I’d always intended to come back to New York to work with my father in his practice. After I passed the bar, Alexa had begged me to stay in Atlanta one more year. It meant having to take a second bar exam, but I was trying to make her happy while she was adjusting to motherhood. So we agreed to stay in Atlanta for one year. One turned into two, and until my dad got sick, I think it was Alexa’s plan to keep asking for one more year.
“She’s adjusting. She likes the shopping and has decided to take some acting classes. Apparently that’s something she’s always wanted to do, but never mentioned until she signed up for the first class.” I shrugged. “Whatever, it keeps her happy.”
Roman looked at me. “What about you? She keep you happy?”
“She’s a good mother.”
“So is my mother. But that doesn’t mean I want to fuck her and spend the rest of my life hanging out with her.”
“You have a unique way of looking at shit.”
“I’m banging a yoga instructor; she’s into all that introspective crap.”
“I’m sure that’s why you’re with her. Not because she can lift her leg over her own shoulder.”
“The only time she shuts the hell up and stops trying to enlighten me with useless wisdom is when I have her legs over her shoulders. My dick acts like a stopper in a bathtub full of wisdom quotes.”
I chuckled and stood, smacking my friend on the back. “Come on, let’s go back to the party. I’m freezing my balls off, and I want to check on Beck. It’s getting pretty loud in there.”
Navigating through the growing party, I made my way to my little boy’s room. So damn sweet—he even smiled in his sleep. Okay, so maybe it was a twitch, but his mouth relaxed and then jumped to a grin every few seconds. He must have been dreaming about his racecars and grapes, his two favorite things the last few months. I pulled the cover up to his chin and ran my fingers over his soft cheeks. God, I’d never dreamed I could love anyone in the world so much. My heart clenched in my chest momentarily as I wondered if my own father had looked at me the same way twenty-some-odd years ago. I needed my dad to get better. I wanted him to get to know my son and guide me to be the kind of father he was to me.
I wasn’t a religious guy—the last time I’d been in church was my shotgun wedding to Alexa. And before that, probably a funeral. But a small cross hung over my son’s crib. I looked at it every day, but never really saw it as more than a decoration.
It couldn’t hurt to try.
Standing beside Beck’s crib, I said a small prayer for God to watch over my father and my son.
We’d been back in New York for four months, and that cross had hung on the wall next to his crib the entire time. But when I opened the door to go back to the party, the thing fell to the ground.
I hoped that wasn’t a sign.
Emerie
My head felt like I’d been run over by a car full of pissed-off AA members. I was so thirsty, my mouth had been overtaken by a desert, yet every sip of water made me queasy. Jesus. No wonder I don’t drink very often.
The only good thing about this hangover was that I was so busy feeling like crap, I didn’t have the capacity to think about last night.
Drew.
That kiss.
That kiss.
Baldwin.
Holding my breath, I walked into the office even later than my normal late. I didn’t have a session until the afternoon, but I was behind on typing my notes into patient files.
The thought of facing Drew suddenly made my hangover nausea seem like just a warm up for the real thing. I was relieved when I turned the corner into the hallway to see his door was shut. The awkwardness with him was inevitable, but it would be easier when I felt better. Putting it off as long as possible seemed ideal at the moment.
Inside my office, I hung my coat on the rack behind the door and popped my laptop into the docking station. It wasn’t until I sat down at my desk and reached to flip on my monitor that I saw the note. It was Drew’s handwriting:
All day deposition in Jersey. Won’t be back until tonight. Need you to do me a favor and go upstairs to my apartment. I left a note with instructions in the kitchen. Penthouse East. Keycard for the elevator and door key are in your top drawer. Thanks, D.
That was odd. I attempted to settle in and answer a few emails, but curiosity wasn’t going to wait long. Taking the key and elevator card from my desk, I headed out to the lobby after less than five minutes. On the ride up, I watched the lights illuminate in a daze. I knew Drew lived in the building, but he’d never mentioned it was the penthouse. What could he need me to do in his apartment? Did he have a cat?
The shiny silver elevator doors slid open when I reached the top floor. Stepping off, there were only two doors, PW and PE. Unlike my apartment, the Penthouse East lock turned easily. Drew had written that he wouldn’t be back until tonight, yet I felt compelled to call out as I cracked the door open.
“Hello?... Hello? Anyone home?”