Page 50 of Advanced Chemistry

“We received the renewal contract from our vending machine provider. Jim Hollis was livid. They want to jack up the prices twenty percent.”

“Twenty percent?” I repeated in incredulity.

“They’re saying it’s inflation and higher costs on their end. We’ve worked with them for eight years. You don’t just spring a cost increase like that when you send over an renewal.”

“They didn’t call you first to go over it?”

“Nope,” Craig said, obviously pissed. I didn’t blame him. That was bad business. Anton and I always delivered bad, or at least unpleasant, news face-to-face or via phone call. We’d never try to sneak it into an email or contract.

“That’s kind of disrespectful. They were trying to sneak it in, it sounds like. Didn’t they know Hollis was being more hawkish about spending?”

“They did, and it looks like they didn’t care. Hollis got on the phone with them and chewed them out. We understand that costs go up. That’s business. But they should’ve talked with us first. The owner apologized and agreed to come down on the increase, but it got Hollis spooked. He’s having me vet and set up meetings with a few vendors that could be a viable alternative. I’d like to include Beverage Solutions on the list.”

And here I thought my orgasm last night was the highlight of the week. I was wrong.

“I know our follow up call isn’t until June, but we have to let our current vendor know if we’re renewing by the end of the month.”

“Yeah, absolutely. I totally get it. Time is of the essence. Anton and I are available to meet. When were you thinking?”

“Today’s Friday, and Hollis is big on no weekend meetings. So let’s schedule for next week. We’re having all vendors give presentations next week, and we’re going to bring back the top two contenders sometime after that.”

We loved competition. It only made us work harder.

“Works for me.” I pulled up our calendar. I was in boxers, still high on last night, but that would wait.

Craig and I found a time late next week to meet with Jim Hollis, the head honcho. Despite him urgently wanting to talk, his next available appointment wasn’t until Wednesday afternoon. Such was the life of a busy CEO. It worked for us.

In less than a week, we’d be meeting with the decision maker for our biggest potential sale, one that could launch us to the next level. If we signed Hollis Property Management, that would give us credibility with bigger clients. I smiled at my bedroom wall in a daze, thinking about how Anton and I started this crazy venture in his parents’ garage. We were inspired by a podcast we listened to and thought we could sell vending machines. Even after the spark of inspiration faded, and we were left with the day-to-day grind of running a business, Anton remained determined, undeterred by reality. He’d put his hand on my shoulders and bore into me with those bottomless wells of brown eyes.

I know this is crazy, but we can do this, Seb. You and me. We’re gonna take over the world.

We hadn’t taken over the world just yet, but maybe we were a bit closer than yesterday.

I jumped out of bed and walked across the hall to his bedroom.

“Anton, you’re never going to believe what hap–”

My breath whooshed from my body. Anton lay on his bed spooning Chase, both fast asleep.

They looked peaceful, like a couple.

In that moment, I forgot about Hollis and business and everything else in my life. It was as if someone drove a spike through my heart.

Anton stirred awake, his eyelashes fluttering open. He took his thick, strong hand off Chase’s waist—a hand that I had wanted badly to cradle me.

“Hey,” he said creakily. “What happened?”

But I lost the ability to speak. We’d been more intimate than ever last night, but now I felt farther away from him than I had in my life.

“Seb.” His grogginess vanished as he must’ve seen whatever the hell my face was doing.

“Sorry. I–yeah.” I shut the door and darted into the kitchen, for coffee, for the fire escape, for any escape.

“Shit,” I said to myself. I opened the fridge door, not sure what I was looking for, but it was another wall to hide behind. Maybe reciprocal love would never be in the cards for me. I didn’t have it with my dad, and I didn’t have it here.

I pulled out a container of Greek Yogurt. Anton was waiting on the other side of the fridge door.

“Seb.” He pushed the door closed and blocked my way out of the kitchen. “It’s not what it looks like.”

---