Soon enough, everyone had arrived.
Victor leaned back in his chair, a can of beer in hand, watching the grill smoke curl into the afternoon air.
Joey sat beside him with his own drink, talking between sips.
Ash and Ty were nearby, relaxed and smiling, part of the easy rhythm that settled over the group.
Damon nursed a beer as well, but it was light and slow. No one here planned to drink too much.
It wasn't that kind of gathering. Just something calm. Something to mark a moment.
Music played quietly from a speaker on the patio. Nothing loud, just enough to sit under the conversation and laughter.
The men stayed near the grill, seated in the shade by the pool. The sun was starting to dip low, casting a golden glow over the backyard.
Ava and Theo ran across the thick green grass in bursts of joy, their small legs unsteady but fast, weaving through each other like it was their own world.
