Chapter Seventeen #2
Which was as it should be. And much better than listening to the pessimistic voice in his head that told him to take nothing at face value, that they could just as easily be espousing Geran garbage to try and persuade others that nothing had changed, that they didn’t like the idea of Fridans in charge of the school.
I can’t hear you. Jamie would have stuck his fingers in his ears but for the fact that it would have drawn weird glances from those around him.
He headed for the staff quarters. Dellan had told him to visit the infirmary, where Aelryn’s mate, Scott, was working, and he planned on doing that after lunch.
The staff bedrooms were in the oldest part of the school, with high ceilings and tall windows. His room was on the top floor and so far was the only one of four that was occupied. No one had thought to install elevators, so he figured the stairs would keep him fit .
Maybe I should look for a gym too. Someplace local. Not right away, though. He still needed to get back into a regular schedule of meals. Lauren had nailed it—he’d lost a lot of weight.
He passed teachers on their way down the stairs as he climbed, and everyone gave him a nod or a smile. Once he was inside his room, he closed the door and took a deep breath.
I have a home again. And when his stuff arrived, it would start to feel like a home.
His phone buzzed, and he smiled when he saw it was his dad.
“So, you finally got yourself a cell phone, huh?” Jamie said teasingly.
“Don’t even go there,” he growled. “I saw a little kid using one this morning. A kid , for God’s sake. That was the last straw. I got Orsini to take me to a store. An Italian phone will still work in the US, won’t it?”
Oh, bless him.
“Dad, it’ll work anywhere. Just change the SIM when you get back to the States.”
“The what? Never mind. How are you?”
“I’m fine.” Then he smiled. “Actually, I’m better than fine.” He told him his news.
“That’s awesome! I’m so happy for you. So I guess this means your life is finally coming together again.”
Almost . There were still a few holes to be filled.
One hole in particular.
“When do you get to look at whatever you found in the UK? And what time is it in Rome now? Dinnertime?”
“That’s right. And we’re going to the archive in the morning.” He paused. “To be honest, I’m a little nervous.”
“Dad, you’ve got this.” Jamie was in awe of his dad’s gifts.
“You don’t understand. What makes me nervous isn’t that I might not be able to glean anything from the artifacts, but rather how much we’re about to discover—or how little.
I’ve built this up in my mind, and if I go in there and find a thousand-year-old shopping list, I’m going to be a bit disappointed, you know? ”
“What does your gut tell you?” Jamie was trying to listen to his more and more.
Another pause, followed by a sigh. “That it’s going to be a helluva lot more than that. ”
“Hey, Dad? You want to sound like you’re living in the twenty-first century? We’d say hella more.”
“What? That sounds awful.”
“Here’s what I suggest. Get Orsini to take you, Seth, and Brick out for some delicious pasta—or even a pizza, because a pizza in Italy has to be good, right?—drink a couple of glasses of wine, and get some sleep. In the morning you’re going to be the incredible man I know you are.”
“Love you.” His dad sounded a little choked.
“Love you too. Now go find some pizza.”
Dad laughed. “I’m on it. Good night, son.” He hung up.
Jamie couldn’t escape the feeling that he’d helped, and damn , that felt good.
He glanced into the small bathroom, and the sight of the shower was enough to have him remove his clothes and climb into the enclosure.
The water was warm, so good against his skin, sluicing away the sweat brought on by the day’s heat.
He didn’t have a change of clothing, but he was cleaner, and he smelled better.
His stomach rumbled, and he wondered if anyone would mind if he grabbed a bite in the cafeteria. He left his room and headed down the stairs. As he approached the floor below, he caught the sound of two deep, gruff male voices in the middle of an argument.
“All I said was he was cute. Doesn’t mean I wanna do anything with him, okay? And you know I wouldn’t.”
“Then why all the puppy-dog eyes? Hmm?”
Jamie chuckled. A lovers’ tiff. How sweet.
Then he rounded the corner of the stairs and saw the speakers. Both men were muscled to the hilt, sporting healthy beards, and they had to be at least six feet.
Two walking mountains , he mused. Who had the best taste in cologne, because they smelled amazing.
The older of the men jerked his head in Jamie’s direction, and he dug his elbow into the other guy’s ribs. Both stopped and stared at him, their chests rising and falling rapidly.
“Are you okay?” Jamie asked as he approached them. Their cologne grew more overpowering the nearer he got, and it went straight to his head—
And his dick.
The older guy grabbed Jamie and shoved him against the wall. “Mate!” Then the other guy got in on the action, two hard bodies crushing him.
What the fuck?