Chapter 32
I
got out of the car, and we shared an awkward hug.
“I'm glad you texted,” he said.
“Me too,” I replied, and I realized I was.
Aaron held open the door for me, like he always used to do. Chivalry wasn't dead, just rare, he used to say. My face was warm, and I didn't know why, a combination of guilt and shyness. It was a little uncomfortable that it wasn't more uncomfortable. I should have gotten Dinah to come along. This felt too much like a date.
“You're overthinking,” Aaron said, as we sat down at a table. “What about?”
“Lots going on.”
“Well, quarter for your thoughts, let's catch up.”
As we waited for our waiter, we talked work. Not that I had much to say, not having done anything all week. I didn't know if I should tell Aaron about Steven being missing. What would he say? And what would he read into the fact that I was out for lunch with him while my boyfriend was gone? I felt the ring box in my pocket, to remind me.
“Well look who it is.” Our waiter was, of all people, Allan. I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
“You two know each other?” Aaron said.
“You could say that,” Allan said. “Apparently I taste good.”
“Look, we're just here to eat. We don't want any trouble,” I said. “We can sit in someone else's section.”
“No, it won't be a problem.” I wasn't convinced of that, but he took our drink orders professionally, and I decided to chance it.
While we waited for our drinks, I told Aaron about the scene with Allan at the baths, and the ensuing drama with Brandon. When I was done, he laughed. “Oh Alex, you haven't changed.”
“I really had nothing to do with it,” I said defensively.
“No, but you sure attract drama, don't you? Remember that kid back home who was in love with you and wouldn't leave you alone? Every time we went out, there he was, hanging on your every word like you were Jesus or Gaga or something.” We laughed. “What was his name? Jayden? Kayden?”
“Brayden,” I said. “I haven't thought of him in forever! All I ever did was be nice to him when he was coming out.”
“I know. I wasn't saying . . .”
“I didn't mean you were . . .”
We paused, and Allan picked that opportune moment to come take our orders. Aaron just ordered salad, and when I raised an eyebrow after Allan left, he said, “I'm eating healthier, taking care of myself now.”
“I thought you'd been working out.”
“Glad you noticed.” He winked, and I had to change the topic. It wasn't a good idea to talk about our tubs tryst.
“Do you come up for work often then?”
“It's been a little more frequent lately.” And he was off, telling me about the ins and outs of his days in advertising. I half-listened as I always had. It was a damn sight more exciting than my days at the bank, and a whole lot safer a conversation than recent events.
Allan brought our food. “Alex,” he said, “can I steal you for a moment?”
Oh Lord,
I thought,
so much for that.
“I'll be right back.” Aaron raised his glass and grinned.
I followed Allan around the corner. “I don't want toâ”
“Let me talk,” he said. “I want to apologize.”
“What?”
“I was high, and I freaked seeing someone I knew at the baths. I shouldn't have been there. I just didn't want you to tell Brandon you saw me there.”
“But you did that yourself. I wouldn't have said anything, you know.”
“I know that now. It was stupid, I panicked.”
“You caused a lot of problems.”
“I didn't think Brandon would hit you.”
“Well, he did.”
“So again, I'm really sorry. Can we be friends?”
“Look Allan, I'm sure you're a great guy, andâ”
“I really like Brandon, and he says you're a great guy.”
“Clearly he said this before he hit me.”
“I'll fix it with him. I'll tell him everything. I'll tell him I made it up, that you never hit on me.”
“Okay, well, I'm glad you're clearing it up.”
“We good?” He stuck his hand out.
“Yes, we good.” I didn't know if I believed him, but if it put an end to it, what was in a handshake?
“So who's this guy you're with?” Allan asked as we walked back to the table, like we were friends, like nothing had happened. “This the boyfriend?”
“No. An ex, actually.”
“Oh wow.” We had reached the table. “It's cool that you guys are friends. I could never be friends with an ex. Anyways, enjoy your lunch, boys.” He blew us a kiss and went off to the kitchen.
I shook my head as I sat down. Aaron laughed. “What was all that about?”
“Twinks.”
He laughed harder, and his laugh made me smile. “Oh, your phone rang while you were gone. I think they left a message.”
I checked my missed calls. Unknown. “Shit!”
Chapter 33
T
here was a new voice mail. “Aaron, I'm sorry, but I have to check this message.”
“Don't worry. Do what you gotta do.”
Swearing under my breath, I called in.
“Not answering your phone, eh? Seems silly when your boyfriend is all tied up like he is. Guess it shows how much you really care. When I call back later, you better answer.”
I started to shake. Aaron slid into the chair next to me and wrapped his arm around me. I fell onto his shoulder.
“What's wrong?”
“Oh God, Aaron, you wouldn't even believe it if I told you. This whole week, it's been such a nightmare. It doesn't even seem real.”
“Do you want to go home?”
I sniffed back some tears. “No, I need to eat. I'm starved. Let's at least eat.” His hand lingered on my shoulder, just a second more than it should have, and then he went back to his chair.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Steven's missing.”
“Your boyfriend? What do you mean missing?”
“Someone's taken him. I've been getting calls. I've heard him in the background, crying, screaming.”
“Jesus, Alex. Have you called the police?”
“He said not to. He said he'd hurt him.”
“But if he's hurting him anyway . . . What does he want you to do?”
“I don't know. He hasn't told me flat out.”
“What has he told you?”
“Well, he's the reason I was at White Night.”
“Sorry?”
“He told me to go there. He told me I had to hook up and then he made me tell Steven about it.”
“And here I thought you were just swept up by my charms.”
“Aaron, don't make this about you.”
“Sorry, that's not what I meant. But it just seems an odd request from a kidnapper.”
“That's what Dinah said.”
“How is Dinah?”
“She's good. Engaged.”
“Really?”
“Why the surprise?”
“Come on, Alex. She's been in love with you for a decade.”
“She has not. We're just friends. We've always just been friends.”
“I saw her look at you. I know that look.” He stared down at his plate, pushing food around with his fork. “It was the same way I looked at you.” He looked up.
“Aaron . . .”
“Sorry. I shouldn't have said that.”
“I definitely can't handle a talk about âus' right now.”
“Forget I said it. What are you going to do?”
“He's calling back later. I'm going to make him tell me exactly what he wants.”
“Do you want me to hang around for when he calls? I can take the day off.”
“No. Thanks, but no. I need to do this by myself.”
“Well, if you're sure . . .” He reached out over the table and brushed the back of my hand with his fingers. No lie, it felt good. I pulled my hand away, took a drink of water.
“Can we talk about something else?” I asked.
“Anything. You name the topic.”
“How's your parents?” And we meandered through small talk, family and friends back home. At the back of my mind, constantly, were thoughts of Steven, but I pushed them back. I couldn't do anything right now, so I let Aaron distract me with funny stories about people we knew and places we used to go.
“Can I get you guys anything else?” Allan asked.
I looked at my watch. “Wow, it's been two hours! You're a bit late for work.”
“Oh, they won't miss me. Should we go, though?”
“I think so. Just the check please, Allan.”
“Sure thing, buddy!” He swished away.
“He's overcompensating,” Aaron said.
“Just a bit,” I agreed. “Look, I'm glad we did this. I . . . I've enjoyed myself.”
“Me too. I hope things work out. Let me know what happens, okay?”
Allan brought the bill, and Aaron scooped it up.
“You don't have to get it,” I said.
“It's the least I can do,” he said, reaching into his pocket. He paused, a confused look on his face. He grabbed his jacket, checked the pockets.
“Problem?”
He laughed. “This is embarrassing. I can't seem to find my wallet. It must be at the hotel. Or the office maybe.”
“It's no big deal.” I took the check from his hand, and put some money down on the table.
“That's a generous tip.”
“Preemptive strike. I don't want any more problems.”
“Can I buy you supper tonight, to make up for it?”
“Aaron, I don't know. This was nice, believe me, butâ”
“Alex, it's just supper.”
I looked at him. His green eyes sparkled. “Six?”
“I'll call you with a place.”
He walked me to my car. “See you tonight then?”
“Yes.” We hugged. I breathed in his cologne. “Tonight.”
I got in the car and drove away, refusing to look at him in the rearview mirror this time. As I drove, I took the ring out of my pocket and looked at it again. Lunch with Aaron made me miss Steven even more. “I need you back soon, Steven.” I stuck the ring in the glove box.
Chapter 34
I
didn't drive straight home. I turned right, turned left, no destination in mind. My phone was on the seat next to me, the ringer full volume; I would not miss another call.
I had too many thoughts in my head and needed some time away from the city. Just me and the open road, the music blaring from the stereo. I sang along at the top of my lungs, not caring if people driving by thought I was a freak.
I loved Steven and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. Why did being with Aaron feel so good? Was it just sense memory? Was it just because Steven was missing? And why wasn't I freaking out more? Did that make me a bad person? If it didn't, my little sexcapades with the twins did. How could I even be thinking about getting off when the love of my life was at the mercy of a lunatic, and the love of my life before him had suddenly resurfaced just to complicate things more?
I hit the highway, speeding up. I didn't get out of the city enough. When was the last time? Steven and I had gone to the mountains for the weekend. That had been such a good time! Hiking, white-water rafting, dinner by candlelight at this cute little restaurant we found, and sex, so much sex.
My phone rang. I swerved, excited, as I grabbed it. It was Brandon. I clicked it onto speaker.
“Hey.”
“Hey Alex, look, I am so sorry, man. Allan told me he was lying. I was way out of line.”
“Yeah, you were. I'm glad he told you.”
“Can I take you for supper, make it up to you?”
“I actually have plans already.”
“Pop by the club tonight? Drinks on me?”
“Yeah, that's possible.”
“Have you heard from Steven?”
“It's a long story.”
“Come tell me. The twins are coming out. Hatter's on the decks.”
“On a Thursday?”
“Yah. Come dance. I'm really sorry man.”
“I'll try.” We said our good-byes and I'd no sooner hung up when it rang again. It was Dinah.
“How was lunch with Aaron?”
“It was different. You'll never guess who the waiter was.”
“Matt Lauer.”
“What?”
“Well, you said I'd never guess.”
“Why would Matt Lauer be a waiter?”
“Tips?”
“What?”
“Who was your waiter?”
“Regis Philbin.”
“What? Really?”
“No, not really. Allan.”
“Who's Allan?”
“Brandon's new guy, the one from the bathhouse.”
“The crazy guy?”
“One of them, anyway.”
“How was that? Did he throw a drink in your face?”
“No, nothing like that. He apologized actually, and straightened everything out with Brandon.”
“Well that's good. You're avoiding the lunch-with-Aaron part, though.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Do we need to have dinner tonight?”
“I can't. I have plans.”
“With who?”
“Whom?”
“What?”
“With whom?”
“Who are you going for dinner with?”
“Aaron, but it's not a big deal.”
“Not a big deal? Two meals in one day with your ex while your current is being held captive by some random?”
“Well, when you say it like that . . .”
“Are we going to that show tomorrow?”
“What show?”
“The Queen of Hearts thing, tomorrow at Wonderland.”
“Dinah! The phone call this morning, that's what they meant.”
“What?”
“The connection was bad. All I could hear was âhearts' and âtomorrow. ' But that's what he meant! It must be! His notes were even on the back of the flyers for it!”
“So yes, we're going to the show?”
“I think so!”
“Okay, I'm getting back to work. Say hi to Aaron. Don't have sex.”
“Funny.”
“I mean it.” She hung up.
That had to be it! That was the next thing I had to do: go to the show tomorrow. Why, I had no clue, but that had to be it! Why that show? Why were the notes both on flyers for it? Was it someone from the bar? Steven and I didn't have any enemies. We had our little circle of friends, and we pretty much just stayed to ourselves.
But maybe that would be it. Maybe tomorrow night, I would figure out who this guy was and what he wanted, and I would finally get Steven back.