Untitled #2
"Not as good as you, I don't think." He grins and they give each other a hug, then we all take each other in. The crew is finally back together. It feels good. I love these men like my brothers. We have a lifelong bond. We’re like teammates on a sports team.
We all want to be great, so we always come together to ensure we all succeed.
"We're back," Max says what we are all thinking. Even though we're in a packed bar, all time and movement seems to still. I look at each one of them and take in their spirits and presence. These are good men. These are men I would trust with my life.
"So, Gabe," I say. "We've missed you. Are you here to stay or heading out again soon?" None of us really know where Gabe went and we haven't wanted to push for answers. He likes his privacy, and even though he’s confident and charismatic, he can also be very stoic about his feelings and what’s going on in his life. I’m much the same way, so I understand the desire to keep things to yourself.
"I'm here," he says, nodding. "I had some things I had to take care of, and now I'm ready to get back to work.
" He smiles nonchalantly, like we aren’t all curious about where he was.
"How have you bozos been? I hope profits are still up.
I've got a new apartment to buy." He grins.
"And a new bed to entertain the ladies in. "
"Still a ladies’ man, I see." I point out the obvious, and he runs his fingers through his dark hair.
"What can I say? The ladies love my silky hair and dark bedroom eyes."
We all groan at his words and sit down. There's a lightness in my shoulders as I relax back and take in my environment.
Some of my favorite moments in life have been had with these men.
We laugh together, we support each other, and we strategize to be the best attorneys in New York.
I'd been worried that everything would change when Max got together with Lila. I'd been worried that he would disappear. I’m grateful that he didn’t.
"You know profits are still up." Max leans back. "We've been speaking every other week and filling you in on all the work we've been doing."
"I know. So, Max, I hear congratulations are in order." Gabe chuckles. "You and your assistant are doing the dirty, huh? I'm taking it she's not as old as Ethel Wharton?" he teases. Ethel Wharton was the eighty-five-year-old grandma who had worked for Max for a few months before quitting.
"Well, she's more than my assistant, now and she's nothing like Ethel. I can't wait for you to meet Lila. I think you'll really like her."
"Hopefully, I won't like her too much. You don't want me to be Mr. Steal Your Girl."
"You won't be stealing Lila from me. Trust me, I have no worries about that. However, maybe you'll steal Skye from Kingston over there. Or maybe he wants you to steal her. I hear that relationship's about to blow up anyway."
"What are you talking about?" Had he already heard about the call?
"I'm just saying that Skye doesn't seem to be too happy working for you."
"What? She loves me. We get along great." That's a bit of a lie, but it could be true.
"That's not what she has been telling Lila. In fact…" Max leans forward conspiratorially. "I've heard that the girls have formed a club."
"A club?" I ask. "What sort of club?" Remington holds his hands up like we're in school.
"I bet I know what the club's called."
"Oh, yeah? And what's that?" I say, looking toward him.
"The Bosses I'd Love to Fuck Club," he says, chuckling. I roll my eyes, and Max laughs.
"You wish."
"Actually, no. I don't really want to fuck Juniper," he says. "But, hey. I wouldn't mind fucking Skye. Especially if you don't want her, Max."
"Hands off my assistant. I do not need her life being any more complicated."
"What's the name of the club?" I ask Max.
"I think they call it the Annoying Hot Bosses Club," he says, shaking his head. "And before you ask, yes, Lila is a member."
"No way!" I grin.
"You're taking this much better than I thought you would be," Max says.
"You just said they call us their hot bosses." I grin. "So they think I'm hot."
"Yeah, but there's an annoying part in front of that."
"I don't care about annoying," I say. "So, Skye was lying."
"What are you talking about?"
"He told her that he is not interested in her and that she shouldn't get any ideas in her head," Remi answers for me.
"You what?" Max's eyes widen.
"It's all Remington's fault. Look, I basically said just because Lila and Max got together doesn't mean that we're going to get together. So, just in case she had any ideas or hopes, to get them out of her head."
"You did not." Max bursts out laughing, as do Gabe and Remi.
"I know. I sounded like a douche. I don't even know if I should call her and apologize or leave it alone."
"I am in shock," Max says. "What on earth possessed you to do that?"
"Like I said… Remington did. He is the one who got into my head."
"It's not my fault, bro. If I told you to walk off a cliff, would you?"
"No, Papa," I say. I let out a sigh of relief when the waitress heads back to us with our shots of whiskey.
"Here you go, sir." She smiles at me as she hands me my drink. "Hi, guys." She looks over at Max and Gabe. "My name is Tropicana. I'll be your waitress, server, and hostess with the mostest tonight. Is there anything I can get you guys?"
"I'll have what he's having." Gabe nods toward me.
"Whiskey?" Tropicana asks.
"Sure."
"Me too," Max says. "Make that six more shots of whiskey, please." He hands her his credit card. "And you can put it on this card."