Page 24 of Quinton's Quest

He reached under the table and appeared to adjust himself.

Ha! Not so unaffected.

He toyed with his cold coffee. “What if I said the feeling was mutual?”

“I’d say it’s a bad idea. Things like this never end well for the nurse involved. I’m replaceable—you’re not.”

He winced. Obviously acknowledging I was right.

“One lava cake and two forks.” Sarabeth pointed to Leo’s coffee. “Refill?”

He shook his head. “Maybe a small glass of ice water?”

“Sure thing.” Again, she took off.

Leo leaned forward. “I get that it’s dangerous for you—”

“You’re also a bit of a pompous jackass.” I held his gaze.

Slowly, he smiled. “Yes, I can see how you’d think that.”

I almost pointed out it wasn’t a matter ofthinkingsomething—the notion was, indeed, a fact.

“Hey, Quinton.” A distinctive Australian accent drew my attention.

I pivoted my attention to the couple standing beside our booth. I grinned. “Hey Dean, Adam.” I looked at Leo. “These are two of my good friends. Dean is from Australia, Adam is a good old Canadian, and they got married Christmas Day.”

Leo held out his hand. “Leopold.”

No missing that he didn’t use his last name. Because his was the same as Gideon’s? Or because I hadn’t used Dean and Adam’s. That might’ve been because I didn’t know if they’d chosen one name, the other, or hyphenated. Oh well, might as well ask. “You two settle on a last name? I was at your wedding, and I can’t even remember.”

Adam’s eyes misted a little. “At Healing Horses Ranch. On a snowy Christmas Day. That was so amazing.”

Leo stirred at the name of the ranch.

Interesting. Something to ask about later.

Dean slung his arm around his slightly shorter—and definitely more slender—husband. “I talked him into Hargrave. My family have a storied history back in Australia.”

“And I didn’t have any particular attachment to my family’s name.” Adam touched the healed burn scar on his face. “I have other ways to remember.”

I knew his backstory, of course. How he’d been burned trying to save his twin brother in a fiery car crash. How he’d been a recluse in his castle in the mountains north of Mission City foralmost ten years before Dean burst into his life. I’d invited them to my Halloween party, and they’d become good friends.

“We should leave you be.” Dean gestured between me and Leo. Then he gestured to the cake. “Don’t want that to get cold.”

I laughed. “Uh, no. You’re coming to my Valentine’s Shindig, right? Next week?”

“Oh, we’ll be there.” Adam tucked himself against Dean. “Our first official outing as a married couple.”

“I like the sound of that.” Dean laughed, his accent extra-strong.

They waved goodbye and then slid into the booth across from us.

I met Leo’s gaze.

“They’ve got a story.” He frowned.

“Doesn’t everyone?” I sank my fork into the lava cake.