Page 7 of Paradise

“It’s a three-week trip! That would give us two weeks with my family before we had to come back, which is next to nothing.”

“Two months, or you agree to work a three-day week from Paradise for the duration of your stay there. Three full days, Garrett, spent on Pandora’s issues, not half-heartedly fussing with your modeling program while you play with Wyl and Robbie.”

Garrett gaped at her. “You’re brutal.”

“I’m just holding you to your end of the contract.”

For the umpteenth time, Garrett mentally kicked himself for signing his employment contract before reading it all. “Any restrictions on Jonah?”

“None at all. He hasn’t taken the time off that you have so far, dear.”

“That was a family emergency!” A bomb putting his father into a coma and knocking his best friend into a Regen tank for weeks definitely qualified as a family emergency.

“Yes, but after two months, family emergency leave is calculated against your regular leave. Honestly, didn’t you read any of this section?”

“I skimmed it.”Sort of.“Fine, three days a week in exchange for three months leave.”

“And you have to keep Cody up-to-date on his lessons.”

“Oh, for fuck’s—”

Jezria wasn’t having it. “This is for his own good, Garrett. He shouldn’t get behind the rest of his class just because his daddies have decided to be romantic. His teacher will be sending you a lesson plan shortly. There are homework assignments in there that he’ll need to show when he gets back.”

“You sort of suck the life out of spontaneity, you know that?”

“I know.” She smiled slightly. “I wish I could be there for the ceremony, though.”

“I’m sure my father will immortalize it so he can embarrass me forever. Ask him for a copy.”

“I’ll do that.”

The com light blinked soundlessly, letting him know that another call was coming through. “I’ll talk to you again before we leave, okay?”

“All right.” They cut communication, and Garrett put the next call in through the holoscreen. When he saw that it was Robbie, he relaxed slightly.

“Hey.”

“Hey. Sorry about that.” Robbie shook his head slightly. “Wyl’s low on sleep and running on fumes; he didn’t mean to be offensive. I’ve put him to bed.”

“No problem.” Garrett shrugged. They stared at each other in silent, comfortable companionship for a moment. Robbie wasone of Garrett’s exes, the only man before Jonah he had been remotely serious about, and even after they had called their relationship off, they had continued to get along. The fact that Robbie’s partner, Wyl, was Garrett’s best friend bound them together in ways that had the potential to be awkward, but it never had been.

Robbie looked good. A little more gray in his short-cut, sandy-brown hair, but his face was unlined save for the corners of his eyes, and the clinging T-shirt he had on modeled his perfect physique very nicely. Robbie was, without a doubt, the most classically handsome man Garrett had ever been with. Not the most personable, though. Jonah liked him okay, but he knew Wyl a lot better. Wyl was outgoing, and easy to speak to, and not quite so physically imposing.

Plus, Garrett and Wyl had never fucked. That might have something to do with Jonah’s comfort level.

“Congratulations, Gare.”

“Thanks.”

“Where are your guys?”

“At the hospital,” he said with a sigh. “Cody’s got to get boosters before he can go anywhere, and they tend to make him feel ill. Jonah’s staying the night with him, and I’m getting things ready to go here.”

“When are you leaving?”

“In a few days.” The sooner, the better.

“You told your dad yet?”

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