The Gallery (Contemporary Reverse Harem 4)

There was really no choice, was there?

Chapter 18

SUMNER

Chase and Gio were already in the conference room for our founders’ meeting when I arrived. I took my usual seat, facing the large window that overlooked the offices of some news magazine, while we waited for Ash.

Smith poked his head through the door. “You guys having a meeting without me?” he asked.

“Sorry, Smith,” I said, “this is for us guys only.”

He rolled his eyes and stormed off.

“In my country, we would call that guy a stronzo,” Gio said, shaking his head.

“I don’t know what that means, but I’m pretty sure I agree with you,” I said.

“I’m with you, Sum. He annoys the hell out of me,” Chase said. “Even if he does do good work.”

He was right, and we all nodded in agreement. Smith was brilliant with the numbers and had found us many successful ventures we never would have pursued without his in-depth analysis.

Too bad he had the maturity of a teenage boy. It was why he wasn’t part of Kink Lab.

And of course, he knew nothing about the special proclivities of the rest of us. Best to keep that sort of thing away from an immature big mouth, no matter how gifted he was.

Not that we were ashamed of our arrangements. But New York, and the circles we traveled in, could be strangely insular. We’d ‘come out’ someday, but the time hadn’t been right just yet.

Ash came running in, sweat dripping from his brow.

“Guys, sorry.” He poured himself a glass of water, which he immediately chugged.

“You just getting in?” I asked. “It’s noon, buddy.”

“Yeah. Shit.” He straightened his tie and pulled his jacket closed to cover his wrinkled shirt. “Sorry guys. Let’s start.”

His was a serious walk of shame if I’d ever seen one, but if he didn’t want to talk about it that was fine by me. We all knew he’d had an evening with the lovely Avril, and we were happy for him. And actually, happier that he’d been late for work, coming in only half put-together. It told us all they had a great time.

And didn’t that bode well for the rest of us?

We went over our quarterly numbers and discussed the work we had on the table. Our business was growing and our universe expanding. We’d begun looking at deals in Hong Kong and Belgium.

I wouldn’t have minded a little international travel. Perhaps I could encourage Avril to join me…

“Hey! Earth to Sumner,” Chase said.

“Sorry, guys. My mind wandered.”

“Uh, gee. Wonder where it went?” Chase wore a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Perhaps this is a good time to talk about the elephant in the room,” Gio said.

“And which elephant would that be, Gio?” Ash asked.

“Why don’t you tell us, Ash, with your wrinkled shirt and crooked tie?”

“All right, all right, guys. How’s everyone feeling about Avril?” I asked. Somebody had to have some balls.

We all looked at Ash.