“Vox, that’s not what I was doing. At least not to be evil. Your grandmother and I discussed the best course for you, which was obviously a future in snowboarding. Your dad was either going to take you to California and ruin that chance for you, or he was going to show up only to leave again, and that wasn’t fair to you, either.”
I absolutely hate how rational that sounds. When I look back up at my father, he’s chewing on his lip, presumably because he knows Grey’s right.
“What about after I was eighteen, Grey? When Grandma died, I had my own place and a contract to stay with Patterson. Why’d you keep him from methen?”
Please tell me he’s wrong.
“I’ll talk with you when you get back,” Grey says, desperately clinging to his shredded dignity and false sense of power, telling me he’s trying to buy time to get his story figured out.
“I’ll be busy when we get back, and allow me to save yoursecurity detailthe trouble of tattling…Connor will be in my condo, and that’s where he’s going to stay. You and I can talk tomorrow,” I argue.
“I’d like to remind you both?—”
I cut Grey off mid-sentence. “Yeah, yeah, we can’tfraternize. That meansfuck, right? You’re a little too late.”
My dad snorts across the table as Connor scrubs a hand down his face.
“Tomorrow, Connor will be busy moving out of the Patterson-paid housing that he currently enjoys, not to mention looking for a new job. Call me when you get back.”
My dad speaks up, his eyes flitting back and forth between Connor and me. “Mr. Lang already has another job offer to consider, so don’t worry yourself about him too much.”
I bite back a laugh, not fully understanding, but still enjoying the moment. Though when I look at Connor, he looks like he might cry. Guess he understands more than I do.
“Call. Me. When. You. Return,” Grey enunciates clearly before hanging up on me.
“Well, that was fun,” my dad says, pulling an easy chuckle out of me.
Chapter 38
Connor
Nothing unites people quite like having a common enemy. Greymighthave been able to come out ahead of this had he gracefully accepted the loss of his power over Vox, apologized, and vowed to help Vox and his dad reconnect in any way he could.
Instead, he turned his wrath onme. The one who has nothing to offer. The one who’s lucky enough to have earned the affection of the man next to me.The one who’s…moving in with his boyfriend?
“Did you just ask me to move in with you?”
Vox’s eyes darken when he looks at me. “Yeah, I did. How great would that be? No more hiding, not having to go days apart because someone is watching our every move? We could just be a boring couple.”
“Baby, you couldn’t be boring if you tried.” I kiss his knuckles with a smile.
“Is that a yes, then?” Vox asks, his voice full of hope.
“I want it to be a yes, but I need a plan, Vox. I’m thirtyyears old. I need some permanent direction,” I explain, hating that it sounds like ano.
“Maybe I can help with that,” Turner Montgomery pipes up. “It’s part of the reason I’m here, and the biggest reason I believe Grey kept us apart,” he says, swinging his eyes to Vox. “Ten years ago, I started a boarding company, as I mentioned. I’ve always had a passion for riding. Whether it be a wave or a mountain, I didn’t care, but I never had the competitive spirit like Vox, so I went into design. Took a couple of basic business and marketing classes and developed a prototype. Started with surf and skateboards since I’d been living in Southern California, but the mountains have been calling me back for a while. Having a kid was never part of my plan, Vox, but the older I get, the easier it’s become to see that the things in my life I didn’t plan for are easily the best. Including you.” Turner coughs, clearly choking back tears, and then apologizes and returns his attention to me. “All that to say, I’ve made enough money to expand the shop to include snowboards and would love to move home. Connor, I need someone with design knowledge. Someone who knows boarding and what the latest technology is. Someone who can help get me athletes, open a shop, and market the brand.”
Immediately, my eyes flash to Vox.
“That would be your son,” I tell him truthfully.
He smiles sadly. “I have no doubt about that, but unfortunately, he’s already spoken for.”
And there it is.
Grey knew that if Vox found out the truth, he wouldn’t renew his contract with Patterson Performance. He’d go with his dad’s company, taking his clout and his entire following with him. Feeling used and betrayed, Vox throws the rest of his second drink back and slams the glass onto the table.
“How the fuck am I supposed to keep racing for Pattersonknowing what I know now?” Vox asks before saying, “I’m pulling out of the Winter Classic.”
