Page 108 of Gross Misconduct

“Why don’t you swing by the office on Tuesday, and we can talk more?”

“Sounds great. I’ll stop by Starbucks and pick up coffee for us.”

I must have asked if I could murder Derek’s daughter by the way Cary reacts. Derek puts a comforting hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“He doesn’t know,” Derek whispers to his boyfriend.

“Starbucks is warmed-over toilet water. I have so much to teach you.” Cary shakes his head but eventually breaks into a smile. He’s a character, dancing on the edge of crazy. “We’re going to mingle. Great meeting you, Jack.”

I shake hands with him and Derek.

Cary turns to Derek. “I need to find your teammate with the nice ass who likes martinis. I want to get the inside scoop on his condo complex. I heard a unit is coming on the market.”

“Des?” Derek asks as they walk off. “You think Des has a nice ass?”

“You don’t?”

They trail off, back to their friends. I amble through the party, saying hi to old friends and new friends. My life in Sourwood was solitary and quiet, but now it’s full of people and noise that enriches my soul.

I stroll over to Miller and Fuentes playing bocce ball in a corner of the backyard.

“MOTHER—”

Fuentes clamps a hand over Miller’s mouth to keep him from finishing his expletive. Holding it back only makes his face get more tomato-like.

“You knocked my ball away!” Miller seethes.

“That’s the point of the game.” Fuentes massages his shoulder to calm him down. “Reminder: we are at achildren’sbirthday party.”

Miller pinches the bridge of his nose and shuts his eyes. “I am in a field of daisies. I am in a field of daisies. I am in a field of daisies.”

I look down at our feet. “I think these are dandelions.”

Miller sucks in a breath so all-encompassing, his lungs might explode.

I pull Fuentes aside for a moment. “Hey, I want to thank you again for being cool with the rent. I’m going to start paying it this month now that I’m working at Summers Rink.”

“It’s all good, man. No rush.”

“I appreciate it, but I’m paying rent this month. And I’m going to repay you for the months that I missed, and that’s that.” I don’t know what I did to deserve such good friends. I’ve overdrafted from the favor bank, though. I need to restore the balance.

“Cake time!” Carmen yells.

She and Griffin bring out the cakes. Both cakes have pictures of Elsa on them, presumably to avoid any fighting. I can’t get enough of watching Griffin in dad mode. The girls run over. They cram onto his lap.

His love for his daughters makes me love him even more. I used to think it wasn’t worth getting close to anyone, but there are a few select people in this world that make it worth the risk.

Everyone gathers around to sing “Happy Birthday.”

“Make a wish,” Griffin says to his daughters.

The girls close their eyes and blow. I don’t need to make a wish. I may not be a professional hockey player living in a mansion, but it seems all of my wishes still came true.

EPILOGUE

GRIFFIN

Five months later

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