by Lucy Lennox
While the adoption might only take a couple more months, Bennett and I had talked the night before about staying in New York through the following spring so Lucky could finish out his sophomore year. I couldn’t say I was thrilled about staying in the city for so long, but I’d decided to make use of my time by taking some courses in business management. Bennett and I had decided to purchase the lodge as well as the wilderness expedition business together. I’d balked at the idea of Bennett putting part of his savings towards buying Gary out, but he’d reminded me that it would be our business. We hadn’t ironed out all the details yet, but the bottom line was that Bennett and I would be working together to make the business everything it could be.
And I couldn’t wait.
For his part, Bennett was struggling with how to tell his parents both about our relationship and the fact that he wouldn’t be taking over his father’s company. His anger at his father for the role he’d played in splitting us up as kids had made him want to drive right out to Greenwich the moment we’d stepped off the plane, but I’d reminded him that he needed to deal with the foundation first. Knowing his father, the man would punish Bennett for his defection by taking it out on the kids Bennett loved so much.
The way Bennett had explained it, the foundation was currently more of a pet project for the investment firm. Bennett’s goal was to actually have the foundation become its own entity sponsored by several companies in addition to The Crawford Group. He wanted the foundation to stand on its own so it could get donations and support from multiple sources in the community and help even more at-risk kids. But to do that, he needed his father to throw in his support long enough to ink the deal with the other potential sponsors.
That deal was happening today.
At this very moment, my man was preparing to go before a group of thirty representatives from some of the most successful companies in the city to pitch them his idea. If he was successful, he’d get enough support to finally break free of the leverage his father continued to wield over him. In as little as a few days, my Benny could finally be loose of the chains he’d worn around his neck for so long.
“Xander, you home?”
“In here, Lucky,” I called as I turned the stove down to keep from burning dinner. Bear, who’d been lying by my feet, jumped up and took off towards the front door. I’d been lucky enough to have a friend drive Bear out east with him on his way to meet up with family in Boston, which meant I’d been able to fly out with Bennett, Lucky and the rest of the group.
The dog returned moments later, happily trailing Lucky who dropped his backpack onto the kitchen table and flopped down into one of the chairs. He dropped his cheek on his hand and stared into space.
“Uh oh,” I said as I went to the fridge and pulled out two cans of soda. “What happened?” I asked as I slid into the chair next to him and placed the can in front of him.
“Can we just move already?” he asked.
I sighed. “What did he do this time?”
“Nothing,” Lucky muttered. “Literally nothing.”
Despite the kiss Bennett and I had seen Lucky and Calvin share, whatever had been blooming between the boys seemed to have run its course, at least on Calvin’s side. During the remainder of the trip in Colorado, things between Lucky and Calvin had gone well and there’d been no more fights or Calvin talking shit about Lucky. Lucky had even felt confident enough to confide in us that Calvin had kissed him. But if the older boy had felt anything, it hadn’t lasted. As soon as we’d stepped off the plane in New York, Calvin had iced Lucky out.
To Lucky’s heartbreaking disappointment.
The only good thing was that Calvin hadn’t resumed his cruel taunting of the younger boy either.
So, there was that at least.
“Did you try talking to him?” I asked.
Since I was the one home when Lucky finished school, I was often the first to hear about his problems. When Bennett got home, we usually discussed things over dinner as a family. After learning Calvin had been ignoring Lucky completely in the three weeks since we’d arrived, Bennett and I had suggested Lucky try to pull Calvin aside to try to talk to him.
Lucky nodded miserably. “Said he was too busy. I thought maybe if I told him we could talk someplace where no one would see us, he’d go for it.”
While I wasn’t exactly worried that Calvin might hurt Lucky if they were alone together, I couldn’t discount the fact that something else could happen between the two of them. And while it freaked me out that someone as young as Lucky could be engaging in any kind of sexual activity, I wasn’t completely naive either.
“Um, Lucky, we should probably talk about that…”
“About what?” he asked.
“Yeah… um… being alone with a guy you like.”
“What, you mean like how we’re alone right now?” he asked, curiously.
“What? No!” I nearly shouted, but then I caught the smile that flitted across his mouth. “Little shit,” I said as I gently punched his shoulder.
“Don’t worry. B already had ‘the talk’ with me.”
“He did?”
Lucky nodded. “Last year. He used a cucumber to demonstrate… you know.”
I laughed. “A cucumber?”
“Yeah. You should’ve seen him. It was a really big cucumber.”
I smiled at that. I could envision Bennett getting all flustered as he tried to explain the facts of life to a teenage boy while working a too-small condom over a too-big cucumber.
“Ok, carry on then,” I said with a wave of my hand.
Lucky’s face fell. “He hates me,” he said.
“He doesn’t hate you, Lucky. My guess is he’s not ready to face some things about himself.”
“Yeah,” Lucky said with a sigh. “I just thought…”
“What?”
“I thought he might be the one, you know?”
“Yeah, I know,” I said as I put my hand over his arm. “But maybe the one is still out there for you. Could be you’ll meet him tomorrow or next week or next month or next year. Could be you don’t meet him for a lot of years. But believe me, it’ll be worth the wait.”
“Like you and B had to wait?”
“Exactly,” I said. “Doesn’t matter how many years you lose, the ones you share are the ones that’ll stay with you.”
The boy nodded and then he stood. “I should go get started on homework.”
“Okay, dinner will be ready in a bit.”
“B’s doing his thing tonight, huh?”
“Yeah, he’ll be home late. We’ll go ahead and eat without him.”
Lucky nodded, and then suddenly he leaned over and hugged me. “Glad you’re here, X.”
I smiled at the nickname. “Me too, buddy.”
Once he and Bear were gone, I climbed to my feet and began pulling ingredients for salad from the fridge. Just as I began searching for the serving bowl, my phone rang. I assumed it was Bennett calling for another pep talk, or to yell at me for the suggestive text I’d sent to remind him what was waiting for him when he got home tonight besides his favorite meal.
But I didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Xander?”
“Yes, who’s this?”
I didn’t recognize the voice. The man’s voice sounded shaky. “Um, it’s Steve… Steve Patterson. I run Bear Trodden Acres.”
I stiffened. There was only one reason he could be calling me.
“What happened? Is my aunt okay?”
“Xander, I’m sorry, there was an accident.”
I felt my throat close up. Heat washed over me as I leaned hard against the counter to keep myself upright.
“Is she…”
I couldn’t even say it.
“She’s still alive, son, but they had to use Flight for Life to get her out of here.”
I barely registered him telling me that a car had sideswiped the van she and some of the other residents had be
en riding in. “Where… where is she?”
“They took her to St. Elizabeth’s in Denver. I tried calling there before I called you, but they wouldn’t tell me anything over the phone. I’m so sorry, Xander.”
I didn’t even remember responding to him before I hung up. With shaky fingers, I pulled up the browser on my phone. It seemed to take forever to find the number. My knees felt weak, so I stumbled to one of the kitchen chairs as I hit the dial button.
Please god, don’t let me lose her too.
It took forever for someone to answer on the other end, and I was immediately put on hold. When a young woman came on the line, I didn’t even let her finish her greeting. “Yes, I need some information on a patient. Lois Reed. She was brought there by Flight for Life… she was in a car accident. I’m her nephew.”
“One moment, please.”
As the seconds dragged on, I could feel the tears coursing down my cheeks.
She was alive. She had to be.
“Sir, what’s your name?” came a man’s voice over the line.
“Xander Reed,” I croaked. “Lolly is my aunt.”
“Mr. Reed, your aunt arrived twenty minutes ago and was rushed directly to surgery. I’m sorry, but I don’t have an update for you at this time.”
“But… she’s alive?”
“She’s alive.”
“I’m in New York… I’ll catch the next flight out. Can you call me if you hear something? I’ll use the Wi-Fi on the plane to check my email.”
“Of course. Give me your number and your email address.”
My tongue felt thick as I gave him the information and hung up.
Bennett. I needed Bennett. I began dialing, but stopped before hitting the send button. I knew that he’d drop everything to be by my side, but the cost was just too high. From everything he’d said, his presentation was a one-shot deal. It had taken months to get all these people together in one room. The kids who benefited from all the hard work Bennett had done were counting on him to make this happen. As badly as I needed him, they needed him more.
“Lucky!” I called as I wiped at my eyes and stood. I turned off the stove and hurried to Bennett’s and my room, making plans in my head as I went.
Mostly so I wouldn’t have to think what it would mean if I lost the only woman who’d ever been a real mother to me.
Chapter 38
Bennett
Kiss their asses, then come home and take mine.
I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I re-read Xander’s text. I was going to have fun punishing him for sending me such a provocative message. It had been on the forefront of my mind for the last two hours as I’d prepared my speech. And the image of Xander lying face down on our bed, his gorgeous backside waiting for me, was all I could think about even as my father introduced me to various men and women in the room.
I still had a few minutes before I had to get up on the raised platform in front of the room and tell these people why they should help me build an organization to do good on a greater scale. The fact that it was also the key to getting me away from the man next to me for good was an added benefit. But regardless of how my pitch went, I’d find another way to make sure the kids weren’t left in the lurch. Even if it meant finding other organizations to carry the load.
Because I had no doubt my father would pull the foundation from my control as soon as he found out Xander and I were building a future together.
“Bennett, pay attention,” my father snapped. In the past, his irritation would have left me scrambling to get back on his good side, but tonight, it just pissed me the fuck off. How the hell had I spent so many years falling all over myself to be who this man wanted me to be?
“Gerald, this is my son, Bennett. Bennett, this is Gerald Mulvaney, head of—”
“Mulvaney Communications,” I interjected. “Thank you so much for coming.”
The older man nodded as he shook my hand. “Looking forward to hearing what you have in mind, Bennett,” he said. “Mulvaney Communications is always looking for ways to have a greater impact on the community.”
“Glad to hear it, Sir,” I said.
I watched as the man wandered off to talk to some of the other patrons.
“I have to commend you, Bennett.”
The remark was unexpected and I hated that, despite the fact that I was so pissed at him, a little part of me puffed up at my father’s comment. He’d only ever seen the work I’d done with the foundation in terms of how good it would make the company look. Like the foundation also doing some good in the world would somehow deflect from the fact that my father’s firm was about making already rich people richer.
“Getting all these potential clients in one room… a lot of new business to be had here, Son.”
Disbelief went through me. “Dad,” I said as I shook my head. “I didn’t bring them here to—”
“Arnold!” my father called robustly as he took off to greet the next man who walked through the door. I felt sick to my stomach and automatically reached for my phone to call Xander. If I could just hear his voice, I could keep it together long enough to cement this deal and ensure kids like Lucky had the support they needed after I left New York.
The thought of my new family waiting for me to come home was enough to ease some of the tension in my belly. I already had my phone in my hand, so I turned it over to check for any new, dirty messages my man might have sent me.
But the only messages I saw were from Aiden, along with a few missed calls. Panic went through me, but before I could call him, I heard his voice.
“Bennett!”
I looked up to see Aiden and Lucky near a side door, but there was no sign of Xander.
Why would Aiden have Lucky unless something bad had happened?
“Where is he?” I called out as I hurried towards them. “What’s wrong? Is he okay?” I asked as I grabbed Aiden’s arm.
Please, God, don’t let me lose him. Not now. Not like this.
“He’s okay,” Aiden said quickly.
I nearly buckled at the knees as a tidal wave of relief went through me. “Jesus, don’t fucking do that to me,” I griped. “Where is he?”
“It’s his aunt,” Lucky said.
“Lolly?” I asked, as anxiety curled through me. “Did something happen to her?”
“She’s been in a car accident, B. Some guy phoned Xander about an hour ago to tell him and I guess they took her right into surgery or something. Xander brought Lucky and Bear to my place before heading to the airport.”
“Fuck,” I said. “I have to go. Which airport?”
“La Guardia.”
I hadn’t gotten more than a few steps when my father called my name. I turned to see him striding towards me. His eyes settled on Aiden.
“Mr. Vale, what are you doing here?” my father bit out impatiently.
He’d always ignored my friendship with Aiden, but that was mostly because he never saw us together. He may not have approved of Aiden’s sexuality, but he sure as hell would have been happy enough to invest Aiden’s money for him.
God, I’d been such a fucking fool. Why had I ever thought this man’s opinion mattered?
“He came to give me some news… about Xander.”
“Xander? Xander Reed?”
“Yes.”
My father’s eyes went from disinterested to ice cold, just like that. He hadn’t even spared Lucky a glance.
Like he wasn’t there.
And I knew why. I glanced at Lucky and then stepped forward and grabbed my father’s arm to pull him aside. A look at Aiden showed that he knew what I was doing and he went up to Lucky to make sure the young man didn’t follow and overhear what I was about to say.
“Do you really not see him, Dad?” I asked angrily as I motioned in Lucky’s direction with my chin. “Has your bigotry made you that blind?”
“Son, this is neither the time nor place for you to be bringing one of your… projects,” he said as he took several step
s back to put some space with us and pasted a false smile on his face as he tried to hide his obvious distaste. He looked around at the men and women who’d gathered for the foundation meeting.
A feeling of calm washed over me as I stared at the man who’d sired me, but hadn’t ever been my father. The only father I’d ever even come close to having had died fifteen years ago.
“Lucky’s not a project. He’s my son. He’s been mine in my heart from the moment I met him, and just as soon as I can make it happen, he’ll be mine on paper too. Mine and Xander’s.”
I had the satisfaction of watching my father turn a sickly shade of white. “What are you talking about?
“I’m talking about my life— the one you’ve been manipulating from day one. I know what you did the night Xander’s dad died. His aunt told me you kicked her out of the house and had Xander’s scholarship pulled, even though I did exactly what you asked of me.”
“That boy wasn’t good for you, Bennett. And his father—”
“Don’t do it,” I warned, raising my voice. “Don’t you dare.”
I stepped forward, fists clenched, before I even realized it. Aiden appeared at my side and then quickly stepped in front of me. “B,” he said softly. “He’s not worth it.”
I nodded, because he was right. “Can you keep Lucky with you, Aiden? I need to go to the airport.”
“Yep, we’ll be fine. Go.” He handed me a small overnight bag. “I packed some of my clothes for you. They’ll be a little big, but—”
“I’ll make do,” I said as I took the bag and hugged him.
“Bennett, you walk out of this room and it’s over. Your career, the foundation,” my father warned in a low voice.
“I don’t need you in order to help others,” I snapped. “So do your worst.”
My father stepped forward until he was practically in my face and hissed, “You leave and I’ll make sure none of these people throw even a nickel in your direction. What will those charity kids of yours have then?”