Chapter 38

Conley kissed him back, slowly at first before deepening it as he embraced Brian. The relief he felt was matched by pure joy. “How did I get so lucky, finding you,” he said long moments later.

Brian smiled, gesturing toward the painting. “I think you can blame it on him. He did set things up so we had to be together. Do you think he knew what would happen?”

“In the interests of full disclosure, weset it up when he found out he was dying. Did he have an ulterior motive in suggesting you? Perhaps. He often said, in his final days, that he wished I had someone in my life. Someone I really cared about as more than a means to an end. He couldn’t have known I’d fall in love with you, but he might have hoped I would.”

“Thank God he was right.”

“Thank allthe gods,” Conley replied with a grin.

“You’re a polytheist?”