“Am I fired? I’m sorry, I didn’t know that the swan belonged to the hotel, otherwise when the girl from the table next to me started sobbing I wouldn’t have gotten involved and opened the gate to let it out.”
“No, you’re not fired, but Jared, you have to stop trying to make everything better for everyone and open us up to situations that cost money or reputation. So, this next booking…”
“Is my last chance?” Jared finished and remained hopeful that Gideon wasn’t going to get rid of him.
“End of May we’ve just booked a graduation event for one of our new clients, she’s a CEO and won’t take any drama, tell me I’m not going to get a report that any shit has hit any one of the fans in any room you are in.”
Jared held up a hand. “I solemnly swear.”
Gideon muttered something under his breath and then pressed the intercom. “Rowan, can you bring in the ZenTech Industries file?” There was static, and Gideon frowned at the machine as if it had personally hurt him. “Rowan?”
Just as Gideon stood to find his errant PA, Rowan’s voice came through loud and clear. “I’d love to come in, babe…sir, but we have a slight issue.”
“What kind of issue?”
Despite the ominous mention of an issue, Jared watched Gideon smile at the sound of Rowan’s voice, and how it softened his stern expression—that made it seem less probable that Gideon was going to kill Jared with his stare. It hadn’t taken long for the grapevine to supply the juicy details that Gideon had realized his feelings for Rowan and had spent an interesting Christmas break in Maine. Fifteen months later and they had the same loved-up glow even now, although they attempted to keep things professional around clients, the guys who worked for Gideon could see the change. He was softer, happier, and his hard edges had been smoothed away.
I want that. I want a man who will rub on my hard edges. Jared bit his lip to stop laughing out loud at the thought, and instead assumed the pose of someone who was absolutely a complete professional.
“I think you might want to come out here,” Rowan offered, and Gideon left the room. Unable to do much else, Jared went to the window, looking down at the people hurrying past on Stuyvesant Street, clearly on a mission to go somewhere, along with the tourist types taking photos of the brownstones. The offices of Bryant & Waites were discreet, with a simple brass plaque explaining who they were, but nothing about what they did. The New York day was March-chilled, with blue skies and everyone still bundled up in coats, but spring was promised along with looming exam deadlines.
After this year he had one more semester, and then he was done with the first part of his education, his degree in psychology assured—as long as he didn’t fuck that up as much as he kept messing up his bookings with Bryant & Waites. At least he was good at psychology and it had taken him years to save up to start his degree, a succession of shitty jobs building his pot of money as he lived in his parents’ basement. Now he was nearing the end of stage one in his career, and ready to move onto his work placements.
“Okay where were we?” Gideon came back into the room, took a seat, and ruffled files, which was Jared’s cue to sit down again.
“Is everything okay?”
“Rowan is dealing with it.”
“You agreed you weren’t going to fire me,” Jared reminded him, hoping to get Gideon to crack a smile, but all he did was frown. Not going well.
“No firing. Not today anyway. So, the CEO of ZenTech Industry is a woman called Elisa…”
The rest of the short meeting blurred into details and dates, and by the time Jared left he had a new booking firmly fixed after his exams, which meant he had time to study and get his head straight. No more messing up bookings, no more swans, or ex-husbands, or unforeseen foursomes. When he got out to reception Rowan was standing at the front door staring at something beyond.
“I didn’t get fired,” Jared announced with pride, but Rowan just huffed and didn’t move from the door. “What’s up?”
“There’s a kid on our steps,” Rowan muttered, “and he said his dad was coming but that was ten minutes ago and no sign of the dad.” He shrugged into his coat. “I’m going to get him in and call the cops—a kid that age shouldn’t be on his own. Poor boy is all upset about his dad, and something about his mom. He came in trying to hire a boyfriend.”
“For real?”
“This is ridiculous, Gideon said to watch him and wait for the dad, but it’s not sitting right with me. I’ve tried to bring the kid inside, but the last time I asked he refused to move. I’m going to sit there with him.”
“You want me to talk to him?” Jared didn’t know where that came from, but he could see Rowan was upset and worried, and Jared had slipped easily into his super-helpful mode without even realizing.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m on it.”
“Good luck, shout if you need me.”
Jared zipped his coat and headed out.
Three steps down and he drew level with the kid. “Hey,” he murmured so as not to scare him.
The boy glanced up at him, around ten or so, dark hair sticking out from a beanie, wearing a thick green coat, jeans, and Nikes. He hugged a dark notebook and was on the verge of tears.
My kryptonite.
The boy gave him a tremulous smile. “Hi.”
“What ya doin’, buddy?”
“Sitting.”
Jared considered what to do next, and none of the options included walking off and leaving the kid. At least the March snows had melted away, and the boy wouldn’t be freezing, but still, he was alone.
“What’s your name?”
“Luka.”
“Hey, Luka, I’m Jared.” He offered a
