by A. C. Katt
“Everyone but Brian… Jim and Greg are the best at cooking. I can make a decent meal but I’m no gourmet. If Gary wants anything other than plain comfort food, we go out,” Danny said. Gary fed him a mouthful of potato skin.
“I need to learn. Is it very difficult?”
Jim laughed at him.
“Did you take chemistry in school?” Greg asked Johnny.
“I did.”
“What grade did you get for the class?”
“Four point oh, why?” Johnny was confused. What did one have to do with the other?
“If you aced chemistry you can cook. All you have to do is familiarize yourself with your equipment and follow the instructions in the recipe. Look for the ones that say ‘Easy’ first, then work your way up to the hard stuff. But you can produce good food by just following the instructions.” Greg looked pointedly at Brian.
“What…we have Mrs. Santorre. She’d be offended if I invaded her kitchen. She barely tolerates it when I make your muffins and they come out of a box. Why is everyone picking on me tonight?”
Jim grabbed Brian by the shoulders and gave him a big hug. “We tease because we love you.”
Johnny listened to the banter both above and below the table. If Caden wanted him permanently he would also have this. It made him even more determined to capture the man he was coming to love.
Dinner broke up at seven. Johnny had skipped a few workouts so he declined dessert. He was happy that Caden didn’t just assume he got hyper from sugar.
Caden leaned down and whispered, “Did you bring two changes of clothes? You’ll need regular clothes for tonight and for tomorrow morning. You’ll come home with me?”
“Yes, Sir. It would make me very happy to come home with you.” Johnny’s smile reached up to his eyes.
He looked around at his fellows, they all gave him a thumbs up. But he wasn’t as sure as they seemed to be. It was time to bite the bullet.
He put two fingers on Caden’s knee. “You may speak freely,” Caden told him.
“I know you have to work tomorrow evening because Saturday is the busiest night of the week here, but would you like to spend the afternoon at my house?”
Greg nodded in approval. Jim poked Brian in the side. Jamie smiled and Danny sat with a hopeful look on his face.
§ § §
Masato asked him to come home with him tomorrow. He knew tonight after receiving his present that he was getting close to his goal. Hell, I think I just racked up six points, let’s go for the punt.
“Maybe on Sunday, you might want to go look at puppies. Since you work at home it shouldn’t be a problem to keep a dog, that is if you really want one.” Masato turned his face into Caden’s palm. He thought he felt something wet. Maybe his boy had allergies.
They were in the car on the way to Caden’s house. He held Masato’s hand. Masato looked away from him and asked, “Do you hate rich people?”
Caden didn’t know where that came from but since Masato asked him there must be something on the boy’s mind. He answered honestly, “If they came by their money by honest means and they pay a fair wage to those who work for them, no, I don’t hate rich people. I dislike those who inherit their wealth and throw it around, using it like a pickaxe to hurt those who have too little. I hate the ones who aren’t charitable and willing to give a leg up to those who need it but I don’t paint any group with such a broad brush.”
He put Masato’s hand down and there was a tightness around his mouth that hadn’t been there before. “Danny and I had a father who owned ten dry cleaning stores, we weren’t among the very rich but we had enough to keep us very well. My father got sucked into one of those cult-like Christian churches and wound up throwing Danny out. That’s the kind of rich person I hate, the kind that would throw his son under the bus seeking the approval of other fools like himself.”
“I’m sorry. I think you blame yourself for not being there.” Masato observed.
“You’re right, I do. If I hadn’t stayed away so long for my own selfish reasons, I would have seen the trouble coming and taken Danny with me, but hindsight is twenty-twenty. Let’s talk about something else. I don’t want to ruin my good mood by speaking about my parents.”
§ § §
Johnny was in a hurry to get into the house. He wanted to make love to Caden to show him how he felt so that maybe he would remember that tomorrow after he told him the truth. There was little comfort in the fact that he hadn’t lied to him because in his heart, he knew he had told a lie of omission.
They went through the garage into the mudroom where Caden and Johnny left their boots. Caden took Johnny’s hat and gloves and laid them on the washing machine to dry out. He took off his jacket and gloves and helped Johnny out of his coat and hung it in the hall closet.
“I’m going to start a fire,” Caden told him.
“A fire would be nice,” Johnny answered as he sat down on the plaid sofa. There was an afghan folded over the top of the sofa and Caden wrapped it around Johnny to ward off the chill. “Let me turn the heat up, it’s freezing in here.”
Caden dumped the logs into the fire grate along with some tinder but instinct told him to wait to start a fire. He went over to the thermostat in the dining room. “Damn it. The heat isn’t working. Let me get you the down comforter while I call Bear.”
Caden picked up his phone. “Bear, the heat is out.” He went into the utility room. When he came out Johnny couldn’t hear what Bear said but from the look on Caden’s face, he didn’t like it.
“No, I promise I won’t fool with it. If you think the furnace needs to be replaced then do it, I can stay with Gary and Danny…I understand that they can’t come out until Monday because they need a replacement furnace. I’ll leave the tap in the bathroom dripping so the lines don’t freeze. It’s about fifty in here now and the house is well-insulated. It shouldn’t go below freezing…No, I promise you I won’t stay in the house. I know that gas can be dangerous. I already shut off the intake valve.”
Caden looked exasperated when he got off the phone. “Bear must be used to dealing with idiots. Of course you turn the gas off when something is wrong with the furnace. I don’t want to die in my sleep,” Caden’s face got a soft look, “especially when I have so much to live for.” He gave Johnny a pregnant look.
“We can go to my house,” Johnny said in a low voice. The time had come. Maybe he could mitigate his deception by telling Caden what was in his heart first.
“Could you sit down by me?” Caden looked at him quizzically. “Please?” Johnny asked.
“Of course, baby, what’s wrong?”
Johnny was going to try to get away with telling some but not all of the truth. The rest could wait until they got to his house. Thank God it was an old Victorian and not one of the McMansions that cropped up everywhere. It had been in his mother’s family for a few generations. He was grateful that he didn’t have to sell or mortgage it after his mother died.
“I want to tell you something. I know I should wait to say this but before you take me home, you have to know. I love you, Caden. I’ve never wanted anything as bad as I want you. You don’t have to say it back. I just thought you should know before you see the rest.”
“I love you too, baby. I think I have since our first night together. What rest are you talking about?”
“Pack your bag, you’ll see when we get there.” Johnny’s breath hitched on a sob. “You can always stay at Danny’s if you want to leave but please, promise to listen to me before you decide to go.”
“Baby, you’re making no sense. Why would I want to leave you? I want to give you a contract, and a collar. I want to walk up the aisle with you and get married. Does that sound like a man who wants to leave?”
“It’s okay, Caden, please don’t make any more promises until we get there.” Tears dripped down Johnny’s cheeks. “I thought I had more time.”
§ § §
While he turned the faucets to drip while he was gone, he
heard Masato talking on the phone to someone named Mrs. Mills.
Caden followed Masato’s instructions to get to his house. Masato lived in Jackson. They pulled up to a huge stone pillared gate and Masato got out and opened it up. Caden drove through and Masato closed it before getting back into the car. They drove down a long driveway through a park-like setting. At the end of the driveway was a huge Victorian house all lit up. Caden looked at Masato and his mouth hung open.
Masato put his finger on Caden’s lips, “Before you say anything remember you promised to listen.” They walked up the steps to the front door. A tiny elderly lady opened the door to greet them. “I’m Mrs. Mills and you must be Caden. Our Johnny has spoken well of you. Johnny told me, oh you poor darlings, no heat. I made Aubrey start up all the fireplaces. This old place can get drafty. Johnny, you really need to get the contractor out to modernize this place. I don’t know why you keep putting it off. You made my house and Aubrey’s all modern and snug yet you haven’t done anything for yourself.”
Johnny, who’s Johnny? Caden thought he would wait until the elderly lady finished fussing over them before he played twenty questions. Mrs. Mills made them some hot tea with a bit of honey and Irish whiskey.
“I’m going back over to my house, sweetheart. If you need anything just ring.”
“I’m sure we’ll be fine, Mrs. Mills. Thank you for getting the house ready this late at night.”
“No trouble at all sweetheart, you really ask for very little.”
Masato turned to him and said, “Would you follow me to the library?”
Caden followed, not trusting himself to speak.
CHAPTER TWELVE
He followed the man he knew as Masato into a huge library with leather bound books trimmed in gold and loads of paperbacks. The furniture was leather and well used but looked to be in good shape. There were many gorgeous antiques in the room including a huge leather-topped library table. Floor to ceiling green velvet drapes hung on the many windows.
“Please sit down.” He pointed to one of the comfortable looking leather chairs in front of the fireplace. Caden sat and Masato stood, leaning against the mantle.
Caden took a sip of his tea and waited for Masato to speak only because he promised he would.
Masato looked at him expectantly. He was determined not to say anything until he got an explanation. He looked deep into Caden’s eyes and saw the sadness there but if what he thought was coming was true, he was out of here.
“My name is Johnny Nguyen. I graduated from college at sixteen when I wrote a software program for my Master’s thesis. I have always lived in this house. It belonged to my mother’s family, and even after she died and we fell on hard times, I managed to keep the house. She died when I was thirteen. My father had passed on when I was ten. Mrs. Mills said she died of a broken heart. I didn’t believe it was possible.” Johnny sighed and wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. “Now I know it was true.
“I’ve had my own company since I was sixteen. I paid back the venture capitalist at eighteen and the company went public when I was twenty-two. I didn’t know how to run a company, still don’t, and along the way I was taken advantage of by liars and cheats.”
He stopped for a minute as if to collect himself. “I almost lost control of the company and all of the money but then I found Harvey Thomas. My company is Adroit Systems and Harvey runs it for me. All I do is write software. That’s all I’ve known since I was sixteen. That I needed to work hard to save Mrs. Mills and Aubrey, my driver, and his wife and grandson. I did what I had to do.” Johnny took his teacup and sat down in the other chair. Caden could see he was shaking because the cup rattled.
“Last year I left Adroit Systems to become a man, not an automaton that did nothing but work. I’ve always known I was gay and a submissive so I found Indiscreet and joined the club. As I’m sure you know by now, Reed knows who I am and I told the subs. I wanted one more night with you before I told you who I really was. I joined Indiscreet under an assumed name because I wanted someone who loved me for myself and not my money, especially since I plan on giving at least half of it away. I thought once I found that man, he would be delighted that we were pretty well set and he could help me run the LGBT youth shelters and community centers I want to build and help me find other worthy charities to fund.”
The tears had started. Caden hardened his heart. This man had lied to him.
“Little did I know I would find the one man to whom my money was a liability rather than an asset. I know you don’t want my money. Anyone who knows you knows that. But you care too much what other people think and you believe that they’ll think you are a freeloader even if you work right alongside of me. You could have continued to work at the club. I could have, with your help, found someone else to run my charities. But I knew you made up your mind as soon as Mrs. Mills opened the door. I asked for a chance to talk to you, but you’re not listening.”
At this point the tears were pouring down Johnny’s cheeks and he made no effort to stop the flow.
“You lied to me,” Caden said evenly, trying hard to control his temper.
“I didn’t. Not once. I told you I worked for Adroit Systems, I do. I told you Aubrey was my driver and he is. The only thing I didn’t tell you was my name and even that wasn’t a lie. My first name is Masato and that’s what my mother called me. I prefer Johnny, my middle name, the name my father gave me. I didn’t tell you I was a billionaire. I didn’t tell anyone. I planned to tell you tomorrow after I told you I loved you. But in my heart I knew this would be your reaction.”
Johnny got up and paced in front of the fireplace. “Danny told me this would happen whether I told you at once or later. I didn’t listen, I had stars in my eyes. I’m sorry I misled you. Please don’t take it out on the others. They were trying to help me. Mrs. Mills prepared a room for you. You can stay here tonight and go to Gary and Danny’s tomorrow or whatever you wish. I won’t bother you again. The room is on the second floor third door on the right. Don’t worry, I’ll be in another wing of the house.”
Johnny got up, finished his drink, put down the cup and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He picked up the cup, said goodnight and took it with him.
Caden was frozen to the chair until he realized Johnny was leaving. He got up and grabbed his arm. “You don’t get to leave now, after dropping that bomb on me. I listened to you, now you listen to me. I’m the victim here. You lied to me. It may have been a lie of omission but it was still a lie.” Caden took the cup out of Johnny’s hand so that it didn’t fall. The man was still shaking.
“I would have given you everything I had. You assumed that I would leave because of the money, I may have, but now that you lied, I will. I can’t abide liars and cheats. You are a liar. I left my things in the car. I’m going to Danny’s.” He took off the necklace and put it on the library table.
Johnny put his hand on Caden’s arm. “Do you know why I picked that necklace? Saint Jude is the saint of impossible causes. I thought maybe he could give me a bit of help.” He lifted his shirt to take off the dog tags.
“Keep them,” Caden spat, “they mean nothing to me anymore.”
“I’ll resign my membership in the club so you won’t have to look at me,” Johnny said, tears still flowing.
“No, you won’t. Neither will I resign my position as Director of Security. We will just tell everyone we weren’t suitable for each other, which is true. Good night, Johnny Masato or Masato Johnny, whoever you want to be today. I just know I want no part of it.”
He got into his car and drove down the long drive. The boy must have known a short cut because he was there in his shirt sleeves in the cold to open the gate. He was going to get sick, but Caden couldn’t let himself care.
§ § §
Saturday
When Danny woke up on Saturday morning he knew something was wrong. Gary had left him in the middle of the night. He heard his brother shouting, but when he tried to come downstairs, Gary ordered
him back to bed and told him he’d take strokes if he came back down or tried to listen.
He couldn’t sleep but waited until his usual breakfast time of seven before he ventured down again. Caden and Gary were sitting at the kitchen table staring each other down.
“Your brother isn’t seeing Masato anymore. I assume you know why. I’d also like an explanation as to why you didn’t think to enlighten me so I could defuse the situation.”
“I couldn’t, Sir. He told us in confidence. I couldn’t break his trust,” Danny whispered.
“Even if it was for his own good?” Gary asked him.
“Even then.”
Caden appeared to be very upset. It looked as if he had been crying. “Caden, listen to me. He loves you. He couldn’t tell anyone until he knew them. It only took a week before he was ready to tell you. He wanted to tell you on Monday, but we stopped him. We thought you could get to know him better before you went into a huff about his stupid money.”
“It isn’t stupid, Danny. I wanted to support my sub. I just found out that he doesn’t need me or anything I can offer.”
Danny’s face got red and he stamped his foot.“He needs everything you have to offer. Someone to help him do what he can’t do so he won’t be cheated again, someone to lean on when it gets tough. He’s been doing it all alone except for the paid help since he was thirteen years old for Christ’s sake. Do you know how many times he’s been hurt by people who courted him for his money? Who wanted his company?” Caden sat stubbornly silent.
“He’s had his credit cards stolen by someone who said he loved him, along with all of his mother’s jewelry and the cash he had in the house. Contractors have ripped him off. An ex-employee accused him of sexual harassment. He was only eighteen. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be eighteen and alone? I do. To have nowhere and no one to turn to for help, I know that too. You rescued me from that. I thought that given enough time to love him, you could do the same for him. You’re throwing gold into the trash and if you agree with him, Sir, I’m not speaking to you either.” Then the tears started and Danny ran upstairs.
