Nothing Special V (Nothing Special 5)

The man was everything God wasn’t. Cultured, educated, rich and crazy famous. And nothing short of a walking miracle in the eyes of the public. He’d won countless culinary awards in his twenties, and then lost his sight in a terrible car accident, forcing him to learn how to be a chef while blind. Somehow, with that handicap, he managed to grow a successful food critiquing business that was known around the world and sought out by every chef that wanted to make a name for themselves. Pres came out late and acquired not one, but two gorgeous men to stand by him and keep him warm at night. Then, as if touched by an angel, his sight reappeared. Making him a culinary motivational superstar. He had television cooking shows, hosted reality shows, had so many cookbooks God lost count and restaurants from here to London. And even with those two runway-worthy men at his side, he still looked at Day differently than he looked at anyone, and God couldn’t blame him.

“It’s been a long time, God. How are you?” Pres asked, shaking his hand. God didn’t sneer at the baby softness of the man’s hands, like he moisturized every twenty minutes, instead he clasped his hand back.

“I’m good, and you?” God said stiffly.

“It’s been going, but I wouldn’t say good.” Pres’ mouth stretched tight like he was uncomfortable, looking anything but camera-ready, and up close, God could see the faint darkness under his sky blue eyes and the worry lines etched in his forehead. Suddenly the smiles faded from Pres’ partners’ faces and anxiety appeared on theirs as well.

“What’s going on?” Day asked, stepping closer. “Why are you in Atlanta?”

“I drove in yesterday. I had a new restaurant to review. The one that opened a couple months ago next to the Botanical Gardens. While I was there, someone tampered with my car… cut the brake line. Then, last night, someone bypassed the alarm, came into our condo and shot at me. Ric was able to disarm him, but he got away. I’ve been receiving threats at my home in Virginia and at my office, but I thought it was someone who just didn’t care for my lifestyle or simply envied my fame. I didn’t mean to bring this to your door, Leo. I actually wanted to surprise you when I came into town, but unfortunately, this is no longer a social call. Someone’s trying to kill me, Leo. I came to ask you and your team for help.”

Day

Day felt his legs try to give when he heard his best friend say that someone was trying to kill him. Day’s life without Pres would be dark. There’d be a hole in his heart for a very long time if something happened to him. They talked at least three times a week, sometimes more than once a day. No matter how busy Pres was, he always had time for him. They had no secrets and Pres was a confidant. Day had told him all about God’s stalling after his proposal and Day knew all about some vengeful nurse at Ric’s hospital that claimed he sexually assaulted her. Being one of Prescott’s lovers sometimes came with a negative spotlight. Still, Day knew information the media would never know about Prescott Vaughan. They were privy to every detail of each other’s lives. They were brothers. They’d long gotten past the “I wanted you and you didn’t want me then you wanted me and I no longer wanted you.” A romantic relationship just wasn’t meant to be for them, and being with their current partners, they knew why it’d worked out the way it did. Rick and Blair were the perfect balance for Pres’ larger than life persona. And God was everything Day needed in a partner. His wild life in law enforcement could only be handled by one man and he was standing next to him. When Pres had come in, his fiancé looked like he’d rather get a root canal than be in Pres’ company, but the look of concern God wore the moment Pres said he was in danger touched Day’s heart. Even though Pres wasn’t God’s favorite person, his partner knew what Pres meant to him. Day didn’t know why Pres had withheld critical information from him about being harassed, but he was going to get to the bottom of it.

“Pres, sit down. Blair, Ric, come on, have a seat. Tell us what’s going on. You can trust these men, I promise you.”

“I know, Leo. It’s why we came.”

Pres sat in the first chair and Ric and Blair sat in the next two, putting Blair right beside Tech. Day watched the tall man lean over and take a generous sniff close to Tech’s shoulder.

“Well, hello there. You smell heavenly.”

Tech blinked like an owl before he finally thanked him.