Microsoft Word - MeantForEachOther.doc

by Allison

  Rather than pull Jeremy closer, Andrew rolled over, hugging a pillow to himself, and lay awake, all enjoyment from their lovemaking evaporated into the gap that continued to grow between the two of them.

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  Meant For Each Other

  Chapter Five

  Craig opened the several screens of his Boris file, and assessed his work one last time before he printed them for his meeting in an hour. This project hadn’t actually seemed like work at all. He had two sets of designs: one of homes in natural setting and one of home interiors. His favorite was the one of the home by a lake, Jeremy’s summer home. Funny how things like that stick in my mind after all this time.

  Tall pines were scattered about, providing a canopy of rich green all around the house. He had included a small piece of the lake to show the house was located by water. The view was from the lake looking ashore.

  The slant of the roof peeked through the trees, lower on the left and angling up to the right. The wall facing the water consisted of sliding glass doors and an expansive deck which wrapped around to the left. The lake mirrored off the glass doors and provided a range of blues, grays, and greens as if the doors were a movie screen displaying a beautiful nature scene.

  He had done a few designs of the interior of the house as well; a fireplace built of gray stone created a rustic aura in the living room and long beams of maple wood from one end of a room to the other, again unfinished, warmed the room. The picture was a perfect example of blending modern and natural elements.

  He glanced at the other interior design pictures to make sure they were of the same quality. Once satisfied his work met the criteria set out by Boris, he printed the collection, put them into a portfolio case, and headed out to Boris’s office located a few blocks away. Although he was confident in his work, an excited nervousness caused his heart to beat a bit faster than normal. I hope he loves them as much as I do.

  At Boris’s office, he took a deep breath before walking up to the receptionist, a petite blonde. “Hi. I’m Craig Harper from Spectacular Designs. I’m here to meet with Boris.”

  “Yes, yes. Boris is expecting you. Please, take a seat.” Her voice was chipper and sweet. “He’s on the phone, but will be off shortly.” Craig thanked her and took a seat.

  A few minutes later, Boris came out to greet him. “Craig. Sorry to keep you waiting.” He shook Craig’s hand energetically. “Come into my office.” Craig followed Boris who pointed to a large table to the side of the room. “Come, let’s lay the pictures out here. I’d like to be able to view all of them at once.”

  Craig opened his portfolio and began laying the pictures out. Boris took his time inspecting them, picking some up to view them more closely. After about ten minutes, he turned to face Craig, a wide grin spread across his face. “Absolutely marvelous work. Exactly what I want. So, m’boy, let’s talk business. How are we going to launch this campaign?”

  Craig’s spirit soared, but he managed to control his reaction. The last thing he needed to do was trip and fall in the middle of Boris’s office, making an ass out of 43

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  himself. “Janet is actually the one who does the coordination with the print companies and the advertisers. Maybe we should schedule a meeting so you can discuss the financial aspect of your campaign with her.”

  Boris stared at Craig, silently assessing him, then sat down, motioning to the seat next to him. “Take a seat. I’m going to explain something to you and I’d like your full attention.” Craig sat, nervous he had upset Boris.

  Boris crossed his legs and sat back comfortably in his chair. “You realize I am spending a lot of money on this project, yes?” Craig nodded. “This is my investment in myself and the direction I want my business to go. You are the one who knows more about my vision and what I’m trying to accomplish than anyone else. If I am going to be successful, I want you, who can speak to my vision, present at all meetings and helping me to make all decisions. You are my sounding board. In business, especially with the amount of business I’m bringing to your company, the client always gets what he wants.”

  Craig’s stomach tied into a loose knot. Janet was not going to be happy about this.

  She was already pissed he had warned Boris to start small with his campaign and had told him so in no uncertain terms after Boris had left the office the day they landed the account. Now Craig would be dealing with printers and ad execs—Janet’s domain. He kept his thoughts to himself, giving Boris the answer he knew he wanted. “I understand Boris. You can count on me.”

  Boris smiled. “Good. Now, let’s talk about the campaign. I want a billboard and a magazine spread. Does your firm contact companies which rent billboard space?”

  “Absolutely.” Visions of Janet scowling at him haunted Craig’s mind, but he forged ahead. Later he’d figure out a way to appease his friend.

  “Perfect! The two demographics I am targeting are white collar professional males and homemaker females. I realize my target audiences are clichéd, but those two groups are where I’ll generate the bulk of my business. I’m thinking of Wall Street and midtown billboard displays as well as highway displays along Interstate eighty-seven where a number of shopping malls and various other stores are located. In terms of magazines, I definitely want Better Homes and Gardens. We can work out a few other magazines as we go along.”

  Craig had been furiously writing all of this down to review with Janet when he got back to the office. He leaned back in his chair, the tension leaving his body so rapidly he slumped a little and had to pull himself back up to sit straight. “Okay! Then I’ll tell Janet to call your receptionist and set a meeting time for the three of us to go over numbers and timeframes. What is the timeframe you are looking for?”

  Boris rubbed his chin. “Hmm, maybe a month, can we draw up the contracts and book the space in a short time period?”

  “I’ll call our contacts and get back to you.” Craig mentally patted himself on the back. Smooth. You had no idea and didn’t commit yourself to a definitive answer.

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  “Good, good. Now, one more thing needs to be done right away.” Boris got up and started pacing around his office. “I am throwing a party this weekend for a number of potential clients. I want all of these designs blown up and matted on poster-board, large displays to be hung on walls so several people can view them at once. I’m talking museum-size displays here.” He continued walking as he talked. “I’ve already wooed some clients for my new direction and I want them to conceptualize what I am talking about.” Boris turned to Craig. “And I’ll need you present at the party. You can arrange your schedule to accommodate me, yes?”

  Boris’s comment was more of a command then a request. “Of course, Boris, I would be pleased to come to the party. Just out of curiosity, why would you want me there?”

  Boris let out a heartfelt laugh. “Because, I’m going to introduce you as the genius behind the work. If my clients are going to hire me, they need to meet you so they can tell you their hopes and dreams for their homes or condos. You are going to be my design guy and your company is going to profit from the business I bring in.”

  Craig nodded, a bit uncomfortable, as if he had been commandeered as Boris’s personal consultant. “When is the party?”

  “This Saturday night. I rented a hall in Tribeca. My potential clients will be showing up around six o’clock. I would need you to arrive a few hours earlier with the posters to help direct my crew in setting up the place.”

  Craig made note of the date and time. “Would you mind if I brought my boyfriend?

  Saturday night is usually date night for us.”

  “Please, bring him. I hope your boyfriend likes to drink because I’m springing for a full open bar.” Boris sat down behind his desk and picked up his phone. “Actually, I just reminded myself I need to call the caterer to m
ake sure everything’s in order. The evening must be perfect.”

  Craig stood up and let himself out of the office as Boris began talking to the caterer.

  Boris waved, giving Craig the thumbs up signal.

  His discomfort grew as he left Boris’s office and headed back toward his own. This was a job he enjoyed, but he was getting the sense Boris was going to keep him busy on this project for the rest of his life. This new venture was going to be successful for Boris, and taking advantage of Boris’s energy and business savvy would certainly be a good business move, but Craig liked diversity. He didn’t want to specialize in home design.

  He would become bored and begin to view work as something he did to survive rather than something which challenged him and gave him pleasure. Craig made a deal with himself to complete this job to the best of his ability, and then politely pull back from Boris once this initial phase was complete.

  * * * * *

  Watching Boris Stanton walk into the The Bulls and Bears at six-thirty, their appointed meeting time, Andrew suppressed an annoyed laugh. The other man looked ridiculous in his red beret. What did he think, that all gay guys dressed flamboyantly? Forcing his 45

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  negative thoughts aside, Andrew plastered a smile on his face and approached the short man. “Mr. Stanton?” He extended his hand.

  “Yes, please, call me Boris. I take it my beret helped to make me recognizable.”

  Boris beamed at him. “So nice to meet you.”

  Andrew directed Boris toward the table he had reserved. “Why don’t we get a drink so we can get started?”

  “What are you drinking?” Boris was greasing the wheels. A tactic Andrew knew and used with his own clients.

  “Gin and tonic. Thanks. I’ll be at the table.”

  Boris ordered their drinks and returned to the table. “Here you go.” Andrew smiled and took a sip. “I am so pleased you called. I brought samples of the work I can do for you. The designer working for me is quite talented. He will be a part of the deal if you should choose to hire me for your needs.” Boris handed over a portfolio.

  Andrew leafed through the pictures. They were quite good. Something about them seemed familiar to him. For some reason, he felt Jeremy would really like them. “This is terrific stuff. I especially like the use of natural material.”

  Boris nodded. “I specialize in this type of design. A touch of warmth in an upscale environment.”

  “I’m impressed. Jeremy will love these designs. He’s the one who will be making the big decisions about how we decorate.”

  Boris sat up straighter. “Well, perfect. I’m throwing a party this Saturday, for potential clients. Please, bring your partner so he can meet my artist and view the designs for himself.”

  Andrew nodded. “Sounds like a wonderful idea. Where will the party be?”

  Boris reached into his briefcase and pulled out an invitation. “Here you go. I hope you come by this weekend.” They finished their drinks, Boris asking questions about Jeremy. He’s good, I’ll give him that. Buying me a drink and then talking about my boyfriend.

  * * * * *

  When Andrew got home, Jeremy was in the kitchen preparing dinner. He stepped behind Jeremy and hugged him, nipping at his neck. “Hey, sexy. Your ass is so hot when you cook.” Jeremy smiled. “You think my ass looks hot whatever I’m doing.”

  “True. Is that a bad thing?”

  “No, definitely not a bad thing.” Jeremy turned in Andrew’s arms and gave him a kiss. “I’m making chicken parmesan for dinner. The chicken is frying right now.”

  “Yum. Listen, I’m gonna shower, but then I can’t wait to tell you about the meeting I just had. I met with a contractor with the best designs for remodeling the condo. We’re invited to a party on Saturday to check out the work.”

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  Jeremy stiffened. “You met with a contractor today? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Andrew stepped back, shocked by the bite in Jeremy’s voice. He expected some resistance, but anger was more than he had anticipated. “Because I wanted to surprise you.”

  “Haven’t we talked about this? I don’t want any more surprises. I’ve already agreed to the move and swallowed my pride by letting you pay for everything. Now you’re planning on remodeling the whole place.”

  “Hey, calm down. I wanted to make sure his stuff was good. The surprise is I want you to make all the decisions about remodeling. You’re good at that sort of thing.”

  Andrew peered at Jeremy hesitantly, trying to determine whether the anger was flaring hotter or simmering.

  Jeremy’s shoulders slumped. “Fine. That’s generous of you and you definitely surprised me.”

  “You’re mad, aren’t you? I can’t do anything right, can I?”

  Jeremy flinched at the question, but said nothing. Ever since his bid had been accepted, Jeremy had become distant. Something had changed between them, as if all the fight had drained out of him. Andrew tentatively walked closer to him. “Are you sure? If you’re not sure, I can always call and cancel.”

  “I’m sure.” Jeremy took the final step to close the distance between them and kissed Andrew again, gently, on the lips. “Go take your shower. Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes.”

  Andrew gave Jeremy one last kiss on the forehead, then headed into their bedroom to undress. Under the hot stream of water, he allowed the tension to wash off him. He had been so excited to get home and tell Jeremy what he had done, thinking Jeremy would appreciate the effort to include him. Instead, like everything else lately, his efforts seemed to create problems instead of solving them.

  A sudden urge to punch something filled him and he fisted his hands in his hair, pulling until the roots began to protest with pain. He tilted his head back, his mouth filling with water, then spat it out, enjoying the gratifying splash against the tiled wall.

  Putting more soap on the loofah he scrubbed at his skin. Why are things so difficult with him? Andrew sighed, placing the loofah back on its hook and allowing the suds to wash off his skin. Jeremy had always been too sensitive about things. So high strung. Strange how such a high strung guy could also be so lacking in ambition. At first it hadn’t mattered. However, with each passing year, Jeremy’s inability to move forward were putting a terrible strain on their relationship. That’s not fair. The strain is as much my fault as his.

  All Andrew wanted was to enjoy his life. He’d worked hard for his promotion and the fact he made lots of money and Jeremy didn’t, never bothered him. Their problems weren’t about money for him; just for Jeremy. Even the arguments they had about Jeremy’s work weren’t because of the money; they were because he believed Jeremy could do so much more.

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  The thought caused something to click into place in Andrew’s mind. Who the hell am I to decide whether Jeremy’s job is good enough for him? As if someone had switched on a light, Andrew understood he was the one who didn’t think teaching was good enough.

  He was the one who thought teaching was a thankless, underpaid profession. Maybe his job was thankless and underpaid, but Jeremy loved what he did.

  Yet, Andrew also knew what he wanted. He wanted to live in an expensive, large condo with modern conveniences. He wanted to travel around the globe with the man he loved. Jeremy did not want those things. The realization caused him to wonder whether Jeremy was still that man. He loved Jeremy, but was loving someone was enough of a reason to stay together if you didn’t want the same things any longer?

  They had both wanted the same things eight years ago. They had been on even footing, but now, they were in two different places and they seemed to be drifting further apart rather than growing closer together.

  The sadness in Andrew’s chest faded, nothing replacing the emotion, leaving him with a hollow emptiness inside. He couldn�
��t deny his thoughts resonated as true in his heart. If they didn’t want the same things and couldn’t work to reconcile their differences, all they would do is end up hurting each other and making each other miserable. He didn’t want to make Jeremy miserable. He loved him way too much.

  Turning off the shower and grabbing a towel, Andrew’s thoughts came faster. The reason for the distance growing between them had become clear, but how to handle the problem was far too scary to contemplate.

  The scent of chicken wafted through the bedroom causing his stomach to growl. He quickly got dressed, checked himself in the mirror, and smiled, forcing his negative thoughts aside, then strode into the kitchen. “Dinner smells delicious.”

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  Chapter Six

  On Saturday, Craig got up early to make sure the artwork and displays were ready before he headed out to set up the party. He had worked overtime for the past couple of nights, perfecting his designs and working with the printer to make sure the posters were ready for display by Friday night. He was going to pick them up on his way to the hall in Tribeca which Boris had rented.

  Heading out into the bright morning, he walked down the street to Starbucks. The day would be long and he was going to need a lot of caffeine. From a point of pride, he was excited his work was going to be the sole focus of the evening. He walked with a lighter gait knowing whatever business Boris drummed up would be partially because of the visual images he had created.