As William wrapped his arms around me from behind, I leaned back and closed my eyes. His lips were a whisper against my neck. “Did you find Courtney?”
“No. She doesn’t want to be found.” William sounded very tired. “We talked to her sister and she doesn’t think Courtney will be back anytime soon.”
“What’s Bob going to do?” We had helped him get through today, but what about tomorrow, and the next day? What if Bob wasn’t up to the challenge of being a single dad?
William squeezed me and let go. “He’ll figure it out. He doesn’t have a choice.”
I dropped Callie’s blanket on the couch. “Now what?”
“Now we go home.” He held out his hand and as I slipped mine inside, I felt very lucky to have William Connor in my life. Not only did he treat me better than I sometimes deserved, he also made me want to be better.
Bob met us by the front door and hugged me fiercely as he said his thanks. I hugged him back wishing I could relieve him of some of weight that was on his shoulders.
“Take these.” William handed his car keys to Bob, who hesitated. “I mean it, Bob. You have two kids, you need a car.”
“What about you?” Bob looked at both of us.
William pointed outside. “I already called a cab. I’ve got another car at home. This one is yours. Indefinitely.”
“Will-” Bob started to resist but William cut him off with a punch on the arm.
“Let me do this for you. For the kids.” William put his arm around my shoulders. “I’ll check in on you tomorrow.”
“Thanks again, brother,” Bob said as we stepped outside. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“I bet you’re really regretting all those times you beat me up when we were kids,” William joked.
“Nope. I was shaping you into the man you are today.” Bob jingled the car keys and nodded to me. “Take care of him, yeah?”
“Always.” I waved to Bob as William tugged me toward the waiting cab. He held open the door for me and I looked back at the house. “Do you really think they’ll be okay?”
“Sure. They’re Connors. We find a way to survive.” William kissed me on the lips. “Now get in the cab. I’m ready to go home.”
“My home or yours?” I asked when he had climbed in next to me.
“Ours,” he replied, then got more specific. “My place. More beds.”
I grinned up at him. “I like the way you think, Connor.”
As William leaned in to kiss me, I didn’t think we were going to make it a bed at all. The back of that taxi cab would do just fine.
CHAPTER FOUR
As was always the case, now that my personal life was finally on track, everything else was bound to be royally fucked up. My Monday started off normally enough. William and I had spent our entire Sunday in his bed, alternative between making love and sleeping. I went back to my place late Sunday night, hoping to get some sleep and be somewhat presentable at work the next day.
We had a meeting bright and early to discuss the drug scandal. After a lot of debate, I convinced William to take the case. I didn’t want to deal with Paul, and I didn’t want William to kill him, but Gravity could use the paycheck and the prestige that would come from representing a handful of famous baseball players. He put Dan in charge of the whole thing, selling it as a great learning opportunity but really I knew that he wanted no part of making Paul look good.
I stayed behind after the meeting to talk to William about Bob, and when I finally left the conference room a few minutes after everyone else, I ran right into Dan who had been lingering in the hall.
“So it’s true then?” he asked with a smirk.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Dan. More information please.” I kept walking because I had to be in another meeting in less than five minutes. Dan was more than willing to hurry along behind me.
“You and Connor. Bumpin’ uglies.” Dan smacked into me when I pulled up short.
“What did you say?” I sputtered.
Dan enunciated very slowly. “You are screwing the boss. Everyone knows.”
My mouth dropped open. I knew that Tara had learned the truth before she was fired, and I knew that if she went forward with her lawsuit there was a good chance the truth would get out. But I hadn’t been expecting it to happen so soon. I wasn’t ready to face the music.
“I’m late.” I said, hastily adding, “For a meeting. I’m late for a meeting.”
I knew that my face was a brilliant shade of red as I stepped into the meeting room. Several of my colleagues were already gathered around the table and they all stopped talking abruptly when I entered. It only took one guess to figure out what they had been discussing.