“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“And I want this to go through The Club. If we’re going to do this, I want a contract.”
“There is usually a trial period before a long-term contract is offered. It’s for the protection of the consort more than anything.”
“That’s fine. We can feel it out, and if we both agree, then we can make it official.”
“I can agree to that. I’ll still support you financially until then. You’ll need to give me a list of expenses you want covered.”
“I don’t need you to support me while we’re feeling this out. I’m not going to go on more than a few dates without a commitment from you.”
“Understandable. Anything else?”
He nodded, glancing at the box that was just out of easy reach. I chuckled, and I pushed the box back toward him. “It’s already connected and don’t worry, this time I’m in your contacts, Shelton. So, you can call me anytime you want.”
I stood then and we walked out of the bistro, close but still worlds apart. Standing beside his car, he was stiff, as if he wasn’t sure of his next move. I opened my arms to him and he stepped into my embrace, head tucked under my chin. He fit against me perfectly, and the way the tension seemed to drain out of him had my mind going places it hadn’t in a long time. I pulled away and said goodbye, then I watched him drive away and wondered what I’d gotten myself into.
Preston was so worried I would break his little brother’s heart it had probably never occurred to him that it could go either way. Shelton Greene was like no one I’d ever known. I’d never been in love before, but there was a first time for everything.
8
Shelton
“You have an ID?” the man at the bar said with a grin that had my hackles up.
“I’m twenty-six,” I muttered as I handed him my ID.
He shrugged. “Not worth losing my license over.”
I took the rum and cola he offered and sighed when the smooth liquid warmed my throat. First glass finished, I took the second one the bartender slid my way and turned to watch the early afternoon crowd trickling in after work.
When I saw a familiar face step through the door, I lifted my hand to get his attention. “Seb,” I called out, happy to see my college friend when I was feeling so low. Seb always managed to bring a smile to my face.
He tilted his head in greeting and took a seat on the stool next to me.
“How is grad school?” I asked as he took his first sip. “Still freelancing?”
“I am,” he chuckled. “Things are hectic. You know that’s how I work best.”
“Too many irons in the fire,” I said with a nod.
“We can’t all drop out of college to pursue our dreams,” he teased.
“Hey, that first dream went up in flames.”
“But your current venture is going well, right?”
I shrugged. “It is and it isn’t. No matter how I try to convince people that their dreams are within reach and don’t need a special event to make them a reality, a lot of people are hesitant. I can get them all the discounts and show them exactly what they need to do, but in the end, some people are scared to take that leap.”
“Is that where you’ve been? I’ve been kicking around this new idea for one of your videos and I wanted to share.” He jumped into a long, rambling explanation and I shifted in my chair. He paused, narrowing his eyes at me in the dimly lit bar. “Is something wrong, Shelton?”
“No.” I lied, then I took a sip of my drink and shook my head. “You know what, that’s not true. I’m not having the best day and I’m frustrated with how things turned out when I thought this was going to be the beginning of everything good in my life.”
Seb sighed. “A man?”
“Of course, a man,” I spat out, rolling my eyes more at myself than anything. “It’s ridic, I know. But I’ve looked up to him for so long, and I guess I thought we had fun.”
I shrugged then blew the air out of my lungs, but the pain was still there.
“You can’t pin your hopes and dreams on a man, Shelton. You have to forge your own path, go after your own dreams. The right man will fit into those dreams, not the other way around.”
“That’s deep,” I said appreciatively. “Wow.” The knot in my chest undid itself just a little as I considered what Seb had said. “Man, that’s just something I’ve never thought about, but you’re right. I’ll do what I need to do, I put my foot down and set the boundaries I want, and if the relationship is meant to be, it will find a way.” I tipped my head back and finished the last of my drink and set the glass on the bar.
“That’s not exactly what I meant,” Seb said with a wry smile.
“I know, I get it. But you’re a genius, and this helps.” I grabbed my coat, then I gave him a quick hug. “Thanks. Really. You have no idea how much you’ve helped me.”
I left Seb at the bar, scratching his head and looking completely confused, but I couldn’t help the grin that had settled on my face. Before Seb had walked in, I was thinking of calling the entire thing off. And maybe I was just chasing a pipe dream, but there was a spark between us. I just knew it. If I could just get Caine to let his guard down, I knew he would see it, too.
I opened my new phone, still in awe of how sleek the design was, and how fast it worked. My hand passed over the screen without touching it, and the contact list popped up. I’d only had the phone since lunch the day before, so there was still only one person listed in my phone book. Before I could change my mind, I pushed send and waited for him to answer.
“Shelton?” His tone was cautious. “I didn’t expect to hear from you.”
Straightening my shoulders, I took a breath. “After what happened yesterday, I wasn’t sure I would ever speak to you again. Your plan hurt and I needed to take some time to figure out what to do.”
“I should have approached it better,” he began, then sighed. “Though I’m not even sure how you approach something like that in a more positive way.”
“You don’t. That’s why I’m calling. I’ve made a decision.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m not going to be someone’s arm candy. Coming from The Club, that makes no sense, I know. But I joined because I want to make a real connection with someone who appreciates me for me.”
“I understand. I’m sorry we couldn’t make this work.”
“You don’t understand. I’m agreeing to dating you, but it’s going to have to be on different terms. For now, we can take it slow and see where this leads us. But I want the full experience. If you want me to spend time with you in public and put on a show to help repair the damage you’ve done to your image, then we both have to be all-in.”
Shocked silence on the other end of the line. I started walking away from the bar when I saw a couple of patrons exit, gaits awkward even though it was not quite six. I made my way toward home on foot, waiting for him to speak, fortified with a bit of liquid courage and the words of my friend Seb.