Page 97 of Worth the Risk

“Gregory,” Landon repeated.

“He called me on Saturday morning after Landon stormed out all dramatic like and said he wanted me to show him how to manage the club because he knew Landon would need me out here.”

“I’m standing right here,” Landon protested Verity’s use of his name as though he were not an actual participant in the story.

Verity rolled their eyes and looked back to Jack. “Anyway, he showed up at the club Saturday night and shadowed me, then every day during the week he came after work and did dry runs with me of all the open and close procedures. He’s really smart. So, anyway, I gave him the keys last night and hopped a red-eye and,voila, here I am.” Verity splayed their hands out in front of them with a theatrical flair.

“Gregory,” Landon repeated again, unsure if he was more shocked that Verity had sided with Gregory, or that Gregory had done what he had. A small part of Landon was angry that Gregory hadn’t come to New York himself, but that part festered inside of him alongside the part that was angry Gregory hadn’t texted him since Tuesday.

“Yes, Gregory. The man whose messages you’re ignoring,” Verity confirmed.

“We fought!” Landon protested.

“Oh, lord,” Jack groused, “are you on about this again? I thought we sorted this in the hospital. You know you were in the wrong.”

“He admitted he was wrong?” Verity laughed.

“In as many words,” Jack confirmed.

“I’m still right here, assholes,” Landon grumbled, walking back to the kitchen.

“Then why hasn’t he called him?” Verity asked Jack, again as if Landon wasn’t there.

“I thought he had,” Jack answered with a shrug.

Then, both of them looked at him, eyes expectant.

Landon’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment and he turned his back on his friends to pour a mug of coffee for himself. He took a small sip, burning his lip on the hot brew. He winced and set the mug down on the counter, bracing his hands around the edge and staring at the steam that wafted from the coffee.

“Why did he send you?” Landon asked, his tone biting.

“First off, no one sends me anywhere,” Verity corrected, holding a finger up in the air.

“I mean why didn’t he come himself?” Landon spat.

Jack rolled his eyes and chewed a piece of bacon.

“You’re terrible,” Landon grumbled as he turned to face his to friends.

“So you’d really rather Gregory had made the flight out here so you could have a resumed your argument while you’re already in such a stellar fucking mood?” Jack asked.

Verity sat there and nodded.

Landon licked his lips and looked at the ceiling, the window, the television, anywhere but his friends.

“He did the right thing, Landon,” Jack said softly. “I need help, but you’re insane if you think you can help me on your own.”

“I can’t help you if you fight me on everything,” Landon said with wide, exasperated eyes.

“I’ve never been inclined to be the one on the receiving end of things, Landon. This isn’t news. You knew I wouldn’t be easy.”

“Stop trying to find shit wrong with Gregory, you dumb shit,” Verity snapped, seemingly out of turn, their stare locked on Landon. “He loves you. He hasn’t slept all week, and he’s probably not going to sleep all weekend because he’s in LA running your club so I can be here to help you with Jack. Did you really want to hash your high school collaring drama out in front of Jack? Did you want that to be Jack’s first impression of him?”

Landon huffed.

“We all know that Verity and I are right, so we don’t even need to talk about this anymore, do we?” Jack’s voice had an edge of condescension that Landon felt better reserved for toddlers.

“You’re notmyDaddy, Jack.”