May in December (12 page)

“I was going to tell you when you were here during the holidays.” Bruce shrugged with no remorse. “It seemed something important enough to say in person and not over the phone.” The group started walking back toward the kitchen.

The door opened, and a tall blond man stomped into the house. “My apologies. I needed to make a business call outside.”

“In other words”—Gail winked—“our Bill missed the show.”

“What show?” Bill came into the kitchen, laid his leather gloves on the table, kissed his bride-to-be, and shook hands with Bruce.

Gingersnap and Snickerdoodle growled. Jorry froze.
Oh, what kind of seven hells is this?

Kerri gripped Bill’s arm and beamed. “May I introduce you to my and Kelley’s friend, and now my father’s lover, Jorry Nelson.”

“Yes, we know each other from work.” Bill offered his hand to Jorry. “I didn’t know you were intimately involved with my intended’s family.”

Jorry ignored the hand and stared into the eyes of
Pickworth W. Johnson III
. “I never knew your name was Bill.”

“When in social situations, I prefer to go by my middle name—William, shortened to Bill. Pickworth is so pretentious, don’t you think?” Pickworth asked, his voice sweet. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better, Jorry.”

Jorry raced to the bathroom to vomit.

* * * *

Since Bruce had most of the kitchen packed away, it was the majority vote to go out for brunch. Gail wanted to try a fancy new restaurant in town, and Pickworth said he would pay. However, Jorry wasn’t about to go anywhere with Pickworth—“Bill.” In fact, he wasn’t too sure what he was going to do with the information that the fiancé of his good friend and investor with his boss was none other than the heavy-hitting mobster he used to work for.

“Are you for sure you don’t want to go to breakfast with us?” Bruce asked Jorry, placing one hand on his forehead and the other on his neck. “You do feel a little warm. Maybe you need to eat.”

Jorry shook his head. “I don’t think my stomach agrees.”
Besides, if you don’t get Pickworth out of here, I’m gonna lose it.

Bruce draped his coat over the back of a kitchen chair. “Then I’ll stay at home and take care of you.”

“But Daddy…” Kerri pouted. “I want to go over wedding plans.”

“What? Again?” Kelley threw his hands up in the air. “That’s all we’ve done for months on video chats. Some of us have lives, you know.”

“That’s nice of you, Bruce, but I really want you to be with your family.” Jorry closed his eyes and leaned against Bruce’s chest, trying to ignore Pickworth’s gaze boring into him. “I’m going to go to bed and try to sleep this off.”

Bruce eyed him with concern before conceding. “I’ll go, but you’ve got to promise to take it easy. I’ll be home as soon as possible.”

Jorry handed Bruce his coat. “Take your time. I’m sure there are a lot of details to go over.”

Gail gathered the protesting Gingersnap and Snickerdoodle in her arms. “Let’s get going, lest brunch turn into lunch.”

The group gathered to walk out the door. Pickworth turned back around. “Are you for sure, Jorry? I could return you here if you start feeling ill.”

Hell if you get me alone anytime soon
. “No need to put yourself out because of me,
Bill
. I can take care of myself.”

The group scurried outside, and through the kitchen window, Jorry watched them pile into two different cars—Kelley, Gail, and Bruce in one, Kerri and Pickworth in the other. It wasn’t until both vehicles pulled out of the driveway that a rubbery rush of relief flooded through Jorry, and his legs tried to buckle under him. He made it to the kitchen table and plopped down wearily in the nearest chair.

“What am I going to do?” Jorry asked out loud. He dropped his head in his hands.
I don’t believe this is happening. Pickworth W. Johnson III is Kerri’s fiancé? How can she not see what an asshole he is? And Gail is involved with him financially. Does this mean she’s doing illegal things too? Naw, otherwise Pickworth wouldn’t have approached me to be the inside man to do his dirty business.

But what am I gonna do? Do I tell Gail her investor is a mobster? Do I tell Kerri all the evil things her man is into? Do I tell Bruce everything and ask him what I should do? Ah, hell. If I do, he’ll find out about the things I’ve done and I’ll lose him for sure.

Jorry sighed. “Why does everything have to be so complicated?”

“Why indeed?”

Jorry whipped his head around. Standing in the kitchen was Pickworth. He glanced behind him before he slapped his leather gloves against his bare palm. Jorry jerked out of the chair and ran down the hallway. Pickworth followed in pursuit, and before Jorry could reach the sanctuary of the bedroom, Pickworth grabbed his shoulders and slammed his back hard against the hallway wall.

Jorry gasped for breath. “I didn’t say anything. I promise.”

“I know you didn’t,” Pickworth whispered. “You’re not foolish, are you?”

“What do you want from me?”

Pickworth’s fingers dug in a little deeper, enough to make Jorry cry out. “What do you think? I want your loyalty. I want your vow to remain silent. I want you to work with me at the resort, offering our other services discreetly.”

Jorry shook his head. Pickworth let go to slap Jorry across the face hard enough that Jorry saw brightly colored confetti and stars.

“You will do as I say.”

“And if I don’t?” Jorry bit his tongue. He didn’t know where the courage to back talk came from.

“If you dare say anything to anyone, you will reveal your own sins, and who are they gonna believe? Me, a reputable man, or you, a homeless, uneducated drug dealer who is no better than a sewer slut?”

Sadly, Jorry knew the truth when he heard it. If he told anyone about Pickworth’s illegal activities, Jorry would have to reveal his own part in the deal and risk losing all the happiness he had recently been blessed with.

However, how could he remain quiet? Now that he knew Pickworth was Bill and he was becoming a part of the family, how could Jorry in good conscience remain neutral?

Pickworth slammed Jorry against the wall again. “Well? Are you going to keep your mouth shut, or am I going to have to do a little convincing?”

Again, Jorry grew bold. “You mean like what you did to my car at my friend’s apartment?”

“Your friend was lucky. It could have so easily been her and her children. But now you have even more to risk. What if something should happen to—“

“Honey?” Kerri was coming down the hallway. “Did you find your—“ She saw Pickworth holding Jorry against the wall. “Bill, what’s going on?”

Pickworth smiled and put his arm around Jorry’s waist. “When I came in for the gloves, I heard a noise. Jorry had fallen trying to get to the bathroom, and I was helping him up.” Pickworth glowered at Jorry. “Isn’t that right?”

Jorry remained silent.

Kerri came up on Jorry’s other side and placed her arm around him. “Let’s help him back to bed.”

Pickworth and Kerri got Jorry under the covers, with Kerri tucking him in and kissing the top of his head. “I’ll make sure we don’t dawdle over brunch too long so Daddy can come back home and take care of you.”

When Kerri turned to leave the room, Pickworth glared at Jorry and then followed Kerri out.

“Yeah, but who is gonna take care of you?” Jorry whispered into the air.

Chapter Eleven

It was four days before the Christmas Eve wedding, and everyone seemed crazy. Kerri was bouncing off the walls, Kelley was counteracting it with his usual sarcasm, Gail was being bossier than ever, and Bill… Well, Bill was his aloof self. What Kerri saw in the man was beyond Bruce’s comprehension, but as long as the queen bee was happy, he wouldn’t disturb the hive.

Bruce did notice, since the arrival of his children, Jorry seemed even more withdrawn than usual. Bruce made several attempts to break through to Jorry, but the young man dodged with every try. Like now. Bruce had searched high and low for Jorry for their lunch date but hadn’t located him. Bruce started to worry as he made his way to look in one last place.

Maybe he’s feeling left out of the wedding plans? He said no. Maybe the holidays are still wearing him down? He said this was his best Christmas ever. He didn’t feel well the other day. Maybe he’s coming down with something? He says not to worry, he’s fine. Maybe I’m not being attentive enough. Oh, Robert, what should I do?

Bruce waited. If Robert had an opinion, he was keeping it to himself.

Within minutes, the mystery of the missing Jorry was solved as Bruce found Jorry sitting at Gail’s secretary’s desk, staring off into space. He looked really good, finally having his hair trimmed and wearing an official white polo shirt with the resort’s logo and his name printed over it.

“There you are.” Bruce sat on the desk’s corner. “I thought we had plans to meet for lunch?”

Jorry swallowed. “Ummm, I told Janelle I’d cover for her while she left to run a personal errand.”

Bruce drew a chair over so he could sit closer to Jorry. “I know I keep asking, but I can’t help but feel something is wrong. Is there anything you want to talk about?”

Jorry paused. Bruce could tell there was something bothering him. From the panic in his eyes, to the rigidness in his frame, to the nervous little quirk of his hands, something was definitely wrong.

Bruce clasped his hands around Jorry’s. “Whatever it is, tell me. We can work it out together.”

Jorry squeezed Bruce’s hand but remained silent.

“Don’t you know you can trust me with anything?” Bruce asked.

Jorry nodded.

Bruce rose out of the chair and stood behind Jorry, his hands on Jorry’s shoulders. He began to knead, Jorry moaned, and the sound went directly to Bruce’s cock.

“Talk to me.”

Jorry stared at the floor. “I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Oh Jesus, Bruce. I want to talk to you, to tell you everything. But I can’t.”

Bruce stopped rubbing the tense shoulders. “Why not?”

“Because Pickworth would—”

The door to Gail’s office opened, and Bill walked out, buttoning his suit jacket. He was followed by Gail and two sniping corgis.

“Talking about me?” Bill asked, waving a hand before him. “Should I be flattered?”

Bruce notice a subtle shake in Jorry’s body.

“Who’s talking about whom?” Gail asked, balancing her coat and her purse on one arm.

Jorry opened his mouth to reply, but Bruce stopped him. “Nobody is talking about anything. Besides, it’s a conversation between me and Jorry. If anyone else needed to know, we would tell them.” Bruce hadn’t meant for his words to come on so strong, but with Jorry’s reaction, the glare Bill was shooting at Jorry, and the nosiness of his ex-wife, the moment sort of got to him.

“Which reminds me, Bruce, hon. I need you to step into my office for a moment.” She threw a look Bill’s way. “Secret wedding stuff.”

Bruce sighed. He was beginning to feel like Kelley. This wedding stuff was taking on a life of its own. “Okay.” He left Jorry’s side. “Don’t leave without me.”

“I’ll keep him company,” Bill said.

The last thing Bruce saw was the frightened expression on Jorry’s face before Gail’s office door closed.

* * * *

Pickworth waited a few seconds after the door closed; then he returned his attention to Jorry. “So, pray tell, what were you saying about me?”

Jorry held his hands up in surrender. “I said nothing about you.”

“Yet I heard my name when I walked in the room.” Pickworth began to pace. “That doesn’t create trust on my part.”

“Oh yeah? Well, I don’t trust you any further than I can fart.” Jorry threw his shoulders back. “I said nothing about you. Final answer.”

Pickworth eyed him with suspicion. “I should hope not. Otherwise I’ll have to prove a thing or two.” He stared down at Gingersnap, who was still in the room, quietly growling and showing her teeth whenever Pickworth got too close. “Let’s conduct an experiment. See who believes whom.” He raised his foot and slammed it into the little corgi. She yelped as she sailed into the secretary’s desk.

The door to Gail’s office flew open. “What the hell is going on out here?” She immediately went to the recovering Gingersnap. Gail peered up at Pickworth and Jorry, her face flushed with anger. “I asked a question. I demand an answer. What happened to my baby?”

Jorry shook his finger at Pickworth. “I’m not taking the blame on this one. He kicked her to prove a point with me.”

Pickworth clasped his hands behind his back and stood tall. “Why would I hurt a poor, defenseless dog? Do you feel so insecure with your job, boy, that you can’t explain you accidentally stepped on the little pup’s foot?”

Gail eyed both men as she soothed Gingersnap in her arms. “Is it true, Jorry?”

I didn’t do it! Can’t you see your precious Bill is a monster?

Jorry took a deep breath and drew his line in the sand. “No.” He stood up as Bruce made it to his side. “I’ll not admit to something I didn’t do.”

Pickworth blanched. “Surely, I didn’t do—”

Blllllaaarrrrttttt!
A fire alarm went off in a room down the hall.

“Oh shit! Not during Christmas.” Gail ran out of the office to investigate.

“I believe you,” Bruce said in passing, following Gail. Jorry’s heart glowed.

“Lucky for you, an emergency happened.” Pickworth glowered. “I like you, boy. You’re like a little brother. But don’t push me. I can get nasty when crossed.”

Chapter Twelve

Two days later, a catastrophe hit.

“I don’t understand,” sobbed Gail. “They were here one minute, and the next, they were gone.”

“Shhh, dear.” Warren held his wife close. “Our little Gingersnap and Snickerdoodle will be found and soon. Remember, we had GPS tracker tags put on them. Kelley and Bill are working on finding them, and we’ll have them home before you know it.”

“Warren’s right. They’ll be fine,” Bruce said, making a pot of coffee. He wasn’t sure why, in times of crisis, Gail gravitated to
his
kitchen. But she did, and she was here now, bringing the whole family along. Making coffee seemed the right thing to do.

Kerri and Jorry entered the kitchen with a bucket of chicken and some sides.