“Tell you what, why don’t I just get some Mexican food from that mom and pop restaurant you love so much. I’ll get a bottle of tequila, you provide the lime and salt, and maybe other things.” That made Jordan blush and was happy that Bronx couldn’t see his face through the phone. “We can veg out and drink. This way I won’t have to bring your drunk ass home.”
Jordan also knew what Bronx was doing. His friend knew he was strapped for cash. And sometimes there was no use fighting Bronx when he had an idea in his head. “I know what you are trying to do.”
“I’m not trying to do anything,” Bronx told him. “Honestly, I don’t feel like being around large crowds of people tonight. Hey, do me a favor?”
“What’s that?”
“Open the door, I can’t reach my key.”
“Bastard,” Jordan said with a chuckle. “You were already on your way over when I called you.” He hung up the phone and answered the door.
“Yup,” Bronx said cheekily when Jordan opened the door. He leaned forward and kissed Jordan on the cheek, and with a bright smile he walked into Jordan’s small apartment and headed straight for the kitchen. Putting the large bag of food down on the counter, Bronx started pulling out plates from the cupboards. Jordan shook his head and watched his friend walk around his small apartment. “Planning on eating?” Bronx asked, taking out the containers filled with food. Everything smelled so good, his stomach rumbled. Reminding him yet again that he’d skipped a meal. Jordan opened his mouth to whine that he really wanted to go out and celebrate. “Aw, little bit, don’t pout, I promise if you eat up all your food, like a good little boy, I’ll let you take me out for that drink, how’s that?”
Jordan looked away from Bronx. “I wasn’t pouting, and you know I hate when you call me that. It’s not my fault you look like the Incredible Hulk.”
Bronx snorted. “Tell that to someone who doesn’t know you any better than you know yourself.”
They’d been a part of each other’s lives for so long that Jordan could not picture Bronx not being there for him. Bronx was his first everything. The first one he told he was gay, his first kiss, lover, and the first one to break his heart. Well, not actually break it. They’d both agreed they were better off being friends than lovers. The decision could be that they were just not compatible in the bedroom, something they found out a bit too late. Jordan wasn’t sorry that Bronx was his first lover. His best friend was gentle and took his time making his first time so enjoyable that he blushed every time he thought about it.
Bronx was a superb lover, and he’d compared every lover he’d had since then to the man. Their parents, especially Jordan’s, were disappointed when they broke up, but supported them anyway. Bronx was drop-dead gorgeous, blond hair, gray eyes, with a devilish smile and personality. But there was something about him, Jordan couldn’t put his finger on the reason why he only saw Bronx as a brother rather than a lover. Jordan knew any man would be lucky to have Bronx’s undivided attention.
“What are you thinking about?” Bronx asked, cutting into his thoughts.
“I love you. You know that, right?”
“What brought that on?” Bronx asked, looking down at the plates on Jordan’s lopsided coffee table.
“Nothing really.” Jordan shrugged. “But you’ve been with me through so much, I’m just glad I have you in my life.”
Bronx looked up and smiled. “Aw, little bit, you’ve turned all mushy on me.”
“You’re also an ass,” Jordan said, shaking his head.
“One of my finest qualities.” Bronx smirked. “So, tell me whattheDuncan Pryde is like. I hear he’s hot as fuck.”
Jordan walked over to the couch and picked up the plate that Bronx dished out for him. He took a bite of his meal and moaned at the wonderful taste. He loved Mexican food, the myriad of spices melted in his mouth. The spicier it was, the better it tasted to him. “He’s way hotter, and you should see him with his niece and nephew. They are so adorable together. Did you know about them?” Jordan asked his best friend.
“No,” Bronx answered. “I really don’t know much about him,” he said, looking away from Jordan, who had the feeling that his friend was lying to him but left it alone.
“It’s kind of weird, a man so in the public eye, yet we know next to nothing about him,” Jordan mused.
“Not everyone wants their personal life plastered all over the front pages of gossip magazines,” Bronx told him around a bite of his meal.
“That’s true, your parents were just as influential as Duncan Pryde, yet they stayed out of the limelight.”
“It doesn’t stop the media hogs and the gold diggers from trying to find out everything they can. And often times they get it completely wrong.” Bronx shrugged his shoulders. “Anyway, tell me more,” he probed.
“I can’t wait to start working for him, I know there’s a lot I can learn from him. There is this air about him that dominates everything he puts his hands on,” he said, even to his ears, he could hear the awe in his voice for his soon-to-be boss. He turned and looked at Bronx who was staring at him with a smile on his face. “What?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you this happy.”
Jordan had no idea he was even smiling while he spoke about Duncan Pryde. “You too,” Jordan told him. A couple of years ago Bronx’s parents died in some freak accident. For a while, Jordan thought he was going to lose his best friend. Bronx had cut himself off and refused to even be around Jordan. He insisted that his parents were murdered, and he had to find the person or persons that did it. To Jordan, it was as if something inside of Bronx broke, it pushed him into a very dark phase. So dark that Jordan did not know how to reach his best friend. And then one day, just like a miracle, Bronx was back to his usual self, laughing and cracking jokes. Jordan had no idea how to take the quick shift in Bronx’s personality. One day he was carefree and the next he was someone completely unrecognizable. Jordan was glad to have his best friend back.
“I’m always happy. Besides, with you as my best friend I have nothing to be sad about,” Jordan said, complimenting his friend. “Now that I am gainfully employed, I don’t have to ask my parents for money.”
“You know I would have given you the funds you needed, without asking you to pay me back.” Bronx and his family were wealthy and very influential in certain circles. Jordan wondered why Bronx had never bumped into Duncan Pryde, they did run in the same wealthy circles after all. In Cypress Prince Island, it wasn’t what you know, but who you know that made things happened.
“I know, but it wouldn’t feel right, you know?” He looked away from Bronx, getting uncomfortable with the conversation. He had a rule of never mixing money with friends, he’d seen results of friendships breaking up over money and didn’t want that to happen between him and Bronx.
