Friends to Lovers (Heart of Hope 6)

out. “Petal.” He groaned again. “Fucking sweet Petal.”

1

Cyrus – One Week Earlier

I reviewed the intake file of our newest security client to get the depth and scope of the issue. This one was some sort of bug or hack that our tech team (me) could probably sort out. I put the file in my stack and picked up the next intake file working to review all the recent requests for service we’d had. Normally, my partner, Jude, and I went through these together assigning them as needed, but he was out today on a well-baby visit with his wife, April, and their two-month-old son, Alberte or Bertie as they called him. Jude had been out for nearly six weeks following the birth of their son, devoting all his time to his family, as he should. He came back part time recently, but he wasn’t going to miss doctors’ appointments. It was fascinating to watch a man I’d fought beside as a Navy SEAL become so mushy around his family. Fascinating, but lovely too.

“All work and no play makes Cyrus—”

“A successful man,” I said standing as Jude walked in with the tiny bundle in his arms. April walked in behind him. “What a beautiful family,” I said, coming to admire the baby. I was very happy for my friend. He’d reconnected with the woman he’d loved, discovered he had a daughter, and now together they had a new son.

As happy as I was for him, I wouldn’t deny a little envy on my part. Had things gone differently for me, I’d be in Chicago with my own woman and family. Unfortunately for me, she’d opted not to wait until I got out of the military.

“He’s gained three more pounds,” Jude said.

April grinned at him and then me. “He’s so proud of that.”

“Of course. Proud papa. How’s Maya handling all this? Still the dutiful big sister?” I asked about their eight-year-old daughter.

“She’s doing great,” Jude said.

I was sure Maya could rob a bank and Jude would still think the sun rose and set by her.

“She’s had a few hard moments, but overall, she’s really great,” April said. “How are things here? Keeping organized?”

April had started as our administrative assistant. She was highly organized but also, she had a degree in business and accounting, and so her skills went beyond filing. She was also observant so she often was the one to review surveillance tapes when it was part of our investigation. She wasn’t our employee anymore though. Not since she used part of her trust fund to invest in our security business, which helped us grow immensely over the last year. Now we were all partners.

“Dina does her best,” I said of the admin we hired when April left on maternity leave. We’d decided we’d keep her on when April returned, and that April would do the bookkeeping and other work more suited to her education, but that would allow her the flexibility to work from home if needed.

“I’m sure she’s great.” April reached over to take the baby from Jude. “You’re going to come to the Halloween party we’re throwing, aren’t you?”

Inwardly I groaned. “I’ll probably have work to do.” I wasn’t ever a party person, even during my teenage years. I especially wasn’t one that wore a costume.

“Now, now, Cyrus, we’ll have clients and potential clients there. You have to come do your part to woo them,” she said.

“Do you woo?” Jude asked, his face looked serious, but I knew he was poking at me.

“Jude, be nice.” April admonished him.

“No really. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with a woman since we’ve been here. Granted, I’ve been preoccupied, but still. Office gossip hasn’t had any word of you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Someone needs to keep this place afloat.”

“We just want to make sure you’re happy here,” April explained. “We can’t afford to lose you. We worry you work too much.”

“The only time you leave this place is for your coffee-cupcake break and to go home to go to bed,” Jude said.

I arched a brow.

He grinned. “So says the office gossip mill.”

He wasn’t wrong. What he didn’t know was the coffee-cupcake break was the highlight of my day. It could be freeze-my-dick-off cold outside, as it got in the winter in South Dakota, and Petal, the owner of the cupcake shop could light up the world and fill it with warmth with her smile. Not that I’d tell Jude or April that, partly because it seemed like a pansy ass thing for a man like me to admit to, but also, Petal was their good friend. As much as they wanted me to be happy and apparently get laid, they wouldn’t want me to do it with Petal.

“Come on, Cy. It will be fun. There will be single women there too. Or just drink the beer.”

“Can I put Mentos in the soda bottle with Maya? That was fun.” It had been one of Maya’s cool experiments she showed me this summer.

“Maya will be with August,” Jude said, his voice a little tighter. He and August had once been best friends, but apparently, August still wasn’t quite over Jude sleeping with his sister, April. And Jude hadn’t quite forgiven August for keeping him from April and Maya.