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Chapter Fifty-One

Theodore

My hands tremble as I hold my cell, staring at the text Tobias sent me.

I miss you too, but I’m not ready to talk.

It’s progress. Fuck, it’s progress! Or maybe he’s just drunk, considering it was nearly one in the morning when he sent it. Still, there has to be some truth behind it if he was drunk, right? Isn’t that what they say? People are too honest when they’re drunk or something like that.

Should I respond? Of course I should respond.

But what do I say? I could go with a joke?

That’s a bad idea. Something serious then?

Fuck, this shouldn’t be so difficult. Talking to Tobias was never hard, except for those first few moments when I saw him.

It didn’t take long for me to get comfortable with him .

After all that’s happened, I need to show him that he can trust me and that I will be honest with him. So, honesty it is.

I understand, and I don’t want to be pushy, but I won’t stop trying.

My heart jumps out of my throat when I see the bubbles dancing on the text.

He’s staring at our text, right this very second, just like I am.

It’s almost like he’s here with me. Almost?

No, not even fucking close. If he were here with me, I wouldn’t be looking at my stupid phone.

I’d be looking at him. Touching him, unable to keep my hands off him.

When the bubbles disappear and I don’t get a text, I put my phone down and go take a shower. I can’t be mad at him over not answering, and I guess what I’m feeling isn’t anger. It’s disappointment. I have to be patient.

The house sounds empty. Asher and Morgan must be out, maybe at work. Morgan doesn’t usually work so early, but I don’t make a habit of asking where she’s going because it’s none of my business.

I’m supposed to meet with Marianne’s father today, and though I said I would, I’m not so sure I want to.

I appreciate the job offer, but also… he’s only doing it because Marianne begged him.

The guy hates me. He’s pissed at me for calling off the wedding, convinced that Marianne is only agreeing to make me happy and that she’s heartbroken.

He won’t accept the fact that his daughter has a mind of her own.

Still, he’s taking it better than my own father.

At least he hasn’t di sowned his daughter and ripped everything she’s ever known away from her.

I’m not in a position to turn my nose up at a job, but I know when my father finds out, he’ll be pissed.

So if I take this job, financially I’ll be doing better, but it’ll make things worse with my family.

When I left my parents’ house that night, I decided I wasn’t going to make decisions about my life for them anymore. Everything I choose is for me.

As far as I know, our families haven’t spoken since then. I don’t know what’s going on with them partnering together and if it’s still happening or not. I shouldn’t worry about that. What I should worry about is myself and coming up with more ideas to win Tobias back. That is all I care about.

“Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Dumonte. I know you have a busy schedule,” I say once I take a seat in his office. He looks up at me, eyes narrowing slightly.

“I am a very busy man,” he says. “And if anyone else had asked me to do this, the answer would be no.”

“I understand,” I say with a firm nod. “We can make this quick.”

He grunts an inaudible sound, getting up to go to the cart in the corner to pour himself a drink. He comes back without one for me. I understand what he’s doing here, asserting his dominance. It’s fine, I can handle it. If this is going to give me a job, I’ll do whatever he needs.

“What qualifies you to work here? Other than Marianne’s insistence, of course.”

I clear my throat. “Uhm, well, that’s hard to explain. I guess I have experience with a little bit of everything, just as a COO would.”

“So, meetings, proposals, putting out fires?” He sips his drink.

“Basically, yes.”

“Have you ever managed to hold down a job for a long period of time or is commitment an ongoing struggle?” he asks.

I blink at him, unsure if he actually wants me to answer that or not. I expected insults and passive-aggressive comments, I just didn’t prepare myself on how to respond to them.

“I can assure you that commitment is not an issue for me, Mr. Dumonte.”

He leans back in his chair, taking a sip of his drink before saying, “Okay, and what do you think your greatest strength is, aside from disappointing people?"

I hold my breath as I think of how to answer this one. I can’t let this man walk all over me during this interview. I don’t think that’s what he wants.

“With all due respect, Mr. Dumonte, Marianne and I were very clear that calling off the wedding was a mutual decision.” His brows shoot to his hair line.

“I’m sorry that you’re upset about it, and I’m sorry it didn’t work out.

But Marianne believes in me, we’re still friends, and if you trust her, then you should trust me too. ”

His eyes narrow, and he stares at me for far too long. I can’t tell if he’s going to scream at me, lunge at me, or start laughing.

He shoots back the rest of his alcohol, still regarding me. Spinning the tumbler in his hand, he says, “If you fuck this up, I will make sure you never find another job within a hundred-mile radius.”

“I would expect nothing less," I was firmly.

“There is a management position in the support department.”

“Management?” I blurt out, he eyes me more sternly. I expected the mail room or a janitor.

“You have one shot at this, Theodore. You better not fuck it up. I’ll see you on Monday.”

There’s no way I’m fucking up two big things in the same year. I’m not that dumb.

All the way home, I can’t stop thinking about Tobias. I want to text him and I’m even tempted to call, but it’s Friday, meaning he works both jobs. I want him to know I’m not giving up, but I don’t want to be overwhelming. How do I find that balance?

He told me he missed me and that’s a step in the right direction. It makes me want to go full force, but even I know that’s creepy. So, I hold off from texting him again… for now. When I get back to Asher’s, Morgan is home.

“Hey,” I say when I find her in the kitchen.

“How was your interview?”

“I’ve decided being insulted was worth getting the job.”

She grins at me over her shoulder. “Congratulations.”

“That’s yet to be determined. This job may make me want to hang myself.”

She huffs out a laugh. “You hungry? I’m making pancakes.”

“Pancakes for lunch? Hell yeah.”

She gestures for me to take a seat at the dining table, so I do. Then she says, “Tell me how the big bad CEO hurt your feelings.”

I chuckle as I sit down and recount all the ways Vern Dumonte made me feel two inches tall. Morgan talks shit about him, which of course makes me laugh. I don’t hate the guy, but he’s certainly from a different generation. Maybe even a different world. The same world my father lives in.

Morgan and I chat while we eat, and I clean up the kitchen when we’re done so she can go shower and get ready for work.

As I rinse the dishes and put them into the dishwasher, I can’t help but smile.

Today was a good day. I did hard things, but I'm still here, I'm still alive, and they’re going to make me better in the end.

Tobias texted me back. I got a job. Those are two huge , amazing things.

Soon enough I’ll be on my own, doing this life thing without the support of anyone but myself. Now that I’ve got momentum and I’m moving in the right direction, it’s not as scary. I can totally do this, and I feel like an idiot for ever thinking I couldn't.

Maybe one day my parents will talk to me again, maybe they won’t. As much strain as this whole thing has put on us, I hope we can make amends. I don’t want to go the rest of my life battling them. I’d like them to know their grandkids, when I decide to have some.

My phone rings, but my hands are wet so I can’t answer it.

Whoever it is, I’ll call them back. When I’m done and my hands are dry, I frown at the phone when I see it was Preston, my brother.

I call him back, not having a single clue as to why he’s calling me.

All I can think is that something is wrong.

I didn't even think he had my phone number.

“Didn’t think you’d call back,” he greets, a smugness to his tone.

“Is there an emergency?”

“No,” he says, drawing out the word.

“What do you want then?”

“Can’t I just want to talk to my brother?”

“Suddenly, after twenty-seven years? No.”

He laughs. “Theo, you are a funny guy. ”

“What do you want, Preston?”

I make my way through the house and into my room. Not that the job I had before took up a lot of my time, but it suddenly feels like the days are longer. There’s nothing to fill them with. No late mornings with Tobias, no texting, no calls. No stupid meetings.

“I just wanted to say I’m proud of you for what you did.”

“Excuse me?” I blurt out, stopping halfway to my bed.

“We aren’t the same kind of people, Theo, but you’re still my brother. And even if I act like that means nothing, it does mean something.”

“Okay…”

“This shit with Mom and Dad isn’t easy, I know that. They are… difficult, and so not with the times. I wish I had the balls to do what you did.”

“What are you trying to say, Preston?” I ask carefully.

He barks out a laugh. “Oh, no. I’m not saying I’m gay. I love pussy, there’s no mistaking that.” I roll my eyes. “But sometimes, I wish they’d be a little easier, you know?”

I let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know.”

“I’ll try talking to Dad, okay? I don’t know that he’ll ever give you the company, but—”

“I don’t want it.”

“Seriously?” he whispers.

“I never wanted that company. I want nothing to do with it. ”

“I don’t know if that’ll make things better or worse,” he mutters, chuckling.

Knowing our father, me not wanting the company is going to make me look weak. Which is probably what he thinks about me already anyway.

“I just want to live my life and be happy, Preston. What they have to offer, isn’t it.”

“I get that, bro.”

“Does Michael feel the same as you?”

“Hard to tell. I haven’t talked to him, and he’s a man of few words, so…”

It could go either way with him. He’s a lot like Dad on the outside, but on the inside, I think he’s more like me but won’t say anything. Preston is the loudmouth of the bunch, but I guess as the middle child, you have to be.

“Just stay in touch, okay? I’ll work on Dad,” Preston says.

“Thanks for calling, Preston. Seriously, it means a lot.”

“No problem,” he says with a smile in his voice. “And you know, I wouldn’t hate meeting this guy that you ruined your life over.”

A laugh falls out of me. “What makes you think there’s a guy?”

“No way in fuck you blew up your life for yourself. That’s not you.”

He’s right about that. Had I never met Tobias, things would still be the same. I’d be a few months out from marrying Marianne, and my family would be happy while I’d be questioning everything.

I spend the evening browsing for apartments and houses, different jobs—in case this one doesn’t end up working—and even napping here and there.

I put on a scary movie, but ten minutes in, I have to shut it off because I’m a big baby when Tobias isn’t here.

Hell, I’m a baby when he is here, but at least I have him to protect me.

It hits ten and I assume he’s home, so I send him another text for the night, hoping it’ll help him sleep better.

Thinking of you. Sleep well.

I don’t expect a response, so when I get one, I’m shocked.

I’d sleep better if you were with me.

My heart aches, and I so badly want to jump on the chance to run over there and do that. But neither of us needs that so soon. I fucked up, yes, but aside from that, we jumped into things very quickly. Maybe time will do us good—as long as I know he doesn’t hate me anymore, that is.

So would I.

I stare at my phone waiting for a response, and I groan when I see it.

Then come over.

I’m a strong man, but I’m not that strong.

Fuck taking things slow .

I jump out of bed and get dressed faster than I ever have before, running out of the house while my right foot is halfway in my shoe. Once I’m in the car, I realize I don’t have a fucking coat on. Oh well. I’m going to win Tobias back.