by Tara Lain
“What does your doctor say?”
“Nothing. He says I need more exercise and sunshine.”
“Daddy, right outside the door are both of those things in excess. Put down your books occasionally. Go for a walk. I can even get you your favorite books in audio so you can listen while you walk.”
Laurie’s mother said, “Those doctors know nothing. He needs to get back to work, have more challenge. He needs his company back.”
Danny looked right at Mr. Belmont’s face and saw the wash of pain and sadness. What the hell’s going on here?
Laurie stood. “So why did you call me, Mother? Nothing appears to have changed, and I have a lot on my plate.” Laurie’s tone on the phone with his “Mama” had always been deferential. Right now? Not so much.
“Have you called Grove yet?”
“No, and I have no intention of doing so.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Stop this nonsense. Grove exercised his male prerogative and strayed a bit. Big deal. If you were palling around with”—she cast a vicious glance over her shoulder—“cowboys, no wonder he got the wrong idea. All you have to do is show him you want him back, and everything will be all right. Daddy gets his company and position back, you can have your little decorating business, you can marry a wealthy man and live happily ever after.”
Laurie’s big eyes narrowed. “And what do you get, Mother?”
“I get my boys having everything they want.”
Danny swallowed. Whoa. Is this really the person who raised Laurie?
Laurie’s face softened a little. He gathered her in his arms. “I’m sorry, Mama. I just can’t do it. I can’t go back to Grove. If he makes the first move—” He sighed. “I’m not even sure about that.”
She pulled away, frowning. “You’re every man’s dream, Laurie. You know that. What good is all our work if you’re just going to throw it away?”
Sweet Jesus. Danny stepped back and leaned against the wall outside the door to the room. What the fuck is Laurie? Her prize bull?
He could still hear the voices. Laurie said, “I’m not throwing anything away. I’m trying to start my own business. I’m a good designer. You know that.”
“Oh God, anyone can dabble in drapes and antiques. You’re a prize for a king, an emperor.”
“I’m not a prize, Mother. Prizes are bought and sold.” There was a small pause. “I hope you feel better, Daddy.” He walked out of the room into the hall, glanced at Danny, tears slipping out of his eyes, and he just kept walking toward the stairs. Danny strode after him.
When they finally got to the street, Danny whistled for a cab, and they climbed in. Laurie gave an address and leaned back on the seat, his forearm across his eyes. “She’s so terrified of being poor. She grew up with nothing. She actually lived in a shelter for a while as a child. I guess her mother always complained that she wasn’t pretty enough to be able to attract a rich man and get them out of their circumstances.”
“And you are? Pretty enough?”
Laurie dropped his arm and nodded. “I suppose so.”
Laurie stared out the window, and Danny sneaked glances at him for another few minutes until the cab pulled up in front of an older high-rise building. Danny paid the cabbie and followed Laurie, who stopped to get mail in the relatively plain lobby, then took an elevator to the sixteenth floor. The hall was a bit faded but still attractive in an eclectic kind of way, with old murals on the walls above modern maple benches. It looked interesting and artsy—like Laurie.
Laurie stopped at a door and inserted his key, then pushed it open. Danny stepped inside and stopped. Wow. Ahead of him stretched one big room with almost floor-to-ceiling windows on the far side, looking out across the district. Maybe the room had once had walls and doors, but not now. Hardwood floors that somehow managed to look both shiny and scarred from age were decorated with not just rugs, but a random pile of rug on top of rug that looked—great. Unexpected, inviting, comfortable. In the middle of them sat a couch that was so deep even Danny’s legs wouldn’t have come close to the floor. It looked like you could curl up on it for a nap with a friend or two. On either side of this unusual sofa sat two brightly colored chairs on the left and a thing he’d probably call a love seat on the right. A light fixture, kind of chandelierish but more modern, hung from the high ceiling. “Man, this is nice.”
“Thank you.” Laurie smiled, but his eyes were big, sad puddles. “It’s my business. Or it was. Can I get you something to drink?” He nodded toward the far end of the room, where a big island separated the kitchen from the living area.
“Sure.”
“Iced tea okay? I also have iced coffee.”
“The coffee sounds great.”
Laurie quirked his lips like the request for coffee didn’t surprise him and walked to the kitchen.
“How long have you lived here?”
“About a year. It was a real find. All this space. Of course, it wasn’t in very good shape when I moved in.”
“Do you own it?”
He sighed as he carried two glasses of whitened coffee to the sitting area and put them on the glass coffee table with coasters. “No such luck. But at least that means I can probably sublease it without much trouble.”
“You’re moving?” Danny tasted the coffee. Perfect amount of cream and a tiny touch of sweetness. Really good.
Laurie plopped down on the big sofa and scooted back so he leaned against the cushions with his legs stretched out. It required powerful amounts of self-control to not leap on the couch with him and cuddle.
Laurie sipped. “I have to move. I’m determined I’m not going to sign away my future to Carlson. When I refuse to hand over the noncompete, he’ll fire me, and I won’t have a job.”
“You can get another one, I’m sure.”
“Probably. Carlson will try to get me blackballed, but a lot of people in the community don’t like him. Maybe if I move down to Silicon Valley. But I feel so badly for my clients. They won’t stay at Armisted—at least, most won’t. But if I try to take them to a big competitor, I’m asking the new firm to put up with being sued by Carlson. Shit.”
“What about starting your own business, like you were saying?”
“Don’t have the money.”
“How much does it take?”
He shrugged. “I could probably set this place up as an office, but I still need someone to help me, at least part-time. And I need computers and some desks and insurance and enough to be able to open some accounts with suppliers. They don’t work on cash. Maybe if I’m really sneaky, I can get my money out of Armisted before Carlson fires me, but that’s only about ten thousand.” He shook his head. “Not enough.”
“Can’t your parents help?”
“They’ve done so much for me already. I can’t ask them for more.”
Danny frowned into his coffee. “Didn’t you say you gave them all your savings?”
“That was a gift. Trying to repay them a little for—well, for giving me a home.”
“How old were you when they adopted you?”
“Five. It’s hard to find homes for older children. Most people want babies.”
“What happened to your birth parents?”
He wrinkled his nose. “Usual bleeding-heart crap. Mother a drug addict. Father unknown.”
“Do you keep in touch with your mother?”
“No. My folks never wanted me to.”
“Mind if I ask what you looked like at five?”
Laurie cocked his head, then scooted over and pulled open a drawer in the side table. He took out an album and leaned forward toward Danny. Danny got up and grabbed it, then sat and opened the picture book. In the first photo, Laurie’s parents, a younger version of the people Danny had seen that day, sat on either side of a child. Danny just stared. The adults were, as he’d seen, very pleasant but ordinary-looking people. The child stopped time with his beauty. Danny remembered seeing pictures of the actress Elizabeth Taylor when she was
a baby, with her huge eyes and perfect skin. The five-year-old Laurie outdid her—pale hair, wide eyes, full lips. Perfect. Danny looked up at Laurie. “You must not have been up for adoption long.”
“You’re right. I was with my birth mother.”
“You remember her, then?”
“A little.”
“I’ll bet she was really pretty.”
Laurie nodded slowly. “I think so.”
Danny tossed the album on the table. “I need to say this.”
Laurie looked apprehensive, like he couldn’t take any more bad news.
“You’re really beautiful, and I’m sure that has its downside. But Laurie, you’re talented, and I know you’re smart and funny and fun to be around. You have tons going for you that has nothing to do with how you look. Don’t ever sell yourself short.” He didn’t add “just because your mother tells you to,” but he kind of hoped it was implied.
Quiet.
Danny glanced up.
Laurie stared at him with wide fawn eyes, tears running down his face in a silent stream.
“Well, damn.” Danny got up, crawled across the big couch, maneuvered so his boots were hanging off the edge, and put his arm around Laurie. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“It’s—it’s just that nobody ever says anything to me but about the way I look.” His voice got high and singsong. “Smile, Laurie, show us those beautiful teeth. Wear that pink sweater. It shows off your hair. Don’t date that boy. He’s not rich enough. With your looks, you can have any man.” He snuffled. “When you told me I was good on a horse, it was the first time any man complimented anything about me that didn’t include my appearance.”
Danny grinned and tightened his arm around Laurie. “Well now, I cain’t rightly claim that selfless position, when I was seriously admiring your ass in those tight jeans, ma’am.”
Laurie slapped his arm. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I do. Partly because my looks have played a role in my being hired once or twice. But mostly because I’ve seen how Grove and your mother treat you, and it’s not right.” He let go of Laurie and sat back. “I have a cousin. I haven’t seen her for years, but when I was little, she was around a lot. I got to see how they treated her. All about how she looked and whether she had a boyfriend who was the right kind of guy. I remember thinking I was so glad not to be a girl. Probably most boys wouldn’t even have noticed. Maybe I did because I was gay and felt different from the other guys.” He shrugged. “Anyway, that’s how they treat you, but worse.”
Laurie stared at the soft gray upholstery. “I have clients who think I’m smart. Maybe because they’re women and know that brains and beauty aren’t mutually exclusive.” He released a long breath that should have deflated him like a balloon. “I sure hate to lose them.”
“Then don’t.”
“My best client, Viola, would likely be willing to pay cash for everything if I tell her the situation, but others won’t. It’s too much trouble and doesn’t make me seem professional.”
Danny sat up. “First things primo. Call that office and tell them you need to withdraw your savings. Ask them to prepare a check. If they ask, say it’s a family crisis. They’ll believe that, right?”
Laurie nodded.
“Good. And it’s not a lie. Tell them I’ll come get the check, okay? That way they can’t back you into a corner.”
Laurie sounded breathless. “Okay. But they’ll probably say it’s too short notice.”
“It’s an emergency, right?” Danny grinned.
Laurie pulled his phone from his pocket. He bit his lip and dialed, then glanced at Danny as he said, “Hi, Francie. I need accounting, okay? No, I have serious problems. Thanks.” He listened. “Hi, Hazel, this is Laurie. Look, I hate to do this since I don’t want to lose my investments, but I have a family emergency and need to withdraw the value of my company stock.” He listened. “I know, but I really need it now, so I’ll just have to forgo the year-end matching. I know. It’s my dad.” He sniffed. “Yes, so sorry. Thank you.” He sucked in a gasp. “Oh, that would be wonderful, dear. I’m sending a friend of mine over to pick up the check, okay? I can’t leave. Oh, thank you, thank you. He’s tall and handsome and looks like a cowboy.” He winked at Danny. “Thank you, dear. He’ll be right there.” He hung up and pressed a hand against his chest. “She’s writing a check. God, you’re brilliant.”
Danny stood and took a little bow. “I’ll go get it. You stay here, and don’t answer the phone. Let them think you’re in the hospital or something.”
Laurie nodded. “It’s not enough to start my company, but at least I won’t have to walk away from what little I’ve saved. Thank you for thinking of it.” He slid off the couch and paced to the kitchen. “Maybe I can find a lawyer to help my dad.”
Danny held up a hand. “Don’t do anything until I get back, okay?”
Laurie nodded and ran a hand through his silky hair. “Some days I think I’m as brainless as everybody says.” He smiled, but the wide eyes shimmered with pain.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
LAURIE STARED at his third glass of iced coffee condensing on the table. At least he wouldn’t have to exercise this week. He’d jitter his way to fitness. His fingers itched to call Viola, but he’d promised Danny.
Danny. How did this day even happen? Laurie had returned to real life, but a piece of his fantasy came with him—his cowboy hero in the white straw hat had ridden in on a unicorn to save him.
Bizarre. The total disdain—hatred, almost—in his mother’s eyes when she looked at Danny. It was like she recognized her worst nightmare on sight—a guy with no money who saw more in Laurie than his face and his cock.
Laurie shook his head. No, Mama loves me. She loves me more than life. She just doesn’t want to see me poor and suffering. She wants the best for me.
The tap on the door sent him up and across the space like a jackrabbit. He opened to Danny holding out a check to him. “Here. Cash it fast.”
“Oh my God, thank you.” He threw his arms around Danny and hugged, then stepped back to let him in, took the check, and quickly set it on the table. He practically held his breath while he photographed it for deposit. After he hit Send, he smiled at Danny. “Now we wait to be sure it’s good, but it’s the best we can hope for right now. I can’t thank you enough. What happened when you got there?” He walked to the kitchen and made another iced coffee for Danny. They could be jittery together.
Danny settled into one of the chairs and crossed his long legs in tight jeans. He must have created a small heart attack in accounting. Carlson kept those people chained to their desks.
Danny set his hat on the side table, crown down, and accepted the coffee. “As soon as I got into accounting—that lady at the front desk is sure nice—anyway, your boss comes rushing in. Says he didn’t authorize this. I was holding the check by that time. I shook his hand and gave him a guy hug to say how much this meant to you and how he was saving your family. I made sure everyone heard, so he couldn’t go back on it without looking like an asshole.”
Laurie dropped onto the love seat. “Sometimes it’s better when a person’s insides don’t show on the outside.” He sighed. “So I’ve got to find a lawyer to take up my dad’s case. Maybe this will be enough to cover his fee.”
“What’s your dad’s case?”
“The son of his former partner is heading up a hostile takeover, and I need to find a lawyer to stop him. Grove kept saying he’d do it, but he never did.”
“Why the hostile takeover?”
“They say Dad is running the company into the ground.”
“Is he?”
Laurie looked up. “I-I don’t know. I mean, it’s his company. He started it.”
“What did his partner do?”
“Well, Daddy’s an engineer. A scientist, really. He developed the original products the company sold. His partner did the business side and the sales, I think.”
“So who’s doing th
at part now?”
“Uh, well, Daddy, I guess.”
“Maybe he’s terrible at it.”
Laurie frowned.
“I don’t think he likes doing it.”
Laurie’s head snapped up. “Why do you say that?”
“I could see his face when your mother was saying how he had to have his company back. He looked sick.”
“He is sick.”
Danny just stared at him.
“Mama always says he’s sick because he doesn’t have his work.”
“Have you ever thought maybe he’s sick because he hates going to work? Sometimes I see bull riders who get hurt on purpose so they don’t have to be scared anymore.”
Their eyes held. Well, hell. “Yes, I have thought that.” He took a deep drink from his glass. “My daddy’s a quiet man who likes his books and to sit at his computer and invent shit. He’s not a businessman. It was his partner who really ran the business, but Mama saw his partner’s death as a chance for Daddy to show his”—he swung his arm—“true colors and make the company even more successful.”
“It hasn’t worked so well, I gather.”
“The company and my dad’s health are both struggling.”
“Maybe Grove knew that, and that’s why he kept dragging his feet.”
Laurie frowned.
“Not that I like suggesting anything good about him.” Danny grinned.
“Okay, let’s say that’s true. My dad hates running the company. What do I do about it? He won’t admit it, so my mother keeps pushing.”
Danny shrugged. “I don’t think you spend your savings to hire a lawyer to get your father something he doesn’t want.”
Laurie smiled. “How did you get so smart?”
“I’ll tell you sometime.”
Laurie stared into space. “Maybe I could call the guy who’s trying to take over. We could talk, one son to another.”
“Sounds like a great idea to me.”
Laurie gave a tight smile. “Okay, so if I don’t hire a lawyer, I’ve got a little less than ten thousand to start a business and live on. I don’t think that’s going to work. Maybe I can get a job somewhere, live with my folks for a year, and stash money.”