Across the Square

Chapter fourteen

Can business men DIY?

 

Jerry didn't call.



The next morning wasn't as awkward as it could have been since we'd already arranged that Patrick would take me to work early. I didn't bother to call Jerry to ask if he could get in to work. He could always walk or get a bus. He hadn't called so whatever. I wasn't bitter about it, I was just trying to ignore the whole thing. Yes, I had his ring on my finger... So what?



"Dinner at mine, cupcake?" Two adult men on one bicycle meant sore balls and I was certain I'd walk funny for the rest of the day.



"Sure. You goin' to be finished by the time I get out of here?" I pointed to my building, towering behind me like a big black rectangle of shit.



"Should be, yeah. Doesn't matter though, just be at mine." It was like we'd moved in to each others homes. Weird but it gave me such a comforted feeling. "When you see Jerry-"



"You mean 'if', Patrick. IF I see him. We don't work in the same department and for all I know he's fucked off with Ty on holiday again. I never got a phone call if you remember." He put a hand on my arm, trying to shut me up in a calm fashion. Maybe one day his relaxed state would rub off on me.



"You'll see him. Ty had sent me an email when I checked after you'd fallen to sleep on my foot. He said Jerry was very upset. He'd tried talking to him but Jerry had locked himself in the bathroom at that point."



Pissed as I was, that thought made me pout. When Patrick put his hands on my face, squeezing my cheeks so I'd look like a fish, I tried a scowl but my face was too scrunched up... And right then my boss walked past, briefcase in one hand, coffee in the other, staring straight at us, mouth hanging open. It was already a fucking brilliant day.



"Be nice. I'm workin' my magic behind the scenes for you, sugar plum. Ya gotta play along or it'll blow up in your face." He rose an eyebrow and allowed me to turn my head when my boss tripped over a step, still too busy staring.



"M-morning, Isaac. Don't... Don't be late for work now, will you?" Ha.



"Morning, sir. I'll be in before you've got a new coffee..." He stared down at the step where his coffee was pooling and dripping about and then stomped up and into the building.



"Anyway, I'll see you tonight. If you two have sorted crap out, feel free to bring him over. Pizza night!" He kissed me as he wiggled his cycling gloves on, patting my ass as I turned to go inside.



When I made it up the first flight of stairs I stopped, wondering for a moment if I dared... I dared. Three floors up and I was on Jerry's level. I knew exactly where his office was. A plain white door, blinds always shut, and a huge sign that read 'Private, knock before entering'. It had always made me assume he wanked all day and maybe he did. You never saw such signs on other peoples office doors on that floor.



Signs were for people who gave a fuck.



Opening the door without any warning, I found Jerry slouched in his fancy leather chair, coffee have drunk on the desk, a mass of numbers on his monitor. His phone had numerous lines flashing red. I watched with great interest as his expression went from shock to anger, back to shock.



"Isaac?"



I kissed him hard, clambering on him, into the chair with him that, with our added weight, tipped backwards a bit until it stabilized. I yowled in terror as I saw the ugly carpeted floor coming towards my face for a moment and his arms were around me, holding me close, his mouth against my ear, whispering it was okay, that his chair was dumb.



"You were meant to call!" I waved my hands about, trying to convey how annoyed at him I was that I got no phone call. "I waited!"



All he did was grab my right hand, looking at it closely, inspecting the ring - the ring he gave me - before pressing his lips over it and my finger... The exact same thing Patrick had done not so long ago.



"It looks good on you, baby." Why did people keep calling me baby?



"Patrick seemed to approve as well."



"Oh he did, did he? He didn't seem to very much approve of me at all yesterday..." Jerry was trying his best pout.



"Well, you had upset me a lot and for a long time while you were away. How was I supposed to know that the present wouldn't be coming? And how was I supposed to prepare myself for you telling me Ty had asked you to marry him?" Still annoyed about that.



"I don't know. I should have called but I honestly didn't know what to say. I didn't want to have to tell you when I was hours away, over the phone. It felt so impersonal. I also didn't want to have to deal with you putting the phone down on me. Ty was already refusing to talk to me most of the time. I couldn't handle you not talking to me also. I was trying to what is best for everyone and... to be fair, I don't want to marry him. I would if you could marry numerous people but you can't. I don't want me and Ty to be different from me and you. You know this."



"But you have to admit that it must have been hard for Ty. Did he have everything sorted out nice?" Jerry frowned, knitting his eyebrows together.



"He had a ring. This morning I spoke to him more about things. I told him what I'd given you and he suggested that I could wear the ring he bought for me in the same way that you're wearing the ring I bought for you. It doesn't mean marriage. It means... We love each other."



Had I not noticed? I lifted his hands up and checked. Jerry was wearing the ring that had meant to be his engagement ring on the same finger I was wearing mine. It was cute. It brought us together somehow. It gave us yet another thing in common.



"You like it?"



"I do. It's very nice. Must have cost a bomb, but then Ty seems to be made of money these days with taking you here, there and everywhere at the drop of a hat."



"Yeah, it's a bit unusual how much he's asking me to go away with him and I'm yet to get a good answer as to why he's doing it but... It probably did cost a lot. But so did yours."



I blushed instantly, feeling my cheeks burning hot red. I hadn't meant to sound ungrateful or jealous. But when Jerry laughed and kissed me I realised he understood.



"You should be getting to your floor..." It was already gone nine!



"Shit! I should. I saw my boss outside. He spilt his coffee tripping over a step because he was too busy staring at me and Patrick kissing."



"You dropped him off here? He got a job close by or something?"



"HA! No. He dropped me off." Jerry stared in silence and I could imagine his brain working hard to try to understand. "Two on a bike... Not comfortable. My balls are still missing. I'd ask you to form a search party to find them but you're right, I should go."



We kissed once more before I left him to his numbers, rushing to my floor and taking my seat. My boss wasn't around, perhaps having gone to get another coffee. I didn't know for sure but so long as he didn't guess I was late, I was good.



"Isaac. I would like to see you in my office please." So much for getting away with being late.



I trudged to his office to find him sat bolt upright in his chair. "Take a seat, Isaac... I have a couple of concerns about your behaviour. Now, I only have what other people are saying to go on right now so I want your version of the story." What story? "You were with a man outside earlier... And that's fine! Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against that. But a couple of your co-workers are saying you were late to start work because you were somewhere else. I had a chat with a few people I know and they saw you going in and coming out of someone elses office upstairs. The blinds were closed the entire time and it meant you were late. Would you like to share what you were doing?"



No?



"It's difficult to explain."



"Try."



"The man outside is Patrick. We are... Together. The man upstairs is Jerry. You know Jerry? From some fancy, weird accounting segment?"



"I know of him, yes. I sat in meetings with him."



"I'm sort of with him too..."



"You're having an affair?" My boss was a generally professional person but my personal life seemed to have got his interest. He was leaning forward in his chair and waiting for my story. I wasn't willing to give more than I needed.



"No."



"But you're seeing two people. Are you sleeping with them both? I mean.. Are you being intimate?" Why did it matter?



"I don't really see how this is any of your concern but yes, I am. I wasn't for a long time but I am now."



"They know about each other then, hm?" Was he jealous or something?



"Yeah. They know. Now, if that's all, can I go? I don't think you need to know anything else. It is my personal life and none of your concern-"



"It is my concern, Isaac. It is my concern when it starts to affect your work. I will be keeping a close eye on you over the next couple of weeks and Jerry's boss will be advised to do the same. You may go now."



Well then... That was delightful.



The rest of the morning was uneventful and I felt the buzz of a message being received on my phone but I didn't check it until lunch.



Fancy a change of plans? Patrick xx



I frowned and wondered what he had in mind. If I asked him was he even going to tell me? I decided to text back:



Elaborate?



It was only a few minutes later when he replied.



Too much work for me and my guys at this place. Want to be one of my guys and help out tonight?



What would that include? Drilling? Painting? Doing things with screws? I was interested, mainly because it would mean I'd get to see what he really did.



Tell me what I need to do. I want to spend tonight with you so I'll do stuff.



The following text message gave an address just out of the centre of the city, followed by:



Get a taxi. Bring yourself. See you tonight, Cupcake.



Now I had something to look forward to though I had to send a quick email to Jerry, explaining that I was busy for the night and would have to see him another night. I also suggested that he spend the evening with Ty and try to patch things up with him.



My boss kept peeking through his blinds at me, making sure I was working, no doubt, but I continued on regardless. Work was work. It wasn't hard or challenging in any way. It paid the bills and kept me somewhat busy but I was never going to be one of those guys that lived for his job. I didn't wake up in the morning excited to work. Who did? I didn't know anyone who did... Not even Patrick, and he really did seem to like his job.



 

---

Author notes: Thanks to my beta, MissusAnn (fp).

You can find update notices of all current and upcoming stories on Facebook at Alinna Words.

Eroburn: I like it when things are snuggly and sexy and a teeny bit weird. We're not quite at the stage where it all goes a bit tits up so enjoy it while it lasts. Thanks for reviewing.

Lisa: You're right apart from one small but highly important thing: Jerry and Patrick = no go. Neither of them have hinted at wanting anything to really do with eachother. Patrick liking to watch Jerry and Isaac have sex is totally because of Isaac. Having sex with Jerry makes Isaac happy so it makes Patrick happy... Because he's weird... And he gets tips. Though really I don't think you can get many tips from a guy who finishes so fast. Thank you for reviewing.

Sarkukka: I like the happy times too. They make me feel all cotton wool like inside. Thanks for reviewing.