23. Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Three
Aaron
“Are you sure we can pull this off?” I ask as Jacob throws in another couple packs of gummy sharks.
“Absolutely.”
I chew my lip, unsure because we haven’t spent much on this party, if anything at all. But Jacob said five thousand was outrageous for a party, and insisted we could do it for less.
“I don’t think your dad wants a CEO who will spend all his money.
Companies like employees who can save them money so they make more profit.
” That’s what he said. I am inclined to disagree because most of the men I know in this business love to spend money on things they or their properties don’t need.
Speaking of properties, I should probably touch base with Marta today, just to see how things are going back in LA. I make a mental note to text her later.
“It just doesn’t seem like a lot,” I say, looking at our cart full of supplies.
“We’ve got enough for the sandwiches and salads and the shark-cuterie trays,” he says.
I laugh at his play on charcuterie. It’s childish and cute, but it’s also kind of creative.
“And we still have to pick up the seafood for the boil. So there’s that.”
I nod as I push the cart while he loads some cases of soda pop and seltzer water into the cart.
“And we have to get your suit,” I say with a smirk.
“My what, now?” He turns to raise an eyebrow at me.
“Tonight’s party. You need a suit. I’m pretty sure you didn’t pack one.”
His expression turns panicked. “Shit, I forgot about that. You don’t have to buy me a suit, you know. I have dress pants and—”
“It’s okay, baby. I got you covered.” I wink at him, and he blushes, and I have to focus on him and not the fact I’m suddenly getting hard in the damn grocery store.
Seriously, this man is going to kill me. It’s like I can’t keep anything together when he’s in the same room with me. I love it.
I love him.
I meant what I said. I know I hired him, and in just a few days he’ll be done with this job, but…
What if I want more than this job? What if I want him ? For good?
I know I have to tread carefully. Jacob may have said those words, too, but they were in the heat of the moment, and I’m not entirely sure he meant them the way I did. People say lots of things when they get all keyed up in the middle of sex.
He didn’t say those words last night, at Daisy’s. Even after I poured my heart out to him. He hasn’t said those words since we had sex, so I’m starting to think maybe they were just a heat of the moment thing.
Which is why I should probably reel my heart in a bit with Jacob. I don’t know how he feels about this.About me. Us. I don’t think it’s just a job to him anymore, but I’m not sure if he’s all in on the idea of more, either.
For starters, there is still the issue of the forty grand hanging between us. I intend to give him every penny, and a tip, of course, because this is his job, but…
Will Jacob want to spend time with me after the check cashes? Off the books completely? If money is off the table, will he still want me ?
We should probably have a conversation about that, but every time I think about it, I can’t breathe. Like the words are choking me.
Because what if the answer is no ?
What if he’s no different from the men I’ve dated over the years? The ones who only wanted me for my money and nothing more?
What if I’m too far gone in Jacob and this illusion we’ve created? What if it’s not real, like I think it is?
I don’t know if I can take that kind of rejection. I don’t know if I can take that hard of a truth.
We finish up our grocery shopping, our total coming to a cool fifteen hundred. Thankfully, we don’t have to pick up the boil until tomorrow, which buys us some time to get to Sal and get Jacob a suit for tonight.
I know Garrett’s choice of venue was deliberate, which is why I had gone last night with Jacob. I needed to erase the memories of Garrett and I and there was only one way to do that.
To take Jacob to the place where it started. Daisy’s.
I saw the way Garrett was looking at him last night, and I didn’t like it.
I know what he’s trying to do. Setting his party at the place we used to hook up at during those college summers?
Making eyes at my date. He’s trying to get in my head.
Trying to manipulate me so I’ll choke and he can take this job from my hands because he knows it's what I want, and if there’s one thing Garrett loves more than himself, it’s being the winner.
I used to think we understood each other because of that. But now I’m not so sure I ever understood Garrett Tempest at all.
When we get back to the house, it’s practically lunch time.
Everyone’s cars are lined up and I can smell the food out on the veranda wafting over to us.
We make good time putting our food and supplies away before heading out onto the deck, to see the veranda has been decked out with twenties style black and gold accents.
There’s a champagne fountain, a large table set with canapes and appetizers, and there’s a live band playing jazz.
Everyone is tucked into their couches and chairs, and my dad and Rob are drinking and laughing.
“Well, if this is lunch, I hate to see what the dinner is like,” Jacob says beside me.
“It’s going to be ten times as tacky, because Garrett has no class,” I say bitterly.
I lead us to the table to grab something to eat, choosing a spot under the gazebo away from everyone else. But it seems that’s not enough because my mother finds a spot next to us.
“How’s the book coming?” she asks.
“What?” Jacob stiffens beside me.
“The book. Did Jackson figure out his feelings for Arthur yet? Have you worked out how you’re going to finish it?”
I blink, looking between them.
“The characters in my book,” he says, nudging me.
“Right, your contemporary gay romance.”“Um… I think we’re entering the third-act breakup, actually,” he says.
My mother’s eyes water. “Oh no! Why?”
Jacob shifts in his seat next to me. “Well, books have to follow a structure, right?” he says softly. “You can’t have a happy ever after without some strife. Something’s got to happen to keep you reading.”
She dismisses him with a wave.
“Not all books have to stick to the formula, Jacob. Sometimes it’s good to be different.”
He bristles. “Maybe. But readers like knowing what they’re getting before they get it. If they pick up a fake dating book, they know there will be miscommunication and a third act breakup where one realizes his feelings aren’t fake.”
He looks at his plate, his body tense.
“You okay?” I ask.
He turns to me, then my mother. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just uh… not feeling all that hungry.”
He gets up and moves away, and I glare at my mother.
“What the hell was that all about?” I bite at her as I get up to go after him.
“Nothing, I was just curious how his writing was going. We had a lovely discussion about it the other day and—”
“Maybe he hasn’t worked it all out yet,” I snap. “Did you ever think of that? Maybe he doesn't want to give away his whole story.”
My mother purses her lips.
“I was just making conversation, Aaron. Don’t get so defensive.”
“I’m not defensive, I—”
My mother offers me a smile.
“I think it’s lovely that you are. Shows you care.”
I glare at her.
“It’s nice, you know. Seeing you care about someone.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ve cared about a lot of people, Mom. You and Dad just never seem to—”
“You have entertained a lot of people, Aaron. You have never cared .”
“You don’t know anything about my relationships, Mom. And that’s because you sided with dad instead of me.”
“It’s not about sides, Aaron.”
“Yes, it is,” I bite. My skin feels warm, and I know it’s not from the outside heat. “You never backed me up.”
The words leave me of their own volition. They are sharp and brutal and truer than any I’ve spoken before.
“Because I wanted more for you,” she bites. “You deserved more than those silly little boy toys you paraded around just to piss your father —and I— off. And don’t tell me for a second you didn’t, because I know you, Aaron. I know you better than you think I do.”
I get up. “I’m not doing this with you.”
“Aaron—”
I walk away, heading for the house to grab the keys because I need to get out of here. I move to find Jake so we can go to Sal’s and grab his suit.
“Jake!” I call out, looking for him. I don’t get an answer. “Jake!” I try again, bellowing louder this time. Nothing.
Panic strikes me. No, he wouldn’t have left me. Not like this, not—
I hurry through the house, checking all the rooms—until I get to the hallway, where I hear music blaring.
Taylor Swift.
But it’s not coming from my room. It’s coming from the other end of the hall.
I slowly saunter down, the music getting louder and louder as I go. When I come to a closed door. Lola’s room.
I knock, but no one answers, so I open the door to see Lola standing in front of her ring light, dressed in a sequin body suit, and Jacob behind her. They both look at me like they’ve seen a ghost.
“What are you doing in here?” I snap, though I’m not sure who my anger is directed at. Or where it’s coming from.
“Filming a TikTok, duh,” Lola says as if it’s the easiest thing in the world to understand.
Jacob looks at me curiously.
“With my boyfriend?”
Lola giggles. “Um, yeah. He said he’d help me the other day, but you know, you two have been attached at the hip, so I had to get my time where I could.”
Jacob laughs as I cross my arms.
“Well, we need to go,” I say, glancing at him. “We have to pick up his suit, so play time is over.”“Aaron, come on,” Jacob says, giving me a soft look. “It’ll take us, like, five minutes.”
It takes everything in me to not huff and puff like an agitated bull. First, this bullshit with my mother, now Lola thinks my boyfriend is her new bestie, and don’t even get me started on this bullshit with Garrett, and I haven’t forgotten my father’s words from yesterday, either.
If you don’t somehow fuck it up.
“Fine,” I bite. “I’ll be in the living room.”