"I guess Dex arranged this little playdate so we could bond or whatever." Tony took a seat on the armchair, and Sloane on the large couch.
Crap. Should he have brought something? Dex rarely did. Then again, this was Dex's second home. It's where he grew up. Sloane could almost see a young Dex running around, high on sugar, wreaking havoc with his little brother. He couldn't help his smile. "Yeah."
"It's weird," Tony muttered.
Sloane cleared his throat. "Yep."
"You and Ash have been like family for years now. Long before you got together with my boys. I don't see why we need a bonding session."
Sloane tried his best not to chuckle at Tony's griping. Dex was always teasing his dad about turning into a grumpy old man. How soon he'd be shouting at kids to turn down their boom boxes, and chasing squirrels out of his garden. Tony would just shake his head and mutter something about how he knew he shouldn't have given Dex all that radioactive cereal when he was a kid.
"Agreed," Sloane said. "I guess he just wants us to spend some time together outside of work."
"Makes sense, I suppose. Want something to drink?"
"Um, I'll take a beer. Thanks."
Tony got up and headed toward the kitchen. "You eat yet?"
"No. I was going to order something earlier, but I got caught up in the horde gathered outside the house waiting for the limo, and then time got away from me." What with stripping for your son and all that. He'd keep that part to himself.
"How's Sergio's Subs sound?"
Sergio's had the kind of subs dreams were made of. "Sounds perfect. I'll have that Therian-size chicken parm Dex always makes inappropriate comments about." Sloane wasn't one to indulge in foods drowning in sauce and smothered in cheese, but he figured he deserved some comfort food tonight. The evening was just getting started.
Tony shook his head and handed Sloane a cold beer. "I swear, that boy and his food. Gets it from his daddy. That and the inappropriate comments. Dex might be pretty like his momma, but he got all his daddy's weirdness." Tony laughed and shook his head as he went off to place their order.
Sloane smiled, and his heart squeezed for Tony. He couldn't fathom trying to raise a brokenhearted little boy who'd just lost his parents, while mourning his own loss. Tony was one of the bravest men Sloane knew. He'd always looked up to him, respected him, and strived to never let him down. Sloane was still trying to wrap his head around Tony being his father-in-law, not to mention Tony's secret relationship with Sparks. Tony was a very smart, sharp man. He'd been in the THIRDS for years. Sparks might be an exceptional undercover operative, but how could he not be suspicious? Something wasn't adding up for Sloane. He'd tried bringing it up to Dex, but Dex was too close to the situation. He was having trouble seeing past Sparks and what she might have up her sleeve. Telling Tony about Sparks was a dilemma he and Dex didn't completely agree on, and one of these days, something would have to give, and that was before Cael was thrown into the mix. Sloane had a feeling Cael was going to lose his ever-loving mind.
"I can't believe Cael put himself in charge of the crazy train tonight."
"Yeah, well. Cael's a smart guy. He's in charge of putting it all together, but he's put Ash in charge of making sure it gets done. Everyone was present and accounted for before the limo arrived, even Austen. The limo left on the dot. I have no doubt that was down to Ash."
Tony chuckled. "They make one hell of a team, those two."
"That they do." Sloane took another sip and braced himself. Tony was smirking.
"How's the wedding planning going?"
Sloane groaned. "Lou showed us this giant book of color swatches, and asked us which shade we liked. I looked down at the page and said they all looked the same to me. I mean, they were all blue. The look Lou gave me...." Sloane shivered at the memory. "I swear my life flashed before my eyes. I thought he was going to shank me with that giant bedazzled pen he keeps on his desk."
Tony's eyes went wide before he let out a bark of laughter. At least someone was amused by Sloane's traumatic experience.
"You told that boy those color swatches looked the same? Son, that's like telling Hobbs all explosives are the same, or telling Cal his momma's pecan pie tastes like every other pecan pie. How are you still alive?"
Sloane shrugged. "Probably because Dex was there. I mean, how the hell am I supposed to tell the difference between turquoise, teal, aqua, and the million variations in between? Did you know that there are certain color schemes for certain months?"
"I did not know that," Tony replied, sounding amused.
"It was terrifying. I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life than I was sitting in Lou's office trying to pick a color. The man is frightening. I swear, if you ever need to break someone, just send Lou in with his swatches and I guarantee you they'll confess everything within seconds."
Tony chuckled. "Lou's as fierce as any of Unit Alpha's agents when it comes to his job. He deals with hostiles every day, devises strategical tactics for all his missions, and carries through with flawless execution. God help the poor bastard who throws a wrench in the works. He had Dex hunt down a florist who delivered the wrong flowers to one of his weddings. Last I heard, the guy moved to Alaska."
They both laughed. "Yeah, I have no intention of crossing Lou."
"Did you pick out a color scheme?"
"Dex is going with tangerine and turquoise."