Chapter Thirteen

Brian made coffee at home before his workday so he wouldn't have to ask his assistant for any. That was how much he regretted hiring Deanna. The hiring process sucked, and Brian was lazy enough to keep her. She did her job well and knew what he needed before he asked for it, so that was another reason he was reluctant to fire her.

If she flirted with him one more time, he would do it, though. It wasn't even about the fact that he was gay, and she knew it. It was the inappropriateness of it. At what point did flirting become harassment? He felt as if they had passed that threshold a few months ago.

He'd need to call his father and ask for his advice. Maybe he'd do that as soon as he got to the office.

And why was he thinking about his assistant again?

Oh yeah, so his mind wouldn't wander to the Greg situation. And it was a situation. The phone calls, messages, and flowers said that much.

Brian packed up Molly, grabbed the to-go mug with his coffee. He grabbed his keys out of the bowl by the front door and tried not to pay attention to the dozen yellow roses sitting there all pretty and fragrant.

At some point, he'd have to send them back whenever Greg sent more, or he'd run out of space.

Molly whined as soon as he put her in the carrier.

"I'm sorry, baby girl. But if we got into an accident, you could get hurt." At least inside the carrier, she wouldn't get thrown around as much.

He wondered if Greg wanted to see her. They had agreed to co-parent and, even though Greg hadn't said much at the time, he had come to the vet's appointment. That meant he did want to help with her, right?

God, when it came to Greg, Brian didn't know anything. The man was an enigma wrapped up in a conundrum.

All he did know was Greg wanted to talk, and he felt bad about last week. The card that came with each thing of flowers said I'm sorry.

Brian headed out of the door and thought about calling Greg at some point to apologize for reading the letter. He wasn't sure what held him back other than maybe he wanted something easy. No drama. None of the hard emotion. Greg came with all kinds of complications, starting with the deep ache that had settled into his chest. Only Greg could cure it.

Brian shuffled Molly into the car, pulling the seatbelt around her carrier. He needed to find out if there was a seatbelt for dogs. He wanted her to be as safe as possible.

God, his mind was all over the place, running from one thing, back to Greg, to another thing, and right back to Greg again.

Brian got in behind the wheel and started the car.

The drive to his office didn't take long. He could probably have walked there in no more time than a car took, and he might think about that when Molly grew a bit. Greg said he'd need to leash-train her at some point. and that would be a good way for her to learn.

The first thing he noticed when he pulled into the parking lot of his office was Greg's truck across the street, parked on the curb.

Yeah, Brian didn't have a scattered brain anymore. It zeroed in on that truck and wouldn't let go even when he pulled Molly and his coffee from the passenger's seat and shuffled them inside.

Brian stopped inside the door and nearly dropped Molly's carrier when he saw Greg sitting in the small waiting area. Greg stood as the door shut behind Brian and walked over to him, holding out his hand.

"I can take the carrier." That deep voice and the way Greg pleaded with his eyes felt like an assault.

Brian shook his head. He didn't even know why that was his response other than maybe he didn't want to cave under all things sexy Greg, and he felt the thin resolve he had carried with him all week already slipping under the weight of Greg being so near.

Greg dropped his hand and took a step back, misinterpreting Brian's reaction.

"Your schedule is clear for the entire morning, Brian." His assistant, Deanna, broke through their staring contest.

Brian sighed and didn't bother to hide his reaction. He shut his eyes long enough to attempt to compose himself before smiling at Greg. "You can follow me back. Please."

Deanna followed them both with her gaze as they left the reception area.

Brian didn't have to see her to know, because she always did. It was those types of looks that weren't quite flirting but still gave him the creeps.

Brian's office building wasn't large by any stretch. It had a bathroom and kitchen area that his father had turned into more of a lounge, and Brian had updated a couple of years ago. The reception area where Deanna held the fort and then three offices. Brian's was at the back. Landon was the only other accountant there, but newly hired. He had the office on the right side of the hall. The one on the left sat empty but was fully functioning because Brian intended to get one more accountant in at some point. He needed another body because he'd picked up more clients every year since his father had turned the business over to him. In a town the size of Pickleville, it said something about his reputation that he got clients from all over.

Brian put the dog carrier down and opened his office door. He picked up the carrier and stepped aside, letting Greg go in first. "Let me get settled. It might take a moment. I have to get Molly fresh water."

Greg entered the office, brushing past Brian. He didn't sit down but went right over to the window at the back of the room, moving around Brian's desk and chair to get to it. He stood, leaning against the wall, as he peered out.

Brian set the dog carrier in its usual corner and opened the door. Molly's water bowl sat right next to it. Her little doggy bed was under the desk. Since she seemed to curl up there more times than not, he had moved the bed under there, so she'd at least have a soft place to lie.

Molly wagged her little tail a mile a minute as she came bounding out. She licked him as soon as she closed the distance. He picked her up at the same time he grabbed the water bowl.

"I'll be right back."

Greg made a noise in the back of his throat but otherwise didn't acknowledge Brian at all. It seemed they were back to the silence, and that was a shame. Not that he expected more. He'd blown Greg off all week after all.

Brian filled her water bowl with the tap water in the kitchen, and he made his way back to his office as quickly as possible because he wanted to get the conversation over with.

He shut the door behind him and stood in the center of the room because Greg was behind his desk, still staring out of the window. Sitting behind his desk would be awkward. He cleared his throat before speaking. "What can I do for you?"

He put the water dish down.

"You won't answer my calls." So they were going to get right to it. Good to know.

Brian took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes. I don't know if… Will you look at me?"

Greg turned, coming around the desk. He leaned against the front of it with his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed tired. All Brian wanted to do was wrap him in a hug and soothe whatever hurt lingered inside.

Their gazes met and held so long Greg raised his eyebrows as if wondering if Brian was going to say anything.

And then Brian realized that he had been in the middle of giving Greg the whole it's me, not you speech, but something about that felt wrong enough the words stuck in the back of his throat. So instead he said, "I'm sorry for reading the letter. I shouldn't have."

Greg smiled. "I overreacted. I didn't mean to scare you."

Brian shook his head. "I disagree. And you didn't."

"I didn't?"

Brian shook his head again. "No. Not at all."

"Then, why the silent treatment?"

Brian took another deep breath. "I don't think dating is a good idea." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to take them back.

"Why?"

"Because I…" Somehow saying I'm falling for you and don't know how to handle that especially after such short of a period didn't have the ring of a good excuse. "I don't know. Let's stay friends. Only friends."

Molly whined and wiggled around, so Brian put her on the floor. She wagged her tail right over to Greg, who lifted her into his arms with a smile. He let her lick his cheek, and that was the thing that made Brian's thin resolve shatter into a million pieces.

Damn Greg and his gentle, sexy ways. Someone needed to make him less hot and maybe more of a bully, or at least make him a selfish asshole. That way, Brian wouldn't have a problem.

Brian went around his desk and sat, turning on his computer for the first time. All the while, he gathered up the pieces of his resolve and began taping them back together. He didn't know why he fucking bothered. Greg would tear it up again.

Greg turned and sat in the chair opposite. He put Molly down when she wiggled around but still bent enough to scratch her ears.

"I need investment advice." There was no way, based solely on the wounded look on his face that he'd come for investment advice. Or at least, he hadn't only come for that reason.

"Roger left you money." Brian had read as much in the letter.

"Plus the house, and I have some in savings I'd like to add-in. I was saving it for grad school, but I don't know if I'm going yet." Molly went over to a stuffed toy frog she loved. She gathered it in her mouth and pranced around, showing it off.

Greg smiled at her and took one froggy foot in his fingers, giving it a little tug. Of course, the action got Molly's attention, and they played tug with it.

"Why wouldn't you finish vet school?" When Greg didn't answer right away, Brian sighed. "Greg."

Greg's smile stayed in place as he met Brian's gaze, but it soon turned into something mischievous. "Go to dinner with me, and we'll talk about it."

Brian narrowed his eyes. "Do you even want to invest?"

Greg let the frog's leg go and stood, pulling an envelope out of his pocket. He sat down at the same time he slid it across the desk to Brian. "One check is my portion of what Roger left me. The other is from my savings."

Brian picked up the envelope and opened it, pulling out the checks. And nearly choked at the amount of both. A young guy like Greg, having so much money, wasn't a normal thing and a good portion of it he had earned himself.

Brian cleared his throat and tried to school his features and act fucking professional for once. "I can certainly give you some advice. Point you in the right direction in terms of where to invest your money."

"I want you to invest it for me. I know you're the best at what you do. That's good enough for me. I trust you."

Brian worked at his computer for a second, bringing up the online website he wanted. "So, what is the desired outcome?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want the money for retirement? Do you want to go on a kick-ass vacation? Why do you want to invest?"

"Well, I still might want to go to vet school, so I'd like it for that. Maybe. I don't know what else. I don't have anything to spend it on. Except maybe flowers to win you back."

Brian completely ignored that last statement, even though it brought heat into his face, and he knew he blushed. No mirror required. Instead, he opened his desk drawer and pulled out the forms he needed. He handed them to Greg. "Fill these out. I will send you information in the mail."

"Brian." Greg didn't take the papers right away. "I know I'm not saying everything you want to hear. I don't know what that is. But I don't want it to be over. Please." Greg leaned forward. "Give me a chance."

Oh god, there went a few more pieces of resolve, floating to the floor again. "I'm sorry for the silent treatment." That was the thing he was ashamed of the most because Greg was grieving and had needed him. "I should have been there for you."

"I shouldn't have lost my temper." Greg smiled as if he had won some game Brian hadn't known they played. "One dinner. Tonight. If you're still going to friend-zone me than I'll accept that without being a whiny dick. You have my word."

Brian smiled at the whiny dick comment. "Okay."

Greg's eyebrows went up. "That worked?"

"Your smile is what worked."

Greg came around the desk. Leaning down, he placed a kiss on Brian's lips and there went all the rest of the pieces of his resolve.

There wasn't enough easy in the world that would keep him from giving them a chance. Whatever they had would turn out big if he let it and as scary as that was, he wouldn't stand in their way.