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“I knew it. You told your father you were busy, but I knew it was a load of crap.” Rachel hustled herself inside. “Go on upstairs, and get your tuxedo on. We can leave for the Chamber of Commerce dinner in half an hour.”
“I’m just getting ready to dress to go out,” he answered, then narrowed his gaze. He was sick of explaining his life and his decisions to her or his father.
“You need to be at that dinner tonight. There’s a whole contingent of gay business people who are going to be there, so you need to come.” She took off her coat and draped it over the back of one of the chairs, her Chanel resplendent with a diamond brooch that David recognized.
“I said I had plans, and I do. Now, you need to go if you’re going to get there in time to slink and schmooze your way around the room before dinner.”
“You need to be there, and….” Rachel was getting more and more pushy as the special election got closer.
He stepped closer and held out his hand. “And you need to give me the brooch.” He knew he was being petty.
“Your father gave me that last year,” she said, placing her hand over it.
“It was my grandmother’s. You know very well what her will said, and that brooch is worth more than a dollar.” He continued holding out his hand, and Rachel huffed and took it off.
“What are you going to do with it?” she snapped. “It isn’t like you have a woman you’re going to give it to.” Her eyes shot daggers at him.
“I’m not going to give it to you, that’s for certain, and I don’t think my father gave this to you, since it was in my grandmother’s jewelry box upstairs last spring.” He smiled at her.
She whirled around and grabbed her coat. “We’ll expect you at the dinner.”
“Then you’ll be disappointed. Something you should be used to by now. I know I am.” He held the door open, and she swept through it like she was the Queen of Sheba. He closed and locked it behind her, making a note to have the locks changed. God, he was really coming to hate that woman.
He checked the time again and hurried upstairs to change into a tight T-shirt and a pair of jeans that threatened to cut off circulation to his nuts. He was going out with the guys, and the plan was clubbing. David still had to pull on his shoes and socks when someone pounded on his door. He hurried downstairs to let in Teddy.
“You always had the patience of a two-year-old,” David chided.
“The door was locked,” Teddy complained.
“My stepmother was here, and I didn’t want the Wicked Witch to make another surprise appearance. And besides, with the door locked, my liquor cabinet was safe.” He hugged Teddy and went upstairs, knowing he’d make himself a drink.
“Where’s Antoine?” Teddy called up the stairs.
“Night off. So we have to do the driving.”
He could almost hear the groan. When he went out, Teddy loved to drink. His husband, Giles, was probably home with their three-year-old, Archie. Teddy was a great father, but every now and then, he needed to kick loose, and that meant lots of dancing and plenty of drinking. Teddy’s best trait was that he loved his husband and kid, so men weren’t his vice, just a chance to really let go for a few hours.
“So are you driving?’ Teddy asked as David came down the stairs, dressed and ready to go as soon as the others arrived.
“Clive has the SUV, so he agreed to be the DD as long as we buy him a nice dinner.” Clive was always a sucker for good food. “I made reservations at Lake Park Bistro, so there will be plenty for him to choose from.” David slipped on his shoes and set out his coat as Clive came in with Jake. They all hugged, and Teddy finished his drink before they all piled into Clive’s Navigator.
They talked during the ride and while they were being seated.
“I hear you went out the other night,” Jake said as though he were sharing national secrets.
“Gossip much?” David retorted. “How did you hear?” If Antoine had opened his mouth, he was going to get an earful.
“Someone saw you downtown. I’m just glad you’re getting out of your hermit phase,” Jake said. “You’ve been working and staying close to home for far too long. Not every guy acts like that backstabbing skunk Reggie.”
“He wasn’t a backstabber—he was abusive,” David clarified. “That goes way beyond a cheating money-grubber.” He had been in love with the guy, but once the blinders fell from his eyes, kicking Reggie out of the house had been easy. Figuring out the ways Reggie had weaseled himself into David’s life had been quite another. It had taken weeks and plenty of time with lawyers, and after the discovery of forged signatures, the prosecutor’s office.
“Didn’t he do time?” Clive asked.
“Yes. He got six months and a record that will follow him everywhere. He tried to get a job with one of our suppliers, but I was able to put an end to those hopes.”
“At least you aren’t bitter. That’s the important thing,” Clive said, throwing in his own two cents.
“Ass…,” David teased, and thankfully their server interrupted the shadefest and took their orders. David ordered the tartare as a starter, and the steak frites along with a bistro salad. He was hungry, and he knew he’d work off a lot of the energy on the dance floor.
