Chapter Eight
RYDER
The week following the disastrous event at my parents’ house was sublime.
I meant what I said that I’d stick with the CEO gig for the next few weeks, until school began, to ease the transition to a new head of the company, but when I arrived at work Monday morning, a red-faced security guard who couldn’t meet my eye met me at the executive parking lot.
He informed me I no longer had access to the building and asked me to hand over my credentials, which I did without argument despite a swift rise in my temper.
The poor guy had no clue about the Calloway family drama and only did what his superiors asked.
Giving him a hard time wouldn’t serve either of us well.
So, I’d handed over my ID badge and office keys while thanking him for his loyalty to the company. Then I left. A quick call to my university advisor undid the email I’d sent and retracted my deferment request. I’d start my master’s program the same day Alex began his next trimester.
And that was that. I was free and clear to begin my new life.
After being denied access to the office, I drove straight back to my penthouse, where I’d left a sleeping Alex alone in bed. We fucked on and off for the rest of the day, spending more time together than we had in the past two months.
Over the rest of the week, we fell into a routine I loved. Days were spent fucking, working out, and hanging with the kids at the community center. Alex visited with his mom each day, and when he went to work at night, I would swing by and help with whatever she needed around the house.
I only ran into Kenny once as he was on his way out the door, which pissed me the hell off.
Alex’s brother was lazy, ornery, and didn’t seem to give a shit about his mother or Alex.
As much as the guy irked me, I kept my mouth shut about it around Alex.
What would be the point in bringing it up?
Alex knew who and what Kenny was. Complaining about him would only make Alex feel worse about a situation that already plagued him.
I would better spend my time helping Nicole and Alex as much as I could.
Most nights, I would bring her a small gift, such as flowers, a dessert, or a Precious Moments figurine, because she’d been collecting them since childhood, according to Alex.
I fully pushed the limits with what he’d allow me to buy for him and his mom.
Most of the time, I’d ‘forget’ to tell him if I purchased a gift or replaced something broken in his home.
When he started to catch on to my sneaky ways, I could easily distract him with a stellar blow job.
An idea had been brewing in my head for the past few days.
One that would make life easier for both Alex and Nicole, but I had to proceed with caution.
I knew my stubborn boyfriend and how he reacted in most situations, so I had to play my cards carefully.
He wasn’t one to ask for help or accept it if freely offered.
But that was something to mull over another day.
Tonight, I planned to surprise Alex at work.
My buddy, Turko, was in town for the weekend, and we’d reserved a VIP table at Top Shelf.
Turko and I met in undergraduate school before he was drafted by the NHL.
He dreamed of playing hockey for Boston and had been drafted right out of college, but Denver drafted him instead.
We got together whenever his team traveled to Boston.
It was thanks to Turk and his desire to check out the most prominent gay nightclub in Boston that I reconnected with Alex after not seeing him for years.
Though back then, we weren’t exactly excited to be in the same room.
Remembering the look on his face when he realized he’d be serving me drinks that night always made me laugh.
The poor guy probably wanted to smash a bottle over my head rather than pour it for me.
But we’d turned that animosity around and were now disgusting and couldn’t keep our hands off each other, according to my sister, Vera.
She’d huffed and proclaimed us intolerable to hang out with last time she came over.
Fine by me. I had no problem spending all my time with Alex, and I was happy to do so.
I exited the penthouse elevator in my building and strode toward the exit, where the doorman held the door for me. “Thank you, John,” I said, holding my fist for him to bump. He did, but followed it with a, “Have a fun evening, Mr. Calloway.”
I rolled my eyes but allowed the formality. No matter how many times I’d told—begged—him to use my first name, I remained Mr. Calloway.
“Yo! Damn, brother, it’s good to see you!” Turk hopped from the back of a black Cadillac SUV with his massive arms spread wide as he charged toward me.
“Shit, man,” I said as he slammed into me and nearly took us to the ground. “You’re like a damn tank. What are they feeding you out there in Colorado?” We hugged and slapped each other’s backs.
“It ain’t the food, man, the NHL workouts are killer. I’ve packed on almost twenty-five pounds of pure, grade-A muscle.” He released me and flexed his biceps, which I had to admit were damn impressive.
“Dayum.”
Turk chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay away from your guy. Wouldn’t want to make you feel threatened, being all scrawny and shit.” He squeezed my arm, which, I admit, couldn’t hold a candle to his, though scrawny was a bit of an exaggeration.
“Fuck off,” I said with a laugh as I shoved him away or tried to shove him. He didn’t budge an inch. “Not all of us need to look like the damn Hulk to snag a man.”
He laughed out loud, drawing the attention of curious passersby. Turk’s booming laugh never failed to earn stares. “Shit, let’s get in the car before someone recognizes me.”
I snorted. “Ego’s as big as it ever was, I see.”
Turk flipped me off just as an inquisitive, “Ryder?” rang out behind me.
Corvin. Shit. Guilt wormed its way into my stomach.
I’d ignored his last few calls and only responded to his texts with short replies, letting him know I was busy this week.
Alex and I spent this week wrapped up in each other, and I hadn’t wanted to tear myself away from him long enough to answer my damn phone, especially after I’d missed an important dinner with Alex, spending that time with Corvin instead.
It was something I’d feel guilty about for a while and motivated my mild ghosting of my friend, but that wasn’t Corvin’s fault.
He had no idea the minefield he’d stumbled into.
I turned. “Hey, Corvin. Good to see you, man.”
He looked slender and elegant as always, dressed like a J.Crew model in a yellow polo shirt, gray shorts, and olive-green loafers. Glancing between Turko and me, Corvin frowned. “I swung by your office to bring you dinner and was told you no longer work there.”
Awesome.
The guilt tripled, but not because I’d failed to inform Corvin of my career change, but because he’d been so confident I’d miss yet another dinner at home, he’d felt justified in showing up unannounced.
Again.
If I had a romantic interest in him and I were single, I’d be considered sweet, but I had a boyfriend I very much loved, and I hadn’t encouraged Corvin to surprise me with dinner tonight or any night.
“Yeah, I told my father I was done. I’ll be starting a master’s program in education in a few weeks.”
“No shit? Damn, man, that’s what I like to hear. ‘Bout fucking time you told your old man where to stick it with that stuffy-assed job.” Turko whacked me on the back, a huge grin stretching his mouth. “Good for you, brother.”
Unfortunately, Corvin didn’t react with the same enthusiasm. His frown deepened. “Education?” He shook his head. “I had no idea you were interested in that. I thought the plan was to take over your father’s company.”
Giving my shoulder a shake, Turko seemed unaware of the awkward tension brewing between Corvin and me. “Man, this guy is amazing with kids. You should see the way they worship him at the youth center downtown. You still volunteering there?”
I nodded.
“Nice! Wait a second…” Turko shook me again. “Didn’t I always say you’d make the best teacher? Holy shit, am I the one who gave you the idea to go into education?”
I chuckled as I shook my head. “I shouldn’t tell you this because your head is big enough as it is, but yes, man. You are the one who planted the seed.”
“Woo-hoo!” Turko did a dance not unlike his on-ice goal-scoring dance. “Proud of you, man. Proud of me.”
I laughed again, slugging him in his rock-hard shoulder. “Of course, you’d find a way to make this about you. You’re an idiot.”
A throat cleared. Corvin, right. We stopped goofing around and faced my friend, whom I’d have to have a serious sit-down with soon.
I’d made it clear to him months ago that Alex was the man I wanted and could only offer Corvin friendship.
At the time, he’d said that was what he wanted from me, too, though I hadn’t fully believed it.
Neither had Alex.
With the wounded-puppy look he now wore, I wondered if he’d been flat-out lying that day. He was a good friend, and I’d hate to have to end that, but I couldn’t continue hanging out with him if he was always hoping I’d show up and announce a breakup with Alex.
Never happening. Not if I had my way.
“Hey, man, if you’re not doing anything, why don’t you come with us?” Turko stepped toward Corvin with his beefy hand extended. “I’m Turko, by the way. Went to undergrad with this one.” He thumbed over his shoulder in my direction.
“Nice to meet you, Turko. My name’s Corvin. We knew each other at college as well. I think I’ve see you around sometimes. Where are you guys going?” Corvin asked as he shook Turko’s much larger hand.
Dammit, Turko. The last thing I wanted was to show up at Top Shelf with Corvin in tow, but I couldn’t tell him no without being a total ass. “We’re going to Top Shelf. Alex is working tonight, and I wanted to surprise him.”