Page 38 of Cocoa

Ryder already had three in his hands. “You’re getting all of them.”

Lucas turned back with a laugh as he put down the last jar. “You don’t have to—”

“Babe, I live with you. I’ve seen what happens if you run out of cocoa.” He passed five jars to the vendor, who grinned at them as he took the money and bagged their purchase.

Tucking himself up against his boyfriend’s side, Lucas lowered his voice as they walked on. “You’d make it all better. You’re better than cocoa could ever be.”

They reached the end of the row and kept going, walking together toward a quiet patch of lawn at the far side of the square. Ryder shifted the bag over his arm and turned to pull Lucas close. “I’ll always be there, Lucas, every moment that I can.” He peered with mock seriousness, his lips curving under his thick mustache. “But for the times I’m on a call, or when you’re out and about with your camera, at least you’ll have your favorite drink.”

At the sound of her name, the puppy jumped up and bounced around them. Ritz joined in on the action, and before long, the two leashes wrapped around Ryder and Lucas’s legs. They wound together in a crisscross pattern, tethering the two men together.

Ryder’s laugh boomed out as he tried to stop the dogs before giving up and meeting Lucas’s gaze. “Looks like we’re stuck.”

“Nowhere I’d rather be,” Lucas replied.

They paused there for a moment in the late afternoon light, surrounded by the happy sounds of the small town, the scent of autumn leaves and baked goods, and the joy of the communityworking together to make things better. It was real, and it was forever.

***