Page 59 of Secret

"I'll say—right out of Jackie Collins!"

With that comment, Alec's rambling came to an abrupt and unanticipated halt—a lull... silent and cumbersome, reminding all of just how serious thingshadbeen, regardless of their attempts at mood-lightening levity. Demarco broke the silence before it broke them.

"Tyler, I want to thank you for taking care of my best friend in this world. Not so much for stealing him off to Montana though."

"I still have my brownstone here," said Alec.

"Yeah, well, it's been over two months since I've seen you in person."

Tyler came up behind Alec and wrapped his arms around him, bending and resting his chin on Alec's shoulder snuggly. "I'm a little set in my ways, D... but Alec has convinced me that we should keep his place here—if anything to visit you more often. He wants me to...step out of my boxoccasionally... see the world. And he's right... I should... and now that his book has come out and—"

Demarco gasped. "Oh, my God. The book! I forgot."

Alec reached across to the portable table and handed Demarco a hardbound copy of his novel,True. "It came out while you were in here."

Demarco felt the smoothness of the binding with his hand. The cover was mostly blue and mountainous with a shot of a sexy cowboy in denim, shirt open, head down as if looking at the title below.

"Looks like a sexy cowboy to me," Demarco said.

"Marketing... you know," said Alec.

Demarco opened the book to see an entire page of cursive script personalized to him.

"Don't read that now. Save it."

"How's it doing?"

"It's not on the New York Times Bestseller List... but respectable."

"Move overBrokeback Mountain."

"No, D. That was an award-winning short story. This is m/m romance."

"People like it though."

"Yeah, they do. People love happy endings."

"Congratulations. I'm proud of you."

"You're a big part of it, D." Alec pointed at Jack. "And thanks to tall, blond, and silent over there, you still are."

"He's sexy that way, ain't he? All mysterious."

Jack's face went crimson. "Hey, I'm just enjoying you two together," he said. "You guys can leave me and Tyler out of it."

"We ain't never leaving you two alone," Demarco said. "Too pretty. Y'all would just find another mountain and leave us behind."

"Never," said Jack.

"Not happening," Tyler agreed, squeezing Alec's shoulder.

Demarco grinned. "So, what has this one got in store for you tonight, Mr. Tyler?"

Alec answered for him: "First, we're going to Annie's for a steak. He'll love that. Then, Kramerbooks and the signing—"

"Signing?" Demarco interrupted. "What signing? Bitch, I thought you came here to see ME."

Alec faux-stammered, "Well, the bookisout... and I'mhere. Might as well—"