He caught Lucas smothering a grin.
Shaking his head, he passed a small carafe to Snow. “Compliments of Andrei’s parents.”
Snow sniffed the contents and groaned. “Oh, hell no, we are not drinking the evil Romanian juice of forgetfulness. I still don’t remember all of that Thanksgiving.”
“You mean when you blew the driver of the cab I called for you?”
The surgeon’s mouth fell open. “I did not. Did I?”
Snickering, Ian couldn’t keep up the joke as he winked at Jude, who gave him a crooked grin back. He loved the paramedic. The man had the perfect mix of bossy and caring that just flat out fit Snow. He couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect for this grumpy man he loved like crazy.
“So Ian,” Andrei said quietly, pulling all their attention to him as he ate a forkful of stuffing and chewed as he awaited a response.
Ian lifted an eyebrow.
“Think you could design the wedding we’re sure you’ve already planned?”
“When?”
“We haven’t decided, but it’s not too early to start working on it.”
Ian clapped his hands. “You’re really not going to run off to a justice of the peace? You’re going to let me do it?”
Hollis’s hand fell onto his back and rubbed.
“We would be honored for you to put together our wedding. We want it somewhere close and we want small and intimate, with all of us and a few other friends and co-workers.”
“Done.” He had several ideas for the best venue and he’d start making calls the next day to get everything squared away.
Laughter to his side pulled his focus to Hollis. “You’ve already started working on it in your head, haven’t you?”
“Of course.” Ian took Hollis’s hand into his lap, holding his fingers tight. “I’ve got plans for all of their weddings and—”
“No, you don’t,” Rowe broke in. “If we decide to get hitched, we’re doing the Vegas thing.”
That was an excellent idea. “Oh! Have you seen where you can skydive into the city and—”
“Why the hell would we do something like that? Skydiving for fun somewhere out in the desert, yeah, but into a wedding?” Rowe scrunched his nose, obviously perplexed.
“Sure! You can wear tuxedos even.”
Rowe rolled his eyes. “Way too much fuss. I meant just the two of us. Running off.”
Ian noticed Noah watching Rowe with his mouth open. Apparently, they’d never discussed anything of the sort because he wasn’t even trying to hide his shock. Ian couldn’t help but be surprised Rowe had brought it up, too. He knew his friend was nowhere near ready to be married again, but the fact he would even discuss it meant his feelings for Noah ran deep. Ian had a feeling they always had—before he’d met Mel, even. “What’s the fun in just the two of you running off?”
“Lots of sex,” Noah chimed in.
Snow was nodding. He obviously understood that part. This time Ian rolled his eyes.
“You’ll work on them,” Hollis murmured into his ear before dropping a kiss right behind it. He picked up his fork with his right hand, still holding Ian’s with his left.
Ian was right-handed but didn’t care. He picked up his champagne glass and held it up.
“To our family,” he said.
Flutes rose as everyone repeated his words and they clinked their glasses one by one.
Nine years ago, he’d been caught in a nightmare and rescued by a few men who’d seen something in him that he might never understand. They’d taken him away, given him a home, and helped him create a new life. A fantastic new life. Together, the four of them had made a family, and now there were four more.
Each and every man in the room was an integral part of that world. As he looked around and realized that they were finally free of the burden of his past, he could only smile.
He was, indeed, the luckiest man on Earth.