Anyway, when are you coming to work?
Seamus:
When I decide to come
Matt:
Bring me coffee? Pleeeeeease?
Seamus:
Maybe, how are my profits?
Matt:
Considering no one is skimming anymore, pretty good!
Matt:
Now will you bring me a coffee?
Seamus:
Loelife's drink of the week?
Matt:
Yaasssssssss
* * * * *
Day Ten
Aidan came running when he saw Matt in the pickup line. It almost felt normal at this point. The affection sent a rush of warmth through his body. This is what he'd been yearning for. He swung his brother up on his hip and then let Aidan gibber all the way to the café.
The duo was back baby!
* * * * *
Kase and Hilary stopped what they were doing when Matt walked through the door. It wasn't the first time they'd seen him since he stopped working. Matt had stopped by every day they worked and their reaction never failed.
Kase grabbed Aidan from Matt and smiled. "Someone looks happy."
Matt beamed proudly that things were going so well. "Not to brag but Aidan ran to me when I picked him up today."
"That's awesome," Hilary clapped. "How many days left before the big reunion?"
"Four days and counting. Can't wait. This is seriously hard work."
"Have you been on IG lately?" Kase changed the subject then moved his head left to right, trying to dodge Aidan's grabby hands. No way was Aidan getting his hands on his favorite hat. Not today.
Matt grinned. "I did. When are we getting together and making your peachnadas?"
"I think we convinced Bar to start serving the adult versions of Loren's drinks. Maybe we could swing by here one night to celebrate?"
Hilary and Matt were down. "What about next week? I want to spend a few days with Seamus once this whole thing is over and then we can go get drinks. I could use a good night out. I miss you guys."
"We should make it a weekly thing," Hilary suggested. "We could go to the Bar or we could chill at one of our places? Whatever works."
Matt was glad they were making plans. The hardest part about leaving the café was the fear his relationship with Hilary and Kase would suffer. The friendships he had back home had definitely faltered with separation. They hardly texted anymore and, worse, Matt wasn't sure he cared.
They had plans to meet up over spring break. It was the first time they would be seeing each other since last summer. Matt was anxious to see how it would go. He wasn't really drinking anymore, and that was all his friends wanted to do. That alone could be a problem. One of the many signs they were drifting.
Matt wondered if it might be the last time they got together before officially going their separate ways.
What he had with Kase and Hilary was next level friendship. Not to sound cocky, but Matt thought it rivaled what Seamus had with the board members.
* * * * *
Day Twelve
Matt was dying. Literally
dying
. He missed Seamus so much it hurt. When they decided to do the Potato Detox, he didn't realize he wouldn't see Seamus. He absolutely thought Seamus would pop into work every single day to see him. Seamus had always gone out of his way like that. That was not the case. Matt hadn't seen him, not even once.
Matt almost broke his neck every time he worked in the office. Every shadow and every conversation outside had him staring at the door, hoping. When the door actually opened, Matt couldn't get to his boyfriend fast enough. He cupped Seamus's face and held it as he peppered his face with kisses until Seamus was laughing.
"Hello to you, too." Seamus wrapped his arms around Matt and pulled him in for a proper kiss. Good thing Rebecca was off. What they were doing was
not
strictly professional.
"I can't believe you're here. I've missed you so much," Matt said between kisses. He couldn't stop touching Seamus. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but Seamus looked better than normal. He was smiling and everything about him glowed. He looked extra hot in jeans and a blazer. Matt could've ripped them off him right there. Oh boy did he want to.
"I hope Aidan's ready to come back because I've been miserable without you two."
Matt tried to nod but was too busy kissing and nibbling Seamus's neck. He worked his hands under Seamus's shirt up and slipped his fingers under until he was touching bare skin. Seamus grabbed his hand.
"What are you doing? We're at the office." Seamus's words glowed as much as his face. It was obvious he loved getting attacked by Matt, but Seamus was right, they were at the office.
Nope. He couldn't stop. "I just need a little more. I'm starving for you."
They made out for a while longer. It would've passed the point of no return but Seamus had more willpower than Matt. He forced Matt to sit at the desk and then he sat on the other side.
"It's been twelve days and you're sitting on the other side of the desk?!" Matt couldn't even play footies with him because the solid oak desk had a full barrier.
Again, Seamus laughed. Apparently, he found desperate Matt was amusing. "If I would've known some mild separation that you didn't instigate would make you like this, I would've done this a year ago."
"If you didn't come here to see me, then why'd you come?" he pouted.
"Because it's my place of business?"
"
Psff
."
Seamus smiled so bright at Matt's antics that Matt couldn't even pretend to be upset. He had this crazy light about him, this radiating happiness. Matt smiled back.
Eventually, they got to work. They really did have stuff to go over. Matt reviewed a few reports and then they talked about the two additional people that would be joining the team. As much as they kind of needed people to start sooner than later, even Rebecca agreed that it would be good if Matt graduated and was working full time first. He would be their boss after all. It might make a smoother transition if Matt wasn't still in college.
They were in the middle of a recap when the door opened. The office was private and didn't deal with the public, so no one ever came in. There was no reason for it.
Matt didn't notice the man at first, but it only took a glance at Seamus for the pieces to fall into place. It was Mike Forte. He was older than Matt expected. Heavier and balder, too.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Seamus asked, his voice dangerously hostile. Mike was as unwelcome as they came. The nerve of him for showing up.
Mike's smile was full of hate and amusement. It was clear to Matt that Mike's only intention was to piss Seamus off. He just hoped Seamus could see it for what it was and not play into whatever was about to happen.
High road, Seamus. Take the high road.
But also
fucking knock that sonofabitch out!
Nervous about what was brewing, Matt carefully lifted the phone and propped it just enough to not look suspicious while allowing him to slowly dial 9-1-1. He knew if he didn't say anything, they would either call back or dispatch someone to check it out.
"I came to see how things were going," Mike stood with his hands in his pocket and looked around the room. "I'm surprised you haven't ruined everything Kelly built."
"I'm surprised
you
didn't ruin everything Kelly started and
I built
. You fucking thief."
"I didn't steal shit. I took what was owed to me. I supported Kelly during his start up, I'm the reason he got off the ground. This should've been mine when he died."
"Then why was my name on everything? If you were owed it, if Kelly planned on giving you anything, why didn't he?"
"Because you'd fuck him and I wouldn't. Don't convince yourself that you were special, Seamus. You were one in a line of many. You couldn't even keep him happy. The only thing that set you apart was that you turned a blind eye to what Kelly did. He liked that you let him do whatever he wanted and he was willing to dangle whatever carrot you wanted in order to keep things going. Kelly didn't marry you because he loved you, he married you because it benefited him. His biggest mistake was lashing out at his parents and not correcting that mistake before he died. You never should've been on any of the paperwork."
Seamus remained calm but Matt could see his jaw clenching. "I wouldn't be surprised if that's true, Kelly was a real asshole, but the reality is this, I'm the one who was left with everything. Not you. Kelly might've fucked around on me, but you were the one who got fucked. Whatever you think you and Kelly agreed on, you got nothing."
"I got plenty. You know why? Because you don't know shit about what you're sitting on right now. You're a fucking dumbass gold digger who was content collecting money while I did all the real work and collected the real money." Mike looked at Matt and laughed. "That proves my point. You hire your college boytoy and give him a fancy job title? You think he knows shit about this? Are you begging for this place to go under? It's a fucking shame, but I gotta be honest, I look forward to watching you fail."
"Maybe I fail, maybe I don't, but at least I won't end up in jail with felony on my record."
"Keep dreaming. Mom and Dad Jacobson are backing me. They hated your white trash ass from the moment Kelly brought you home and they're very much looking forward to getting their hands on this place. Don't underestimate what money can do. You won't stand a chance."
The police barged in a moment later. It wasn't like you see on TV. Yes, they had their guns drawn but it wasn't some grand entrance. Then they had to figure out what was going on. Seamus's saving grace was that his lawyer had advised him to file a restraining order. Neither Matt or Seamus had thought it would be necessary, but that wasn't the case. If he hadn't filed one, then Mike technically could've walked away.
They cuffed him and were about ready to lead him out when he looked back at Matt. "Keep my seat warm for me."
It was the creepiest thing Matt ever experienced. The look in Mike's eyes set Matt's skin on edge. It was terrible.
He heard something on the phone and quickly held it to his ear. "Hello."
"This is Tab with dispatch, I just want to make sure the police arrived and everything is okay?"
"Oh, yeah. They got him. Thank you for sending them."
She had a few more questions and then disconnected the call. Matt watched as Seamus spoke to two police officers. Then it was Matt's turn. It felt like they were there forever. By the time they left, it was almost time for Matt to pick up Aidan. There could not be worse time to leave Seamus. He was visibly shaken and clearly affected by Mike's stunt.
"I know you said we should wait a few more days, but I can't leave you after what just happened. Why don't I pick up Aidan and meet you at the loft? We can use it as a trial run and see how it goes."
Seamus rested his face on Matt's shoulder. He nodded and mumbled into Matt's neck. "Yeah, I'd like that. I could use some Aido Potato and Mayto Potato snuggles tonight."
Matt lifted Seamus's face until they were eye-to-eye. "Don't listen to anything that asshole said. He's a liar who came here to break you down."
"I know."
He had a hard time leaving. Seamus didn't look okay but he couldn't just abandon Aidan and there was no one else on the emergency pick up list except his dad, and he lived way too far away for a last-minute pick up. Matt reluctantly peeled himself away.
