Love And The Real Boy - Coming About, Book 2 Read Online Free Page A

hauled in on a boatlift in case there were any slow leaks. Couldn’t have her sinking while they were working on her. The boat had good bones so she’d mend and mend well, but not without some elbow grease. They were going to need some manpower.
    A throat cleared behind him, and Patrick whirled around to face a slender man with a mop of brown curls and huge green eyes that could rival his ma’s. Cute , Patrick thought.
    “Mr. O’Dowd?” When Patrick nodded, the young man went on. “I’m Justice Crawford. Nice to meet you.”
    Justice held out a hand that Patrick shook without thought, but he was shaking his head at the same time. “Crawford? It’s Donovan I’m to be meeting with. Rory Donovan.”
    The young man gave him a patient smile. “Rory’s running late, but he’ll be here. Actually, the boat belongs to my fiancé.” Justice cleared his throat again and gave Patrick a wary look. “Nic Valentine.”
    Patrick nodded, understanding. Even in Seattle, a gay man had to be careful. “So that’s the way of it, then?”
    “Yes. That okay with you?”
    “Aye,” Patrick answered, then gave Justice a broad smile. “Being that you’re engaged, I’ll have to try my luck elsewhere then, won’t I?”
    His wink set the kid to blushing, and it felt good to harmlessly flirt with someone again.
    A large hybrid SUV pulled into the marina and a tall, attractive man stepped out. He was handsome to Justice’s cute. Damn, but they grew them hearty here in Seattle. “That’d be Donovan, then?”
    Justice nodded, waving Rory over. Mira Donovan’s son had grown up into a fine specimen indeed—as Patrick hadn’t seen him since they were boys. However, he had it on good authority that the guy was very straight, and very married.
    After all of the proper introductions were made, the three turned back to the boat. Patrick could see the beauty she’d been underneath the haggard wreckage before him. “What’s her story?”
    “Her? Oh!” Justice grunted when Rory elbowed him in the ribs.
    “The salty sea dogs talk about ’em like women,” Rory said in a stage whisper.
    “Salty sea…” Patrick rolled his eyes. “Really, mate, you’ve been watching too many pirate movies.”
    Justice chuckled and stuck out his tongue at Rory, then went on with his story. “Nic restored most of…um, her, himself. He got caught in that awful storm a couple of months back. Ran aground on Skull Island, lost the main mast and the engine. And obviously, cosmetically, she took a beating.”
    “Aye, she did,” Patrick agreed.
    “I’m hoping I can get the boat restored on the sly, as a wedding present for Nic.”
    Justice fairly glowed when talking about his man, and Patrick felt the tiniest bit of envy. He shook it off, however, because there was work to be done. “The USS Juneau she’s not, but I can fix her. We’re going to need a bigger crew.”
    * * * *
    Rich’s brain felt like melted ice cream. He’d gone out the night before and gotten an epic drunk on. The last few months had been a train wreck of meteoric proportions, finding Rich at his lowest point since losing John-Michael.
    First Rory announced that he was getting married to the little Asian girl and that he was flying in best-friend-Justice to be his best man. It stung on both counts, and Rich was furiously jealous of both of them. Maia seemed so sweet and innocent, completely ignorant of how she stole Rory from Rich—if only in his own head—so he focused all of his rage toward both of them on Justice.
    Rich had blackmailed the guy out of the best man spot, then outed him to all of his friends. Not his finest hour. For the first time since they met, Rory was truly angry with him—hence the drunk. He deserved it; he’d been a shit. But he couldn’t have helped it if he tried. He’d lost the one man who tempted him to finally deal with his sexuality—not that he’d ever really had him. But Rich’s life was a study in loss, and for a minute, he’d let