Chapter 26
ZACH
Dex: Just get here. Don’t argue.
It’s an order, and there will be hell to pay if I don’t do as he says. He’ll probably turn up at the Stella offices again.
I’ve barely been at the Knight offices, and only Dex seems to be bothered by that fact. He suspects that something’s going on between me and Maya. If he only faintly detected it before, his bloodhound instincts will definitely pick up on something now.
I don’t really want to go to meet him. I don’t want to do anything. I only want to be with Maya, but I also can’t not meet him. Bracing myself, I head straight for The Oasis, Dex’s favorite haunt. The bar is already buzzing when I walk in shortly after work.
To my dismay, I don’t see just Dex, but Rio too. Then I remember that this is their watering hole. Their unofficial headquarters.
Dex catches sight of me as I approach. “You look like someone who’s trying very hard not to smile.”
Busted already. I hate that I can’t hide my feelings.
“I’m fine. Had a good meeting,” I say, sliding into the booth.
Rio grins. “Looks to me like it was no ordinary meeting.”
These two always have their minds in the gutter, either that, or they can read me too well for my liking. Maya’s been in my thoughts all morning. I barely listened to anything Cecil said. Luckily it was just him, and not Katherine. She’s so sharp, she would have noticed I wasn’t on my A-game.
“Drinks?” I say, keeping my expression neutral and determined not to give them anything.
They both respond, saying they’ll have the same again, so I summon a server over and place an order.
“So, bro,” Dex says breezily. “Thirty is a big one.”
I shoot him a look. “Aw, man, not that again.”
“We are so doing this,” he says. “You don’t just turn thirty and play small.”
“It’s not a big deal for me.”
“Depressing,” Rio adds. “It should be illegal, in my opinion, to ignore such an important milestone in your life.”
“To not celebrate a birthday?” I cry in disbelief.
A server arrives with our drinks.
“It’s not just any birthday, brother.” Dex raises his glass. “This is big.”
Rio clinks glasses with him. I reluctantly touch my glass to theirs.
“Look, guys, can you just … just lay off this, please?” I beg. I’m finally at a great place in my life, and I want to be left alone to enjoy it.
“Why are you so reluctant?” Dex thunders.
“Why are you so desperate for me to do something?” I toss back.
Before Dex can push further, Enzo appears beside us, and I immediately relax.
“This isn’t where you usually hang out,” I say, giving him a quizzical look. I’m starting to worry that Jett will show up next, then Matteo. I’ll have walked straight into a complete fucking ambush.
Enzo claps me on the shoulder. “I overheard them. Thought you could do with the support.” Then, to the others, “Ease up. He’s not one of your projects.”
Dex raises his hands in exasperation. “We’re celebrating.”
“You’re interrogating,” Enzo corrects, then looks back at me. “How are things at Stella?”
Stella? That’s something I can talk about. “Good,” I say. “Actually, very good.”
Enzo nods, satisfied. “Told you.”
“Told him what?” Rio pipes up, looking from Enzo to me. “What are you two planning?”
“Who says we’re planning anything?” I wink at Enzo.
Dex swirls his whiskey around. “Tell me, how are things with the housekeeper’s daughter?”
“Her name is Maya,” I growl, jaw tight. I remind myself that these two just want to rile me up, probably hoping to wear down my resistance and get me to do something on my birthday.
I take a slow and measured sip of my gin martini.
“She’s excellent at her job.” Better to say something than stay silent, because that would only raise their suspicion.
“I have yet to meet this woman,” Rio states. “I’ve heard good things about her.”
He and Dex exchange a look and my gut hardens. I hope Dex hasn’t been running his mouth. The thought of him saying anything dismissive about Maya sparks something hot and prickly in me. I’d punch him without hesitation if he did.
Dex leans in, conspiratorial. “You still keeping quiet about it?”
I don’t respond, because my mind blanks. How do you keep something like this a secret? How do you put words around what we have? Around the terrifying, exhilarating truth that I want her in my life, and I’m afraid to even imagine where that might lead.
Enzo steps in smoothly, like he always does. Quiet and observant. A calm counterweight to the rest of us. He has an innate gift for defusing moments without taking sides and he gently reminds us that not everything needs to be picked apart.
“Why don’t you gossip columnists leave him alone? He’s got enough on his plate. Although,” he adds casually, “a birthday celebration might not be a bad idea.” He looks at me, trying to gauge how his suggestion lands.
I’m vehemently against it. “I don’t want a party, or anything like that,” I push back. With this new situation between me and Maya, I don’t want to push anything on her, and I don’t know enough about her thoughts to gauge how she might feel about this.
“The old man won’t be around,” Rio says. “He’s abroad on business. We could all have an awesome time. Think about it.”
His words get my attention.
Dad’s not going to be around? This changes things. It makes everything simpler.
“Where’s he going?” I ask, casually. It’s not so much where he’s going that I’m intrigued about, but for how long.
Rio shrugs. “Europe. Asia. Somewhere he can command people from a boardroom.”
“He’s going to South Africa,” Dex says tightly.
“South Africa. Huh?” Hell, if he’s going all the way there then he’ll probably be gone a while.
The tightness in my chest loosens. Of all the people I’m not ready to reveal a thing to, as far as Maya is concerned, it’s my father.
I wish it weren’t like that, but we’re not a normally functioning family.
Things would have been so different if Mom had been around.
I love my father, despite all his faults, but even I know to keep my private life separate from him.
I think of when Maya told me about the house staff not being allowed to take books from the library.
The unnecessary cruelty of it. The way my father always made sure people knew their place without ever saying it outright.
She’s just average, he’d once said about a kindergarten teacher Dex dated.
No status. No advantage. That’s what he really meant.
On some level, I’ve always known that my father sees the divide we don’t. He would never approve of Maya. Not her background. Not her mother. Not the fact that she has as much right to belong by my side, should she so choose, as the next trust fund babe.
If Dad’s not going to be around, there’ll be no tension, no judgment, and no awkwardness.
In that case, I’d want her to be at my party.
I’d want her to meet my brothers, and friends.
I’d want to show her off. With her by my side, I wouldn’t care about what my brothers said.
They’d be polite and civil enough. Enzo, Matteo, and Rio would be friendly.
It’s Jett and Dex that would be assholes.
Now that I’m starting to consider it, turning thirty is a milestone, and with Maya back in my life, it feels instinctively right to have her celebrate my birthday with me.
“Fine,” I say decisively, as if a decision has been made, and a weight has been lifted. “Let’s have a party.”
Rio slaps the table. “That’s more like it.”
Dex looks dubious. “Why the sudden change of mind?”
“You said Dad won’t be around.”
They both pretend to choke at my words. “You’re not going to cry if daddy isn’t there?” Dex teases.
“He’s not coming alone,” Rio says, watching me.
“Is that so? You’re bringing … the housekeep—” Dex catches me glaring and shuts the hell up.
“Maya,” I say.
“Told you,” Rio says. “He’s bringing his girlfriend.”
Hearing the word out loud, connected to the woman I’m crazy about, feels weird, and yet so right, as well as a little strange.
Dex points a finger at me. “No chickening out.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“What sort of celebration do you want?” Enzo asks. He hasn’t said anything about Maya.
I think about it, and know what I don’t want. “No hotel, or club.”
Rio grins slowly. “What about a plane?”
“Boring!” Dex turns to me, excitement glistening in his eyes.
“I have an idea. How about we party on a yacht?” And though he poses the question, he’s not really waiting for our opinion.
Looks like the guy has already made his mind up about it.
“I can see it now. The harbor, and the city skyline at night. With drinks, food and music. It’s going to be awesome. ”
“The Hudson?” Enzo asks. “Or out by the Sound? Something different.”
“The Hudson,” Dex answers, not even giving me the chance to reply. “If it’s my brother’s thirtieth, I want the whole city watching.”
The Hudson it is.
It’s not a bad idea. It’s different. Open air, in August. No walls closing in. Just people laughing, dancing, having fun. Maya, laughing, dancing, feeling relaxed. Maya on my arm. My girlfriend. Holding her own. “Do it,” I say. “But keep it small.”
Rio and Dex exchange looks, like they have their own ideas and are merely humoring me.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” Enzo asks, watching me closely.
I shrug. “You’re the one who said it would be good.”
Enzo was right. I do have something to celebrate. Thirty suddenly feels like a marker.
A beginning.
I’m changing things up at Stella, and there’s a woman in my life I want beside me.
Good times.