Page 54 of Mr. Frosty Pants
“Isn’t it early for burgers?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes and patted her short, pixie-cut hair. “Don’t be silly. It’s nearly lunchtime. Besides, they’ll have other things besides burgers on offer.”
It belatedly occurred to Casey that he probably should have wondered prior to this point why his mother wanted him to come with her to the country club, but he hadn’t been able to break out of his dreamy, Joel-infused thoughts to consider it. Not until they were already in the highly masculine pro-shop café and the reason for her insistence became immediately and all-too clear.
“Casey, I want you to meet Walker Ronson,” his mother said, pushing him forward to grip the hand of a handsome young man wearing expensive golfing clothes and shadowed by a middle-aged caddy. “He’s Danny Ronson’s son,” she added pointedly. “You remember Danny, don’t you, honey?”
“Ah, I see.” His stomach tightened. “Of course I do.” Danny Ronson, the CEO of the petroleum company where his father worked, and the man with whom his father was always trying to get in good.
Walker, blond and tall with teeth so perfect and white they had to be veneers, smiled warmly at him. “It’s nice to meet you, Casey. I’ve heard so much about you from your parents over the last few years.”
“We go to the Ronsons’ house once a month for a dinner party.” His mother smiled with all her teeth. “And Walker is always there now that he’s joined on at the company.”
“Oh, that’s…nice.” Casey really didn’t know what else to say. His mother nudged him, and he smiled a little more widely, but he didn’t have anything to talk to Walker Ronson about. His stomach tightened. He wished like hell he was back in Joel’s mobile home, curled around his body under his sleep-warmed covers.
“So, how’s NYU treating you?” Walker asked after dismissing his caddy and motioning toward an empty table close to the bar.
“Great.”
Was he supposed to follow Walker? He glanced toward his mother, who made a shooing motion with her hand and winked at him. Then she turned on her heel and headed over to the bar. Grabbing a stool, she ordered a mimosa and an egg scramble.
Turning back, he found Walker holding out a chair for him. He searched his mind for any advice from his inner Ann about how to handle this situation, but she was strangely quiet. Casey accepted the seat with a low thanks and then took a menu from the server.
“I always enjoy their eggs Benedict,” Walker offered. “I hope you don’t mind that I chose the pro shop café instead of the upstairs luncheon room. Upstairs is the land of women and grannies. I prefer a man’s world. Especially when I’m meeting with another man.”
Casey cleared his throat. He was thrown. Walker talked as though Casey had agreed to be here with him. Was this a job interview or a date? Casey wasn’t sure what to make of the situation until Walker spoke again. Thankfully, it was about Casey’s post-college plans.
“Your dad tells us that you’re graduating soon and headed to Wharton for your master’s. That’s impressive. You’ll have plenty of companies begging for your application, no doubt, but hopefully you’ll consider us first? After all, your father’s been talking you up for years now. I know you’d hate to let him down.”
Casey wanted to ask if that was how Walker had chosen to work with his father? Had he felt obligated because of his father’s position? No doubt the opening salary for the son of the CEO wasn’t bad, either. “I haven’t quite decided how I want to move forward, actually. What made sense a year ago doesn’t seem as important to me now.”
“The fickleness of youth,” Walker said with a grin, as though he was that much older than Casey.
“Yes, well. Recently, I’ve been thinking about focusing my marketing and branding skills on smaller businesses. Marketing mom-and-pop stores, along with artists and creative types. I’d like to make a difference in what succeeds in an individual town’s landscape. That sort of thing.”
“Oh?” Walker leaned forward, his eyes taking on an interested gleam. “Tell me more about that. I admit I enjoy the way Knoxville has seen a rebirth of late, and I agree that much of it is due to the ingenuity and creativity of our local small-business owners.”
The rest of lunch passed almost painlessly. Walker Ronson wasn’t an asshole. In fact, he was easy to talk to and knew a lot about marketing, given that he was the marketing and branding director at his father’s company. When the time came to shake Walker’s hand and offer thanks for lunch, it was easy to say, “I hope to see you again sometime. Maybe before I leave town.”
“Yes, of course. Me too, Casey.”
It was also easy to ignore the way Walker’s hand lingered a bit too long in Casey’s own because obviously Walker was straight. He’d flirted with one of the waitresses after all.
But that misunderstanding was put to rest when he climbed into the passenger seat of his mother’s Mercedes. She laughed happily before declaring, “Well, that was an absolute success. Your father will be so pleased.”
“Does Walker have that much power at the company?”
She shook her head, laughing still, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, honey. You are so silly sometimes. Don’t you see? Your father’s been wanting to set you up with Walker since the week after Theo left.”
Casey’s stomach dropped. “Set me up? With Walker?”
His mother went on like she didn’t hear him. “But I told him the time wasn’t right. I admit I hoped Theo might return. But after our conversations since you arrived home and the way that you’ve been catting around after that Vreeland boy, it’s clear to me now. You’re ready to move on.”
“He’s gay?”
“Walker’s bisexual, dear, with a preference for men. At least, that’s what his mother told me.” Her voice caught fire with enthusiasm. “You have a real chance with him. I could tell he found you attractive. And why wouldn’t he? You’re handsome, sweet, and smart. I love you, so why wouldn’t he?”
“Mom, do you know what you’ve done?”
