“I love you.” I repeated her words. “I want to be part of your life. That includes your father. So, if he is willing to give me a chance, I’ll give him one too.”
She launched herself at me, almost knocking me off my stool. I encircled her with my arms, holding her close.
“I’ll call him later today.”
I kissed her head. “Okay. We can book flights next week.”
She pulled back. “My treat.”
I began to shake my head, and she frowned. “I want to pay for the trip with my bonus.”
“I’ll make you a deal. You pay for the flights; I’ll pay for the hotel. I know you said your dad is in a small place.”
“Yes. If I were going alone, I’d stay with Richard and Katy, but I’d like to stay in a hotel with you, Mr. Matthews.”
I cupped her ass, bringing her body flush with mine. “Oh yeah?”
She grinned. “Hotel sex is awesome.”
Hotel sex. Another first.
I stood, lifted her, and headed to the bedroom. “I think we need more practice to build up to the hotel sex.”
Her mouth was hot against my neck.
“Lots more.”
* * *
Sandy was at the staff meeting Monday morning. Her blouse was crisp, her hair perfect, but there was a sadness to her expression that had never been there before. I wondered if it was something that would ever fully leave her. I was glad to see her back—everyone was glad. We’d all missed her.
After, I was busy at my desk. Reaching into my drawer to grab a new pencil, I lifted out the envelope Bentley had handed me. I had forgotten about it again, but I knew I should open it and take the contents to the bank. I also had to thank the guys properly.
I tore open the seal, and withdrew a folded document containing several pages of what appeared to be legal wording. There was no bonus payment.
Instead, there was something so unexpected I stared at the document for long, stunned moments, reading and rereading the words, certain I was mistaken.
I lurched to my feet and hurried down the hall. Sandy looked up as I stumbled to her desk. I knew the guys were in their usual Monday morning partners’ meeting, and there was no way I was getting past her without their allowing it.
“I need to see them.”
She shook her head. “You finally opened it.”
“You knew?”
“What did I tell you, Reid? I know everything that goes on in this place.” She picked up her phone, speaking into the receiver. “Reid needs some time with all of you. I suggest you let him in before he falls down in front of my desk.”
She hung up and indicated Bentley’s door. “In you go.”
Before I could move, she lifted her hand. “You deserve this, Reid. But remember your manners.”
I met her eyes, seeing the smile they contained.
“I can do that,” I croaked.
Three sets of eyes watched me stagger into Bentley’s office. Three wide grins lit their faces as I sank into the sofa beside Aiden, lifting the pages. “I don’t understand.”
Bentley leaned back. “I think I’ll let Maddox explain, being our numbers man and all.”
Maddox observed me, tapping his cheek thoughtfully.
“Reid, since you joined BAM, you have proven to be more than an employee. You’ve put yourself on the line for us more than once, and you’ve shown us loyalty and commitment. You have become our friend—part of our family. You know how we feel about family.”
“You take care of them,” I mumbled.
“Good. You pay attention.” Maddox grinned. “The other day you told me you wanted to live in Ridge Towers. You also confessed to your worry about getting a mortgage, and were concerned if you would be able to save enough for the deposit.”
I swallowed, my throat thick. “Yeah,” I rasped out. “But—”
Maddox held up his hand. “I spoke to Bentley and Aiden. We already knew we were going to give bonuses for this project. The results have been nothing less than amazing, and we like to reward our staff well.”
I shook my head. “This isn’t a bonus. It’s . . .” I struggled to find the words. “I was expecting . . .” I hesitated. “Not this. I wasn’t expecting this.”
Bentley stood and rounded the desk, leaning on the edge. He crossed his arms. “We’re aware it’s unorthodox, but frankly, Reid, the things you have done for us have been unorthodox. You helped find Emmy. You eliminated a huge problem for Maddox. You’ve proven to Aiden, repeatedly, that there is nothing you can’t do. Nothing you won’t do for us. That deserves more than a bonus.”
I lifted the papers. “But it’s a condo. You’ve given me a condo.”
Maddox chuckled. “It’s the smaller one in my building. We’re going to use the one Dee lived in briefly as our corporate place. The other one is sitting empty. It’s one-plus bedroom, but the size is generous, so there’s lots of space for all your equipment. This transaction does two things. You get to move in to a great, secure building right away. You’ll pay the monthly condo fees and taxes, the same as everyone else, and you’ll be building equity, which you can use toward a place in Ridge Towers. The value is currently about four hundred thousand for this place.”
I almost choked. Aiden patted me on the back.
“Stay with us, kid. Things are just getting good.”
Maddox laughed. “We had planned to do some renos to the place, but we’ve decided you can look after that. Get with Van, and he’ll make sure it happens. I suggest an overhaul of the kitchen and bath to maximize your investment.” He winked. “You’ll get the company rate.”
They gave Becca a bonus of five thousand dollars. They gave me a condo.
“I can’t accept this—it’s too much.”
“You can and you will. It’s all bound and legal. Bill has the papers drawn up. You can move in right away and make yourself a home. Your life is changing, Reid,” Bentley stated firmly. “You can’t sleep on the floor of your office all the time now. You need a place where you’re settled. Where Becca can be with you.”
His words made sense. Still, it was a lot to take in.
“When Ridge Towers is closer to completion, you can decide if you want to move.” Maddox smirked. “And if you’ll be moving alone. If my suspicions are right, you’ll need a two-bedroom with room to grow.”
Aiden leaned forward, earnest. “We could have simply handed you a condo in the Towers, but we felt this was better. You can move right away and get out of that little place you hate. You can do some renos and increase the value. Then sell it and move on. On your terms.”
“Only because of your charity.”
“No.” Bentley’s voice was steely. “This isn’t charity. This is our way of thanking you. If you don’t want to move later, you don’t have to. Or you can move elsewhere. We’re simply giving you the tools to start.” He sighed. “We all think you deserve that, Reid. A fresh start and a leg up. We did that for each other. Now, we’re doing it for you.”
“It’s so much.”
“It’s what we feel you deserve.”
I closed my eyes, so many feelings exploding in my head. There was only one thing I could say. “Thank you.”
“Do you still want to live in Ridge Towers one day?”
“If I can. Maybe phase two.”
Bentley cocked his head, studying me. “Why phase two?”
“The unit I really wanted is off the list,” I admitted. “Most of the two-bedrooms are taken now.”
Aiden flipped through a list he was holding. “B-8A? That one?”
“Yeah, I thought the views would be amazing on that corner, and I liked the layout.”
He nudged my shoulder, showing me the list. Beside that unit number, was my name, typed in bold letters.
“Wh-what? How?”
“Mad Dog told us, and we removed it from inventory. We’ll discuss pricing closer to the time.”
“But—”
Maddox interrupted me. “We’ll help you
with a mortgage, Reid. You can sell the condo, which will more than meet your deposit requirement. Whatever financing you need, any of us—in fact, all of us—will co-sign for you. You will have a mortgage and you will own a place in Ridge Towers. This is our bonus to you for everything you have done and we know you will do in the future.”
My mouth opened, but no words came out. To my horror, the room swam in front of me, and I struggled to contain my feelings, quickly ducking my head. I was about to break down and cry in front of my bosses. I couldn’t allow that to happen, yet even as I tried to stop it, a tear splashed on my knee. Followed by another. I couldn’t contain the swell of emotions. They were too vast and deep.
Aiden’s big arm came around my shoulder. “It’s okay, kid. We make a lot of grown men cry. It’s sort of what we do.”
I barked out a laugh and lifted my head. I was shocked to see all three men grinning at me, their eyes damp. In that moment, they weren’t my bosses. They were my friends. My brothers. They had given me the gift of a fresh start. A place to call my own—something I longed for but could never put into words.
Jumping to my feet, I lunged first for Bentley, hugging him hard. He chuckled and gave me a brief slap on the back. Maddox was ready for me, letting me pounce on him, laughing as he hugged me in return. I turned to Aiden, the man who had risked a lot to give me a second chance.
He opened his massive arms. “Come to Papa, kid.” His hug almost broke my ribs, but it was worth it.
All of what they did for me made everything worth it.
Because of them, I had a new path and a future. Something to offer.
I couldn’t wait to tell Becca.
Reid
Becca and I wandered through the condo. I was still in shock over the extravagant gesture. When I’d told Becca, her eyes had grown round, and she’d flung her arms around my neck, excited and pleased for me. I insisted she come with me to see the place that evening.
Sliding the key into the lock and stepping into what was now my home was surreal. It was a great layout with a kitchen to the left and a good-sized living/dining area on the right. To one side was a small space—what Maddox referred to as the plus. It would be an excellent area for my desk and equipment. The bedroom and bathroom were generous in size. Compared to where I lived currently, it was a palace.
Becca laughed at my excitement over the air conditioning. I had none and the windows were old with no screens, so at times, with the sweltering summers in Toronto, I often had to escape to the cool interior of the office to sleep there. It would be amazing to have a place that was cool during the heat of the summer.
To me, it all appeared perfect, although both Becca and Van nodded knowingly as they looked around.
I’d sat with Maddox in the afternoon to run through numbers. He showed me how, if I used the money I had saved now, the investment would pay off more than the meager interest I earned each month. He helped me set a budget for the renovations, almost as excited as I was about the project.
Van made notes, returning to the kitchen where Becca was looking into the cupboards. “Well, it’s an awesome place, but the guys are right. Some upgrades and it would be even better.”
Becca agreed with him. “The kitchen and bath.”
“Yep. I suggest the floors too. Some paint and a little trim work would make the place feel modern and updated.”
“It all looks fine to me. But if you think it needs it, then we’ll go ahead.”
Van laughed, crossing his arms and leaning on the counter. He was almost as big as Aiden, taking up a vast amount of space. His hands were callused, and usually, there was paint or dust on his jeans. However, his dark navy eyes were kind, his voice low, and he was knowledgeable and approachable. I helped him a lot with various programs, and I knew Bentley relied on him and trusted his judgment.
“The place will be empty by the weekend. We can pull out whatever we decide to reno and get started. You can pick what you want in the way of cupboards, floors, counters, fixtures. Bentley told me to make it a priority.”
“I have no idea what I want.”
He chuckled. “Liv can help you with that. You can tell her your budget, what your preferences are, and she’ll go from there.”
I looked at Becca, helpless. “Maybe you can come with me?”
“Oh, I’d love to!”
“I could call Liv. She lives not far from here. If she’s home, she could come over and have a look.”
“That would be awesome.”
He pulled out his phone, walking out of the kitchen.
I shook my head. “This is too much.”
Becca hugged my arm. “It will be great.”
“I prefer things simple.”
“I know.”
I stepped toward her, sliding my hand over hers. “But make it the way you want it, Becca. I want you here with me a lot, so make sure you like it.”
She lifted up on her toes and kissed me. “Okay.”
* * *
Liv snapped closed her laptop. She had come over after Van called her. Professional and quiet, she had walked around, talked to Van, made notes, and asked me some questions.
“Okay, here’re my thoughts. You don’t want a major overhaul or walls moved.”
“No.”
“And you want simple.”
“Yes.”
“We’ll do the same flooring throughout except the bath. One of the engineered wood floors. Wide planks. Easy to clean and maintain. In the kitchen, new cupboards, counters, and backsplash. The already-upgraded appliances look good. We’ll do clean lines. Modern. In the bathroom, we’ll update the fixtures and put in a cool multi-head shower. You said your favorite colors are blue and gray, so I’ll keep that in mind. We’ll go with a nice earthy tone with some pops of color. I have your budget, so I’ll work it through with Van and have ideas to you in a couple of days.”
“Wow. Okay.”
“Bentley’s instructions,” she informed me with a wink. Then she smiled, the action transforming her face. She was pretty, but her smile was killer. She had soft tawny-colored hair which she wore in a long braid and had luminous, golden-colored eyes. She was expressive, always using her hands, and her voice was soft but direct.
She was the same in the office. Pleasant and helpful, always willing to go the extra mile—and another person Bentley relied on. Like Van, she carried traces of her work with her. Paint flecks in her hair or telltale signs of colored marker on her hands from her designs. They were an interesting duo. Professional and friendly, yet Van watched her closely, and I also noticed how often she deferred to him, as if seeking his approval.
“Becca is going to help me pick stuff.”
“All right.”
“I want to choose the furnishings gradually, myself.” I wanted to do that with Becca. Have her with me trying out sofas and chairs. Testing out beds.
That was going to be my first purchase.
Liv nodded in understanding. “Sure. We’ll do the reno, and you can complete it when you’re ready.”
She and Van left, and I walked around again. The condo had simple furnishings in it already since they’d used it as a guest suite, but we’d take those out right away. Maddox told me I could keep anything I wanted, but the idea of picking out my own furniture suddenly appealed. It would be my first real home.
Becca stood beside me, sliding her arm around my waist. “Happy?”
I dropped a kiss on her head. “Yeah, I am.”
“You deserve this, Reid.”
I sighed. “Everyone keeps saying that. I’m trying to come to terms with it.”
She squeezed my hip. “You do. You deserve all good things.”
I gazed down at her. Her blue eyes held me captive and I smiled. “Do I deserve you?”
“Yes. And you have me, Reid.”
I pulled her close, my mouth hovering over hers. “That’s all I need.”
* * *
Becca grinned at me across the desk. “Are you excited?”
I shook my head. “I think so.”
She laughed. “Liv is amazing!”
I perused the conceptual drawings of the condo Liv had left me. When she’d arrived earlier, she’d pulled cupboard, counter, paint chip, even floor samples from her large bag. She had limited the choices, though, so it wasn’t as overwhelming as I feared. She’d explained her ideas, and with Becca’s help, guided me toward the items I preferred. All her designs were as she promised. Clean, simple, and modern. She’d even created a built-in set of shelves in the small room where my desk would be to hold my collections. She explained she could reconfigure my steel shelves to fit underneath the new ones for the equipment I kept on hand.
“Form and function, Reid,” she said, showing me a picture. “I have a great desk in storage that would work well. If you want it, it’s yours.”
I liked it. Thick and solid, the metal would suit the room and be sturdy enough I could leave the makeshift one of cinder blocks and wood behind. In fact, I was leaving it all behind me, except my personal things and the one set of shelves I had built. I had given notice, and looked forward to being out of that place as soon as possible.
I grinned at Becca. “I noticed she added furniture to her drawings. Do you think that’s her subtle way of telling me what to look for?”
Becca chuckled. “Maybe. I think it’s simply how she works, but the style does suit you.”
“It does.”
“We’ll go shopping when we return from BC.”
I leaned back in my chair. “You booked some flights?”
“I have dates. I wanted to make sure they’re okay for you.”
I studied her. “Did you talk to your father?”
She met my gaze. “Yes.”
“Did you tell him about me?”
“Yes, Reid, I did.”
“What did you tell him exactly?”
“That you were wonderful and kind. Thoughtful and sweet.” She lowered her voice. “That I loved you and I wanted him to meet you.”
“What else?”
She sighed and pushed away her sandwich. “I told him what you did for a living and how we met. And yes, I told him about your past.”
Vested Interest Box Set Books 4-7 Page 19
