.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “I didn’t say that.”
“Yeah, but that’s what you meant. Don’t you worry. I’ll look after your man here while you go and suck up to the king.”
Ryan shook his head and looked back to me. “I’ll just be a few minutes. Is that okay?”
As much as I wanted to say no, I nodded and watched him walk off to the other table. When the waiter came by to take my empty plate, I wanted to ask him how many more meals I had to sit through before the night was over.
“So, Jameson, how are ya finding station seventy-three?” Sean asked, and I was grateful his question had nothing to do with mine and Ryan’s relationship.
“It’s good. I like it a lot. Chief Parker’s great, and so’s my lieutenant.”
“Olsen, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Hey, he roomed with your brother for a while, didn’t he?”
“Yep, he sure did. Till Kieran bailed on us all and moved south.”
Something Sean was obviously thrilled about, judging by the frown on his face. “Maybe he wanted a change.”
“Nah, fucker fell in love and ditched us all.” Sean laughed, and everyone at the table looked our way. “Not that I can blame him. Bash is way better looking than you bunch down at seventy-three.”