Chapter Thirty-Five

One year later

“JONAH.”

Jonah smiled to hear Lorene’s voice through the receiver. “I miss you.”

“You too, sweetie. I’m still waiting for that visit.”

“If things go the way I hope,” he said, “you’ll be seeing me pretty soon.” He had a few things he needed to do first to shore up that promise.

“You’ve decided to sell your shares, then.”

“You knew I would all along, didn’t you?” It had taken him the better part of a year to realize he didn’t want to keep one foot in the past.

She chuckled. “I know you, Jonah. The rest follows.”

“Yeah.” He leaned back against his desk chair and looked around the office. Over the past year, he’d packed up most of his things. A ghost of an office, just like Jackie.

“And your man?”

“Adam’s doing great. Watching him with his nephew makes me….” No. It was too soon for that.

“It’s never too soon.”

“How do you do that?” He laughed.

“I told you. I know you. The rest follows.” Her turn to laugh.

A reminder popped up on his computer, and he sighed. “I need to go. Take care of things. Finish moving on.” For once he wasn’t dreading a meeting with Phil. He’d spent the morning in LA signing the final divorce papers at the lawyers’ offices. The papers were a sham, since they’d never really been married, but he felt good about resolving things without smearing Phil’s name. He also felt good about their renascent friendship.

“You’ll be fine.”

“I already am,” he said and smiled again. “I already am.”

“I STILL can’t believe you’re giving up your board position,” Phil said as they sat in the conference room an hour later.

“I honestly wasn’t sure I could give it up. But you’ve done a really good job with Entech. Better than I would have. I’m confident you’ll continue to take it in the right direction.” He’d watched Phil for the past year. There’d been bumps in the road along the way—you couldn’t change corporate culture overnight and expect the employees to buy in as quickly—but things were changing.

“I… thank you.”

“You look surprised,” Jonah said.

“Everything you’ve done since you came back from the dead surprises me,” Phil told him.

Plenty of people had laughed at the idea of a kinder, gentler Entech, but the proof that Jonah wasn’t as eccentric as some might paint him was in the increased profits the company had seen at year-end.

“Life would be boring without surprises.”

“Probably.” Phil hesitated, then said, “Are you happy?”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad. Things with Adam going well?” It was the first time since the Prestco deal fell through that Phil had mentioned Adam’s name.

“Yes.” Jonah chuckled. “I’m going to marry him. He just doesn’t know that yet. It’s a work in progress.”

Phil stared at him. “I really don’t understand you, you know. Why would you share something that personal with me?”

“We used to talk about everything,” Jonah said. “I want my best friend back.”

“If only it was that simple.”

“Why does it have to be difficult?” Jonah asked. “Because we both fucked it up?”

“Maybe. I’m not as good as you about letting go of the past,” Phil admitted. “Maybe I need a good knock on the head.”

“Let me know. I’d be happy to help with that.”

Phil laughed, a genuine, heartfelt laugh that made Jonah laugh too. “You really are certifiable.”

“Probably. And persistent.” Jonah ran a hand through his hair and grinned. Slow progress was still progress. “So maybe you’ll join us on a diving trip? The kelp forests near Catalina will blow your mind.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Good,” Jonah said with honest satisfaction. “I gotta run, though. I’ve got a date.”

“Oh. Somewhere interesting?”

“We’re babysitting Adam’s nephew for the night.”

“You really aren’t Jackie, are you?” Phil said with a chuckle.

“I am, and I’m not.” Jonah shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter anymore.” He got up and headed for the doorway, then stopped and turned around. “Oh, I almost forgot the most important thing I needed to tell you.”

“What would that be?”

“I’m selling most of my stock. Giving you complete control.” Entech would be fine without him.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” Phil said, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Say you’ll keep up the good work with our company. Your company now.” Jonah opened the door. “And when you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.” He waved and walked through the door without looking back.

JONAH stared into a pair of bright blue eyes and admired the mop of brown hair. He’d driven back to Napa in a bucketing rain, but he caught himself smiling most of the way. “You sure this is a good idea?” He took the baby from Adam and held him against his chest.

Adam laughed and put a towel over Jonah’s shoulder just in the nick of time. “It’s just for two hours. Karen and Kenny haven’t been on a date since Carter was born. Besides, my nephew is an angel.”

“This is your mother’s fault for deciding to go on that cruise.” Babies made Jonah nervous. “And angels don’t spit up.” He made a face as he wiped Carter’s mouth and chin, and Adam laughed again.

“How did things go with Phil today?”

“Better than expected. I invited him to dive with us sometime.”

“You think he’ll take you up on it?” Adam asked.

“Eventually.” Jonah shrugged. “It’s not you he’s uncomfortable with. There was never anything but friendship between us. But seeing me….”

“You as Jonah?” Adam always understood him so well. It was why Jonah had fallen in love with him—Adam saw him for what he was beneath all the bullshit.

“That’s difficult for him.” Jonah patted Carter on the back and smiled. “Funny thing is, I think the way I am now is a lot like I was before all the success changed things. When he and I first became friends.”

“Change is difficult,” Adam agreed.

“Change is also a good thing.” Jonah smiled down at Carter. “Change means you’re alive and that there are still things to discover.”

“WHAT are you thinking about?” Adam’s question brought Jonah back to the present. They’d put Carter to bed and were sitting in the living room, working their way through a pizza and drinking beer.

“About what to do next.” Jonah set his beer on the coffee table and rested his head on Adam’s shoulder.

“You could start another company,” Adam suggested.

“I’ve been enjoying dabbling in yours.” But Jonah hadn’t been thinking about new business ventures. I’m going to marry him. He just doesn’t know that yet.

“But I wasn’t thinking about business.”

“Oh?”

“Nope. I was thinking about us.”

Adam kissed him on the head. “That sounds nice. Have you thought any more about the dive cruise I told you about?”

“It sounds great. But I was thinking longer term than our next vacation.”

“You were, were you?” Adam kissed Jonah again.

“Yep.” Jonah grinned and slipped an arm around Adam’s waist, then sat up and met Adam’s gaze.

“What did you have in mind?”

“There’s a place about ten minutes from here that’s up for sale,” Jonah explained. “A working vineyard with a good-size house. The house needs a little work, but the vineyard’s doing well.”

“I see.” Adam raised his eyebrows and a hint of a smile danced over his lips.

“Not that I don’t love your mother’s cooking,” Jonah continued. “Or babysitting. But your old bedroom’s a little small. And seeing as we’ve been spending almost every night here—”

Adam kissed Jonah on the lips this time and wrapped both arms around him. “You’re a tough negotiator,” he whispered after their lips parted, “but I think you have yourself a deal.”

“Best deal I ever negotiated.” Jonah meant it too. He was exactly where he wanted to be. “But I’m not quite done yet.”

“Should I be afraid?” Adam joked.

“Maybe.”

“All right. Let me gird my loins.”

Jonah laughed and pushed Adam back so he lay on the couch. “Not even touching that.”

“So what else were you going to tell me?” Adam asked after they’d settled into each other’s arms, legs intertwined, with Adam’s head on Jonah’s chest.

“I want you to marry me.”

“You… want…?”

Jonah sighed. “I want you to live with me and marry me.”

“Best deal you’ve ever offered me,” Adam said with a laugh, the resonance of his voice sending tiny shockwaves of pleasure throughout Jonah’s body.

“That means you will? All joking aside?”

“Yes. All joking aside.” Adam pushed himself up on an elbow, then looked down at Jonah. “I love you. I think I fell in love with you that first night, when you showed me your secret place by the water.”

“Marry me on the beach where we met?”

“No underwater wedding?” Adam joked.

“Sand’s good enough for me.”

“Sand it is, then.”

“Damn, I’m a lucky bastard,” Jonah said and reached up to pull Adam closer.

Adam rumbled his approval as Jonah slid his hands under his shirt and caressed the bare skin of his back. “That makes two of us.”