“It’s so much.”
“It’s what we feel you deserve.”
I closed my eyes, so many feelings exploding in my head. There was only one thing I could say. “Thank you.”
“Do you still want to live in Ridge Towers one day?”
“If I can. Maybe phase two.”
Bentley cocked his head, studying me. “Why phase two?”
“The unit I really wanted is off the list,” I admitted. “Most of the two-bedrooms are taken now.”
Aiden flipped through a list he was holding. “B-8A? That one?”
“Yeah, I thought the views would be amazing on that corner, and I liked the layout.”
He nudged my shoulder, showing me the list. Beside that unit number, was my name, typed in bold letters.
“Wh-what? How?”
“Mad Dog told us, and we removed it from inventory. We’ll discuss pricing closer to the time.”
“But—”
Maddox interrupted me. “We’ll help you with a mortgage, Reid. You can sell the condo, which will more than meet your deposit requirement. Whatever financing you need, any of us—in fact, all of us—will co-sign for you. You will have a mortgage and you will own a place in Ridge Towers. This is our bonus to you for everything you have done and we know you will do in the future.”
My mouth opened, but no words came out. To my horror, the room swam in front of me, and I struggled to contain my feelings, quickly ducking my head. I was about to break down and cry in front of my bosses. I couldn’t allow that to happen, yet even as I tried to stop it, a tear splashed on my knee. Followed by another. I couldn’t contain the swell of emotions. They were too vast and deep.
Aiden’s big arm came around my shoulder. “It’s okay, kid. We make a lot of grown men cry. It’s sort of what we do.”
I barked out a laugh and lifted my head. I was shocked to see all three men grinning at me, their eyes damp. In that moment, they weren’t my bosses. They were my friends. My brothers. They had given me the gift of a fresh start. A place to call my own—something I longed for but could never put into words.
Jumping to my feet, I lunged first for Bentley, hugging him hard. He chuckled and gave me a brief slap on the back. Maddox was ready for me, letting me pounce on him, laughing as he hugged me in return. I turned to Aiden, the man who had risked a lot to give me a second chance.
He opened his massive arms. “Come to Papa, kid.” His hug almost broke my ribs, but it was worth it.
All of what they did for me made everything worth it.
Because of them, I had a new path and a future. Something to offer.
I couldn’t wait to tell Becca.
Reid
BECCA AND I wandered through the condo. I was still in shock over the extravagant gesture. When I’d told Becca, her eyes had grown round, and she’d flung her arms around my neck, excited and pleased for me. I insisted she come with me to see the place that evening.
Sliding the key into the lock and stepping into what was now my home was surreal. It was a great layout with a kitchen to the left and a good-sized living/dining area on the right. To one side was a small space—what Maddox referred to as the plus. It would be an excellent area for my desk and equipment. The bedroom and bathroom were generous in size. Compared to where I lived currently, it was a palace.
Becca laughed at my excitement over the air conditioning. I had none and the windows were old with no screens, so at times, with the sweltering summers in Toronto, I often had to escape to the cool interior of the office to sleep there. It would be amazing to have a place that was cool during the heat of the summer.
To me, it all appeared perfect, although both Becca and Van nodded knowingly as they looked around.
I’d sat with Maddox in the afternoon to run through numbers. He showed me how, if I used the money I had saved now, the investment would pay off more than the meager interest I earned each month. He helped me set a budget for the renovations, almost as excited as I was about the project.
Van made notes, returning to the kitchen where Becca was looking into the cupboards. “Well, it’s an awesome place, but the guys are right. Some upgrades and it would be even better.”
Becca agreed with him. “The kitchen and bath.”
“Yep. I suggest the floors too. Some paint and a little trim work would make the place feel modern and updated.”
“It all looks fine to me. But if you think it needs it, then we’ll go ahead.”
Van laughed, crossing his arms and leaning on the counter. He was almost as big as Aiden, taking up a vast amount of space. His hands were callused, and usually, there was paint or dust on his jeans. However, his dark navy eyes were kind, his voice low, and he was knowledgeable and approachable. I helped him a lot with various programs, and I knew Bentley relied on him and trusted his judgment.
“The place will be empty by the weekend. We can pull out whatever we decide to reno and get started. You can pick what you want in the way of cupboards, floors, counters, fixtures. Bentley told me to make it a priority.”
“I have no idea what I want.”
He chuckled. “Liv can help you with that. You can tell her your budget, what your preferences are, and she’ll go from there.”
I looked at Becca, helpless. “Maybe you can come with me?”
“Oh, I’d love to!”
“I could call Liv. She lives not far from here. If she’s home, she could come over and have a look.”
“That would be awesome.”
He pulled out his phone, walking out of the kitchen.
I shook my head. “This is too much.”
Becca hugged my arm. “It will be great.”
“I prefer things simple.”
“I know.”
I stepped toward her, sliding my hand over hers. “But make it the way you want it, Becca. I want you here with me a lot, so make sure you like it.”
She lifted up on her toes and kissed me. “Okay.”
Liv snapped closed her laptop. She had come over after Van called her. Professional and quiet, she had walked around, talked to Van, made notes, and asked me some questions.
“Okay, here’re my thoughts. You don’t want a major overhaul or walls moved.”
“No.”
“And you want simple.”
“Yes.”
“We’ll do the same flooring throughout except the bath. One of the engineered wood floors. Wide planks. Easy to clean and maintain. In the kitchen, new cupboards, counters, and backsplash. The already-upgraded appliances look good. We’ll do clean lines. Modern. In the bathroom, we’ll update the fixtures and put in a cool multi-head shower. You said your favorite colors are blue and gray, so I’ll keep that in mind. We’ll go with a nice earthy tone with some pops of color. I have your budget, so I’ll work it through with Van and have ideas to you in a couple of days.”
“Wow. Okay.”
“Bentley’s instructions,” she informed me with a wink. Then she smiled, the action transforming her face. She was pretty, but her smile was killer. She had soft tawny-colored hair which she wore in a long braid and had luminous, golden-colored eyes. She was expressive, always using her hands, and her voice was soft but direct.
She was the same in the office. Pleasant and helpful, always willing to go the extra mile—and another person Bentley relied on. Like Van, she carried traces of her work with her. Paint flecks in her hair or telltale signs of colored marker on her hands from her designs. They were an interesting duo. Professional and friendly, yet Van watched her closely, and I also noticed how often she deferred to him, as if seeking his approval.
“Becca is going to help me pick stuff.”
“All right.”
“I want to choose the furnishings gradually, myself.” I wanted to do that with Becca. Have her with me trying out sofas and chairs. Testing out beds.
That was going to be my first purchase.
Liv nodded in understanding. “Sure. We’ll do the reno, and you can complete it
when you’re ready.”
She and Van left, and I walked around again. The condo had simple furnishings in it already since they’d used it as a guest suite, but we’d take those out right away. Maddox told me I could keep anything I wanted, but the idea of picking out my own furniture suddenly appealed. It would be my first real home.
Becca stood beside me, sliding her arm around my waist. “Happy?”
I dropped a kiss on her head. “Yeah, I am.”
“You deserve this, Reid.”
I sighed. “Everyone keeps saying that. I’m trying to come to terms with it.”
She squeezed my hip. “You do. You deserve all good things.”
I gazed down at her. Her blue eyes held me captive and I smiled. “Do I deserve you?”
“Yes. And you have me, Reid.”
I pulled her close, my mouth hovering over hers. “That’s all I need.”
Becca grinned at me across the desk. “Are you excited?”
I shook my head. “I think so.”
She laughed. “Liv is amazing!”
I perused the conceptual drawings of the condo Liv had left me. When she’d arrived earlier, she’d pulled cupboard, counter, paint chip, even floor samples from her large bag. She had limited the choices, though, so it wasn’t as overwhelming as I feared. She’d explained her ideas, and with Becca’s help, guided me toward the items I preferred. All her designs were as she promised. Clean, simple, and modern. She’d even created a built-in set of shelves in the small room where my desk would be to hold my collections. She explained she could reconfigure my steel shelves to fit underneath the new ones for the equipment I kept on hand.
“Form and function, Reid,” she said, showing me a picture. “I have a great desk in storage that would work well. If you want it, it’s yours.”
I liked it. Thick and solid, the metal would suit the room and be sturdy enough I could leave the makeshift one of cinder blocks and wood behind. In fact, I was leaving it all behind me, except my personal things and the one set of shelves I had built. I had given notice, and looked forward to being out of that place as soon as possible.
I grinned at Becca. “I noticed she added furniture to her drawings. Do you think that’s her subtle way of telling me what to look for?”
Becca chuckled. “Maybe. I think it’s simply how she works, but the style does suit you.”
“It does.”
“We’ll go shopping when we return from BC.”
I leaned back in my chair. “You booked some flights?”
“I have dates. I wanted to make sure they’re okay for you.”
I studied her. “Did you talk to your father?”
She met my gaze. “Yes.”
“Did you tell him about me?”
“Yes, Reid, I did.”
“What did you tell him exactly?”
“That you were wonderful and kind. Thoughtful and sweet.” She lowered her voice. “That I loved you and I wanted him to meet you.”
“What else?”
She sighed and pushed away her sandwich. “I told him what you did for a living and how we met. And yes, I told him about your past.”
“And?”
She rubbed her forehead. “He wasn’t pleased, Reid. I didn’t expect him to be. I told you he’s black and white with his views. He said what he thought, I told him why he was wrong, and we agreed to disagree.”
“In other words, he doesn’t approve.”
“In other words,” she countered, “he needs to meet you and make up his mind after that happens. I want you to spend some time with him. Let him get to know you. I’m sure he’ll realize the kind of person you are once he does.”
I contemplated her words. “What if he doesn’t, Becca?”
She shook her head. “That won’t happen. Once he sees how happy you make me, and he talks to you, it will be fine. I know it.”
She desperately wanted to believe her words. I had a feeling it was going to take more than a few days and some conversations to get him to like me. But for her, I was willing to try.
“I’ve never been on a plane before,” I told her, wanting to stop her worry and make her smile. “Another first with you, BB.”
“The list keeps growing.”
I held up my hand and counted. “Yep. My first real crush, first meaningful kiss.” I winked. “You got my virginity, my first trip in a plane, or even staying in a hotel. All of them—yours.”
“Anything else?” She looked into my eyes.
“My love. You are my first and only love, Becca.”
Her smile appeared. The gentle one only I saw. Shy, tremulous, and sweet. She leaned over my desk. “You still say the best things, Reid Matthews.”
I met her halfway with a long kiss.
“All for you, BB. All for you.”
I found the airport fascinating. I wandered around, looking at the monitors and systems, marveling at the scope of it all. The flight was long and uneventful—though the take-off was unlike anything I had ever experienced before now. Becca napped while I did some work on my computer, and we watched a movie together to pass the time.
After we landed, I turned to her. “I preferred the take-off to landing.”
She smirked. It was sexy and cute on her.
“I know.”
“You too?”
“Yes, but the death grip on my hand was sort of the indicator.”
Looking down I realized how tight I was holding her palm, and I released it with a quick kiss to her knuckles.
I had arranged a rental car for us. I didn’t know how to drive, but Becca did, and it would make it easier to get around. Luckily, the hotel was quiet and our room was ready. I made sure to book a nice suite with a sitting area and a big tub in the bathroom for her. She enjoyed soaking in the tub and I hoped she would be able to relax while we were there.
I stored away my clothes and stood on the small balcony of our suite, looking at the pretty city. The air was warm and filled with the scent of the many flowering trees around the hotel. I inhaled deeply as my nerves began to tighten. Becca wanted to go see her father this afternoon, and I was beginning to get anxious about meeting him. Richard had called and told me to make sure to stand up to him and not to take any of his bullshit.
“He’s a hard man until he accepts you,” he cautioned me. “Very protective of Becca. We certainly had a rough start, even though we get along fine now. I’m sure you’ll be okay, but if you need backup, give me a call.”
Becca’s arms wrapped around my waist, and she hugged me tightly. “Did you want to stay here while I go see my dad?”
I reached behind me and pulled her to my side. “No. I came to meet him, so I will.”
She smiled, although I saw the tension in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, BB. You said he was a big sports fan. We can talk football or baseball. We’ll find our common ground.”
“He’s blunt.”
Thinking of Rodney, I smiled. “I’m okay with blunt.”
She sighed. “I warned him to be nice. I told him how much you meant to me. Sometimes, he, well, he says rude things.”
“The way he did with Richard?”
“He told you about that?”
“Yeah. I can handle him, Becca. I’ll be respectful.”
She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I hope he reciprocates.”
I had to chuckle. He was Becca’s father. How bad could the man be?
A few hours later, I knew the answer to that question—and it wasn’t positive.
Gerald Holden had already decided to hate me, and he had no issues letting me know. We had stopped and bought some things for him Becca knew he liked. I had added a bottle of his preferred rye, hoping to make a good impression. I failed.
He was a tall man, his once-broad shoulders stooped over his cane. His hair was salt-and-pepper, his eyes the same color blue as Becca’s. It was the only resemblance I could see between them. His expression was dour, except for the smile he had for
Becca.
“Dad!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck. “You look good!”
“Ah, Rebecca,” he replied. “You’re just buttering me up.”
“Never,” she teased and stepped back. “Dad, this is Reid Matthews. Reid, this is my dad, Gerald.”
I extended my hand. “Mr. Holden, sir. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He eyed my hand as though it would bite before accepting it. “Reid,” he stated shortly. “I don’t think I’ve heard enough about you.”
“Dad,” Becca murmured with a warning tone in her voice.
“It’s fine, Becca.” I smiled, even though I felt the cool dismissiveness of his greeting. “Your dad and I need to get to know each other.” I held out the bottle of rye. “Becca tells me this is your favorite.”
He took the bottle, lifting one eyebrow. “Booze as a hello? What’s next—you have some weed in your pockets to share?”
“Dad!”
He laughed dryly. “Just teasing the boy, Rebecca. Come in and sit down.”
I followed them into his place. Small and neat, it contained a love seat and chair, plus a little table and kitchen setup. A bedroom and bath were right off the living area. Becca had explained he had his meals in the main dining room and used his kitchen area for snacks.
“He was never much of a cook,” she said. “So he took one of the suites with the meal plan. I don’t have to worry about him eating, and he enjoys the social aspect.”
Becca busied herself putting away the few things she had brought him. He placed the rye on the table and addressed me “Was the trip all right? The drive here okay? I know there is construction on Maple Avenue. Did Rebecca tell you to avoid that?”
I cleared my throat. “The trip was good, Mr. Holden. Becca went around the construction, so the drive over was fast.”
“Becca drove?”
I noticed he didn’t tell me to call him Gerald.
“Yes, sir. I don’t drive.”
“You don’t drive?”
“No, sir, I don’t. In Toronto, I walk or take the subway. Traffic is horrendous, and I never bothered to learn.”
He leaned back, eyeing me speculatively. “Hard to learn in prison, I imagine.”
Reid: Vested Interest #4 Page 19