4. Chapter 4

"What's up, boss?" I lean in the door to Cole's office, responding to his bellowing call. He grimaces at me, and I've made my point. We might be friends, but at work he's the owner and I'm the manager.

He's unusually grouchy today, and if I had to guess, it's because Shane's been working long hours. For a while I had to call him out so he wouldn't scare the rest of the staff, but now it's to shake him out of his mood.

"Why'd you order more ink for the first weekend in November?" Cole looks up from his computer screen. Thanks to his genius––literal term––boyfriend, Shane, our computer system links everything, and Cole can monitor it from his laptop.

"No offense, boss, but if you checked the calendar, you'd see it's the weekend of the marathon." An influx of people will want to commemorate their accomplishments with a tattoo. We always have more walk-ins than we can handle.

He scrubs a hand over his face. "Damn." His shoulders drop and some of the tension bleeds out of his body.

Sometimes he forgets little details, but I'm here for that stuff. And I love it.

"I couldn't do this without you." He's stepped back from managing the day-to-day so he can spend more time with Shane. It was a necessary change. He worked eighty-hour weeks trying not to remember he's a widower.

Shane dragged him back to life and changed things for the better. For Cole and the shop. Shane even helped spark his creativity, so he's painting again.

Shane accomplished what I could not. Helping Cole move on.

"If you play your cards right, you'll never know." I toss my head as if I have hair to throw over my shoulder and then sober to dive into this conversation.

"I have an idea I want to talk to you about." Cole raises an eyebrow, so I focus on the goal and continue. "What do you think about donating some of your old paintings to a charity auction for The Q?"

Cole stares at me.

We both experienced parental neglect and had to stress about living situations. He saved me when I needed it most, and this is a way for both of us to give back.

Cole's face goes all mushy as he comes around the desk and pulls me into a bear hug. "That's a great idea."

"Who are you and what have you done with Cole?" I had a speech prepared to sway him. I'll never understand why he doesn't want to make money off his art, but that doesn't matter.

"Asshole," he chides with zero heat as his lips quirk, unable to manage a smile. "I never would have thought of that, but this is an easy way to help. I certainly don't need to keep all those reminders of the past," Cole concedes.

"I knew even your black heart couldn't turn down the opportunity to help those kids. And if you did, Shane was my backup plan."

"Backup plan for what?" Shane appears in the doorway as if conjured. He only has eyes for Cole. It might make me sick to see them so happy in love, but their love is so perfect. It makes me…uncomfortable isn't the right word, but something I can't name.

"For my life plan." I can't resist the urge to annoy Cole by flirting with Shane.

If I hadn't deliberately put the moves on Shane in front of him, Cole might not have realized his feelings for Shane. I'm a full-service friend that way.

Shane doesn't miss a beat after kissing Cole. "Sorry, you're not my type."

"I'm everybody's type." I plaster on a seductive smile. "So if you take me out of the picture, what is your type?"

"Cole." He leans in for another kiss.

"He's not a type…you know what, never mind." I turn away from the tongue-fucking, getting that unnamed feeling again.

"Alec has some big news." Cole settles Shane in his lap and Shane's big brown eyes blink at me with expectation.

"It's not actually my news," I say, and Cole lifts his chin for me to continue. "I have an idea to do a charity auction with Mads, and Cole agreed to donate some of his paintings."

Shane's excitement bursts out of him as we discuss the logistics and what we still need for the event. "You're our resident philanthropist now."

"We shouldn't tell him how much we appreciate him," Cole pretends to whisper in Shane's ear.

And as payback for their lovefest, I say to Cole, "How about sharing and letting Shane hop in my bed to show your appreciation." My eyes roam over Shane's body.

Shane laughs so hard he chokes on a snort.

"Fuck you." Cole can't hold back his laugh. He knows I'd never lay a finger on Shane, but I pretend to remind him to stay present with Shane and not wallow in the past.

"But you love me." I fling my arms wide and round the desk to hug them. "And my idea is fan-fucking-tastic." All the unnamed emotion is making me itchy, so I smell Shane's hair and groan.

"He's going to snap and punch you one day." Shane sighs.

"Hopefully he waits until after I make him a world-renowned painter." I let them go, wondering why I'm restless.

I stopped trusting my emotions long ago.

"Mads wants to meet to go over a game plan. We decided on Pink Titanium. Jayce is going to meet us there for drinks afterward. You both free around eight?"

Shane bounces in Cole's lap with anticipation, and I'm sure if I weren't in the room, this would get X-rated fast.

Despite the crowded bar, meeting will be easy since the booths are mostly empty. Watching everyone settle in, I realize Shane and Von won't be able to concentrate in their current states. As Mads introduces Von to Cole, Shane, and Joanne, the Director of The Q, I hit up my favorite server. We catch up as he puts in a drink and food order for me. It only takes the bartender a couple of minutes. The server hands me a tray, and then he leads me to the storeroom to get the supplies I asked for.

As I approach the table, Von mutters, "Let's start without him. He's probably flirting and leaving the work to us. Typical." His back is to me, so I can't see his face, but his body goes rigid when Shane gasps in surprise, and Cole looks as if he's a half second away from punching Von.

His judgment isn't welcome in my life. Flirting doesn't mean I deserve to be disrespected. As a motivated multitasker, I can flirt and work. I'm tempted to ditch the tray, but I focus on Joanne enjoying Pink Titanium. So I force my facial muscles into a smile and keep moving.

"Here you go." I hand Joanne the bar's signature pink mocktail. "It's their best non-alcoholic cocktail," I clarify so Von can't complain about my work ethic. "I'm giving you the full experience since you've always wanted to come here." She smiles and I acknowledge a stone-faced Von.

"Heads-up, Viking." I toss him a small packet of Tylenol and slide a glass of water over. "You're rubbing your temples, so I thought you could use it." I take satisfaction in his gaping mouth and bulging vein.

I intercept the server and set a burger in front of Shane. "I figure we'll all order food, but I assume your stomach is eating itself." On cue, Shane's stomach growls.

Cole loosens the arm he has around Shane so he can look him in the eye. "You said you ate," he accuses. Shane blushes and shoves his mouth full of burger.

Cole mouths, "Thank you," over Shane's head, then turns a death glare on Von.

Von nods and ducks his head, exposing the red creeping up the side of his neck. Cole successfully admonished Von without words and the tightness in my chest loosens.

I thought Von was shy, but maybe he's just another dick with a pretty face. Joanne asks him where he's from, and I'm almost positive he's ignoring her question.

I'd love to loosen up his literally tight ass and make him come until he loses his attitude. I've been restless and celibate, so a hate fuck is soooo appealing right now. If I hadn't promised Mads, he'd be the perfect stress relief for the night. As long as he kept his mouth shut, we'd have a great time.

The best-looking guys have the worst personalities.

We start talking about the auction, and I ignore Von until I hear him mutter again. I lean around Joanne to ask him, "What's sckeet?"

"It means shit, where I come from. Sorry, my head hurts more than I thought," Von responds robotically. "Thank you for the medicine. I hope it works soon."

My face splits into a wide grin, knowing he's feeling guilty for his behavior. He can't meet my eyes and his face is flushed. I don't know what his deal is, but at least he's aware he's being rude. At the gallery he was quiet, but we got along fine. I know when I'm pissing someone off, so I'm positive the problem isn't me.

Luckily, we get back to business. Joanne outlines her monetary goals and the contacts she will bring to the event. Cole agrees to give Madyson all the paintings he has in storage. Madyson begins talking a mile a minute, waving her hands as she announces that all the artists from The Artistic Edge will donate at least one item. Von pales. Maybe his work ethic is the problem.

The conversation moves on to how to market the event and attract NYC's wealthiest.

Madyson turns to Von. "Did you ever organize an auction for your charity work?"

"Not really." Von shifts in his seat, clearly uncomfortable, and only continues after Mads prompts him. "I was involved in kids sports, and we had some high-profile athletes who lent their time and money to the cause. We had corporate donors throwing money at us to get their names associated with the athletes." He grows redder by the second. "I donated my artwork to different charities but never organized an event."

At least I understand why Mads invited him. She must've thought he would have something to contribute.

Sweet Mads hates it when someone seems embarrassed, so she asks him to weld an arch for the event. With her big heart, she tries to fix things for other people, even when they don't want her help. She describes her vision for the arch and Von nods, but his brow furrows with a deer in headlights expression.

I grab a napkin and start sketching. "Is this what you want?" I slide the drawing to her.

Mads agrees, but we make a few tweaks while Von looks incredulous. Shane, Cole, and Joanne are engaged in a conversation about the audio and lighting.

"How did you do that?" Von's voice is full of awe, as if he can't believe I'm capable of drawing a design. "I mean, you drew exactly what she wants. I couldn't see it, but you made it look easy," he backtracks. The guy is all over the place with his judgments and compliments; he's giving me whiplash.

"I do it every day. People come in with ideas, and it's my job to draw it and put it on their bodies. It's not a big deal."

Von shakes his head as if to disagree but doesn't say anything else.

Joanne has a few more questions, then we wrap it up.

When the meeting ends, Cole growls in Shane's ear, and I wonder if they'll make it home before they consume each other. Joanne is saying her goodbyes as Jayce arrives in time to discuss his social media plan for in the event.

"Thanks for coming, Von." Mads gives him her wide, genuine smile. "We're going to stay for a bit. You look tired, so don't feel obligated to hang around. You can make it back by yourself, yeah?"

"Yes," he replies, back to his robotic self.

"I'll be at the bar." I saunter away with a smirk at Von.

It's as if I'm daring him to follow me. But that would be stupid. A hate fuck would really make Mads hate me.