Regardless of the reason, Dallas had refused to take any shit off anyone since he’d made the decision to end things with Greer. When Greer’s image appeared in his BikeBro mirror last night, the hurt he saw reflected in Greer’s eyes sent Dallas’s wretched mood into a hard nosedive.
It seemed the always combative Donny took the brunt of his anger. Unfortunately, his antagonistic brother relished an argument. From the second Dallas ended his session last night, Donny had started in on him for being MIA yesterday. His older brother was the kind of guy who picked at an open wound. Dallas was nothing more than a fresh, bleeding gash, needing a little bit of time and care to heal.
Who was he trying to kid? He’d never recover from losing Greer Lockhart.
Desperate and jittery. The fear became real. He might seriously crawl out of his skin.
What the fuck?
All the reasons he couldn’t see Greer didn’t amount to jack compared to how badly he wanted to be with that man.
Dallas’s eyes shifted to a student making fart noises. He’d give it to this class, they had master level success at giving the substitute teacher hell. Dallas had turned those tables on the little instigators today, being relentless in his discipline.
“Fourth one down on the second row, this is your third warning. Gather your things, put them on my desk, and go to the principal’s office. Explain to her why you continue to disrupt this class. I want a note from her office before you can retrieve your belongings.”
The scolding shouldn’t come as a surprise. He’d been doing about the same thing for most of the day, but the air in the room shifted as all the students’ heads swung Dallas’s way, giving him a wide-eyed astonished stare.
This particular kid gave all the grunts and groans as he stomped to Dallas’s desk then out of the room. Dallas allowed the weight of the repercussions for disruption to settle in, then said, “Does anyone else have anything to say?” A few shook their heads. Others did their best to avoid eye contact. “Continue reading.”
The monotone rhythm started again.
Dallas started pacing again. He had to regain his inner balance.
How he wished he’d never met Greer or known his sweet, caring nature. Greer’s kind coercion led to Dallas abandoning his long-standing boundaries, giving him the best two days of his life.
He’d found utter contentment and happiness… Greer’s soul-destroying kisses and gentle warmth. The way Greer made him feel wanted and cherished. Greer actually saw him.
This rock and a hard place Dallas lived within was closing in on him. His values had shifted. He had to get out of his isolated life. If not with Greer, then another man.
His heart truly hoped it would be Greer, but that was up to Greer.
This decision would tear his family apart. Maybe better now than before they got too far involved with expanding BikeBro. He had to talk to Greer.
Dallas had spent more than half his life keeping secrets. When Greer started talking about a relationship, he should’ve laid it all out, warned Greer before too many dollars were spent on BikeBro. There was no scenario where Donny could handle Dallas’s truth. That thought sent anxiety racing through his veins. He would lose Donny, his father, and his mother. His choices would implode their family, but Greer would be there to help him navigate the fallout. At least Greer had painted that picture for him.
Dallas had to talk to Greer, face to face. Those sad eyes staring at him last night were his complete and total undoing. He could love Greer. Hell, he already did.
=?=
If his life didn’t suck so badly, he’d probably congratulate himself for staying off his cell phone last night and through this morning. Greer now better understood the constant control required of a recovering addict. His respect grew leaps and bounds. Sixteen plus hours into his self-imposed exile and he desperately needed to talk to Dallas.
Although tossing the key fob last night had cost him a few minutes this morning when he had to search the flower bed before work. Now, in the midday hours, Greer gave himself props for hiding the key fob. By about three o’clock in the morning, without doubt, he would have given in and driven to Dallas’s, ruining everything by exposing their relationship to Ducky.
Greer’s edginess and quick temper couldn’t be contained. He stood in the center of his office, his arms crossed tightly over his chest with his leg bouncing, watching the television monitors. The normal rhythmic vibe of competing business channels, relaying the day’s stock market reports, didn’t draw him in like normal. But he kept staring, shifting his gaze between the screens. He’d get himself back, learn to balance. He always did.
“Greer, Mr. Tenney’s trying to reach you. He’s been calling your cell phone all morning. Do I tell him you’re here?” Kailey asked through the speaker phone on his desk.