Chapter Seven
“This is taking longer than I thought,” Nick muttered to Zach as they waited for the entrees to arrive. There were few servers in evidence, and he was starting to get a bad feeling.
Zach leaned in. “Hey, they said they could cope, right?”
“Sure, but that was before.” Nick tilted his head toward the window. “Have you seen it out there?” The glazing didn’t entirely cut out the shrill whistle of the wind, and it had worsened during the appetizer course. “What if they don’t have enough staff because no one can get here?”
“Worrying about it won’t change a thing.” Zach gave a nod toward Dad and Becky. “Do you see them worrying?” he said under his breath.
Despite his concerns, that made Nick smile. The newlyweds seemed oblivious. They sat facing Nick and Zack, the four of them on one table, and judging by their smiles, they were in their own little world. Nick envied them. To feel so deeply about someone that all you saw was them…
“At last.”
Nick jerked his head up at Zach’s words. A couple of servers had appeared, carrying full trays.
“See?” Zach expelled a breath. “It’ll be fine.”
“Two servers. Fifty guests. We’re not out of the woods yet.”
Zach narrowed his gaze. “You’re a glass-half-empty kinda guy, aren’t you?”
It was becoming apparent that Zach was an optimist.
The two servers came to their table first, one holding the tray while the other took plates from it and placed them on the table.
Dad beamed as he gazed at the roast chicken. “This looks great.”
“So does the server,” Zach murmured, staring at the young man in black who placed Becky’s course before her.
Nick looked up and grinned. Ooh, nice. “He’s a cutie, isn’t he?” he commented in a low voice. It wasn’t until Zach froze beside him that he realized what he’d said without thinking. Fuck.
Zach gave Nick an incredulous stare as the server walked away. “Excuse me?” His eyes widened.
Nick lowered his gaze to his plate, his heart hammering. “Wow, this looks really good.” He picked up his fork, but Zach snatched it from him. “Hey!” Nick glared at him. “How do you expect me to eat without a fork?”
“Don’t give me that.” Zach’s eyes were large and round. “Explain what you just said.”
From across the table, Becky cleared her throat. “I’d have thought that was obvious. Nick was agreeing with you that the server was cute.”
Nick glanced at her, unable to miss that twinkle in her eyes. Yeah, thanks for that, Becky.
Beside her, Dad chuckled. “Hey, whaddaya know about that? They’ve got similar taste in men too.”
Sure, Dad. Make it worse. Then Nick realized he was right.
“What the…?” Zach’s mouth fell open and a strangled noise came out. He gaped at his mom, then Dad, before turning in his seat to stare at Nick. “You’re gay?”
Before Nick could reply, Dad snorted. “Of course he’s gay. You don’t think he’d go around lusting after guys if he was straight, do ya?”
Zach jerked his head around so fast, Nick swore he’d give himself whiplash. “You knew he was gay?” he said to Becky. When she nodded, he sagged into his chair. “And you didn’t think to tell me that?”
“Why would she? That’s no one’s business but Nick’s,” Dad observed. His lips twitched. “But since he let the cat out of the bag…”
Becky coughed. “I don’t think this is the right place for this conversation, do you?”
Nick had been about to say the same thing.
Someone cleared their throat. “Mr. Brent?” The restaurant owner stood a few feet away.
Nick suppressed his relieved shudder.
Dad glanced up from his food. “Is there a problem?”
The owner cleared his throat again. “It’s just been announced.
The state has declared a snow emergency, and we need to close the restaurant.
” Dad’s eyes bulged, and the owner held up his hands.
“When your guests have finished their entrees, of course. Desserts will be boxed up and you can take them away with you. I’m sorry about this, but—”
“It’s okay,” Dad said. “It’s not your fault, right?” He patted Becky’s hand. “Not exactly the wedding day we had planned, honey.” His eyes gleamed. “But hey, at least it’ll be memorable. Wait until our twenty-fifth anniversary, when we can tell everyone about the great storm of 2019.”
She gave Dad such a warm glance that Nick was sorry he’d ever doubted her motives. “So we’ll still be going strong in our eighties?”
Dad kissed her hand. “You bet.”
“How about we continue the celebrations back at the hotel?” When Dad gave a little chuckle, she smacked his hand. “And that is not what I meant at all.” She gestured to their guests. “Now share the news.”
Dad got to his feet and clinked his fork against a wine glass. “Excuse me, everyone. Excuse me!”
Nick wasn’t paying any attention to Dad’s announcement. He was too busy trying to gauge Zach’s mood. Because it looked as if Zach was pissed.
But why? What difference does it make? He’s gay—why should he object to me being gay too?
Nick was confused as hell.
“Nick?”
He blinked. Becky was staring at him.
“Finish your meal,” Becky said in a calm voice. “Then we’ll need to work out how we’re getting back to the hotel, now that the weather’s worsened.”
Nick strove to get his head back on straight. “A lot of guests arrived in 4X4s. Maybe if we ask them to take extra passengers…” He could see to that. Anything not to have to sit next to Zach right then. Besides, he’d lost his appetite.
He got up and headed for the nearest table, ignoring the tightness in his chest and the roiling in his belly.
Why is this such a big deal?
It was a question he meant to pose to Zach as soon as they had a little more privacy.
“Okay, they’re all gone,” Nick confirmed, standing by the main door to the restaurant. All the guests were on their way back to the hotel, with only himself, Zach and the newlyweds remaining.
“My apologies again for the slow service,” the restaurant owner began.
Dad widened his eyes. “Hey, it wasn’t your fault. And we really did appreciate every effort you made.”
“Well, please accept this from us.” He handed Dad an envelope.
Dad opened it and smiled. “This is great, but you don’t have to do this.” He showed the vouchers to Becky. “Anytime we wanna come back here? Dinner is free, for up to five dates.”
“Aw, thank you!” Becky’s eyes sparkled.
Dad shook the restaurant owner’s hand. “Thanks. I hope all your staff gets home safely.”
“We’re taking your example,” the owner told him. “All public transportation is now in lockdown, so we’re car-sharing to make sure everyone gets to a safe place. Congratulations again, and my apologies again for how things turned out.”
Dad grinned. “Hey, we still managed to get married in the middle of a blizzard, so it’s not all bad news.” He met Nick’s gaze. “Think you can negotiate these roads?”
Nick was keeping everything crossed. “We need to go now.” He thanked the owner and held open the door for Becky, Dad, and Zach.
Outside, the snow fell heavily, but it had no chance to settle before the wind snatched it mid-fall, sending it in gusts along the street.
Nick took careful steps through the deep snow, leading the way to where the car was parked around the corner.
The roads were empty of traffic and people, and where the road sweepers had cleared earlier was already covered in a fresh layer of snow.
“Anyone for a snowball fight?” Dad joked as they followed Nick to the car.
“I’ve seen enough snow to last me a lifetime,” Becky murmured. “I plan on staying in that hotel for as long as they’ll let us.”
“How long will that be?” Zach asked. It was the first thing he’d said for a while.
“Until this has passed, of course.” That came out more brusquely than Nick had intended, but he was still ruminating about Zach’s reaction. For the life of him, he couldn’t see why Zach should be so pissed.
They reached the car, and everyone got in. Nick switched on the engine. “We’re going to take this slowly, okay?”
There were no arguments from his passengers.
They inched their way through the snow, the wipers working at maximum.
Strong gusts buffeted the vehicle, and Nick’s heart raced.
His first experience of being out in a blizzard, and he fervently hoped it would be his last. No one spoke as they edged toward the hotel, and Nick gave a relieved sigh when they turned the corner and saw the entrance to the parking garage.
“Made it.” He found an empty space and pulled into it. “I’m with you, Becky. I’m not moving from this hotel till we get the all-clear.”
They got out of the car and went toward the elevator.
“Do you boys want to join us in the bar for a drink?” Dad asked as they waited for it. “We’ve still got dessert to eat.” He grinned. “I’m not gonna let chocolate cheesecake go to waste.”
“I want to get out of my suit and take a shower.” But that’ll be after I have a few words with Zach. “We’ll join you for dinner, how’s that?” The we was deliberate. Zach was going nowhere until Nick had some answers.
Becky beamed. “That sounds great.” She took Dad’s hand in hers. “Then how about you and I eat our dessert in our room?”
Dad’s smile matched hers. “I’ll order champagne.”
The elevator arrived, and they got on. The pair gave them a cheery wave as they got off at the third floor. As soon as the doors closed, Nick fired the first shot. “Now will you tell me why me being gay is such a big deal?”
Zach blinked. “Are you kidding? It’s a huge deal.”
“But why? So what if I’m gay? How can it be such a big deal if you’re gay too?”
Zach rolled his eyes. “You wanna know why? Because I understood when I thought you were a homophobic dick. That explained the way you treated me. Now I find out you’re gay, and…
” He swallowed. “I don’t get it. Why the fuck would you treat me like I didn’t exist?
Why would you blank me, ignore my suggestions, sweep away every effort I made to help you?
” The doors opened, and Zach strode out, heading to their room.
Aw crap.
Nick followed him, speaking in a hushed voice. “It was the only way I knew of keeping you at arm’s length.” Even as he said the words, they sounded pitiful.
Zach stopped at their door and gaped at him. “But why would you want to do that?” He fumbled with his key card and dropped it. He and Nick went for it, and their heads collided with a solid bump. “Ouch.” Zach rubbed his forehead. “Christ, you’ve got a hard head.”
Nick retrieved the card and opened the door. As soon as they were safely inside, he shut it behind them, too far gone to pull back now. “Because if I was treating you like shit, you couldn’t see how much I fucking wanted you.” Christ, he was trembling, but he’d finally said it.
Zach froze. “What the fuck?” He swallowed. “What bullshit is this? You don’t want me. You don’t even like me.” His chest heaved. “Because if this is how you treat someone you find attractive…”
Nick’s heart pounded. “Fuck, this is difficult.”
“So try.” Zach stared at him. “Is this what you do in every branch you manage? Find someone you think is hot and then treat them like shit?”
He took a deep breath. “There were guys I appreciated for their looks, their humor, their intellect… You? There was something different about you. It… it scared me.”
Zach’s eyes widened. “What in the hell is there about me that would scare anyone?”
“I don’t know!” Nick fought to breathe evenly. “I found myself acting differently around you. I was always on the defensive. It was the only way I knew to protect both of us.”
Zach stilled. “I can protect myself, thank you very much.”
“You threw me for a fucking loop, okay?” Nick scraped his fingers across his scalp. “All the time I was acting so coldly toward you, I hated it, but I had no choice.”
“Yes, you did. You could’ve come right out and told me how you felt. Instead, there I was, beating myself up because I had the hots for my straight dick of a boss.”
“I… I’m not your boss, remember?” Nick’s mind struggled to grasp what Zach had confessed to. He had the hots for me?
Zach arched his eyebrows. “That’s all you’re going to say? I tell you I wanted you too, and the first thing you come out with is a reminder that you’re the Process Improvement Manager?”
Nick’s stomach was so fucking tight. “You don’t want me. You don’t even like me.”
Zach’s eyes were on fire. “Hey, don’t you fucking steal my words.”
“But you don’t! You’re cold, and brusque, and—”
“Do you fucking blame me? I’m just giving as good as I get.” Zach shook. “Because what’s the point in showing an interest in someone who acts like I’m not even there? Whose every word drips with hostility?”
“It was an act!” Nick hollered, his pulse speeding, heat flushing through him.
Zach gave a slow hand clap. “Bravo. You should get an Oscar for that performance.”
Nick struggled to breathe. He grabbed Zach’s wrists and held on tight.
“Just listen to me for a second.” Another steadying breath.
He locked gazes with Zach. “It doesn’t matter, okay?
So what if we both want each other? That doesn’t mean we can do anything.
We work together. There are rules.” There was a lump in his throat, and his stomach was like iron.
Zach caught his breath. “We’re not working now.”
What? “What do you mean?”
Zach pulled his wrists free of Nick’s grasp. “I mean, we’re not in the office now.”
“I don’t understand.”
A groan fell from Zach’s lips. “Fuck, do I have to spell it out?” And with that he grabbed Nick’s shoulders and yanked him closer, claiming his lips in a kiss that made Nick’s heart hammer and his toes curl.
Dear God, he can kiss.
Nick’s brain started working again. He pushed against Zach’s chest, forcing them apart. “Wait, stop. This is a bad idea.”
No, it really isn’t. Just shut the fuck up and go with it.
“Why?” Zach’s eyes blazed.
“Because we still have to work together. What about Monday, when we’re in the office?” Nick’s last-ditch attempt at being the practical one sounded lame even to him.
Zach’s hand was rough as he cupped the back of Nick’s head. “Fuck it. We’ll deal with that when we get there.” Then his tongue sought Nick’s, and all logical thought went out of the window.