Happily Ever After?? (Third in the Through The Dark And Free series)

Chapter 29

Julie walked outside onto the back patio and handed Marcus and Harry a beer.  It was now mid January, and they had been back in LA for about a month.  It was a mild January evening so Harry had started a fire in the fire pit after dinner, and the three of them were now sitting out there enjoying the clear sky and the fresh air.  Julie had to use the bathroom, something she was doing quite frequently now, so she'd agreed to grab the beers on her way back out.  Marcus had come over to help Harry rearrange the nursery furniture earlier that day and hung around after.  It was taking some time, but Julie was getting used to the fact that Harry and Marcus seemed to be becoming pretty good friends on their own.  It had been Harry who called and asked for Marcus's help, not her.

"I know this is happening more often lately, but it still takes me a minute to realize I'm not dreaming every time I come out and see the two of you spending time together voluntarily."  Julie said as she placed a beer in each of their hands and then lowered herself and her much larger baby bump onto the sofa next to Harry.  Both men were completely relaxed back, Harry on the sofa to her left and Marcus on the chair to her right.

Harry took a drink of his beer and laughed.  "Hey, you have good taste in friends.  It was only a matter of time until I just had to accept it."

"Yeah, husbands too, I guess."  Marcus chuckled.  "Seems you have the best of both worlds, so you should just accept it, and stop worrying about it."

"Oh, she always worries when things start to go well."  Harry advised Marcus.  "She'll learn."  When Julie pulled the blanket up over her, he rested his hand on her knee.

"I'm just a little cautious about it.  A little bit afraid of it."  Julie laughed.  "Sorry.  But it's nice.  I like the two of you getting along.  I mean, I'd worry more if it was Jaime spending more time with Harry, but I guess since it's you, Marcus, it's ok."

"Hey!"  Both Harry and Marcus said at the same time and then laughed.

"Already in tune with each other."  Julie laughed and shook her head.  She pulled out her phone when it started ringing.  "It's my mom.  I'll take it inside. Behave while I'm gone."  She got up and answered the call as she walked into the house.

Harry watched Julie as she walked inside and slid the door closed behind her.  "Well, I guess she isn't wrong.  Things have changed pretty quickly.  But, thanks for your help today.  It was all set up, but then the wife thought it was all in the wrong place."

"Anytime.  And yeah, we don't want to irritate the wife.  Especially now.  Although, I think most things ended up back, or at least close, to where they started."  Marcus chuckled.  "I did get a good dinner out of it though."

"Yeah, well, Julie did work with the designer.  But I think she wanted to have it where we had our hands in it.  I understand, so, it didn't bother me.  It was great to have some help with the heavy lifting though.  Plus, sometimes a little buffer right now is nice."  Harry admitted.

"Oh, so she can get irritated with me instead of you?  I see how it is."  Marcus laughed as he took a drink of his beer.

"Hey, you can go home whenever you want.  Plus, she likes you.  Sometimes more than me."  Harry sighed and rested his arm across the back of the sofa.

"Well, maybe sometimes."  Marcus admitted.  Julie was right.  It sometimes took him a minute to realize what was happening as well, but he and Harry seemed to be making their own friendship out of this circumstance.  Julie was still his main concern, but Harry was a good guy, and he hadn't been surprised to receive his call this morning asking for help with the nursery, and it was nice to be needed.  "Besides, it could have been Jaime instead."