“Oh yeah, what did they tell you about us?” Blayze asked, hoping that he could get the guy to open up to him.
“Look, just fix my fucking hand and stop trying to be my friend.” He leaned closer to Blayze. “I’m never going to tell you what you want to know no matter how nice you are trying to be to me, so fuck off and leave me the hell alone.” Kallen lay back down and rolled over onto his side turning his back to Blayze.
Well, that went well…not!
Jordan sat at his mom’s kitchen table pretending to listen as she rambled on. Bronx was finally talking to him again after Jordan explained that he couldn’t talk about his job. He’d already revealed to his friend about the kids before accepting the job. And knowing that his friend wouldn’t do anything to hurt Benjamin and Maddison, he still adhered to Duncan’s rules by keeping his word. He and Bronx had just finished moving all his furniture out of his old apartment into one of the spare bedrooms in Bronx’s penthouse. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d done the right thing.
The near kiss between him and Duncan kept playing continuously in his mind. He’d hardly slept since that night. He’d heard when Duncan returned two hours later. Since then he’d been avoiding his boss, only speaking to him when it had something to do with the twins. Jordan admitted that he was attracted to his boss from the moment he saw him on the cover of a gossip magazine, but when he applied for the job, he put his attraction to the side and focused on being professional. But there was something pulling him to the other man and he couldn’t fight it.
They had talked since he started working for Duncan but it was mainly about Maddison and Benjamin. He felt the smile on his lips, as he thought about how Duncan loved his niece and nephew. He catered to their every whim, spoiling them. Jordan suspected that it had a lot to do with their parents not being alive. The twins adored their uncle just as much.
“Okay, now I know you are not listening to me,” his mom said, setting a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies in front of him.
“What are you talking about? I heard everything you just said,” he lied and the look on his mom’s face told him she knew he was lying. “Fine,” he grumbled. “I have absolutely no idea what you were talking about.”
She snickered, and her green eyes sparkled. “Here, have a cookie and tell me what’s got you so distracted.” He picked up one of the cookies and took a large bite. He loved his mom’s cooking. He could taste her love in all her dishes. “So?”
He looked at her confused for a split second. “So what?”
“What’s his name?” his mom asked instead. “And don’t give me that look, every time you’re bothered by some new guy you come home for a visit.”
“That’s not true,” Jordan argued back.
“Don’t argue with me, Jordan Masako Sutton. Now tell me about the man you are sighing over.”
“Really, throwing in my middle name?” Ayumi quirked an eyebrow showing that she wasn’t above using threats. “Mom, honest, there is nobody, and I was not sighing.”
His mom gave him a very skeptical look while she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. She didn’t look a day over sixty, even with the patch of gleaming white standing out in her long jet-black hair. “Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?” Jordan didn’t answer her. “Fine, tell me about your new job.”
Jordan smiled and started telling her about enjoying his job and that he worked closely with and for Duncan Pryde. His parents knew that he’d moved out of his apartment and was living closer to his new job. He skirted around some of the responsibilities of his job and explained that he’d originally applied for one job and got another without naming specifically what his job entailed. Ayumi did not stop him or ask any questions. He was still waiting for Duncan to give him the permission to tell his parents about the twins. He talked about Duncan, only referring to him as Mr. Pryde, hoping that his mom didn’t pick up on his attraction for his boss.
“I can’t wait to meet him,” Ayumi told him.
“I don’t think that is going to happen, I’m thinking about quitting.”
“Why? It sounds as if you are enjoying your job.”
“It’s not what I want to do, Mom. I went to school for business not ch…what I’m doing now,” he reasoned.
“I think you’re making a mistake by thinking about quitting so quickly,” his mom told him.
“I don’t.”
“Maybe you need to give it some time,” Ayumi said.
“Come on, Mom. It’s only been a few weeks. If I leave now, Mr. Pryde will be able to find someone to fill my spot. I’m just…”
“I’m not so sure that’s true. I get the feeling you should stick around.” Usually when she got a feeling something happened to him, good or bad. “Is your boss mean to you? Because if he is I can have a word with him.”
Seriously, did she just say that?
“Mom, as much as I love you, I don’t need you to fight my battles for me. And, yes, my boss is very nice to me.” Jordan chuckled.
“Then I see no reason for you to leave,” Ayumi told him.
Jordan opened his mouth to respond, but was saved when his dad called out that he was home.
“Hey, Dad, we’re in the kitchen,” Jordan called out.
