Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

" S urely you don't expect me to believe you were sick," his boss said when Reed came in on Wednesday. No good morning, no kiss my ass, just that.

He would have flinched once upon a time, but he thought of what Tyler had said when he dropped Reed off. "Chin up, love, and let them all fuck off."

"What you believe is hardly my problem," Reed said evenly. "I had the comp time."

"Excuse me?" James looked a bit like he was about to have a stroke, right there in the office.

"I had the sick time. I was ill." He wasn't going to put up with bullshit. "There was nothing nefarious."

"Really. Don't talk back to me."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're not my father, James."

"No. I am your boss." James stood, smoke curling from the man's nostrils suddenly. "And I will not be disrespected by a soft—" James poked his chest with one finger that was surprisingly like a claw. "—little?—"

Poke.

"—bear!"

"Don't touch me." A protective sensation flooded him, and his shoulders rolled, his bear suddenly right on the surface.

James's eyes widened. "You need to control yourself, Teddy."

"My name is Reed. There's your schedule. If you need anything else, buzz me. Leah is on coffee duty." He turned on his heel and left the inner sanctum of James's office.

A dull rage filled him, and he found the urge to growl. He wasn't putting up with this shit.

"Wow. Look at you." Leah handed him a cup of coffee. The smell of it was just a little off, but he smiled and thanked her anyway. "Did you lose weight?"

Reed fought not to roll his eyes. "Not that I know of."

"You look amazing. Strong. Focused." She winked at him. "Not sick."

"I couldn't come in. It was medical."

"Oh?" She frowned, and then her brow unwrinkled and her eyes widened. "Oh! Miss a shot, did you?"

"No. I didn't." He would not feed her gossip mill. She was the nicest of the rest of the office, but she would still tell tales. "I'm not due for a month."

But it had been a heat—no question, no worry. It had been wild and necessary.

Soul searing. Tyler had cared for him so well, bless him, and he was the one who should take a few days off, not Reed.

Of course, Tyler had, hadn't he? His phone buzzed as he sat at his desk. Tyler.

Love you. Come over for lunch?

Yes please

He would just sneak out and go to the coffee shop. No more eating lunch at his desk.

Someone was waiting for him, and that was the most important thing.

Tyler grabbed his phone eagerly when it rang but then made a face when he saw it was his brother. Damn it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, bro. Long time no hear."

"Hey, Just. What's up?"

"How are the interviews going?"

Shit. He hadn't been doing any. "Slow."

"Uh-huh…" Justin's voice was knowing. "Or possibly nonexistent?"

"Shut up." He sighed. "It's not lack of desire, man. I just have this situation, and I've been wrapped up in it. I need to get on it though."

"Talk to me." Justin could be all about the bottom line, but he was a good brother.

"I have a mate. He's perfect, and I can't begin to think about leaving him."

"So bring him home."

"I will. But he thinks he has this great job here. He might take some convincing." Tyler had to start working on that now. After their weekend, he was convinced…well. He thought Reed had to be pregnant. Reed was on birth control, but they were making magic, and he knew it. It was pouring between them, and it had grown stronger with every second.

The heat should have been suppressed, and it hadn't even been due if it wasn't…

Yeah.

"Well, start convincing. I have a guy in Seattle who might be willing to go to Valleywood as a lateral. Says he loves the lake up there. Will you Zoom with him? We need you home, man. Bring your bear with you like I said."

"I need to be home. I'll talk to him." Tyler sighed, the sound gusting out of him. "I don't want to deny him his career."

"I'll put him to work, no stress."

"Just, you don't even know what he does."

"You said he was a publicist the last time we talked. God knows we can use that. And one with famous connections? A damn goldmine. You say he's not valued there. Make sure he knows he's important."

"Bottom line, man."

"Yep." Justin said it cheerfully. "Zoom. Eleven eastern on Monday. I'll send the deets."

"You think this guy is a good candidate."

Justin snorted. "I think he wants the job. It's up to you to decide if he's up to it. That's your superpower."

"Yeah, I guess it is. I just want my mate home in the cabin."

"So go get him, brother. You can do it."

"Rah rah shish boom bah, go team?" he teased.

"That's the idea, yeah. I mean, you know I don't believe in hesitation, man."

"Yes, but you're not the only one I need to deal with."

"No? I'm the most important one." Justin laughed. Then in a way more serious tone, he asked, "Did you need me to come?"

"No. No, I have this. I'm going to discuss this with my mate, and we'll do what's best."

"Okay. But the best thing would be to bring him home if he's a bear, and you know it."

"Yeah." He had to chuckle at Justin's bossiness. His brother always thought he knew better than everyone else.

The worst part, Just was usually right.

Damn it.

"Well, I'll take the Zoom call and let you know what I think, huh?" That much he could do.

"I'll be waiting to hear. Love you, brother."

"Love you too." He pondered the fact that he could have a manager for the shop by next week. Right. So he did need to feel Reed out about leaving Valleywood.

He couldn't leave without his sweet little bear.

So he would convince Reed that going with him was the way forward.

Tyler crossed his fingers. He hoped.