Page 27

“Knock, knock.”

Scott looks up from his desk, a smile dimpling his cheeks. “Hey, Teddy. Come on in. Shut the door if you want.”

“You sure that wouldn’t start rumors?” I ask, leaving the door open as I step inside his office.

Scott snorts. “None I haven’t heard before. So what’s up? You have an update on Phillip’s case?”

“I do,” I say happily. “The landlord settled.”

“Well, that’s great. No drama is good drama.”

I huff a laugh, but he’s not wrong.

“I think I saw Phillip heading into the library earlier,” Scott says. “Should we see if we can catch him?”

“Sure.”

Scott and I head toward the community center’s library-slash-study space. There aren’t any younger kids around at this time of day, but a few older teens are stationed at computers, and some of the private study room doors are closed. Scott points over to the back corner, where Phillip is sitting in a chair with headphones in. He looks up as we approach and tugs out the earpieces.

“Uh, hey,” he says, sitting taller.

“Hey,” Scott replies, taking a seat across from the teen. I do the same as Scott asks, “Mind if we talk in here? It’s good news.”

Phillip nods. “Yeah, sure.”

Scott waves a hand my way, giving me the floor.

“Your landlord agreed to pay you back for the excess rent he collected,” I tell Phillip, pulling the check out of my bag. “I have it here. Plus your security deposit.”

Phillip blinks at the check I hand him. “Really? That’s it?”

“That’s it,” I confirm.

“But that was so…easy,” the teen says.

“That’s why we keep this guy around,” Scott teases, clapping me on the shoulder.

I shake my head, although there’s a smile on my face. “Sometimes it is that easy. Not all lawsuits go to court.”

“Well, thanks,” Phillip says, looking a little shell-shocked. “I didn’t think anyone would care, and I just… Thank you, guys. For everything.”

“Of course,” Scott says gently. He notches his head at the sketchpad in Phillip’s lap. “Schoolwork or fun?”

“Both?” the teen answers with a small laugh, flipping around the paper so we can see the beginning stages of his sketch. It’s the outline of a human, the proportions on point. “It’s for a class, but I like to draw, so…” He shrugs.

“Are you an art major?” I ask.

He nods.

“I can tell,” I say. “That’s really incredible.”

“Thanks,” he says quietly, setting the pad back on his lap. “It’s been…tough? I mean, classes and working. It’s hard to find time for both.”

I hum. “You know, I have a friend who got his art degree while working a full-time job. I bet he’d be happy to talk to you about what worked for him.”

“Really?” he asks. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

“You wouldn’t be, promise. Alex would be happy to help. Let me give him a call. If you have a minute?”

Phillip nods, and I pull out my phone. Scott shoots me a smile as I get up and step around our seats. Alex answers swiftly.

“If it isn’t my favorite Teddy Bear,” he says before clicking his tongue. “Actually, my third favorite Teddy Bear. Sorry, Teddy. My men come first.”

I huff a laugh. “Third place is fine. I have a favor to ask.”

“Ooh,” Alex says. “Intrigue. What can I do for you?”

“I have an eighteen-year-old with me who’s working on his art degree. He’s trying to find balance between classes and his job.”

“Who is this teenager, Teddy? Do you have a love child I’m unaware of?”

“Not mine,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s a long story. Would you have time to talk to him?”

“Of course, Teddy boo. Call me back via video so I can chat with him properly.”

“You’re wearing clothes?” I double check.

He scoffs. “I will be once the video connects.”

With a chuckle, I end our call and reconnect via video chat. Once Alex is onscreen, I walk back over to Phillip and Scott and hand my phone to the teen.

“This is my friend, Alex. Alex, this is Phillip,” I say, giving introductions.

“Hi, boo!” Alex says excitedly.

Phillip stares, mouth slack and cheeks rapidly flushing. “Uh, hi.”

Looks like Phillip might have a thing for pretty twinks. I give him some privacy and retake my seat.

Scott nudges my shoulder as Phillip tells Alex about his coursework. “You’re good at this,” Scott says.

“What’s that?”

He shrugs a little. “Being compassionate. Helping without being asked. If you ever need a job, let me know. You’d have one here.”

“Doing what?” I ask curiously.

“Any number of things. Organizing events, fundraising, helping the kids. There’s always work to do.”

I hum.

Scott checks to make sure Phillip is still engaged with Alex before asking, “Kipp doesn’t mind your job?”

I snort, a smile curling my lips. “No. He rather likes it. He’s even come to the studio with me.”

“Well, honestly, that’s great,” Scott says. “You two seem well suited.”

“Yeah,” I say. We’re perfectly suited.

If only our marriage was real…

“Thanks again,” Phillip says, his words catching my attention. “I really appreciate it.”

“You bet, sweets,” Alex replies through the phone. “Call or text anytime. I’m happy to help.”

The teen mumbles out another thank you before handing my phone back. “Wow,” he says.

Yep. Alex tends to have that effect on people.

“All set?” Scott asks.

Phillip nods. “Yeah. Thanks again.”

“Anytime,” Scott answers, standing. “You know where to find me if you need anything.”

I say my goodbyes to Phillip, and Scott and I head from the library. As we reach the front of the building, Scott stops with me.

“Think about what I said, okay? We’d be lucky to have you here, Teddy.”

“I’ll consider it,” I tell him, meaning it.

He gives me a nod, and we part ways. I’m just sitting down in my car when my phone rings. I assume it’s Alex, calling back for details about how I know Phillip. But it’s not. It’s my grandma.

“All??” I answer, a frown on my face. She doesn’t usually call this early in the day.

“Mon chéri,” she says simply. “Your Papa had an accident.”

“Maman, what happened?” I ask, pulse starting to race.

She makes a soft sound. “Nothing major. He slipped on the path outside the garden. Hurt his hip. It’s just a deep bruise, not a break, but he’ll be on bed rest for a few days. I wanted to let you know.”

“Should I come?” I ask, already making plans in my head.

“No, mon chéri. We’ll be fine.”

I shake my head, the roll in my gut telling me I’m not fine. “I’m coming.”

“Théodore,” she says gently.

“Please, Maman.”

It’s been over half a year since I’ve seen them, and if there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that life can be short. My grandparents aren’t young anymore, and maybe a bruised hip isn’t the end of the world, but I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t take the chance to visit when I could only for something worse to happen down the road. My grandparents are the only family I have left. I don’t want regrets when it comes to them.

“Okay, mon chéri,” my grandma says at last. “I’ll make up the spare bedroom for you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I tell her, even though I know she will regardless.

“We’ll see you soon,” she says. “Bisous.”

“Kisses.”

We end the call, and I sit in my vehicle, eyes closed as I simply breathe. It’s okay. Just a bruised hip. But I’m still going.

I turn on my car and dial Kipp. The call connects via my vehicle’s Bluetooth, and Kipp’s happy voice surrounds me.

“Hey, Teddy. I’m glad you called.”

“Yeah?” I ask, pulse kicking up again for an entirely different reason.

“Yeah. You go first. What’s up?”

My mood plummets. “I need to take a short trip to Canada. I’ll be gone for a few days, a week tops.”

“Oh,” he says. “Are your grandparents okay?”

“Debatable?” I say, pulling out into traffic. “My grandpa hurt his hip. I just… I really need to be there.”

“I understand,” Kipp says softly, and my chest squeezes tight. It’s such simple support, but it means the world. “When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I can book a flight. Will you be all right?”

He snorts a laugh. “Teddy. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. I am an adult, you know.”

“I know. But I’m still allowed to worry.”

He makes a soft sound. “Hopefully, I can catch you before you leave. But if I don’t, just… Have a safe trip. And say hello to your grandparents for me.”

“I will,” I answer. So many other words sit at the tip of my tongue. I’ll miss you. I fucking love you. Keep the bed warm for me. But I don’t say any of them. “Um… Did you have something you wanted to say when I called? You said ‘you go first.’”

“Oh,” he says. “Nah. It can wait.”

“You sure?”

“Yep.”

“Okay,” I say.

“’Kay.”

We both chuckle.

“See you when I see you,” Kipp says.

“Yeah. Bye, sweetheart.”

There’s that soft sound again. “Bye, Teddy.”

Hanging up feels like the worst thing, but I do it and focus on getting home. Once there, I book a red-eye out of Las Vegas that’ll land me in Quebec tomorrow morning. I call Jerome, too, making sure he can adjust my upcoming schedule. It’s not a problem, and with the next several days clear, I pack my bag.

It’s just after five o’clock when the door flies open and Kipp rushes in, looking adorably windblown like he was running the whole way here.

“I made it,” he says triumphantly.

I can’t help but laugh in a disbelieving, giddy sort of way as he strides right over to me, hands landing on my face and blue eyes meeting mine. There’s longing in that stare. Longing. Even though I’m right here.

Kipp kisses me without a word. It’s sweet. And it’s hungry. Kipp’s tongue tangles with my own, him taking from my mouth without pause. He pushes me back toward the couch, and the moment I sit down, he follows, straddling my lap. He doesn’t let go of my face, and he doesn’t stop kissing me. Not for a good, long while.

When he finally pulls back, he’s breathless. “How long do we have?”

“Ten, maybe fifteen minutes.”

He nods. “Fifteen minutes.”

And then he’s kissing me again. We stay that way, Kipp on my lap, his hands holding me tight and mine holding him close, and we simply…kiss. It’s not about getting off. It’s not about getting to something else. It’s comfort, plain and simple. And the fact that Kipp seems to need it as much as me is a balm on my soul, reassuring and soothing in one.

As soon as I’m back from Canada, we’re going to talk. I’m going to ask Kipp to be mine, properly. And assuming he says yes—because he has to say yes, doesn’t he?—we’re going to do this for real. Him and me, for real.

It’s a wonderful, terrifying thought.

“I need to go,” I mumble against Kipp’s mouth, every piece of me wishing I could stay. And yet I know it’s only a few days. A week at most. And then I’ll be back.

Kipp nods against me, his forehead on my own. “Okay.”

A thought occurs to me. “Do you want me to plug you before I go?”

He jolts slightly. “For the whole week?”

I huff a laugh as he squirms, cheeks flushing. “For tonight.”

He licks his lips and nods.

We head to the bedroom together, and Kipp drops his pants without preamble, scooting up on the mattress and presenting his ass. I groan, almost regretting this. Almost. I pet his ass cheek before lubing up my finger.

As I stretch him open, I talk.

“I want you to keep this inside all night, okay? You can remove it if you need to, but put it back in. When you go to sleep, imagine it’s me. That I’m here with you. Inside you. And in the morning, you’re going to wrap your hand around your dick, fuck yourself with the plug, and come for me. Can you do that, doll?”

He nods against the bedding, moaning as I ease the plug inside his ass. It settles beautifully, the base peeking out like a dirty little secret just for him and me.

I give his ass cheek a kiss before helping him upright. Fuck it. “I’m going to miss you,” I say, unable not to.

The smile he gives me is soft and warm. “I’ll miss you, too.”

I ease out a breath. “Okay. Gotta go.”

Kipp nods, pulling his briefs and pants back on, and I make a quick stop in the bathroom to wash up. At the door, Kipp gives me one last long, lingering kiss. And then I go, my suitcase in hand and my heart divided in two.

It’s just a few days. A week tops. No time at all.

And yet leaving has never been harder.