Page 20 of Numbers Boy (Working Boys #2)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Steve

“SINCE WHEN DO you have puzzles?” comes Stu’s confused voice from my living room.

He came over after he got done with work tonight, supposedly to help me get ready for when Noah brings his nieces around.

Mostly, his form of helping is sitting on the couch with Stacy and making comments about how cute it is that I’m so nervous while talking to her in a baby voice. I really do have the best friends.

I do one final check that snacks and beverages are set before joining them on the couch. I plop down next to Stu and lean into his arm, curling my legs up on the cushion next to me.

“I swiped one from Greg. He offered when I mentioned that I wasn’t sure what to do with the girls tonight.” I shrug and stroke Stacy’s soft ears as she lays her head on Stu’s lap. “Figured it couldn’t hurt to have options.”

“Well, it is a super-cool puzzle,” Stu comments, tilting the box back and forth to get the full effect of the psychedelic rainbow spiral design. He blinks a few times and then shakes his head like the colors were messing with his brain.

I chuckle and pluck the box from his hands to put back on my coffee table, just as my phone rings. I grab it from where it’s sitting to see that my dad is calling. I answer and immediately put it on speaker.

“Hey, Dad, what’s up?”

“Just wanted to check in with you. Is Stu there?”

“Hey, Tom!” Stu says before throwing me under the bus. “Did Stevie tell you he’s got a boyfriend?”

I roll my eyes at my best friend, who just grins at me.

“No, he didn’t. Tell me about this guy, Stevie,” my dad prompts, voice carefully neutral. While he’s always been supportive of my sexuality, he’s been worried about me since everything that happened with Adam. Fortunately, I can actually give him good news about my dating life right now.

“He’s great, but it might be a little soon for the boyfriend label. He’s the guy I hired to help with Stacy. I’m actually hanging out with him and his nieces tonight.”

“Meeting family, huh? That’s a pretty big step. And you’ve met him, Stu? He’s got friend approval?”

Stu’s grin widens. “I actually haven’t met him, but he’s got full friend approval so far.”

“Okay, well, you two keep me updated. And how are things with you, Stu?”

“They’re good. Same old, same old for me.”

We all spend a few more minutes catching up before my dad has to go. Once we hang up, I turn to Stu and ask him again.

“Okay, no parents listening in, how are things really going with you, Stu-boo?”

“Things are fine.” He shrugs, making my body shift since I’m still resting against him. “Work is good. And I’m about halfway through the book for brunch at the end of the month.”

“Any hot dates?” I ask, knowing he has been letting dating take a back seat for the past few months. After the “send nudes” girl a few weeks ago, I don’t think he’s even been flirting with anyone.

“Nah,” Stu says breezily. But I know my best friend. I tilt my head up to face him and see his eyes glued to Stacy’s fur.

“Somebody’s out there for you,” I promise him and slip my hand into his. He squeezes gently, lips twitching into a tiny smile. “Or if not, Henry was telling me the other day about a great cock sleeve he just got. It suctions to the wall and everything.”

Stu barks out a laugh, his dimple finally making an appearance when he turns to me.

“I think I’m still set with the last sex toy Henry recommended.

Speaking of which, I’m gonna head out. Enjoy your night, Stevie.

” He winks at me and stands, causing both me and Stacy to shift from where we were basically using him as a human pillow.

“You too, dude.”

Soon after Stu leaves, the buzzer sounds, and I let up my guests for the evening. As Noah ushers in the two girls, my first reaction is how similar they all look. That feeling only intensifies when they look up at me, and I see their eyes, all the same shade of brown.

“Holy sh-nikes, you all look alike,” I say, catching myself at the last second before the swear can escape. But, damn, the genes are hella strong in this family. “Look at your eyes!”

“Yep, they’ve both got the Baxter browns, just like me and Amy,” Noah agrees, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek, his lips still a bit chilly from the outside air. “Hi.”

“Hi. And sorry, girls, I didn’t mean to be so rude.” I raise a hand and give them a wave. “I’m Steve.”

“No, duh,” the taller one, Isabella, mutters under her breath, so quietly I’m not sure if she meant for anyone to hear it.

“Manners,” comes the instant reprimand from Noah, but I get it.

“Yeah, that was a bit obvious, huh? I guess I’m just a little nervous meeting you both.”

That makes her pause, head tilting ever so slightly to the side as she looks at me again. After a few seconds, her shoulders lower a touch, and she waves back. “I’m Isabella.”

“And I’m Lilly!” her younger sister pipes in, waving enthusiastically before wrapping her little arms around me in a hug. I hug her back, happy that we seem to be off to a fairly good start. Now to bring out the big guns.

“I heard you girls were a big help with Stacy the other weekend. Should we go hang out with her?”

A resounding yes comes from all parties, so we head down the hall to Stacy, who’s waiting on her bed where I had her lie down. Her tail is wagging, thumping on the floor like she’s tapping her foot impatiently.

“Alright, Stacy, go say hi.”

Immediately, she’s circling at the girls’ feet, all of them looking as happy as can be. While they’re occupied, Noah slides up to my side and slips his hand in mine. I squeeze it, the gesture making my stomach flip.

“Sorry about Isabella. She’s probably going to be a bit shy and standoffish, but she’ll come around.”

Eyes swinging to his, I shake my head, wanting to take away the doubt sitting there. “I promise, it’s okay. I don’t think she meant it to be rude, and a little preteen sass is nothing. Now, want to help me get snacks? They’re all set up, just have to be brought out from the kitchen.”

“Sounds great.” And with another kiss to my cheek, Noah leads us that way.

As soon as the girls see the trays, they help grab the drinks and set them on the coffee table, and we all find a spot on the floor around it.

We dig into our snacks, and Lilly asks if we can do the puzzle.

I send a quick mental thanks to Greg for the activity suggestion.

Conversation flows rapidly as we look for edge pieces, Noah helping keep up a steady stream of things the girls have going on in their lives.

After they do school updates though, he sets his sights on me.

“Hey, I heard Stu call you Stevie the other day, and it got me thinking. Are you actually a Steven?”

My crinkled nose must be answer enough, the girls and Noah laughing at my reaction.

“Absolutely not, and thank goodness for that,” I say. “Steve is stuffy enough – can you imagine if I was a Steven?” I try to soften my dislike by sending a wink to the girls, making Lilly giggle. “Stu and my dad have called me Stevie for as long as I can remember.”

I also answer to beautiful and, more recently, Princess , I add in my head but keep those thoughts to myself in front of the kids.

A familiar chime comes from across the table, and Noah takes out his phone to check whatever notification just came through the UnLeash Your Dreams app. I try not to be nosy, but I can’t help sneaking a glance when I hear him mutter “shoot” under his breath.

“Everything okay?” I ask, pretending to keep searching for where this piece goes.

“Not really,” he replies, looking at the girls and then back at his phone. “One of my clients needs an emergency walk and dinner time because her car broke down, so she can’t get back home tonight like she planned. Normally, I would take the girls with, but…”

He trails off as we both look out the window at the steadily pouring rain.

I bite my lip as a crazy idea starts to form in my head.

When I look at the girls, Lilly is happily working away at the puzzle, but Isabella has gotten tense, like she’s waiting to see what fate has in store for her tonight.

Stacy perks her head up from where it was resting on the older girl’s leg, clearly sensing her distress as well. I can’t ask her to go get drenched.

“This is just a suggestion, but the girls could stay here while you go.” As soon as I say the word “stay,” Isabella’s shoulders relax, so I must be on the right track.

“Really?” she asks, not meeting my eye and fidgeting with the puzzle piece in her hand. “You would let us do that?”

“Of course,” I hurry to reassure her. “I would love to keep hanging out with you. Besides, Stacy looks really comfy where she is. But only if all three of you and your mom are comfortable with it. I know you haven’t known me for very long, so I would totally understand if this isn’t the best solution. ”

Noah beams at me, a wave of relief and appreciation flooding his face. “I’ll text Amy to check and also send you her number in case you need to get in touch for some reason. You girls both okay with this plan?”

The girls nod, and Isabella finally looks up to give me a small smile, making me feel like I just won a prize. Maybe I’m making some progress with her after all.

“Amy said it’s fine,” Noah says, pulling my attention back to him. He types another message, and a second later, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. “I sent you her number, Stevie. You’re all sure you’re okay with this?”

All three of us nod, and Noah stands, but not before pressing a kiss to my cheek. I bite my bottom lip to stop the smile from taking over my face. My heart flips in my chest at just how easy the casual, open affection comes from him.

“We’ll be fine,” I promise him. “Now, go save the day. Try not to get too wet.”