Yeah, but that was because I was coming to live with him. Notmoving out. “Did you know that he writes me letters and puts them in mylunches?” I pulled out the one Nigel gave me today and handed it to Tanner.
“You kept it? That’s cute.”
“I kept it in case I show up murdered and they’re looking fora suspect.”
“Nigel isn’t violent. He’s a caretaker if anything.”
“Maybe to you. He creeps me out. Look at what your weirdlittle houseboy said to me.”
Tanner unfolded the letter and started reading aloud.
Mr. Caldwell,
You never told me if you liked meat, but I assume since youdidn’t complain about your last lunch that you really like it. So I gave youdouble today.
As always, I want to make you as comfortable as possible inMaster Tanner’s abode. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need meto acquire. I’m at your disposal any time. Day or night. I put my number belowagain because you haven’t called or texted yet. It’s best to send me specialrequests that way. It’s a private line, in case you’re worried aboutinterlopers.
Have a lovely and fetching day at work. No fighting with theother boys, remember. The last thing I want to have to do is reprimand youagain. Speaking of which, I forgive you for making me worry last night. But Iwill need details to fully recover from the agony. I’ll let you explain whereyou were last night to me during your bath.
Yours,
-Nigel
XOXO
P.S. I will keep giving you meat until you text me otherwise.
Tanner folded the letter and handed it back to me. “That’s sosweet of him. He never leaves me notes. Well, maybe he used to at first. I can’tremember, it’s been so long.”
“Sweet? More like murdery.”
“It seemed normal enough to me. What from that lovely notewould possibly make you think he wants to lop off your head?”
“Poor choice of words. I think he probably wants to give mehead.”
Tanner laughed. “Nigel isn’t gay. You’re leaning into thisrole here tonight a little too hard. Really, the note was kind and caring. LikeI said, he’s a caretaker if anything.”
“He wants to watch me bathe.”
“Surely there will be bubbles hiding anything unseemly.”
“Tanner, Nigel is clearly into me. He makes me veryuncomfortable.”
Tanner sighed. “Please don’t tell him that. His sole purposeis to make you feel comfortable. He said it in his note. He’d be devastated.”
“Well, I don’t want to devastate him.”
“Your parents were moderately wealthy,” Tanner said. “I can’tbelieve you didn’t grow up with a houseboy. They just take some getting usedto. It took me forever to think of Nigel as more of a friend than the littlenuisance he sometimes insists on being.”
Moderately wealthy? All my life I would have saidexorbitantly. But that was before I’d met Tanner. “If you didn’t like himoriginally, why didn’t you fire him?”
“Oh it wasn’t my choice, believe me. I’m stuck with him. But we’veset our boundaries now and my house runs seamlessly.”
And Tanner thinks I’m the weird one?
“Enough about Nigel. Tell me more about your contract with Poppy.Is it ironclad?”
It wasn’t. “Actually, I have some other non-Poppy relatednews that I want to discuss with you. But I want to make it clear that youshouldn’t mouth kiss me again.” I was suddenly nervous and I had no idea why. Brooklynhad been my one and only girlfriend. I’d been adamant about not dating anyoneelse after her death. This was a big deal for me. And as one of my best friends,I wanted Tanner to be happy for me. But I had this weird feeling he’d make mefeel like shit. For breaking my vow to love Brooklyn and only Brooklyn.
Tanner laughed. “I promise to not celebrate whatever it is you’reabout to say.”
I pressed my lips together for a second. “I’m not datingPoppy. But I am dating Kennedy, Brooklyn’s best friend. I asked her to make itofficial.”
Tanner’s smile grew with each word. “I’d celebratorily peckyou so hard right now if you hadn’t made me promise I wouldn’t. I’m reallyhappy for you, man.”
“Yeah?”
“Of course. I’ve been wanting to set you up for ages. Andlook at you. You’re practically glowing.”
I laughed. “Well, I doubt I’m glowing. But…you really thinkit’s okay? That I’m dating her?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Tanner held up his hand. “Whateveryou’re thinking right now, cut it out. You’re allowed to be happy, Matt. You’reallowed to live your life. You only get one. It’s over in the blink of an eye. You’vealready wasted enough years being miserable. This is a good thing.”
I nodded. “I am happy.”
“Champagne!” Tanner yelled. “Champagne for everyone!”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“Actually, you’re doing it, because you’re paying.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but then closed it. Fuck it.“Champagne for everyone!” I yelled.
The restaurant started cheering.
“Oooh, they cheer when they’re surprised,” Tanner said. “Ilike that.” He jotted it down in his notebook and then looked back up at me. “SoKennedy is fine with your ruse with Poppy?”
“Kennedy doesn’t exactly know about that. Yet. I need to tellher. I’m just trying to figure out how.”
Tanner sighed. “Sabotaging it from the very beginning, arewe? Not on my watch. We won’t leave until we have a plan, you have my word.”
“Good. Because I really don’t want to screw this up.”
“I have one condition for my help though. You have to give meyour word that I can meet Kennedy before you sleep with her.”
“No problem. We’re taking things slow.” Kennedy wanted to beswept off her feet like she was in a Disney movie. I wasn’t a prince. But Iknew how to make her laugh. And I had a few ideas to keep a smile on her beautifulface.
Chapter 35
Thursday
“You really don’t need to come with me,” I said as Tanner andI exited the elevator on James’ floor. “It’s kind of a private conversation.”
Tanner slapped me on the back. “There is no privacy betweenbest friends. Besides, it’s on the way home. And I hate sitting in the car.”
Fair enough. I knocked on James’ door.
A second later, Scarlett
