Page 126 of Honor

Unsure of what to say, I squeeze his hand.

He glances at me. “He was going to give me the watches on the day I graduated from college, but he died before he could do that.”

“I’m so sorry.”

He nods. “Before his funeral, my grandma asked me to grab his good tie from the bottom drawer of his dresser because she wanted him to wear that for the viewing at the funeral home. I found the watches then.”

My heart breaks for him. The pain of that discovery must have intensified the still raw grief he was experiencing.

“I wear them to honor the man I didn’t honor when he was alive.” He looks at the watch box. “The jeweler that fixes them now was my grandfather’s best friend.”

“The man who works at the jewelry store in Times Square?”

He smiles softly. “Milt. He does a hell of a good job with them. Keeps them all polished and most running seamlessly. A few can’t be repaired, but I still wear them. I need to. Buzzy wanted me to.”

“He knew you loved him, Reid.”

His eyes well with tears. “I hold onto that hope. I told him I loved him often when I was younger. I bought this apartment because he once told my grandmother he wished he could live in the building for one day. I thought living here forever would somehow make up for the time I wasted chasing after the approval of a businessman with no conscience. If I could go back, I’d devote every hour spent listening to Moses talk about himself to asking my grandfather the questions that matter in life.”

“Like what?”

His hand jumps up to push a strand of hair back from my forehead. “Like how to know when you’re in love.”

“You figured that one out.”

He leans in to kiss me softly. “I did. My heart knew before my head.”

“Buzzy would be proud of you,” I say because I believe it. “You’re a remarkable man who has built a phenomenal business. You fell in love with a woman who is perfect for you.”

He pinches my chin between his thumb and finger. “She is perfect for me.”

I glance around the closet. “I’m sure he’d be happy that you’re living here since it was his dream as well.”

“He wanted a taste of it for a day,” he reminds me. “He loved that house in Queens. He worked his ass off in this building topay for that house so his daughter and then his grandchildren would have a safe place to grow up. That house was his dream. I think it’s mine now, too.”

CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE

Reid

I slapRandall on the shoulder. “You’re welcome, buddy. I hope you and Charlotte enjoy the wedding gift.”

He brushes my hand away to wrap both arms around me. “You rented us a private villa for our honeymoon, Reid. A fucking private villa in Milan. We can’t thank you and Evie enough for that.”

Evie was completely on board when I ran the idea for the gift past her. She insisted on contributing to the cost, so we settled on her covering the flowers, champagne, and dessert platter that will be waiting for the newlyweds when they arrive in Italy for their two week vacation.

As we step back from the embrace, my gaze catches on a man across the terrace. When I first spotted him earlier, I couldn’t believe my eyes. “You could have given me a heads-up that Magnus Brewster was invited to your wedding.”

Randall glances to where Magnus is standing. His eyes are pinned to Evangeline’s cleavage. I can’t blame him because she’s the most beautiful woman on this terrace. Charlotte is running aclose second, but even in her one-of-a-kind wedding dress, she can’t outshine the woman I love. Evie is wearing a gorgeous teal gown that highlights her every curve.

“He used to come into the bakery all the time,” he tells me. “How do you know him?”

“Business,” I say, but I don’t leave it at that. “He also thinks he fucked Evie.”

His mouth falls open. “He fucked Evie?”

“He thinks he did,” I correct him. “He was being an ass on the subway one morning, and my Evie put him in his place. She told him he sucked in bed.”

He lets out a roaring laugh. It’s so loud that Pete, Kyle, and Charlotte all turn to look. “She’s hilarious.”

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