Forever (Always & Forever 2)

Shelly, who’d had her fair share of drinks that evening, turned instantly serious, reaching for her cell phone in her back pocket.

“You’re a medical doctor? Can I ask you a question?” She started going through her phone, quickly working the screen. Robert figured if she had a medical question it probably had to do with one of her children. Landon didn’t seem to clue in until she turned her phone to Robert. There was a beautiful little girl with a rash covering her arm. “She’s had this rash all week. No fever, but it won’t go away. The nurse at our school said it was a heat rash, but it’s January.”

The twinkle in Landon’s eyes was back as Robert took the phone to get a better look at the rash. Norris took his seat and Landon hopped off his. “I’ll take your turn. You help that sweet little girl with her rash.”

The kind tone in Landon’s voice was designed to mock him in his current predicament. Robert knew it and had a comeback ready. When he started to say it, he saw Shelly’s worried expression and held his tongue, using his fingers to widen the screen to take a better look. “Have you changed soaps recently?”

“Not at home,” Shelly said.

“Maybe check her school or care facility. It presents as a contact dermatitis. It’s hard to tell without seeing the patient, but I’d say it’s something she’s coming into contact with. That’s not really my area of expertise, but I’d start there,” he said, handing the phone back over the table.

“Thank you.” She stared down at her daughter, running a finger over her screen. “What’s your specialty?”

“I’m a retired cardiovascular surgeon.”

Both Shelly and Norris sat back, just blinking at him until Norris snapped his fingers and pointed at Robert.

“That’s where I knew you from. You were in Germany. Your father’s the vice president. And your grandfather was president, right?” Norris asked like he’d solved some intricately woven mystery.

“My great-grandfather, but otherwise, yes, I was in Germany. It’s where I met Landon.” Where Norris was animated and excited with his discovery, Shelly just looked dumbstruck, silently staring at him. It could be she tried to place him, or she might have been formulating a question about someone’s ailing heart.

“Landon was the honor guard at Vice President Adams’s funeral,” Norris said, knocking his wife in the arm as if she would remember something like that. Robert hadn’t understood the length of Norris and Landon’s relationship, and it caught him a bit off guard.

“That’s right,” Robert nodded.

“Have y’all been together since then?” Shelly asked, folding both arms on the table, leaning in, clearly wanting all the details. “Landon didn’t even tell me he’d gotten married until we met up here.”

“I think he’s ashamed of me,” Robert teased as his heart gave a small ache. It had truly never occurred to him that Landon might have kept quiet about their marriage. He had thought Landon led a life of separate compartments to help make his military career easier, never that he’d just not spoken of Robert.

Robert felt the gentle grip at his shoulder as Landon squeezed him, their competitive game seemingly forgotten. Landon must have heard his reply, because his hand stayed on Robert in a telling PDA.

“I’ve been wrapped up in him. I didn’t tell a lot of people outside of my squadron. I’ll admit I’m pretty whipped.” The words eased Robert. He covered the hand on his shoulder. Honestly, he could probably say the same thing. It was hard to see outside of the life he’d carved out with Landon.

“Brinkley said you were dating someone with money. I’m guessing drinks are on you tonight.” Norris popped his hand out for a fist bump, one neither Landon nor Robert reciprocated.

“Har har. I think drinks should be on the winner,” Landon turned a pointed stare at Robert most likely waiting for him to change his tune about winning in the first place.

“What? I think the loser needs to pay,” Robert quipped back. They both knew he would jump in and pay the bill before ever letting Landon slide the card across the counter. Robert snaked out an arm to pull Landon against his side. They’d had another relationship milestone, and it hadn’t blown up in their face.

The shove Landon gave Robert sent an instant arch to his eyebrow. Landon laughed at the look. The challenge was set. Landon met the arch of the perfect blond brow with one of his own, his gaze dropping to his love’s full bottom lip. So fucking tempting. Landon stalked forward until he met Robert, chest to chest, then pushed him into the brick wall outside of the entrance to their hotel.

Maybe they were out of the direct light of the hotel’s main door. Perhaps they weren’t necessarily seen by anyone in the hotel’s lobby, but it didn’t matter either. Landon had had a great time tonight. Now it was time to pay up, for Robert to show him exactly how good a time they were still going to have tonight. Promises had been made, and he intended to collect.