Even if Deacon was cold at times, difficult to read, and just more work than the average client, I wouldn’t change anything about him.
He was perfect the way he was.
I was the last one in the office, putting together a picture frame one of my clients asked for. It was a birthday gift for her husband, a picture of them dancing around at some old church in Greece. Once it was put together, I’d wrap it and slap a pretty bow on it.
When her husband opened it, it would be the first time she got to see it too.
“Hey, Cleo.”
I looked up at the sound of Tucker’s voice, which was similar to Deacon’s. “Hey, Tucker. How can I help you?” I clipped the back of the frame in place before I set it facedown on the table; that way, Tucker wouldn’t recognize their faces and know they lived in the building.
“I think I left my keys on the coffee table like an idiot.” He rolled his eyes. “I tried to get a hold of Deacon, but he’s not answering. He’s still at work.”
“Well, I can help you with that, so you don’t need him at all.” I got to my feet and locked the office door behind me since I was the last one there in the evening. “So, how was work?” He was dressed in a black suit, ditching the sweatpants and nudity, so I assumed he’d started his new position.
“It was good. Much different pace from California, but I like it.”
I hit the button on the elevator, and we both waited for it to reach the lobby. I stood with my hands together at my waist, looking at the lights brighten up the numbers at the top, indicating the elevator was somewhere at the top of the building. “Deacon said your mother is moving here as well?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan.” He must have shaved that morning before work because his jawline was smooth. He had the same masculine features as his brother, and he probably didn’t struggle to get women to leave their red panties on his bedroom floor after a long night. “She’s going to crash with me before she gets settled.”
“Oh, that’s sweet of you.”
He shrugged. “I’ve always been a momma’s boy.”
“Deacon told me about your father. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah…” He glanced out the windows in the entryway. “We all have to go sometime…but his departure was too soon. Life can be so shitty sometimes, you know?”
“Yeah.” I did know—all too well.
The doors finally opened and we stepped inside.
Tucker hit the button that said 32. “What are your plans after work?”
“Probably going to pop a frozen burrito into the microwave.” Since he wasn’t a permanent tenant, I didn’t see the harm in being candid. In less than a week, he would be gone from the building, and even if he told Deacon what I said, Deacon probably wouldn’t be listening anyway.
He chuckled. “Those aren’t bad, actually.”
“Taco Bell is better, but too far of a walk.”
“Ah, Taco Bell.” He sighed like that sounded like the best thing in the world. “God, I haven’t had that in so long.”
“I could always deliver it to you.”
He turned to me, his hands in his pockets. “Is that an excuse so you can get a burrito?”
“No…”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Okay, maybe.”
He chuckled then faced forward again. “I’ll see if Deacon is up for it. He’s weird about food.”
“Weird?”
“Yeah, he doesn’t like to eat out, and he eats the same thing over and over.”
“That’s probably why he’s in such good shape.” He was the fittest person I’d ever seen, so cut that it didn’t seem like he had enough fat on his body to operate normally. He was all muscle with tight, tanned skin on top. His arms were sculpted in all these different ways, all the various muscled sectioned off and differentiated.
“He’s just a health nut. That’s fine, but I think he should live a little. He’s gonna die no matter how many vegetables he eats, he may as well enjoy himself once in a while.”
I noticed Deacon never asked me to pick him up dinner. He also cooked and didn’t request a private chef either—even though he could afford it. “He drinks beer.”
“Yeah, that’s surprising.”
The doors opened, and we stepped into the hallway.
“Did you spend a lot of time with Derek before you came out?”
“Not really. I tried arranging something with Valerie, but she was always busy. She wouldn’t even call me back sometimes.”
I suspected he had no idea about all the drama between his brother and ex-wife. Otherwise, he wouldn’t say that so casually.
“Have you met him?”
“Derek?” I asked.
“Yeah. When he visits.”
Yeah, he really had no idea. “No, I haven’t met him yet.” I would never betray Deacon’s secrets, not just because it was my job, but because he was my friend. I put the key in the door and unlocked it.