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“Sure! Take your time. Grow a pair, whatever you have to do.”
“Grow…a pair?”
“Sorry,” he said, and didn’t look a bit contrite. “And while you’re at the rest of this, try to get my dad to realize he’s not as straight as he thinks.”
He was headed away from the table, and I stopped him. “Wait!”
He turned only his head back and there was a twinkling in his eye that shook me. “Yeah, I’m gay. I know he’s at least half the way there.”
I stood and stammered, but it was only to myself, as Chandler was already deeper in the trees. I stood in shock for a while until I had to move. When I got back to my car, I saw Rick there, bending over to peer into the window.
I made a mental list of all the crap I had in there, books, clothes and things, and rushed over to catch his attention. “Rick, hey!”
He spun to me and waved as he said, “Hey! Thought you got stuck in your car, but you weren’t there.”
“Chandler…was showing me around a little.”
“Good! Wow, he’s taken to you. That’s wonderful. Shall we go in and talk over some things?”
Relieved, I nodded and followed him into the house, to the left of the entrance, and into a nice, cozy office. “This is beautiful,” I said as my eyes moved over the walls of bookshelves with glass cases, fine art pieces and light oak furniture, a small but masculine desk that had a thick top and high-backed cushioned chair. The rug on the floor was white, soft, and the chair in front of the desk wasn’t tiny and low, to make the person being faced seem like they were lording. I sat there and instead of the chair, Rick sat on the corner of the desk, smiling.
“Thanks. My decorator said a man’s office was important. It needed to convey confidence but not arrogance and had to have strong features with soft edges for a relaxing workplace. I think she did it perfectly. I come here to get away most days.”
“It is. I like it in here.”
“Well, for everyone else, even dear Colby, it’s off-limits. You’re not a child, so I will lift that ban for you,” he said with a grin and again, he rubbed his hand over his slacks. After hearing Chandler’s take on his father, it made me feel like at least I wasn’t projecting my own desires on the guy. Those nagging suspicions I’d had, well, they didn’t seem so far-fetched any longer.
His eyes never left me, so I fought for something to say as I felt a heavy tension in the room, like suddenly it was filled with heated water, making it impossible to breathe or see clearly without a distorted haze.
Projection, that could still be true. I saw a man before me that didn’t walk out. I saw a man who stayed, raised his children alone, and fought for his business and for the people of the town. I saw in him the white knight of every gay boy’s dreams. Knowing I was a full-grown man with those same dreams didn’t make me feel better.
“Kanan, I know this was fast, hiring you. I did check on you, of course, but I went with my gut. I think you’ll be good for this place, and good for my son. Maybe…good for me, too.” I felt my brows rise high and he ducked his head as he laughed. “That sounded strange. I meant…I meant that it’ll be nice to see a new face around here. We get new faces in town with the tourists, but rarely see them here, at my home.”
“Of course. I understand.”
Funny thing, I did. I understood the words said and those that weren’t. As much as I wanted to think it was a projection and my own wishes, there was heat between us. Whether he knew that’s what it was or not didn’t matter. I sincerely was there to do a job. If anything came of the tension between us, that would have to wait until I was finished with that job.
“I was thinking, two a week to start, the use of the guesthouse, to yourself, and a stipend for food and toiletries for your stay there.”
Two hundred a week wasn’t much. I hated to sound ungrateful, even with the room and board included, but I was trying to save for my own place. “Kendrick…I mean, Rick. Hell, we’re negotiating, so maybe I should say Mr. Belish. I know that the room and board alone is worth plenty, but after this job is over, I need to have the money to find my own place. Two hundred a week, that’s…”
“Two…” he started to laugh and then stood. “Maybe I should show you the contract.”
I was confused as he went behind his desk and pulled out a drawer, drawing out a piece of paper he had there. His mouth twitched hard. He could barely contain laughter, and as soon as he handed over the paper, I understood why.
I read quickly down the document to see that there was a list of responsibilities, and the second list was of benefits. Those he’d previously spoken about were on the first couple lines, the medical, dental, and vision insurance, but next was the weekly salary. Two thousand dollars a week.
“Oh, uh…”
“I realize it’s a starting point, Kanan.”
“A starting point? Mr. Belish, I…”
“We’re all the way back there again? Kanan, please.”
“Sorry. Rick,” I said sheepishly. I’d made a huge mistake, but finding I was wrong didn’t help. The number was generous, but it was too generous. “This is too much. It really is, Rick. I’m coaching your son; I’m not running your farm or something.”
Watching his smile fade, I saw the seriousness of his mind in that moment. His eyes narrowed as they locked with mine and his voice cracked as he said the words, “My children are more important than my farm, business, and even this town I run. I would be honored to pay you well for what you’ve already done for him.”
