“I mean, yeah. I’m fine. Just a little anxious, I guess. It’s a big trip. I had to put a lot of things in motion to make sure my business continues to run smoothly in my absence. It’s just a lot. I’m not used to so much…chaos.”

“Chaos?” Jared questioned. “Most people would call it an adventure.”

“I know. I’m trying to embrace that. Embrace the uncertainty.”

“I get it. Me and mom talked about it, too. She says that you shared some things with her while we were in Charleston that may have led to this.”

A scoff escaped me before I could rein it in. “Yeah, that trip to Charleston kinda highlighted the fact that my life has been on pause for a while. And when I got back, seeing you with Bran and noticing that almost everyone around me was settled and happy really drove it home for me.”

“So, that’s why you’re going to Costa Rica? To find a wife?”

I laughed but took a moment to give that some thought. “I’m going to Costa Rica to find my fucking self, but if I find a wife in the process, that’ll be a bonus.”

“Well, I hope it works out for you, Tomás. I mean, I’m still pissed that you’re leaving, and I’m gonna miss you, but I hope you find what you’re looking for down there. It’s been unnerving to have the most optimistic guy I know lose that.”

“I know. Thanks, Jay,” I said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

The patio door slid open behind me, drawing everyone’s attention to Tomika, who was hanging on the door jamb. “So I really hate to be that guest, but a bitch is hungry. Is that deep-fried turkey ready or nah?”

Jared rolled his eyes and lifted the lid to check the temp on the turkey. “Tell my lovely wife that we can serve dinner in thirty minutes.”

Brandi had really gone all out with the decorations. The dining room was festooned with cornucopias, decorative corn, fake fall leaves, and little turkey nameplates. She’d seated me next to Tomika. The leggy young doctor flirted shamelessly throughout the whole meal. I wasn’t a man who was unaccustomed to this sort of attention, but I felt weird about it since Darcy. Like I was cheating or inviting attention that would make someone think I was single, which was ridiculous. I was single. No promises were made between the two of us that night, but I still felt like I was hers.

“Ahem!” Brandi stood up after clearing her throat and tapped her fork against her wine glass. “Can I have everyone’s attention? I’d like to say a few words.”

I set down my fork, wiped my mouth, and gave my attention to the hostess.