didn’t label most of these.”
“Lukas.” Dave groaned, arms full of a giant dog bed and lamp. He frowned at his son on the floor. “Quit goofing off and keep helping. I want to be done before it gets dark.”
Chuckling at the exaggerated look Lukas gave the living room window, which showed the afternoon sun still shining brightly, John stepped over and offered a hand. “Come on, we’re almost done.”
He pulled Lukas to his feet but didn’t step back. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he checked to see that Dave wasn’t paying attention, then palmed Lukas’s ass for a squeeze and kissed him hard on the mouth. Dave had gotten more relaxed about their relationship, but John still tried to be respectful of his friend.
“Is that how you’re motivating people?” Kevin asked from right next to them, and they drew apart, laughing. “Am I next?”
Hank stopped short just inside the living room, eyes narrowed at the back of Kevin’s head. When he finally met John’s surprised gaze, Hank turned away and marched back out of the room, the back of his neck visibly red.
Lukas was laughing and pushing his best friend out of the room just behind Hank, but not without sending John a heated look that promised a continuation of their kiss once they were alone.
In their home.
Together.
Sucking in a deep breath, John looked around at the belongings and people and felt contentment rise up in him. His life was full of love and laughter and pets, and he couldn’t be any happier if he tried.
Well… That maybe wasn’t completely true, but he had a plan.
Several hours later, the truck was completely unloaded, and their friends and family were piled around the dining room table, talking and laughing as they passed around takeout containers. John sat at one end, with Lukas in his lap from when he’d pulled him down onto him as he’d been walking past making a sassy comment. On his left were Lukas’s parents and Lukas’s friend from work, Jenna. His boss, Dr. Mason, hadn’t been able to make it due to an emergency surgery.
To his right were Kevin and Hank, who’d somehow become a friend to both Lukas and him after he’d finally stopped trying to get Lukas back.
John hadn’t been able to blame Hank for being upset over losing Lukas. A few weeks after the incident at the vet office, John had run into Hank at the grocery store. At first, they’d both just looked at each other and then turned away, but something in Hank’s face had made John track him down in the bread aisle. They’d ended up getting a beer and chatting for over an hour before parting ways with plans to watch a game together the following weekend.
Lukas had been unimpressed at John’s new friendship, but he’d come around quickly when he’d realized the same thing John had: Hank was lonely as hell and needed friends. After that, the three of them had hung out a few times, but there was still a shadow of unhappiness in Hank’s gray eyes that bothered John. Though after the way Hank had been staring at Kevin all day, he had a feeling that might change soon.
Too bad Kevin kept shooting the big guy annoyed looks and rolling his eyes when Hank tried to talk to him.
Eyes moving down the table, John took in the man at the other end. Garrett Singer had been working his ass off to prove to John he wasn’t a complete asshole and had offered to come and help Lukas move when he’d overheard Dave and John talking about it. Though, somehow, Singer had managed to time his arrival that afternoon to when they’d only had a handful of things left in the truck. John still wasn’t sure about the man, but they were moving forward with the business partnership and had submitted their bid for the project.
Clearing his throat, John raised his voice to get everyone’s attention. “We just want to thank you all again for helping today. We really appreciate each and every one of you.”
Lukas nodded next to him. “We really do. It would have taken John forever to move all my stuff by himself.”
Everyone laughed as John mock-glared at him. “Very funny. There is one more thing I wanted to share with you all though.”
Lukas threw him a confused look, eyes widening in a silent What are you talking about?
“Stand up, baby.”
Frowning, Lukas stood, and John scooted his chair back, then carefully got down on