Chapter Nineteen #2
“Think you can handle what you saw in my profile?”
“I’ve been handling things like it since before you were born. Of course I can.”
“For sure. I’ll check in with you when my shift ends then…unc.”
Jaylen unpropped the door and stepped into the hallway.
I handed him a twenty-dollar tip and a bookmark that had my name, book covers, and social media QR code on it.
I gently closed and locked the door. Initially flattered that a younger guy like Jaylen matched with me on an app, his calling me “unc” threw me for a loop and deflated my ego boost. Maybe I shouldn’t have thrown in the “before you were born” comment.
It was to-be-determined if I’d invite Jaylen back to my room when he was done with work or if I’d put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door handle and get a good night’s rest.
Which reminded me.
“I hope you don’t mind me eating while we talk,” I said when Dustin answered. I had just taken a bite of the thick end of a wing-ding drumette slathered in ranch. “I’m starving.”
“Not at all, Renny. I know you’re out doing your author thing. How you doing?”
“All good here,” I said, even though I didn’t feel all good about my life and was this close to seeking validation from another young service worker when dinner and this call was over.
“Heading back to Detroit after a few days away. What about you? What’s the urgency with the calls and voicemails? Emphasis on the multiple?”
“I know—old school. Sorry. But I was talking with Taylor about your job situation, and he wanted to connect with you about an opportunity.”
“Talking about my situation? With your partner? What situation is that?”
“Unemployed. No book deal. A situationship with a young ninja in your home you’re about to head to but don’t really want to,” Dustin said. “You know, the taxes, trials, and tribulations of adulting, as Jade and Keia say on that Gettin’ Grown podcast.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dustin,” I said, finishing off the rest of the wing in one bite. “Why did I come up?”
“The award, duh. Let me grab Taylor to explain.”
While Dustin left the laptop, I turned off my laptop camera.
I opened the chicken Caesar salad, dipped my fork in, and took a few bites.
I wanted to enjoy a bit of it while it had crunch and before it wilted.
I could toss the wings in the microwave after talking with Dustin and Taylor and maybe after entertaining Jaylen.
Unc?
“Do I look like a fucking uncle?” I said out loud, thinking about Jaylen’s greeting to me. That, along with Dustin’s words, about being unemployed, not having a book deal, Antoine, and not wanting to head to the home where Antoine was taking up space, ran through my mind.
“We’re all uncles,” I heard Dustin say as he and Taylor filled the screen. “We’re the ones planning the barbecues these days.”
I turned on my laptop camera again.
“Oh shit,” I said. “I mean, shoot. I didn’t know I said that out loud. The guy who delivered my room service punctuated his exit by calling me unc. I guess I’m a little self-conscious about it.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Taylor said. “We’re definitely uncs, especially if your birth year starts with nineteen rather than twenty. A lot of people would be grateful to have made it to uncle status. But anyway. How are you, Renny?”
Dr. Taylor James, Dustin’s partner, was a university president.
He was also, I learned in Missouri, the person who Brent reported to, as they worked on the same campus in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Talk about worlds colliding. I didn’t know how to address him, even though he was Dustin’s partner, so I erred on the formal side every time I hopped on a call with Dustin and Taylor joined us, or was just in the background.
This, even though we were all around the same age.
“I’m good, Dr. James,” I said. “And you?”
“I always tell you, Renny. Call me Taylor.”
“Okay.”
“Anyway, I livestreamed the awards banquet where you and my athletics director, Brent King, got recognized. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
“I don’t have a lot of time, so let me get to the point,” Taylor said matter-of-factly. “I was impressed with what I heard about you during the ceremony. I love that you and Brent went to school together.”
“Thanks. Small world. I know.”
“Anyway, I have a grant fund I need to spend down before the fiscal year ends, and I wanted to use it on having someone capture human interest stories about notable people on our campus for our upcoming 125th anniversary. People like Brent. You’re a writer, Dustin’s told me you need work, and I thought why not solve two problems with one job?
One remote job until I can figure out something more permanent that’s not on grant funds that might get you out to California.
Interested in being part of the C.U. Bay Area family? ”
A sympathy job was not on my bingo card.
With enthusiasm, Dustin said, “I think you should take it, Renny. Apparently, all Brent has been talking about whenever he meets with Taylor is ‘Renny this,’ ‘Renny that,’ ‘Renny walks on water,’ ‘Renny makes the world go round.’ Isn’t that right, Taylor?”
“You’ve definitely made an impression on Brent,” Taylor said.
“The way his eyes and face light up when he talks about you. I’m talking too much.
Anyway, I need to run and sign a bunch of employee evaluations.
But think it over. Dustin will let you know how to get in touch with me.
It’s just temporary, but it’ll help both of us out.
And will get you closer with your classmate Brent. Later.”
When Taylor was out of the screen, I whisper-yelled at Dustin, “What the hell did you tell Taylor about my life? What you and I talk about is between us.”
“Bruh, Taylor and I don’t keep no secrets from each other.
We’re not that kinda couple. And especially if I’m going to work a favor for you with my man.
He gets critiqued all the time for every decision he makes as campus president, so I had to tell him everything so he could make the best decision about what I put forth. ”
“I see. Does he know that you and I once…”
“He knows we tried dating a few times in Chicago and that you used to suck my dick on occasion. And it’s never come up anymore. In the past, like we agreed.”
“Oh my goodness,” I said, swallowing a healthy sip of wine. “This is so fucking embarrassing.”
“Renny. Chill. It’s not a big deal to Taylor.
We’re in our forties. We had lives before we met,” Dustin said, hunching his shoulders like it really wasn’t a big deal.
“Besides, as a presidential spouse, I had to do both the campus and the partner background check so there were no surprises popping up that could derail Taylor’s job. ”
“I didn’t know Taylor knew about us. I’m weirded out now.”
“Don’t worry about it. You’re my friend, and our past is our past. Taylor’s my partner. I’ma work my connections to help you out.”
Of course, I thought, partners over friends, bros over hos. That’s the way it should be with romantic relationships and platonic friendships. Since I hadn’t been in a serious relationship in Lord knows how long, I hadn’t had to think about the rules of engagement that govern couples.
“Point taken.”
“Besides, it got you a temp job, and I’ma Zelle you some money to get you through a few months. And don’t be spending it on that YN crashing at your place.”
“I won’t.”
“Make Antoine figure out how to stop being dependent on your hospitality and your place,” Dustin said. “Anyone waking up at four in the afternoon and staying up till six in the morning ain’t looking for a job.”
“I know. I know.”
“If we can get you out to California, it’ll force him to figure out what he needs to do without you as his only support.”
“Thanks. I guess. I appreciate you looking out for me.”
I took another long sip of wine as I pondered Dustin’s words. I was thankful for his tough love and thoughtful friendship, things family and good friends did for each other.
“Before I let you go, can I ask you a question, Renny?”
“Of course.”
“What’s with Brent’s fascination with you and this awards banquet? I swear, like every day Taylor’s coming home telling me something new Brent said about you. What happened in Missouri?”
I smirked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mm-hmm. You and Brent fucked around, didn’t you?”
“I won’t confirm or deny.”
“Mm-hmm. That’s your right. Well, whatever happened in Missouri, old boy is fascinated, and dare I say smitten.”
“Smitten? What kind of black-and-white movie life are we in?”
“Okay. Maybe I should have said he’s crushing on you. Just a little vocabulary word I’ve picked up from Taylor. Anyway, let’s connect soon. And I promise you Taylor will figure out a way to get you out to California.”
After we hung up, I thought about Brent’s face lighting up when talking about me and his apparently being fascinated and smitten with me.
It was flattering. It opened up more questions for me.
Questions I couldn’t get answers to until Brent and I connected again.
I had yet to keep my promise to stay in touch with Brent post-reunion.
If I took the remote assignment offered to me, it would force us into proximity.
Would that open the door to more? Could we even go there again?
Was I being silly to ponder the possibilities?
After more than twenty years, was it me or the memory of past me that captivated Brent?
If Brent and I were going to consider a second chance reunion and have something grown-up like Dustin and Taylor, I’d have to make some changes in my life. What would sustain us today?
With too many questions floating in my mind for something that hadn’t yet come to be, I decided a quick fling with Jaylen, as tempting as it was, wasn’t the answer I needed.
I didn’t need an Antoine 2.0, messing around with another attractive hotel or convention center worker.
It wasn’t going to bring me anywhere closer to where I wanted to be.
I closed my laptop, drew the curtains shut, turned off the sex app I matched with Jaylen, and put the Do Not Disturb sign outside my door.
After putting the leftover food in the fridge, I climbed into the comfortable hotel bed and pulled out my phone to text Brent.
Hey there. What’s up? How’s it going? So, it looks like we’re going to be working together.