“I’m just glad you managed to keepthis guy alive, you know. You better take care of him.”
“I will.”
“You enjoying the dog and ponyshow?” he asks.
I can tell by the tense expressionon Tad’s face that he’s curious. That he wants to know if it’s discouraging mefrom wanting to pursue what it is that we have.
“It’s fine.”
“Gotta be hard, though. Hardlysomething you signed up for, and here you are, thrust into the middle of thismedia craziness, and you have to admit that it can get pretty crazy.”
“Yes. Things have certainly gottenpretty crazy since all this started.”
“I’ve seen,” he says, eyeing my dick.
I blush. It’s crazy to think that thisguy I want nothing to do with has seen my cock.
It shouldn’t be like that. Itshouldn’t fucking be this way at all.
“It’s not easy,” I admit, and Isee Tad’s gaze shift to the floor, disappointed with my response. “But he’s worthit.”
Tad’s gaze meets mine, and his lipscurl up, like he’s pleased that I offered him that much. Because it’s true. Itis worth it. Despite everything that’s happened. He’s worth the troubles thatI’ve had here, because it is worth it to have known and to have had theprivilege of being someone around him. Yeah, he can be a dick sometimes, but atthe end of the day, he’s my dick.
Jordan seems annoyed by myresponse, and I assume it’s because he was hoping to start something. To makeus doubt ourselves for a moment. It’s a little late for that.
“Good luck, then,” Jordan says, butclearly he’s really saying, “I doubt you’ll be able to make this work, but I’dlove to see you guys try.”
He pats me on my shoulder as a nearbyreporter calls out his name. He gazes at me with a twinkle in his eye. “Dutycalls.”
He heads off.
I check Tad’s expression. He’srattled by Jordan’s presence. And I’m sure I’d be the same way if I were in hisshoes.
“You okay?” I ask.
He smiles appreciatively. “Oh,yeah. I’m fine. I’m just sorry that you had to deal with that asshole.”
“He’s a nonissue,” I say.
***
As we sit side-by-side in the main auditorium, Tad’s hand onmy leg, we watch the main speaker discuss the progress being made on the Dallasclinic. My cell vibrates, and when I check it, I see that it’s a text from Roeder:Can you Skype with us tonight?
I exchange a few messages. They needto go over a few details about my case report for clarity. Despite myinsistence that I can handle it tomorrow, Roeder tells me that I have to stepaway.
“I kinda have to take care of thisthing for the case report,” I say to Tad. “I just have to get back to the hoteland take care of this tonight, and then I’ll be waiting for you when you getback.”
He smirks. “Just make it worth mywhile, and all will be forgiven.”
I offer a peck before heading out.
Sixty-Seven
Tad
“How do you feel about your contract for next year, Mr.Roarke?” a reporter asks Kiernan.
We congregate outside the mainauditorium. I have to stick around for a while to answer any questions thepress might have, because it’ll be good exposure for the clinic.
