Javier looked between Ryker and Wes, thennodded in understanding.“Wes, I heard you adopted Rudy, congrats.Ryker, Rachel, so nice to chat, but I must go and mingle withpotential donors.”
Javier headed off into the crowd with theother guests, while Ryker, his family, and Wes found their table.Mac and Cal arrived a few minutes later, and there was a noticeablechange in the atmosphere.Mac aimed his icy glare at Luca, and Lucareturned it, tenfold.Great.Cal and Grey chatted amicablyfor a while until Cal signaled the waiter for more drinks anddowned two glasses of wine in a row.
“Slow down, man, you’re going to beshit-faced before the dinner gets started,” Ryker whispered.
Cal waved him off, downed another drink, andstarted flirting with Rachel.Grey abruptly left the table.Rykerlooked at Wes, who shrugged.
“He’s still out of practice at thesethings,” he said.“He’ll be fine.”
“So, Big Mac, how’s your assistant?Stilloverworked?”Luca taunted as his glaring match with Maccontinued.
Ryker nudged Wes under the table with hisknee to get him to defuse the firestorm that was about toerupt.
“She’s on vacation, not that it’s any ofyour business,” Mac snapped.
“Unlikely.She’s at home, on her laptop, jobsearching,” Luca said before turning to Ryker’s mother and ignoringMac’s furious scowl.
“Mac, are you having issues with yourassistant?”his mom inquired.
“No,” Mac replied with a polite smile.“Lucais under the incorrect assumption that she’s unhappy and overworkedwhen, in fact, she is well compensated for her hours.”Luca openedhis mouth to speak, but Ryker’s mom beat him to it.
“As a business owner myself, I can tell youthat finding—and keeping—good employees is not easy.Don’t takethem for granted,” Tina replied as she sipped her wine.
“Too late,” Luca piped in, and Mac’s facereddened.
Ryker cleared his throat and decided tochange the subject.“So, Mac, Wes and I have completed fivechapters.Looks like we’ll be on track to have the first draftfinished in a few months.”
Mac’s grimace eased somewhat.“Amazing.How’s the move back to fiction, Wes?Any issues?”
“It hasn’t been easy, but I have a good betareader.”Wes squeezed Ryker’s thigh and leaned in for a kiss.Itstarted out rather chaste, but they soon got lost in each other andforgot about everyone at the table until someone coughed andstartled them.
“Enough PDA.Jesus, is it hot in here or isit me?”Cal joked as he tugged on his shirt collar.
“It’s just you.You’re not used to wearing ashirt.”Ryker smirked as everyone at the table laughed.
The lights in the room lowered, and Javierand Charlotte took to the stage with their opening speeches.
Charlotte spoke first.“Thank you again forcoming out tonight to support the Heart2Home shelter.I’d like totake this opportunity to thank all our volunteers.A big round ofapplause, please!”she said as the audience clapped.“And now, I’dlike to present our Donor of the Decade award.This is our tenthanniversary, and we could not have been operating for all theseyears without the support of one very special person.On behalf ofthe staff and board, I’d like to invite Ryker Desoumas up to thestage to accept this award.”
Ryker was in shock.The clapping around himwas deafening, and he stood with trembling legs.Wes squeezed hishand and whispered, “Congrats, love.”Ryker took a deep breath andmade his way to the stage.
He absently accepted the award, a beautifulcrystal sculpture, and hugged Charlotte.Then he cleared his throatand bent toward the mic.
“Thank you,” he said.“Thank you for thisaward.Those who know me know that I don’t like attention, but I amthankful for your acknowledgment.It means a lot.I’ve lovedanimals since I was a kid, and I can’t imagine a world withoutthem.”He paused and took another deep breath to steady his nerves.“It’s true that at the Heart2Home shelter, we rescue animals.Butthe fact is, they rescue us by loving us unconditionally.Thank youfor supporting this benefit and this important cause.”And withthat, he fled the stage.
Wes stood up at their table.As he camecloser, Ryker walked into his arms and hugged him, shuddering inrelief and awe that he’d managed to get through his impromptuspeech without a major panic attack.
“I’m so proud of you,” Wes murmured into hishair, holding on tight.The rest of his family and friends gatheredaround to offer their congratulations.
An hour later, the party was in full swing.Rachel pulled Ryker to the dance floor so they could show off theirfiery salsa moves.Then Ryker danced with his mom, and Charlotteafter that.A slow song came on for the fourth dance, and he foundhimself face to face with Wes again.Ryker couldn’t help but laughat the shocked expression on Wes’s face.
“Where did you learn to dance like that?”Wes asked as they slowly came together.“What other secrets are youhiding?”
“It’s not a secret.I never mentioned, younever asked, and we’ve never had the opportunity to go dancing,”Ryker replied with a smirk.“My mom taught us.Dancing is a bigpart of Puerto Rican culture.”
“Hmm, well, we definitely have to go outdancing from now on.Maybe you can teach me how to move like that,”Wes said as he squeezed Ryker’s hips.
“You’ve already got excellent rhythm, so noproblem there,” Ryker replied with a sultry stare.
