Chapter 3

3

Max

I taped the cellophane-wrapped gumball to the yellow plastic whistle. As everyone left for lunch, I hummed softly as I walked past Kiren’s cubicle. No one noticed me dart in, drop the whistle on his desk, and dart out.

I noticed the red truck was missing.

I smiled. He’d either thrown it away or taken it home. He seemed like the sort who would keep it. Maybe he had other goodies at home, and it was now sharing space with them. Fingers crossed. Even though he didn’t yet know it was me leaving the gifts like a secret Santa, when I did get caught—and I fully intended that to happen—it would be all the more delightful.

I couldn’t figure out where Kiren went on his lunch hour. He was never in the break room. Nor did I see him join up with groups who went out to eat. Maybe he ate in his car. Was he that shy?

That was fine. I could handle that.

I continued out of the office to join some of my team for lunch.

After work, I went shopping for more tiny toys. I bought slightly better ones, intending to increase their worth with every drop off.

The next toy I left on Kiren’s desk was a tiny plastic wind-up Santa. Its black-booted feet moved back and forth and it was able to walk a few inches before it had to be wound again. I bought a snowman one, too. I couldn’t resist the two-inch Christmas tree that lit up when a button was pushed at the base.

Day by day, I left the gifts. I wished I could spy more and see his reactions, but I worked too far away from his department to not be obvious about my interest.

Maybe he’d figure it out on his own. By the sixth day, I thought maybe he needed help. I bought a teeny picture frame and printed out a photo of Shirley Temple around age six. It fit perfectly.

But the day I planned to leave that on his desk, I got sudden cold feet. I dropped a large candy cane on his desk instead and practically ran out to lunch.

I still wasn’t even sure Kiren was gay. If he realized it was me, the game would be up, and I was enjoying it too much to end it.

I tossed and turned in my bed that night, seeing Kiren’s face in my mind, disappointed in myself for not being bold and simply asking him out. Leaving toys as bait for a man who I fantasized might be a little was pure procrastination. I needed to be the true daddy and take charge.

The next day when I arrived at work, I went straight to my section, noting which team members were in and which ones were late.

When I turned to head to my own desk, I saw the shadow of someone standing just beyond the entryway to my office. I came around the doorway and there he was. Standing with his hands hooked in front of him, head slightly down.

“Kiren. Uh. Hi.”

He lifted his head. His bright green gaze went right through me. “Max.”

“Hey.” Had he guessed? “Nice to see you.”

Kiren nodded. “You, too.”

“What brings you here?” I could barely hold back my smile. The gifts had worked. Somehow, he’d found out.

Kiren held out his fist. “It’s this. I—well—I think it’s yours.”

His fist opened. In it was a teeny picture frame holding the photo of Shirley Temple.

That confused me. I’d decided not to give that him. Yet.

“Where’d you get that?”

“It was on the floor by my desk chair. Did you drop it when you left the candy cane?”

Had I dropped it? I reached into my blazer pocket. It was empty.

“I guess I did.” I spread my arms. “Guilty as charged.”

Kiren’s face changed. A smile made curves where there’d been none before. His wavy golden hair caught glints of light. “Thank you for the presents. I—I love them.”

Every muscle in my body released. I hadn’t realized how tightly I’d held myself. Oh, he was sweet.

“You’re welcome.”

He blinked rapidly. “I thought it might be you.”

“Yeah?”

He nodded.

“And what did you conclude?”

Little spots of pink tinged his cheeks. “I thought it was nice. I mean—you’re nice.”

Now was the time to plunge right in. “Would you like to go out with me some time?”

His eyelids dipped. His hand curled over the picture frame. “I—I?—”

“You are gay, aren’t you?” I pressed.

“You could tell?”

“Well, not always. But I had hoped after the party. I enjoyed talking to you and thought I’d like to get to know you better.”

“So, you started leaving gifts for me? To get my attention?”

“Sort of. I just wanted you to have those things. To see if they might make you happy.”

“I do love them. But you left them anonymously. How was I to know?”

“Did you suspect, though?”

He stood silent for a few seconds. “I hoped. I liked talking to you.”

“Does that mean you’ll go out with me?”

“I haven’t dated in a long while.” He frowned. “Don’t you know who I am?”

“Beyond your name Kiren, no.”

“Dobbs is my last name.”

I frowned, thinking. “Wait. Are your parents Mike and Angie Dobbs? Who own this company?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t know.” I paused. “Should I have?”

“It matters to a lot of people, and here at the office people talk. I didn’t want anyone to know, but someone leaked it from HR. Now everyone knows. Does it matter to you?”

“No.” Maybe that was why he was so alone? People were intimidated by being too close to the son of the company owners.

His face went from confused to pleased, eyes widening. “That’s good. Then, yes, I accept your invitation.”

My heart sped up again, excitement taking over. “Excellent. I’d love to go out to lunch with you.”

“Today? On our lunch hour?” he asked.

“If that’s okay?”

“Well, I—I guess that would be nice.”

“And in case you don’t like me, you’ll only have to spend one hour with me.”

His eyebrows narrowed. “Not like you?”

“Just in case?”

“Max, I already like you. I’m super afraid you’re not going to like me.”

“No worry there. Can’t you tell? I already like you, Kiren.”