Jude finally lifted the pencil from his eye allowing Gordy to blink them open, saying, “No! I figured we could just call and cancel.”
Shaking his head, Gio replied, “Can’t do it. Everything’s been done via Macy. You’re her first client for her new dating agency, Love Connection. If we were to ask her to cancel this, it would devastate her. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to hurt Macy like that.”
Sighing, Gordy replied, “No, I don’t want to hurt her feelings either, but it isn’t like I went to her. I still can’t believe you did this anyway. I’ve got a new business I’m trying to pull together. I really don’t have a time for a relationship, even if it could happen… which it can’t.”
“You’re my best friend, Gordy, and you deserve to be as happy as I am. When Macy started asking around in my store about her business idea, I couldn’t help but bring you up. She said she would help. Lexi and I vetted the guy and we agree that the two of you are a perfect fit. You like them tall and strong as well as kind. This guy is all that and more. He’s six foot nine and is two hundred and twenty pounds of pure muscle. He helps people without a thought to himself, and his friends say they can count on him if they ever need anything.” Gio stated.
The image of Gunner came to Gordy, but he quickly smashed that vision down. The man had made his feelings about Gordy crystal clear when he slapped the key to the diner in his hand, and made it perfectly clear Gordy was to go to Pit if he needed anything and not him, before storming out of the town hall meeting. He hadn’t seen him since, and that had been over two weeks ago, but what did Gordy expect? He wasn’t like Lexi, Jude, Bren and the others. They were all so gorgeous, looking like they stepped right out of a GQ magazine… Gio, Bren and Rylee with their dark hair and light eyes. Jude and Lex looked like they acted… exotic and firm, whereas Gordy had plain brown hair and boring brown eyes. Where the other guys were sleek and toned, Gordy was chubby and soft. Where they were outspoken and smart, Gordy found himself freezing up when it came time to interact with others. Words were difficult to come by, and even when he had them in his mind, it was like there was a disconnect from his brain to his mouth.
Gordy sneezed when Bren once-again spritzed his hair with something, then tilted Gordy’s face up and started brushing his unruly hair back to the side. “You know we should probably trim this up a bit.”
“I can do that. I used to cut hair back in the early days.” Lex said with a smile.
“I don’t need my hair cut, or all this you’re doing. You can’t work miracles, guys. I am who I am.” Gordy argued.
Jude’s brow rose, “Oh and who do youthinkyou are?”
“I’m a socially inept loser with drab hair and eyes, who could stand a decade or two in the gym, that’s who I am. I’m not the kind of guy that men like Gio described come running to when they’re looking for someone to spend time with.” Gordy snapped, then realized what he had done and immediately felt contrite. Here these guys were, trying to help him, and Gordy was being all bitchy and ungrateful. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude and unappreciative. It’s just that I… I don’t do well with other people. Really, I never have had an opportunity to be around others. I was an only child raised in a house by the cook. Maxine was a sweetheart and hated how my parents kept me isolated from other kids my age. She did the best she could by teaching me how to prepare meals and stuff. I hated when my parents decided I was old enough to be shipped off to boarding school. I tried to fit in, but I didn’t know how. I had never been around other kids or really other people besides my parents, the cook, and the housekeeper who wanted nothing to do with me. I was bullied and beaten up because of my inability to toss two words together.”
“My god. What a horrible childhood.” Lex whispered.
Shaking his head, Gordy replied, “I had Maxine. When the school would force me to return home for holidays and summers, Maxine was always there to welcome me. She was the one and only person I remember ever being happy I was home… she was the only person I can remember ever being happy I was around. I loved her very much.”
Gordy had to swallow the lump in his throat as he remembered her bloody body lying on the floor in front of him. She was dead… dead because of him. She… no! Gordy had to stop thinking about that day. It did nothing but cause him pain. It was the day that ruined his life forever.
“Gordy!”
Jude’s loud voice calling his name brought Gordy back to the here and now… thank goodness. Gordy did everything in his power not to talk about that day. As it was he didn’t know how he was going to talk about it in front of a jury, or how he was going to tell them that yes, he watched Maxine die, and yes, his father had been the one to kill her.
“Gordy!” Jude shouted, once more snapping his fingers in front of Gordy’s face.
When Gordy blinked once again, Jude said, “You are not unworthy of love any more than anyone else is in this world. The fates give us all someone that will complete who we are. That man is out there for you, and when you find him, you will know it.” Tapping over his heart, Jude said emphatically, “In here. You’ll just know.”
Pulling Gordy off the toilet seat, Jude turned him to face the mirror. Gordy gasped, not recognizing the man looking back at him. His eyes were lined with a coppery brown color that emphasized how his eyes were more copper than brown, and shaped them so they didn’t look so wide or round anymore. His hair was spiked and looked like he had just stumbled out of bed after a good hard pounding. Gordy looked… he looked…
“Sexy!” Lex said with a smile. “I think we could have trimmed you up a bit, but honestly, I think you look great. I’d want to boink you.”
“Oh, please, you get enough boinking from Solo, and Stone. You damn sure don’t need it from Gordy. Besides, he has a hot as hell man ready to boink away in the next hour.” Bren replied.
Rylee hissed out, “Speaking of… if we’re going to get Gordy out of here, you guys need to be ready to go. Lex, you need to get your ass down there and distract Stone. I’m going to head over to the bar and make sure the guys stay put and Gio… you, Jude and Bren need to get Gordy to his date.”
“Gods, you were a bossy fuck before mating Taj, but since then, you’re even worse. Maybe Taj isn’t fuckin you enough.” Jude complained, then smiled, “I could talk to him for you.”
“Don’t you dare. Taj and I have sex all the time, fuck you very much. Now, shut up and let’s go before the guys get back.” Rylee snapped back.
Jude sighed. “He must not be doing a very good job. I could have my mate give him some pointers if you like?”
Bren sighed, “Would you stop already, Jude? We don’t have time for your bullshit right now.’
Rylee hissed out, “We all know that getting past the guys is going to be hard enough, but Spirit can only distract Smoky and the others so long before they notice something is amiss. Now go!”
Gio pulled on Gordy’s arm, “Rylee’s right, it’s like those damn dragons have eyes everywhere. We need to go. Taco and Nico are going to be pissed enough at me as it is. Let’s go before I get spanked without even finishing this thing.”
“Oh, please, you love when your mates slap that ass as much as I love to slap on Rance’s.” Jude muttered, watching as Lex straddled Stone’s lap and started kissing up the man’s neck.
“Damn, he’s making it difficult to remember what we’re supposed to be doing. Who knew I was such a voyeur?” Bren muttered.
Jude snorted, “I did. Don’t think I don’t know when you’re sneaking peeks at me and my mate every chance you get.”
