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“I’m so glad you’re here. This would be really scary if you weren’t.”
“I’m not going anywhere, I promise. The doctor says he’ll want to keep you in the hospital for a couple of days for observation, and after that you’re not going to be very mobile for a while. I was thinking the best idea might be to put a bed in one of the empty rooms downstairs in my house, so you don’t have to worry about the stairs. Even after the casts come off, you’re going to need physical therapy to get your strength back. I know that sounds like a lot, but I’ll be right by your side for every step of it. If you don’t want to be my boyfriend anymore, then I’ll be there as your friend, and—”
“Why wouldn’t I want to be your boyfriend?”
He took a seat and said, “Because knowing I’m your ex-boyfriend’s father might be really uncomfortable for you.”
“It isn’t. I mean, it was a shock at first, but it’s hardly a deal breaker.”
“Are you sure?”
“Definitely. But if you still need some time to come to terms with it, and if you’re still trying to smooth things over with your son—”
“I’ve been emailing Lee and trying to make him understand what you mean to me. Maybe he’ll learn to accept us as a couple eventually. Or maybe he won’t. I have no control over that. But it’ll never change how I feel about you.”
“It won’t?”
He shook his head. Then he cupped my cheek and said, so softly, “I love you, Tima. God, I love you, and I need you by my side.”
“I love you, too. More than anything.”
Aleksei’s blue eyes were full of emotion as he caressed my cheek and murmured, “My sweet luchik.”
“I’m curious, why are my pet names usually in Russian?”
“Maybe because words in English come from here,” he said, as he tapped his forehead. “And Russian comes from here.” He placed a hand over his heart.
I thought there was something really beautiful about that.
22
Aleksei
The doctor finally agreed to release Timothy from the hospital on Friday. I’d rented a vehicle with the intention of driving him back to San Francisco, but he asked, “Can we please go to my friends’ wedding reception first? Las Vegas is only about three and a half hours from here.”
When Daniel and I turned to look at him, Timothy’s expression was eager and hopeful. I’d helped him get dressed, and he was sitting in the wheelchair I’d bought him with his leg elevated, waiting for the doctor to show up for a final sign-off.
I asked, “Do you really think you’re up for it?”
“I think I can sit at a wedding reception just as easily as anywhere else.”
“I guess we could go. But you have to promise not to overdo it, and to tell me when you get tired. And don’t forget that you can’t drink, either. That would be terrible with your pain meds.”
“Not a problem.” He turned to his friend and asked, “Do you want to come along? It’s going to be super informal, so I’m sure Romy and Marcus won’t mind an extra guest.”
“Thanks for asking,” Daniel said, “but I’m ready to head back to San Francisco and get the ball rolling on operation payback.”
I had no idea what he was talking about, but Timothy frowned and told him, “I still think that’s a bad idea.”
The doctor arrived just then, so Daniel and I stepped out into the hallway to give Timothy some privacy. “Thanks for showing up like you did and taking care of my friend,” Daniel said. “I wasn’t sure about you at first, what with the whole paying Timothy to date you bullshit, but you’re actually a good guy, Lex.”
“Admittedly, that wasn’t my finest moment. And I’m glad Timothy has you as a friend, Dan.”
“I never go by that.”
“And I never go by Lex.”
“But you should, because it sounds super cool. Lex Volkov, supervillain. That’s badass.”
I grinned at that before asking, “Do I want to know what operation payback is? Because that makes you sound like a supervillain, not me.”
“It’s just a little plan I concocted to make my cheating, no good ex-boyfriend suffer in agony. It involves me, his dad, and wrangling myself an invitation to a very chichi wedding. If all goes according to plan, my ex will be reduced to a whimpering, quivering mass of regret by the time I’m done with him.”
“Yes, definitely a supervillain. You know, I used to be jealous of you, because I thought of you as a rival for Timothy’s affection. But now I see you’re fairly unhinged, and not at all his type.”
Daniel smirked and told me, “Plus, there’s the whole two twink bottoms seeking a big, burly top thing. Trust me, T and I were never, ever going to be more than friends.”
