Page 80 of As The Shifter World Turns

80

THE STUFF OF DREAMS

Ryder

“Ryder, come to bed.” Ivor stumbled into the living room and peered at my phone on the table. “It’s four in the morning.”

“Can’t.” The idea that I’d had, that Ivor and I worked on, and had professional app developers create, was a huge success. Maybe it was beginner’s luck but we were making more money from this than Ivor’s salary and what I took from my business combined. My initial idea had been a selfish one, to help me. But when Ivor and I sat at this same table late into the night and expanded the concept, I never dreamed it would kindle an interest in parents and they’d actually buy what we’d created.

“You’re pushing yourself too hard, love.” He checked the time again. “Dyani will be awake in two hours and it’s your day to take her to the office.”

I put my head in my hands. Gods, I was already running on empty. Working on the app business was taking all of my time and poor Trey at the office was bearing the brunt of me not only being exhausted but also not pulling my weight. He was doing my job as well as his own.

I never considered this might happen, looking on it more as a way to help me and maybe a few others than anything else. And even though my brain was frazzled, I’d come to a decision. “I need a manager.”

Ivor slung an arm around my shoulders and kissed my brow. “I’ve got you. Go to bed and I’ll get Dyani up and fed. I’ll wake you in time to go to the office—or maybe a little later.”

“No.” That wasn’t how I should have responded to my mate’s offer of help. “Thank you, you’re an angel and I really appreciate it but what I was trying and failing to say was I need to hire a manager for the office. My job. All my attention needs to be on growing and nurturing the app and right now, I’m not doing either very well.”

My mate adjusted his robe and sat at the table. “I agree. But you don’t need to look very far for a manager. You have the perfect person right under your nose.”

I took both his hands, not quite believing that we were thinking the same thing. It’d been in the back of my mind to ask him, but our history of working together had come to a sticky end with the whole Kellan issue. Having Ivor run the business, and me the app side of things, we’d be a formidable team.

“Thank you, babe. You don’t know what this means to me.”

My mate gave me an odd look and put a hand to my forehead. “You’re more tired than I realized.”

Now it was my turn to make a face. “Can’t I thank my mate for saving my ass and offering to take over the company?”

Ivor’s mouth opened and closed, his eyes narrowed and he tilted his head. “Oh, Ryder, no. You’ve got it wrong.”

My overworked brain couldn't wrap itself around what he was telling me. “You’re not making any sense, love.”

“The person I was thinking of was Trey.”

“Trey?”

“Yeah, the guy who works in your office.”

I knew who he was and how Ivor had been so jealous of him initially. But that wasn’t who was most suited to take over from me. My mate understood the business and the workings of the office better than anyone and he appeared to have dealt with his Trey issues. Here I thought I had everything sorted and now I had to hire a manager with all that crap that entailed. Trey took over for me constantly and was more than capable but he wasn’t a big picture guy.

“I never considered taking the job.” Ivor got up and began to make tea. “But now you’ve planted the seed.”

So there was hope. I zipped my mouth shut knowing he’d weigh up the pros and cons and reach a conclusion without my interfering. “My boss just told me yesterday he’d accepted a new position in another company so it'd be the perfect time for me to leave.” He brought the teapot and two cups to the table. “But would I be in the office every day and you work from home?”

I hadn’t thought that far ahead. “Everything is doable, and there’d be a lot of juggling, but one thing is certain, Dyani would be with one of us at all times.”

“And I get to be the boss, right?”

I raised both arms in surrender. “I’ll be hands off because my focus will be the app.”

“Let’s do it.”

I was so proud of the man my mate had become. Sure, he had bouts of uncertainty as we all did, but he now had an air of confidence about him.

Neil

As I walked up the stairs to 3A, Martin’s voice drifted out the open door. “Toby, please put your dirty clothes in the hamper and why is your school bag on the floor where I keep tripping over it?”

“Because it keeps falling off the hook,” Toby yelled. “I’m going to do my homework at Ivor’s, Dad.” Toby clattered down the stairs and said, ““Hi, Neil,” as he passed.

As Ivor and Ryder had three bedrooms and one was used as a home office, Ivor had told Toby he could do his homework there as long as he wasn’t using the room himself. Toby and his dad needed more space. Sunshine Manor was perfect for singles or couples but only 1A was suitable for a family.

“And where’s the—” Martin stuck his head out the door but based on his expression, he’d expected to see his son, not me. “Hey.”

“Toby’s already downstairs.”

“Tea?” he asked as we walked inside the apartment.

Martin liked everything neat and tidy and he always washed the dishes when I made dinner. But as I waited for him to make my hot drink, I scanned the living room. There were boxes of toys and a rail of clothes. A small desk in one corner was for Toby, and bedding was neatly folded at one end of the sofa because where I was sitting was Toby’s bed.

Martin’s tablet sat on the coffee table and the site he’d been looking at was a realtor. They’re leaving! My heart constricted. They wanted out of Sunshine Manor and that would change mine and Martin’s relationship. I’d always known it was a possibility they’d move, but now it was close to reality, I was bereft. It felt like a rejection of me, which was silly, but that was my immediate reaction.

And rather than waiting for Martin to broach the subject, I nodded at the tablet. “You’re moving.” It was a statement, not a question and there was a tremor in my voice.

“Mmmm. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it.”

We weren’t mated, and I wasn’t Toby’s father, but we were in a relationship and I wished he’d mentioned it before I stumbled upon his search.

“Hope you’re not going far.” I took a sip of tea, trying to calm my jangling nerves.

“There’s not much available around here but I don’t want to move too far away because of Toby’s school.”

“Right.” I took another sip of tea.

“Sorry you had to find out like this but now you know, I want to ask you something.”

He was going to ask me to mate with him. Me, the human. I chewed my nails and gripped the mug of tea with one hand.

“Will you move in with me? With us? ”

Not mating. Just sharing an apartment. My head was flooded with questions. Martin wanted me with him but not as his mate. While I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment, I was offended that he thought I’d leave my home just to share a place to live, but not a commitment.

And the idea of leaving Sunshine Manor permanently and 2B had my heart racing at twice its normal speed.

“Ummm.” I gulped the last mouthful of tea.

“You know I want you to be my mate, but I figured you weren’t ready for that, so that’s why I suggested we share a home together first.”

I knew with absolute certainty that I loved this man and wanted to be with him for the rest of my life. But to live somewhere other than the manor was a step I wasn’t ready to take. It made no sense but that was my reality and agreeing to live with Martin and Toby would be a disaster. One day, yes, but not yet.

Taking Martin’s hands, I looked at him. He guessed my answer before I said a word and the light in his eyes faded. “It’s too soon. I’m sorry. I love you, but no. We’ve been happy until now so surely we can continue living separately, at least for a while.”

He pulled away from me and stood up. “You say you love me, Neil but you don’t want to share a home with me and my son. How am I supposed to interpret that?”

As a rejection. That was how he’d interpret my answer.