Page 82 of Tobias

Not the mother thing, but that it won’t be with me. That I can’t do this anymore. I’m not happy. I deserve to be happier. She deserves better than me. I'm attracted to men.

Laughter comes from the living room, and I look up as she pulls her hand away.

I’d disappoint all of them…

“You’re not warm,”she comments.

I shrug, bringing my attention back to her. “Maybe just a stomach bug.” I kiss her forehead. “What time do you leave tomorrow?”

“Six am.”

It’s her family’s tradition to spend Christmas with her father’s parents, since her mother’s parents have passed. They fly out to New York every Christmas morning and return a few days later.

“I heard it’s snowing on the east coast,” I comment.

“Isn’t it always?” she asks, putting her arm around my waist, so I throw mine over her shoulders.

I chuckle. “Seems that way.”

We walk back to the living room, and I keep a smile on my face for the rest of the night. Tomorrow morning, I can keep this life separate for a few days. I can pretend that it doesn’t exist. I can see what my life would be like if I were to choose me for once. Maybe that’s the fuel I need to take this final step.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Tobias

The car drops me off in front of the Letwick Hotel. Warm lights spill from the tall windows, while the sky gets darker by the second. I glance across the street at Seattle’s Central Library, which is one of my favorite buildings in the world. The glass structure is beautiful, especially at night with the outside lights mirroring off it.

The hum of evening traffic fills the air as I tip my driver and move toward the doors to the hotel. My date said he would meet me at the bar in the lobby at exactly 5:45.

I’ve been here a few times for different events and even stayed once with Charlie. Surprisingly, it was one of the more calmer nights, and that’s with a middle-of-the-night skinny dipping session. Of course, security came, but once they saw who it was, they laughed and walked off, knowing they’d be paid well to keep quiet.

The lobby is nothing less than luxurious. Everything sparkles. People around the bar are shoulder to shoulder, bothstanding and sitting, chatting with colleagues and friends. I have no idea what this charity event is for, but I’m counting down the minutes until I’m off this date so I can go home and get to sleep. The sooner I do that, the sooner I can wake up and go to Theo’s in the morning.

His invitation for dinner turned into an invitation for breakfast. After I agreed, he told me I could stay for all three meals and snacks, too. He’s kind of adorable.

I’m a few minutes early, and I’m worried my date won’t be able to find me with the number of people standing around the bar, so I stay a short distance away, hoping they will be able to recognize me from my photos. Or for some crazy reason, I’ll be able to spot them. I’ve become pretty good at picking out my dates from crowds.

The bar is a rectangle, with shelving in the middle that looks like it was shaved right from a tree. The top is decorated with leaves and vines and twinkling fairy lights, which gives it a whimsical but classical look. The sitting areas are full of modern but expensive furniture, all of which must be new because I don’t recall this being here when I was here last. Though, I was pretty drunk, so who knows?

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Someone steps up to my side, tall and lean. The words have nails of ice clawing up my spine, but it isn’t the words that have me cringing. It’s the voice.

I know who it is before I look, and I can’t imagine my night getting any worse than this. Had I known he would be here, I would have declined this date without a second thought.

“I’m working, Brandon. Leave me alone,” I say simply, trying to hide my annoyance. I don’t need him knowing he’s getting to me, and I don’t need my date coming up to me and finding me all pissed off. It would be just the thing Brandon would do.

From the corner of my eye, I see him turn his head toward me, that snake-like grin crossing his face.

“Oh, I know,” he says slowly. “I’m the one who booked you.”

My head whips in his direction, a million curses on the tip of my tongue. I snap my mouth shut, taking a breath so I don’t make a scene. All the while, he just keeps staring. Smiling. Laughing. He’s dressed in a three-piece charcoal grey suit. His hair is slicked back, and I think his nose got a little bigger. And I’m going to fucking kill him.

Foxy has a strict policy when it comes to dates, and only if someone is dying or being born are you allowed to leave after accepting. She takes her business very seriously. I can’t afford to get fired, and again… I won’t let Brandon have the satisfaction of that.

“You lied,” I grit out.

He shrugs. “Maybe.”

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