Vital Company (Company Men Book 6)

by Crystal Perkins

  “You like him.”

  There’s a reason Waverly and I are friends. “I think you’re right.”

  “He’s a good guy, Q. I know he comes across as an entitled ass, but he doesn’t care about his money.”

  “Money? He’s a swim instructor.”

  “Actually, he’s now some kind of marketing and event person. I honestly don’t know exactly what he’s doing for Matt, but I know he’s being paid well. And, I know I’m glad he’s here, because he’s been a good friend to me when I needed that.”

  “Interesting.”

  It really is. A couple of weeks ago, I was ready to write him off as a cocky surfer. Knowing he’s more has me looking for him once we’re done with lunch. I was already leaning toward giving him a chance before my friend told me some stories about how he’d stood up for her in the past. Now, I want to see where this can go.

  Deciding to freshen up in private, I turn the corner to the quiet rooms, and realize my mistake. Cohen has a woman against the wall. His hand is inside her shirt and his mouth is on her neck.

  “Do you mind?” she asks, causing him to look my way.

  “Of course not.”

  I turn and walk away. He doesn’t come after me, which is for the best. I know now he only wanted one thing from a date with me, and it’s not something I casually give out. I should feel relieved instead of disappointed. I should, but I don’t.

  Cohen

  I’m freaked out about the scan today. I think I’m healthy, but what if I’m not? I broke lots of bones when I was training to be an Olympic diver. Having the best doctors money can buy doesn’t mean I didn’t fuck something up. If I did—well, I’ve got Shane to think about now.

  It’s why I accepted that chick’s offer to make-out at lunch. I wanted to calm my nerves before I went downstairs. Lunch with Wave and Quincy was fun, but in no way relaxing; I can’t relax around Quincy—I want her too badly. Of course, it had to be her who caught us in the hallway. That look on her face was enough to have me walking away right after she did, but the damage was done. I’m going to find her once this thing is over.

  “Are you ready, Cohen?” Kendrick asks, motioning to the booth that looks like a TSA scanner.

  “I didn’t bring any liquids in my carry-on,” I reply, with a straight face.

  “I’ve heard it all, my friend.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. Just step in when you’re ready. As I explained to you, you’ll need to stand still while being scanned, but it’s only for about a minute.”

  “Got it.”

  I drop the sheet around my waist and step into the machine. Kenny said to just keep my arms at my side, but when the machine powers up, I still feel like I’m at the airport. The minute seems to go one forever, but I know it really doesn’t. I also correctly interpret the look Kenny’s got on his face when I step out.

  “You did not mention your concussion history on any of the medical forms.”

  “It’s been years since I’ve hit my head on a diving board.”

  “Your brain has been affected. Not badly, but continued concussions could cause permanent damage.”

  “Good thing I’m no longer diving then, huh?”

  “Yes, it is. You didn’t mention headaches on your forms, either, but there’s no way you’re not having them with what I’m seeing on the scan.”

  “They aren’t every day. Or even every week.”

  “But, they are bad.”

  “Yes,” I admit. I honestly feel like I’m going to die when one comes on.

  “There is no magic number for how many are too many concussions, but having more could be dangerous for you.”

  “Walking across a street could be dangerous for me.”

  “Cohen.”

  “Kenny. I’m not going to stop living my life just because something may happen.”

  “Just please try and be careful. You are perfectly healthy besides the minor swelling on your brain. I want to scan you again in a month to see if it’s gone down. As it’s been years, I don’t expect that to happen, but one can hope.”

  “And, if it hasn’t gone down?”

  “I’d rather not go in and do anything unless it gets worse. If your headaches start coming close together, you need to tell me or Quincy immediately.”

  Fuck. I didn’t even think about her knowing. “I don’t suppose this could stay between the two of us?”

  He frowns. “Why would you want that?”

  “I’m trying to impress Quincy, not send her running.”

  “My friend is not a runner, but she is also not someone who’s going to rush into a casual relationship.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s not in my nature to warn someone away from something—someone—they want.”

  “Yet, you want to do it with me.”

  “Not necessarily. I do want to urge you to be sure if this is what you want. Bianca’s father is not a nice man, and he did all he could to try and destroy Quincy. She survived, but she’s still a little battered.”

  “Maybe I can be the one to fix her up.”

  “Maybe so,” he agrees, nodding his head. “Maybe so.”

  While I get dressed, I think about what I want from Quincy. What I can offer her. Technically, I could offer her the world, but I’m pretty sure money doesn’t interest her. I want to find out what does. Time to find her.

  “Hey,” I say, leaning against her open office door a few minutes later.

  It’s lame, but it’s all I’ve got at the moment. One of the nurses told me how to find her office, and now I’m sounding like a moron.

  “Did you need something, Cohen?”

  Yes. I need her. Or at least I want her. “I wanted to explain about the woman in the hall.”

  “You don’t owe me any explanations.”

  “Since I want to date you, I do.”

  She sits back in her chair and runs her hands over her face. “I was honestly going to come find you and take you up on that date offer.”

  “You were?”

  “Before I saw you in the hallway, yes.”

  Fuckity fuck fuck. “I was stressed out about my scan.”

  “Because you’d omitted your concussions from all questionnaires?”

  “Word travels fast.”

  “Technology,” she says, motioning to the tablet on her desk.

  “Right. And yes, I knew Kenny might see it. I didn’t know if he’d find anything else.”

  “I’m sure he let you know he didn’t.”

  “Yeah. It was a relief to hear nothing’s really wrong with me.”

  “Swelling on your brain shouldn’t be a relief.”

  “He’s not worried yet.”

  “Not yet, no. Is there something else I can help you with?”

  “You haven’t let me explain yet.”

  She waves her hands toward one of the chairs in front of her. “Go ahead. It won’t change anything between us, though.”

  “There’s no point if you’re not willing to listen.”

  I walk out feeling worse than I did when I walked in. I won’t be bullied into feeling afraid, and I won’t allow another woman to de-value me. No matter how much I thought I liked her.

  Chapter 5

  Quincy

  Wave offered to take Bianca down to the pool with her, giving me a little time to decompress after work. It was a long day of studying every Society member’s files. Tomorrow, I’ll be going over the ones for their family members. I don’t need to memorize them all, but it’s good to be familiar with the medical histories of all your potential patients.

  After a long, hot shower, I slide on some comfy lounge pants and a soft t-shirt before making my way downstairs. I hear the splashing and laughter once I open the glass doors, and can’t help but smile at the sight before me.

  Cohen is doing a handstand on the deck as the kids dance around him. When they get a little too rowdy, he flips to his feet. “Alright you little mermaids and mermen, let’s
hit the showers.”

  The kids groan, but do as they’re told and make their way to the outdoor showers ringing the pool. I’m walking toward Bianca when it happens. Cohen catches his foot on someone’s flipflop, the shoe slides forward and he hits the deck hard. It all happens in seconds, the crack of his head hitting concrete loud enough to have me running.

  “Daddy!” I hear a little boy yell. I barely register Knox swooping him up as I reach Cohen.

  Head wounds bleed more than anything else, and I know it looks bad. Hopefully, it’s not nearly as bad as it looks. He’s out cold as I gingerly feel around his head. Waverly’s at my side with towels, and a full medical kit less than a minute later.

  “The cut isn’t large. I’ll need to give him a few stitches, but that’s not what I’m worried about.”

  “I know,” she tells me, handing me some gloves, and one of the small medical scanners Ken taught me to use yesterday. Right now, I’m thankful more than ever for the technology Matt and Reina pay for.

  “Damn it,” I say on an exhale, noting the concussion and how the tissue around his brain has swelled.

  “Another concussion?”

  I take out the small razor, and careful shave and sterilize the area around his cut while I fill her in. “Yes. After I stitch him up, we need to get him in a bed where he can be monitored. He’ll wake up in a few hours, because it’s not that bad, but I’d still feel better if we kept an eye on him.”

  “Any bed in any apartment here has that capability,” she tells me as I direct her to turn his head slightly while I glove up again after opening one of the suture kits.

  “A hospital would be better.”

  “Not for Shane. He’s freaking out right now, and seeing Cohen in a hospital bed will only make it worse. Coh would lose his mind if he finds out his son had to suffer more than necessary.”

  I take out the threaded needle, and get to work. “I didn’t know he had a son. Can his mother come, and get him?”

  “She’s in jail, so no.”

  “Oh.”

  “It’s a story for another time. I can stay with him overnight.”

  “No. You should stay with his son. I’ll keep watch over Cohen.”

  “You sure?’

  “Yes.”

  I talk with the security guards who’ve assembled, helping them get Cohen onto the stretcher. My top is covered in Cohen’s blood, and I’ll need another shower, but I can finally blow out a breath of relief that it’s not as bad as it could’ve been.

  A tug on my pants has me looking down. The little boy with tears in his eyes is a miniature Cohen, right down to the hairstyle he’s sporting. I drop to my knees in front of him.

  “Is daddy okay?”

  “Yes. When people get a cut on their head it bleeds a lot. I know that’s scary, but I promise it’ll be okay. His hair might look funny in back, but I stitched him up.”

  “He no wake up.”

  “Not yet, but he will.”

  “Promise?”

  Because I can, I do. “Yes. I’m going to stay with him until he wakes up.”

  “Thanks you. I’m Shane,” he tells me, holding out his hand.

  I shake it with a smile. “You’re welcome. You can call me Q.”

  “Like the letter?”

  “Yep.”

  “Cool.”

  We hold hands all the way up to their apartment. I’m not surprised when I see it look like the ocean inside, but Bianca is beside herself.

  “Are we staying here tonight, Mommy? I love it!”

  “If you don’t mind hanging out on one of the couches, then yes, you can stay here tonight.”

  “I’ll keep an eye on Coh while you shower and grab your stuff. We can swap when you get back,” Waverly tells me.

  “I’ve got the kids,” Knox adds. “Grilled cheese for everyone!”

  “Thanks. I won’t be long.”

  True to my word, I’m back in the apartment in less than half an hour. Knox hands me a plate of sandwiches, and I settle in with my Kindle onto Cohen’s bed. It’s huge, and there’s plenty of room, so why not let myself be comfortable?

  Cohen

  I wake up with a raging headache and a sexy doctor in my bed. Sadly, she’s fully clothed and I’m pretty sure I’ve been injured.

  “This isn’t how I hoped to get you into my bed, Quince.”

  “I’m only sitting here because it looked more comfortable than the chair over there.”

  “What happened to me?”

  “A wayward flipflop, and a hard and wet deck.”

  “It’s not fair for you to say ‘hard’ and ‘wet’ together in a sentence when I don’t think I can even sit up right now.”

  “You asked.”

  “Are you flirting with me?” It feels like she is, and she didn’t correct me when I called her by my nickname for her.

  “I shouldn’t be.”

  “But you are.”

  “Stop smirking.”

  I start to laugh, but wince as a wave of pain hits me. Quincy glides off the bed to stand on the other side of me. She has a little device in her hand and she moves it over my head.

  “What’s the verdict?”

  “The swelling is going down already. I had some pain meds sent up,” she tells me, handing me the pills along with a bottle of water.

  “Will these make me sleep again?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will you be here when I wake up?”

  “I will.”

  “I make a good pillow if you need one.”

  “I have to stay awake, and our kids are here.”

  Shit. How did I not think of that? “Shane saw? Of course he saw. Where is he?”

  I try to get out of bed, only to have her catch me when I stumble. “He’s asleep. Knox and Wave are in camping out in his room, and Bianca’s on the couch. I told him you’d be okay, and he believes me.”

  “Thanks. He’s too little to have to deal with this.”

  “Kids are resilient.”

  “I guess.”

  “I know.”

  “Okay.”

  “He’s a mini you, and it’s just adorable.”

  “Are you calling me adorable, Quince.”

  “Quincy, and no—Shane is adorable. You, well you’re too good-looking.”

  “Is that a thing?”

  “When a man plays on his looks, it definitely is.”

  “I’m humble about other things.”

  “You’ll have to show me.”

  “All it took was a new concussion to get you to give me a chance?”

  “I was going to give you a chance before I saw you in the hall yesterday. I already told you that.”

  “Shit. I told you I was stressed about the scan, and thinking I’d never have a chance with you. She offered, but nothing more than what you saw happened.”

  “I’m not a casual hook-up kind of woman. I don’t think I could share a man. Actually, I know I couldn’t.”

  “How long has it been since you split up from Bianca’s dad?”

  “The first time, or the last?”

  “Wave made it seem like there’s a story there.”

  “There is. Take your meds, and when you wake up, we’ll swap stories.”

  “I’d like that.”

  I’ve never opened up to a woman who wasn’t my mom—or Waverly. With Quincy, it doesn’t feel weird. I don’t know why, but it just doesn’t. Maybe I’m making a mistake. Maybe I’m not. Only time will tell.

  Chapter 6

  Cohen

  The next time I wake up, the sun is up, the pain is still a little dulled by my meds, and Quincy is too engrossed in her Kindle to see me looking at her.

  “Are you going to share?”

  She shrieks a little, almost losing her grip on the device. “Share what?”

  “Whatever’s on there that made your cheeks flush.”

  “Oh. Um. No. How are you feeling?”

  I grab it out of her hands before she realizes what I’m
doing. She snatches it back, but not until I’ve already seen some interesting words on the screen. Words I wouldn’t mind experiencing with her.

  “I’m feeling a little hornier than I was a few seconds ago.”

  “Oh. My. God,” she says, dropping her head into her hands.

  “Don’t be embarrassed by liking a little kink. I’m totally down with some exhibitionism.”

  “Stop talking now.”

  “So, that’s a no?”

  “I thought we were going to talk.”

  “Talk, lick, fuck—whatever you want to do first, I’m up for. Just lock the door if it’s one of the last two.”

  “Talk. We are going to talk.”

  She says the words, but her eyes are looking at the sheet, where my morning wood’s making a nice tent. If she licks her lips, I’m giving my buddy down there a stroke. I hope like hell she licks her lips.

  “If you’re sure.”

  “I am.” Damn, she swallowed hard, but no lick.

  And now she’s got her little magic wand of medicine in her hand. I start to talk as she runs it over my head, and checks on my stitches.

  “Here’s the Cliff Notes version. Knox and I used to be super manwhores to the point of sharing women. One of those women blew him, fucked me, and had a baby. She was so obsessed with Knox, she decided he had to be the dad even though he hadn’t been inside anything but her mouth. She stalked him, which is when Wave was hired to protect him. In the end, it all came out, and I had a son.”

  “Holy shit!”

  “Nothing holy about that bitch, but yeah, I get the sentiment.”

  “How long is she in jail for?”

  “That’s still to be determined, but Reina’s on it.”

  “How long have you had Shane?”

  “A little over two years. He was several months old when we found him.”

  “I don’t even know what to say.”

  “How about you start with your story.”

  “It’s not as felonious as yours, but it has some twists and turns.”

  “I can assure you I’m mentally on the edge of my seat.”

  “You already know I went to school with Ken. My parents paid for my undergrad, but it was up to me to pay for medical school. I did that by working at an upscale department store, in the Men’s Department. Rick was working for one of his family’s Boston companies and came in to look for some warmer clothes. He was charming, and I fell for it all. When I found out I was pregnant, his parents flew him home to San Diego. I never thought I’d hear from him again.”