Chapter Twenty-Five
Wes
It was the beginning of June, and Wes was
finally home.
His plane landed at the Toronto Island
Airport at eight in the evening, the sun hanging low and painting
the sky with streaks of pink and orange. Lake Ontario shimmered on
the horizon as he stepped off the plane and onto the tarmac.
A short ride later, he was back home in the
Beaches, a waterfront community in the east end of the city that
was known for its two-mile boardwalk and sandy dunes. Wes took in
the changes that had occurred over the past month. The trees and
gardens had fully bloomed, and there were new billboards for the
annual jazz festival that drew tens of thousands of visitors every
July. The low-rise shops and restaurant patios dotting Queen Street
were packed with people.
Wes had never felt so alone.
His car turned on Balric Avenue and up the
long gravel driveway to his house. He’d bought the two-story brick
home a decade ago, captivated by the private frontage, outdoor
pool, and rooftop deck that looked out over the lake. Easing out of
the car, he grabbed his bags and sauntered up to the front door. He
entered his security passcode and dropped his bags in the foyer.
The familiar click of doggy toenails on the hardwood floor greeted
him. Luca had kindly dropped off Peanut and Rudy in advance,
knowing Wes needed his fur babies after so many weeks away.
“Peanut, how are you? I’ve missed you.” Wes
crouched down and hugged his five-year-old Labrador-husky mix.
Rudy, the dog Wes had adopted from New York, wandered over slowly,
still a bit hesitant until he got closer. “Rudy, how’s my newest
baby?” Wes cooed.
Peanut and Rudy wagged their tails excitedly
as they jumped and licked Wes, and he savored the affection. He
immediately thought of Spock and imagined how all three dogs would
get along—not to mention Ryker’s cats—if they all lived
together.
If there was still a together to
wonder over.
Wes agreed to give Ryker his space, since he
knew his man, knew him pretty damn well even though they’d only met
a month ago. Ryker was retreating, thinking of all the pros and
cons to this relationship, wondering how it would all work out,
trying to rationalize feelings that didn’t make sense on paper but
only to the heart.
For the time being, Wes would do what he
needed to do. Rest, play with his dogs, hit the beach, and meet up
with friends. Relax and recharge. Then he would fly to New York and
convince the man he loved that he was worth a second shot.
****
Ryker
Ryker found himself at La Guardia Airport,
his mood souring by the minute. How the fuck did Wes travel so much
and still remain a positive person? The hordes of people, the long
lines, the waiting, the hordes of people.
Ryker got up and paced. Several passengers
in the first-class departure lounge got out of his way when they
saw the expression on his face. Maybe turn the scowl down a
notch or two. It probably didn’t help that he wore his usual
black outfit of jeans and a t-shirt, with dark sunglasses and a
leather motorcycle jacket, his long hair loose and his face badly
in need of a shave. Someone in the seat nearby mumbled something
about traveling with cranky rockstars, and Ryker couldn’t help but
let out a low laugh.
He stopped pacing and slid into a leather
chair, checking his phone again for any updates from Luca.
Two days ago, Luca had kindly agreed to help
Ryker with his surprise visit to Toronto, taking care of all the
details that Ryker hadn’t thought of and that made him want to rip
his hair out. Luca was clearly in love with love and had been all
too happy to arrange a surprise dinner date for Wes, ooh-ing
and ahh-ing over Ryker’s suggestion.
“You know, I have to give Mac credit for all
this,” Ryker had said as he FaceTimed with Luca.
“What do you mean?”
“He told me to take a chance. That I might
end up hurt but to follow my heart anyway. The tough negotiator has
a soft side. Don’t tell him I said so,” Ryker warned.
Luca paused. “No worries there. Who would
have guessed the Ice Man had feelings? But you know him better than
I do. Controlling, uptight workaholic. The way he barked orders at
me when we were getting your book deal finalized, let me tell you,
I just wanted to reach through the laptop and yank on his tie.
Shit, I’m sorry. I know he’s your friend, but the man infuriates me
like no one else.” Luca finished his rant, and Ryker let it be. He
was all too aware of the growing tension between Luca and Mac, and
in no way did he want to get involved in their hot-tempered
drama.
Ryker’s flight was called, and a short hour
and a half later, he landed at a small airport just south of the
city. He checked in to the Kings Hotel’s executive suite and
dropped his bags on the garment rack. Normally, he’d take time to
shower and shave, but he was too excited to wait.
Ryker: I’m all checked in. Is the plan in
motion?
Luca: Yup, your car service will drive
you to Harbourfront. Ask for Drummond and you’ll be escorted to the
boat. I’ll make sure your man will be there on time!
Ryker: Thanks Luca, I owe you.
Luca: Invite me to the bachelor
party.
****
Wes
“What is the fucking rush, Luca?” Wes barked
as he was shoved out the door of his own house. He was in a shitty
mood, and Luca forcing him to head downtown to some high-octane
event tonight was not helping. Despite the sunny spring evening,
Wes wanted to wallow in his misery and loneliness. Jesus,
dramatic much?
Three more days had gone by without a word
from Ryker, and it was driving Wes nuts. He couldn’t eat or sleep.
He missed Ryker’s quiet, solid presence in his life—their
late-night marathon phone calls, and silly, often sappy, text
messages. Wes had finally met someone who understood him, someone
that saw beyond the persona to the real man underneath, only to
have him pull away.
Wes missed Ryker so much that he’d dreamed
of them together, and when he woke this morning, he could have
sworn he smelled Ryker’s distinctive scent in his room. He’d also
woken with a raging hard-on, but he didn’t bother to pleasure
himself. The body wanted, but the heart and brain were not
cooperating, so he’d taken a cold shower and gotten on with his
day. He wrote furiously for several hours, using all his pent-up
energy on something he could control. He completed a couple of
chapters and vowed to send them off to Ryker tomorrow for his
input. Then maybe he’d get some sort of communication from his
silent partner.
But for now, Luca was determined to get him
out of his house and back to normal living, including
socializing.
“Okay, all right! I’m going. What is your
problem? You’re even more hyper than usual,” Wes whined as he was
marched to the passenger door of his red Porsche.
“It’s called energy, Wes. Remember that? You
had some a few months ago, but now you’re sad and hiding in your
home like a big baby,” Luca said, slipping into the leather driving
seat, buckling his seat belt, and revving up the engine.
“I’m not hiding. I’m resting! I’ve had a
stressful month!” Wes yelled, crossing his arms and pursing his
lips.
Luca turned slowly in the driver’s seat to
face Wes and lowered his large designer sunglasses down his nose.
“Wes, I know you. You miss Ryker, and you want to wallow in your
misery. But that won’t help. You’re hurt, not dead. And he will
call you back. He just needs some time. So buckle up and put on
your happy face. We’re going to have a good time tonight!”
Luca grabbed the gearshift and shot down the
driveway. Wes suddenly remembered that Luca drove like a maniac,
and he white-knuckled it all the way downtown. Twenty harrowing
minutes later, they exited Lakeshore Drive onto Front Street.
“So, where are we going?” Wes finally asked,
a little bit of his natural curiosity waking up again.
“It’s a fundraising event on a yacht at the
Harbourfront marina. Dinner and dancing and a tour of the lake.
Just what you need to take your mind off you-know-who,” Luca said,
weaving in and out of traffic at an alarming rate until he found a
parking spot. Luca slammed on the brakes and shifted into park.
“Jesus, next time I’ll grab stomach meds for
the drive in, never mind the boat ride,” Wes moaned.
Luca rolled his eyes and got out of the car.
Wes followed, the wind blowing his hair in every direction as they
walked over to the marina and down the dock. Boats of varying
shapes and sizes bobbed in the water, with people onboard laughing
and chatting and celebrating an early summer evening. Wes took a
deep breath to appreciate the moment and decided to make the most
of the evening.
Wes and Luca walked to the end of the last
pier, where a large fifty-foot beauty called Smooth Sailing
was docked. Wes didn’t notice anyone on or around the boat, save
for someone at the helm. Had they arrived too early?
“Luca, are you sure this is the right boat?
There doesn’t seem to be anyone here yet,” Wes said as he raised
his sunglasses to get a better look at the yacht and their
surroundings.
“This is the one. You head on in. I need to
talk to the charter captain,” Luca said as he waved at the man on
the top deck.
Wes stepped onto the boat, but he didn’t see
a single person on the lower deck. He walked over to the door to
the cabin and opened it, peering inside to find a large lounge area
with two sofas and a coffee table. Beyond that, a dining room and
bar and a galley kitchen. As he stepped inside, he noticed soft
music playing.
Wes wandered through, noting that the dining
table was set for two, with tiny lanterns creating a warm glow.
We must be on the wrong boat, he thought as he started to
head back outside to find Luca. But just as he turned, he caught
sight of someone entering from the galley.
“Hey, Prince Charming.”