Page 18 of Saving Little Clark

Will huffed, crossing his arms defensively. "I'll have you know I can be very nurturing when I want to be. I just like the idea of taking care of someone, you know? Of being needed and appreciated for more than just my abs and my bank account."

His voice softened, a wistful note creeping in. "When I was at that club last week, I met this Little who was all alone and scared. Her Daddy had ditched her to go hook up with someoneelse, and she was just curled up in the corner crying. It broke my heart, man. I just wanted to scoop her up and make everything better."

I swallowed hard, my chest aching at the thought of any Little being neglected like that. At the thought of Clark, vulnerable and hurting, needing me to dry his tears and chase away the monsters under the bed.

My sweet boy, a treacherous voice whispered in my mind. Mine to hold, mine to cherish, mine to protect and adore. The thought sent a shudder through me, equal parts thrilling and terrifying. Was I really ready for this?

Soon, we arrived at the bustling offices of InnovaTech Solutions, the software development firm I started with Will a few years ago. The sleek, modern building was already humming with activity, employees milling about with coffee cups in hand and laptops tucked under their arms. I nodded and smiled at a few familiar faces as I made my way to my office space.

As I settled in and booted up my computer, my mind drifted to the project I had been pouring my heart and soul into for the past few weeks. It was an educational app designed to make learning fun and engaging for kids. The app, which we had dubbed "Adventure Academy", used colorful characters and interactive games to teach basic math, reading, and science skills. It was the kind of project that made me excited to come to work every day.

Today, however, my excitement was tinged with a hint of nervousness. We were set to meet with the freelance graphic designers who had been hired to create the whimsical, child-friendly illustrations that would bring the app to life.

Glancing at my watch, I saw that it was nearly time for the meeting. I gathered up my notepad and pen, double-checking that I had all the necessary files and mock-ups loaded onto my tablet. Then, I headed out to the cafe where the meeting was arranged.

As I pushed open the door to the cozy, artsy space, the rich aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries enveloped me like a warm hug. I scanned the room, looking for any sign of the designers. I promptly felt my jaw drop open in shock.

There, seated at a table by the window, were none other than Clark and Alex.

For a moment, I simply stared, sure that my eyes must be playing tricks on me. But no, there was no mistaking that bright grin. It was definitely Clark, looking just as adorably rumpled and endearing as he had the day before.

As if sensing my gaze, Clark glanced up, his eyes widening. A slow, sweet smile spread across his face, making my heart do a funny little flip in my chest. He raised a hand in a shy wave, the brightly colored beads on his bracelet clacking together. Clutched in his other hand was a notebook covered in cartoon characters, the pages edged with what looked like glittery stickers.

Of course Clark would march to the beat of his own drum, even in a corporate setting. It was one of the things I liked so much about him, that refreshing lack of pretension. He was unapologetically himself, quirks and all.

I made my way over to the table, my own smile stretching wide across my face. "Well, this is a surprise," I said, pulling out a chair and plopping down. "I had no idea you two were the designers we had hired. Talk about a small world, huh?"

Alex smirked, leaning back in his seat with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Tall, Dark, and Corporate. Fancy meeting you here, pirate."

I snorted. "Good to see you too, Alex. I see you've brought your usual charm and wit to the table."

Clark spoke up then. "Don't mind him, Brody. He's just excited to be working on such a big project. We both are, really.”

"The honor is all ours," I said smoothly, reaching out to give Clark's hand a quick, reassuring squeeze. "Your portfolio blew us away. The characters you created for that children's book series were so expressive, so full of life and personality.”

"Okay, enough with the mutual admiration society," Alex cut in, waving his hand impatiently. "Can we talk about the fact that we're basically living in a romcom film right now? I mean, what are the odds that the hot guy Clark was drooling over yesterday just happens to be our new boss?"

"Alex!" Clark yelped, looking mortified. "Ignore him, please.”

But I just grinned, leaning forward to prop my chin on my hand. "I think Alex might be onto something here. It does feel a bit like fate, doesn't it? The dashing pirate and his trusty parrot, reunited once more with their love interests."

Alex groaned. "I thought we agreed to retire the pirate schtick. It's time to find a new fantasy."

"Says the man who spent all morning practicing his squawk in the mirror," Clark muttered under his breath, earning a scandalized gasp from Alex.

"Alright, settle down, kids," I said, clapping my hands together in mock-sternness. "As much as I'm enjoying this little reunion, we do have an app to design. What say we get down to business?"

Chapter 8: Brody

As the meeting got underway, I found myself increasingly fascinated by the dynamic between Clark and Alex. While Alex radiated a polished, professional aura as he walked us through their design concepts, Clark's energy was decidedly more volatile.

One moment, he would be nodding along seriously, offering thoughtful insights on color theory and user experience. But the next, he would be fidgeting in his seat, a goofy grin spreading across his face as he flipped through his notebook to show off a particularly cute character sketch.

"Oh, and look at this one!" he exclaimed, pointing to a doodle of a friendly-looking dragon. "I was thinking he could be the guide for the science section, like a wise old wizard type. We could call him Dr. Sparks or something, since he's all about the wonders of electricity and physics."

Alex seemed to take Clark's quirks in stride. He would gently redirect the conversation when Clark got too far off track, or shoot me an amused, indulgent look when his friend dissolved into giggles over a particularly silly pun.

But even he couldn't hide the fondness in his eyes as he watched Clark light up with each new idea. It was clear that he adored his friend, eccentricities and all.

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