Page 37 of Phoenix Rising
It wasn’t as though I wanted to be at work on a Friday afternoon when both me and Burton should be naked with our man. At my suggestion we skip work, Phoenix raised an eyebrow and shook his head, so I’d given up on the idea. I’d bitched enough about the paperwork I put off for weeks, so both of us understood it couldn’t wait any longer.
Making the mistake of glancing at the clock, fuck, it was only three. I sighed and started reviewing the numbers, matching them with the materials list for each job. If they did, I’d approve it for payment. I knew I had talented accountants on my payroll, but some things I would never let out of my control.
“What the fuck?” Burton growled.
It was the tone of voice which B used whenever Phoenix was under threat which made me surge to my feet and stride to thedoor. My steps faltered when I noticed Hale Aalto standing at our PA’s desk, pounding his fist against the surface, his face red and splotchy.
Before I stepped in and threw the fucking man out on his ass, Drew stood and leaned forward, not at all intimidated by the last asshole we expected to see.
“If you would lower your voice, you’ll notice both Mr. Horváth and Mr. Kavka are standing to your right. They have a free moment until three-thirty, so if you’d ask in a civilized tone, I’m sure they would make time for you.”
B scoffed. “The fuck we will!”
Then, as shocking as the man showing up at our offices, which until that moment, I would’ve bet money he thought we worked out of our garage without staff, was the smile plastered on his face as he noticed both of us standing there.
“Just the men I was looking for,” Aalto said.
B and I shared a look before I crossed my arms and stared down at the slimy man.
How Phoenix became the beautiful, giving, and sweet man he was today was a testament to the man himself, and had nothing to do with his father. Hale had an angle, wanting to find some way to hurt Phoenix, and until I understood his plan and figured out a way to dismantle it, I would not say shit. B didn’t have that problem.
“It’s rude to drop in without an appointment, isn’t it, Aalto? And then yelling at Drew when you didn’t get your way,” he shook his head and scoffed. “Then taking advantage of the situation because you made enough of a scene we stepped out of our office makes me want to say no.”
The desperation etched on his face made me suspicious instead of feeling any sympathy for the conniving bastard.
“Five minutes of your time is all I ask,” he said.
“Ask us with the courtesy we deserve, then,” B demanded.
Ignoring the back and forth, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text message.
How’s your day going, Sunshine?
For several seconds, I held my breath before he replied.
I’m ass-deep in a new croissant recipe and it’s not going well. The fruits are too wet, which I thought about making a jam, but once heated, oozes everywhere. And now I’m getting hard.
Unable to hide my smile, I glanced up to see the standoff still going on. B gave me a side-eye, but I nodded, letting him know our man was okay.
We’ll be over after an impromptu meeting with Hale. And I promise tonight we’ll act out every dirty thought you had today. We both love you, Sunshine.
There was a long pause. I held the weight of the world on my shoulders as I waited with bated breath for a response.
A minute later, the reply came.
I love you two more than the world. Tell Burton not to hit him. He’s not worth it. And Luka, lover, I’m not freaking out. The news was surprising, that’s all. I’ll see you soon. Back to the runny pastry!
The confidence our Phoenix gained over the months was awe-inspiring. Especially after both B and I admitted whenever we were together how much we loved him. There were moments of self-doubt and internal struggles, but we encouraged himto talk about whatever bothered him and when he voiced his worries, his insecurities disappeared.
On top of his breakthrough, the weekend of the street fair went off without a hitch.
It seemed half the population of Boston dropped by and we received over a hundred thousand signatures on a petition to stop gentrification in the neighborhood.
The restaurants did steady business while shops like Fergus’ and even Cindi’s jewelry shop were a hit.
And Phoenix and his team handed out so many samples, so he recruited us to bake. Well, mix batter as Phoenix directed us what to do before taking over when we were too slow. But despite that, it was a successful day.
Even better news came yesterday. The historical society had determined they will investigate if several of the buildings on the street qualify for historical status. If so, then Hale’s plans would fail before he started.
