8. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven
Weston
On my way to Bridges’ neighborhood, I stopped at a little specialty food shop in DUMBO—Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass—and asked the owner, a very nice woman named Ava, to suggest some moderately priced cheeses, sausages, crackers, and a bottle of wine, which were easier to maneuver on my bike than beer and pretzels.
I was wearing a backpack, but I had saddlebags, too.
Ava was quite helpful, paring samples of different cheeses and meats with a nice white wine that was within my budget—a few steps down from what my parents used to serve at their dinner parties, but tasty, nonetheless.
The samples she gave me had a lot of potential, and I hoped they were to Bridges’ liking.
I arrived at Eaton Cycles, my heart hammering nearly out of my chest. I was attempting to build a somewhat-fragile relationship with the owner of the business and the man of my dreams, and I was trying to be cautious about it.
The shadow of my father was ever present as I rode to Eaton Cycles, but I wanted to be more to Bridges than just Claude’s son. Having Bridges feel obligated because I was his mentor’s son wasn’t my goal.
I wanted Bridges to truly see me as someone he might want to... I couldn’t articulate precisely what I wanted him to see, but I knew it was something more than just a member of the Aames family. I wanted him to get to know me—Weston Aames—for the person I’d grown to be. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Bridges held the ability to tear me apart, though I was fairly certain he didn’t know it. I had to guard against giving him that power or I’d have my heart ripped from my chest.
There was an age gap between us that seemed to make Bridges uncomfortable, but I refused to allow his hesitancy to see me as an adult to be the wedge between us. The numbers he seemed to hold so precious were stupid.
God, it was all so fucked up. The life my parents lived verses what my father left behind for Mom and me.
My mother—who was so much stronger than I’d ever believed her to be—was making her own way in the world.
I was trying to mirror her courage, but I wasn’t sure I could make the cut. I was trying.
I parked my bike in front of Eaton Cycles and rang the bell at the front door. The woman I’d met before answered and smiled. “Hello, Mr. Aames. You’ll find Bridges upstairs in the apartment. You can bring your bike in if you’d like.”
She stepped aside so I could go into the building. I pushed down the kickstand and took off my helmet, hanging it over the handlebars. I turned to the woman, Alexis. “Thank you.”
“I’m sure you know the way up. Have a good evening.” What was that supposed to mean?
Without another word, Alexis grabbed her crossbody bag and slid her feet into expensive biking shoes before she guided a sleek, white Eaton Silver bike out of the studio and through the back door. I heard the lock turn before I slid off my own bike shoes and headed up the stairs in my socks.
As I arrived at the apartment door, I took off the backpack and knocked. My face heated as I tried to figure out what to say when the door opened.
Thankfully, Bridges’ smile put me at ease immediately when he appeared in front of me. “Hello. Happy Fourth of July. Come on in.”
“Thank you for the invite. I, uh, I brought some appetizers...sort of.”
I followed Bridges into the kitchen, where I opened the backpack and pulled out my purchases. I lined them up on the counter before glancing at the gorgeous man in front of me, happiness flooding my body when he smiled.
I put the bottle of pinot grigio on the island, and Bridges chuckled. “You didn’t have to do this, but I appreciate it. Uh, maybe we can have the food and wine after the fireworks?”
My face flushed. I hadn’t thought about drinking before riding to see the fireworks. “Oh, that’s a good idea. I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry.”
How could I not fucking think about drinking and then riding bikes to the Brooklyn Bridge? That was a disaster waiting to happen. You’re showing him how young and stupid you are, genius.
Bridges touched my shoulder. “This will be a nice treat after we get back. Thank you for thinking of it.”
He took the sausages and cheeses I’d brought and put them into his refrigerator, along with the wine. I nodded, feeling my face flush at his attention.
We shared a steak salad—lettuce, garden tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, croutons, and medium-grilled sirloin steak. The dressing was an amazing balsamic vinaigrette, and it was just enough.
“This is delicious. Where’d you learn to cook like this?” I wiped my mouth with a nice cloth napkin after I swallowed my last bite.
Bridges grinned. “The chef we had when I was growing up used to let me sit in the kitchen with her while she made meals for us. Dana taught me to make a few things once she was confident I wouldn’t burn down the house.”
I laughed. “Sounds like Renata, our former cook. When my mother married Claude while she was pregnant with me, she was food averse for quite a while. My father hired a cook so they didn’t starve, and he kept her on as I was growing up because Mom was busy with charity work.
From Renata, I learned to make a few things before going to college, but nothing like this. ” The steak he cooked was incredible.
“I’d be happy to, uh... Never mind. Should we go?” Bridges stacked the salad plates in the sink once we finished and turned to me with a big grin.
“I’ll be right back.” I stood from the table, carried over the rest of the dishes, and excused myself into the powder room down the hall.
How the fuck should I proceed? I knew what I wanted from Bridges, but how could I let him know without scaring him off? How damn dumb was I?
“The fireworks were pretty great, weren’t they?” Bridges asked as we biked back to his place.
We’d found a great place to watch the fireworks on the Brooklyn side of the river. There were other revelers around, though not as many as I’d expected. We sat on the grass and watched the show, which was incredible.
“They were. I haven’t seen the fireworks in years. I was away at college, and I didn’t come back to New York for summers a lot of the time.”
We arrived at his place and parked our bikes inside the studio. Bridges locked the door, and I followed him up the stairs to his apartment. “You ready for the wine and cheese, or do you need to go home because we were out longer than we thought?”
“I, uh... Mom’s at a party with friends in Manhattan, so nobody is expecting me. I’ve got time to hang out for a while. I can leave my bike, if that’s okay, and take an Uber later if I drink too much wine. I’ll come get it tomorrow so I have it for work on Monday.”
Bridges grinned. “No problem. Hell, you can stay if you’d like. No need to take an Uber back to Manhattan. Let’s sit, drink some wine, and eat the stuff you brought with you. Hell, I’m hungry again.”
I’d be damned if I could reject such an invitation. “Yeah, uh, that’s not a bad idea. I appreciate the offer. Do you have a cutting board?”
Sitting in the kitchen of my parents’ house, I’d witnessed Renata making charcuterie boards for my parents’ parties. I knew how to dress a board. It wouldn’t be as fancy as what my mother displayed at the parties, but I’d do my best.
Bridges’ kitchen was sparkling white with black counters and black and white floor tiles. It was exactly what I expected from him with a mostly masculine vibe. It was what I’d like to have for my own someday.
Bridges went to a cupboard and pulled out a nice bamboo board, placing it on the counter. “This okay?”
I nodded. “Knives?”
Bridges chuckled. “Make yourself at home. Look for what you need, West.”
I nodded and pulled out drawers, finding expensive knives and a wine key. “Mind opening the wine?” I offered the opener to him.
Rifling through the cabinets, I found two stemless white wine glasses, placing them on the counter. “So, uh, are you dating someone?” That doesn’t sound awkward at all.
Bridges had admitted he was divorced from a cheating husband, or so I remembered from the revelation at the reading of Dad’s will. I had no idea if Bridges was gay or bisexual. It didn’t matter, did it? I mean, my crush on him was a long time ago, wasn’t it? Not fucking really, genius.
I sliced the different cheeses and meats I’d bought, splaying them on the cutting board in a pattern I remembered from my parents’ parties.
I opened the crackers and filled in the empty spaces before going to the fruit bin in Bridges’ fridge to find an apple and a pear, slicing them to add to the board.
“That looks damn good, West. How are things going at work?” Bridges picked up a cracker and a slice of smoked gouda cheese, adding a slice of pear.
“Uh, they’re good. I’ve been working up to fifty miles a day. I mean, I’m not there yet, but I’m hoping it’ll be soon.”
I’d been riding as many miles a day as I could to reach my goal. My job wasn’t bad. The folks I worked with were cool. Most of our clients were nice, and occasionally I got a bagel or a donut when I dropped off packages. The folks who were clients of Superior Courier Services were very nice.
Bridges grinned. “Good for you. I have no doubt you’ll be up to more miles soon. Have you considered tackling the Empire State Trail? It’s from here to Albany. Seven hundred and fifty miles. It’s a good look at what to expect for your trip across the country.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Uh, sure. I mean, that would take a few days, right?”
The handsome man chuckled. “A few days? Seven to eight days if you can ride ten miles-per-hour. Five or six if you can ride faster.”
“So, I’ll need to take a week off from my job?” I didn’t know if they would give me the time, but it was worth the ask.
“Quit that fucking job, Weston. You can work for me more than the ten hours you’re doing now. How about Labor Day weekend? I’m taking out two prototypes to ride the Empire State Trail. Come with me.”
That surprised me. “Quit my job? I can’t quit my job, Bridges. I need the money. You want to take me with you on the ride to test the bikes?”
“Do you know the way on your own?” Bridges smirked at me.
“No, but I’m sure there are maps I could study.” I couldn’t believe he was planning to take me with him. How cool was he.
“I’ve ridden the trail a few times to test out new bikes.
I think it’ll be a good way for you to strategize the journey you’re about to undertake.
This is a short glimpse of what you’ll face going across the country.
It’ll help you figure out where you believe there might be weaknesses in your strategy. ”
I sucked in a breath. “Okay. Uh, will you... You’ll help me figure that out, right?” I grabbed a cracker and a piece of cheese, adding a slice of pear. After a bite, I brushed the cracker crumbs from my shirt.
“Of course I will.” Bridges picked up a cracker, stacking it with cheese, meat, and fruit before he bit into it.
“I know you have a lot of other things going on, but I appreciate any time you can give me.”
I’d been working in the bike shop with Alexis, mostly cleaning stuff so I could build hours for when I needed Bridges for my ride. I owed him two-for-one, and I was determined to give it to him.
Bridges sighed. “I’m happy to do anything I can to help you out.”
Was that the truth?