Chapter 32
Thirty-Two
“You’ve got two choices. You can pick helping out in finance, or helping Tony this week,” Kian said, his eyes scanning his clipboard.
“I wanted to put you in the entertainment division, I thought you’d have fun there, but the chimera who was supposed to go on maternity leave decided to push it another week. They won’t need you until she leaves.”
Tipping his head, Peri asked curiously, “Tony needs help?”
Kian nodded, finally looking up. “Taron sometimes goes along to see the trials and things like that, and Tony always goes with him. He’s tried to just forward his phone calls to his cell phone, but something always seems to go wrong when he does.
It’s easier to just put an intern or a temp at his desk while he’s out to answer the calls for him.
It also makes it easier on him to focus on keeping Taron on track. That’s a full time job all on its own.”
“Be nice,” Peri chided, shaking his head. “He does his best.”
Kian shrugged casually. “I know that. I don’t blame him for it.
Besides, he naturally causes chaos, and I enjoy watching that.
I’m just saying, keeping him on track is enough for Tony to have to deal with.
Answering the phones and doing the office tasks will be your job so he can do what he needs to do. ”
Nodding, Peri agreed, “Okay. That sounds like fun. I’ll help Tony.”
Kian marked it on his clipboard and pushed to his feet, beckoning Peri with a wave of his hand. “I’ll show you the way. I like to surprise Dorian with special coffee when he’s been good about not overworking himself. He didn't check his email once this weekend, so I feel like he deserves a treat.”
“It was a corporate retreat,” Peri pointed out with a grin. “Technically, he was working. Are you just looking for excuses to spoil your mate? Because you don’t have to pretend with me.”
A hint of pink dusted Kian’s cheeks, and he cleared his throat, jabbing the button for the elevator. “Maybe. Shut up.”
Peri giggled, and he didn't take Kian’s words to heart.
He was just embarrassed. He didn’t need to be.
Peri got it. He wanted to spoil Wash, too.
He was actually hoping since he’d be working around Taron, they might be able to sit down and come up with some ideas to do that.
Wash had fun during the corporate retreat.
He deserved to have more fun like that with his friends.
They found Taron standing behind Tony’s chair, rubbing his shoulders, as they both looked at the computer screen.
“They’re all busy,” Tony pointed out. “It’ll just be easier for me to stay here.”
Taron pouted, slumping against Tony’s chair. “But I focus so much better when you’re there with me. I don’t know how I functioned without you.”
“From what I heard, with chaos and style,” Kian commented offhandedly, waving his hand at Peri as he breezed into the room. “Relax. I brought you a temp for your troubles. Peri is going to man Tony’s desk so Tony can go with you to the trials. He’s good. He’s got it covered.”
Taron immediately came around the desk, snatching Kian into a tight hug that made the fae grunt.
Peri watched as Kian slipped a spell onto Taron’s back, his smile a little too sly as he stepped back.
Taron didn’t notice until he was heading out with Tony, spinning around with a frown when he noticed bubbles in his office.
“Where did those come from?”
Peri shrugged innocently. “No idea. I thought it was just something that happened in your office.”
Tony shook his head rapidly, his expression amused. “He wouldn’t get any work done if there were bubbles in here all the time. He’d be too distracted. We’re going to be late if we don’t go now, Taron. We can figure it out when we come back.”
Begrudgingly, Taron followed his mate out of the office, completely missing the bubbles that trailed behind him. He got a few curious looks from the other people on the floor, but apparently, they knew Taron well enough by now to expect something crazy and didn’t question it.
Peri was still snickering to himself when his phone buzzed.
My Favorite Grump: How did you manage to sneak treats into my office without even being on this floor?
His grin widened, and he pulled his legs up on the stool he’d gotten to replace Tony’s chair while he was working. Tony’s chair looked big and comfy, but it wasn’t wing friendly, and Peri didn't want to have to sit on the edge of his seat all week.
Peri the Fairy: Magic. Did you like it?
My Favorite Grump: Of course I did. Bacon and maple always go well together.
The bacon maple pecan swirls weren’t a new recipe for Peri, but they were a fan favorite, and he wanted to make Wash’s day brighter since they’d be apart.
He’d asked for Kian’s help when he showed up that morning, and Kian had opened a portal directly into Wash’s office so Peri could put the treats there.
He did make a note to mention later when they were together that Wash’s wards didn’t block portals.
He felt like that was news better shared in person though.
My Favorite Grump: Where’d they stick you today?
Peri the Fairy: I’m helping Tony this week. He and Taron will be out of the office a lot, so I’m manning the phones.
My Favorite Grump: … Why am I worried about you spending so much time with Taron?
Peri the Fairy: *Laughing crying emoji* Don’t worry. He won’t be around all the time. Just sometimes.
My Favorite Grump: That doesn’t make me feel any better.
After reassuring Wash that he wasn’t going to be sucked into any of Taron’s mischief, he started on the task list Tony had left him.
His most important task was to man the phones so Tony wouldn’t have to answer them, but there were a few smaller things he could get done so Tony wouldn’t have to exert himself.
He looked alright today, no pain lines around his eyes, but he still used a cane to walk and Peri wanted to help where he could so he demanded a list from Tony and set to work on it while staying within earshot of the phones.
It was getting close to lunch time when Taron and Tony came back.
Peri moved to the conference room to continue putting together the meeting packets Taron needed and Tony took over the phones for a little while so he could rest. Peri was thinking of something sweet to bake for Tony that might make him feel a little better when Taron loped into the room, grabbing a chair and spinning it around so he could sit on it backwards.
“Whatcha doin’?”
Peri beamed up at his friend, gesturing to the papers. “Getting your meeting packets ready. How about you?”
Taron hummed, spinning his chair back and forth like he couldn’t sit still. Peri got that. Sitting still wasn’t his strong suit either.
“I’m bored. I normally wander around when I get like this, but it's almost lunchtime, and Zephyr is coming to meet us. We’re going to the Fickle Pickle. Have you been?”
Peri nodded rapidly, his eyes wide with excitement. “I love that shop. Maybe I’ll ask Wash to go there for lunch. We haven’t talked about what we’re doing yet.”
“Speaking of which,” Taron perked up, grinning at him. “Have I told you recently how amazing you are? Wash laughed, actually laughed, at the retreat, and he didn’t storm off even once. That’s a major improvement from before.”
Cocking his head, Peri frowned. “Was he really that bad?”
“Oh, yeah,” Taron drawled, spinning lazily in his chair.
“He was starting to give Maverick a run for his money with how often he lost his temper. The only difference between the two is that Wash has always been good to clients and volunteers. It’s his coworkers he’s always growling at. Until now, anyway. How’d you do it?”
He wanted to say by loving Wash like he deserved, but he hadn’t told Wash yet that he was in love with him. It felt wrong to tell Taron first. Instead he shrugged, giving Taron a wink. “We’re a good team. You came up with half the ideas, remember?”
Taron grinned brightly. “I did, didn't I? People forget that I’m the ideas man around here. I couldn’t have pulled it off without you, though. I’m so glad I asked you to help him chill out. You’re a miracle worker.”
“You what?”
Startled, Peri and Taron both whipped their heads around to where Wash was standing in the doorway of the conference room. For a split second, Peri saw a flash of hurt cross his face before a mask of betrayal and anger took its place.
“Wash, wait,” Taron began with an awkward laugh. “We didn’t mean–”
“No!”
His bark made Peri jump, a lump forming in his throat as Wash grew more incensed. “Was any of it real? Or was this just another job for you?” he shouted.
Peri shook his head, trying to get the words out to tell him that wasn’t true, that he’d only wanted an excuse to spend more time with him, but Wash wouldn’t let him speak.
“Why should I believe you? I trusted you! Both of you!” He turned his furious gaze onto Taron, who looked pale, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to find the words to argue.
Wash drew in a deep breath, and Peri didn’t miss the way it caught like he was fighting back tears, too. It broke Peri’s heart, and he stood automatically to go to him, only to be stopped with Wash’s warning snarl.
“Don’t. You lied. You both lied. You made me believe someone actually—” His voice cracked, and Peri felt tears slip down his cheeks. “—That someone like you could actually want me. I knew better.” He huffed a laugh, but it was forced, pained, and made Peri flinch again. “I knew better.”
Without another word, he turned and stormed out.
Peri’s ears filled with static, and something sharp stabbed into his chest. He should have been honest from the start.
He knew Wash had trouble trusting people.
He knew he’d been bullied, hurt, and felt rejected by his own family.
Peri was supposed to be his person. Like Wash was to him.
Except… maybe that wasn’t true anymore. He remembered the pain in Wash’s voice, the way it sounded like he was barely holding back tears.
That was Peri’s fault. What if Wash wanted nothing to do with him anymore?
What if he finally found someone to love him as he was only to chase him away, because he was too stupid to realize what he was doing was cruel?
Did he really just ruin his chance at love?
A sob ripped from his throat, and he sank to the floor, his knees no longer able to hold his weight as he fell apart. What had he done?