Page 54 of Besties
“Did you see these?”
He looked sort of green as his gaze darted over the screen. “What the absolute…. That’s not true. We pay everyone—from janitor to programmer—very well. Each person has two weeks’ worth of sick days to use, and those roll over every year. Some people will take a month’s vacation on accrued time. And not pay for overtime? That’s ridiculous. We pay double-time for anything over eight hours. And if we found out anyone was working off the clock, they’d be talked to about it. We want to succeed, but no way in hell will we let our people suffer to get things done.” He sighed. “What else did you find?”
It took everything in me to not jump up and hold him. But he needed to know what was happening, so I crushed it down as I turned to him “I’ve been researching, and it seems like there’s a concentrated effort to discredit Teaching Time.”
He came around the side of the table and slumped down in one of the chairs. He scrubbed a hand over his face, then turned a pleading gaze in my direction. “What do I do?”
“You start by addressing the accusations. Let the media know they’re baseless.”
“But these schools who think we did something wrong. They’re going to use that against us.”
I took his hand in mine. “They’ll try, but then they’ll also find out that you’re trying to make it right by setting up a computer lab and offering scholarships for those affected. We can fight this.”
He tightened his grip on my hand and pulled me to him. “I’m so glad you’re here.” He reached up and cupped my neck, dragging me down into a kiss. It was one borne of frustration and need, all teeth and tongue. “I need you, Max.” His voice was soft, plaintive. “Help me forget.”
“I’ll do anything I can, you know that.”
He drew in a sharp breath. “Then I want you to fuck me. I want you to get me out of my head.”
Now it was my turn to groan. I’d told him I would one day, if he wanted, but this wasn’t the time. “I don’t equate sex to problem-solving, and I know for a fact you don’t either. You’re hurt and angry and frustrated, but the Richie I know would grab the bull by the horns and wrestle it until it gave in. You’re not alone in this, you have to know that.”
He frowned. “No sex?”
“Not like this. I’d prefer anything we do to be from love, and I won’t have it tainted by using it to gloss over the bad things.” I’d done that enough in my life, and hated myself for it. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his chest. “Now come on, we have work to do.”
He sighed, but pulled up a chair and sat with me. I believe he was relieved, because he wanted sex to mean something too.
And I loved him too much to muddy those waters.
Chapter14
It was nearlyfour in the morning before he groaned, folded his arms, and dropped his head onto them. “What the hell did I do to piss someone off this much?”
More sites than we could count, more comments than seemed justified, and conspiracy sites that told “the truth” about Ryland Global had Richie sinking into depression. I couldn’t even find the strength to tell him we’d get through this, because whoever was doing it, they’d planned it out and were intent on trashing his reputation.
“Even if we prove this all to be false, coming back from this is going to be hard, if not impossible.”
That was something I could disagree with. “You’re going to roll over and let them walk on you? That’s not the Richie Ryland I knew. The one who fought with words instead of fists. The guy who talked bullies out of picking on other kids. The one who got me to listen enough to learn and get through school. That Richie Ryland might consider himself down, but he would never say he was out. What happened to that man? The one I fell in love with?”
His lip quivered just a bit. “And what about the Max Henry who thought he could fight his way out of anything?”
I reached for his hand. “I still believe it, but now I get the appeal of your way. This is a war of words, and my fists won’t solve anything.”
He drew in a deep breath. “Then what do you suggest we do?”
When he saw my blank stare, he frowned.
“We’re in this together, you know.”
“It’s your company. I can help, but—”
“No.” There was a set to his jaw and his eyes narrowed slightly. “This is going to take both of us working together, because after this whole thing with Kramer, I don’t know who I can trust anymore.”
Well, shit. Why hadn’t I seen this before? “I don’t think Kramer is to blame.”
Richie’s eyes went wide. “What?”
“When I went to see Sophie Phillips, she told a story that is completely contrary to what everyone else has said about Kramer. I had built him up to be this disgusting homophobic prick, who had no morals or scruples. The thing is, she tells a different story. According to her, he’s a devoted father of a gay son, has marched in Pride parades, and would do anything for his kid. She also told me she was dating him, and about how he’s changed over the last few months. Add to that, no one, his son included, has seen him for the last several weeks.”
