Chapter one
Jake
Skidding down a hallwaywas not exactly standard behavior in a big, fancy office building in downtown Manhattan, but Jake Rasmussen was already twenty minutes late, so he hardly cared as he skidded along the tiled floor, cracking his funny bone against the corner on his way to the meeting of a lifetime.
Multiple lifetimes, if he understood what was happening correctly.
When he saw meeting rooms—all glass-walled with views out over the cityscape of Manhattan—he slowed to a jog and wiped his forehead. Thank God there were no mirrors, so he couldn’t actuallyseehow much of a mess he’d made of himself just getting there.And all so I could bring donuts.He had the box tucked under his arm and hoped like hell everyone still likedthe same shit. It had been a couple years since the gang was all together, so maybe tastes had changed.
Meeting Room Three was brightly lit through the walls, the door ajar. Jake slicked his hair back out of his face with his free hand, stretched to crack his back, and marched inside. “I’m sorry, I know I’m late. I brought donuts.” He scanned the room for reactions…and saw the white paperboard box sitting open in the center of the table before he took in any of the actual faces. Whatever bakery they’d gone to, it was a hell of a lot nicer than his six-dollar dozen. Lots of flaky shit and intriguing, bright colors in the mix. “Great minds. Or something.” He gingerly set the box down next to the provided pastries.
“About time.” A clipped tenor hit his ears and Jake finally started to look around at the actual people. His eyes landed on a wiry white guy with dark hair buzzed short. He fixed a bland, unblinking gaze right on Jake. That, at least, hadn’t much changed.
“Ozzy. Sorry.” Jake shrugged and grinned, then inclined his head toward the box. “Donuts. You still like crullers?”
“I only eat processed sugar on Sundays.”
“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Jake grinned and swiped his hair back and considered what it would feel like if the floor just opened up beneath him and swallowed him whole.
“Lay off, Ozzy.” A burly Black woman rose from her seat, hair in a puffy bun, and waved him over to the seat next to her. “How you doing, doll?”
“Bunny.” Jake happily went to her and gave her a hug. “How’s Marv?”
“He’s fine. Got him through potty-training a month ago. Next time I see a diaper will be when I have grandkids if everything goes well.” She pulled back from the hug and grinned at him, then shot a thumb over her shoulder to Ozzy. “Don’t let him getyou down. That’s the kind of attitude you get when you go off sugar.”
Jake nodded, avoiding looking Ozzy’s way for any reaction, then turned to the others. Taking in the old crew was like stepping into an alternate universe, almost. Everything familiar, but just slightly off. He hadn’t seen most of the Pine Point Fixer Upper guys in about three years, with the exception of Bunny and a couple rounds of drinks with Mason right after they all split.
Mason, at least, was largely the same. Sun-kissed skin, a coif of brassy hair, and a round, jolly face. He nodded as soon as Jake made eye contact. “Good to see you. And relax. You’re not even the last one here.”
“We’re still two short. Somehow.” Aras had his arms folded across his chest, and a glare cut into his handsome, angular face. He shook his head, seemingly at no one. “Evander hasn’t deigned to make an appearance. Oh and, who was the other one? Right. The bigwig we’re all supposedly here to meet with. I’m sure that won’t cause any problems though.”
“Worst case scenario, we all got to see each other again.” Robinson had been soft-spoken as long as Jake could remember, and that hadn’t changed. In fact, more than anyone else, Robinson seemed to be identical to how Jake remembered him: muscular, blond buzz cut, deep blue eyes, and a general hanging dourness. Not enough to make him off-putting, but enough that Jake always wanted to give him a hug.
Then again, I am a hugger.
“Figures Evander wouldn’t show.” Ozzy snorted. “After we fly our asses all the way across the country, he couldn’t even be bothered to tell us not to make the effort.”
“I’m not going to listen to you bitch about your ex all day.” Aras brought the full force of his glare online and fixed it on Ozzy. “If he doesn’t show, I’ll moan about him then. Otherwise,we all need to keep friendly if we’re going to make this work.” Then he stood and reached across the table, pulling out one of the turnovers from the fancy box of pastries. “Eat the rich people’s food.”
“I don’t. Eat. Processed. Sugar.”
Aras said nothing, just took a big bite while staring directly at him.
Jake leaned in close to Bunny, hoping he could stay quiet enough not to make this conversation public. “How bad is it?”
“Rough edges. Shit’s not going to hit the fan until Evander shows up. If Evander shows up.” She subtly shifted her eyes toward Ozzy. “First time they’ll be together since the breakup.”
“Expect fireworks. Got it.” Jake shifted his gaze over to Mason. “So, anything more you can tell us about this whole thing?”
“Not really. I CC’d all of you into the email chain. This Eliza Kaplan wants to talk about an opportunity with Homescapes TV. Threw some big numbers around. Some actual backing.”
“And she wants all of us, and Evander isn’t here.” Ozzy threw his arms up. “So how’s this all going to work out? Not likely he’s going to belaterthan Jake. No one ever is.”
Jake didn’t look at him, just smiled and grabbed the nearest pastry to stuff into his mouth. Some flaky, buttery thing.Do I really want to commit to being back with him all the time?
“So sorry, everyone.” A light, sharp voice came from the door into the meeting room and all heads turned. A markedly thin woman in a black suit stepped in, carrying a cardboard carafe of coffee in one hand and a bottle of creamer in the other. She was already pale, and her waves of black hair and her black suit only amplified the pallor. She set the coffee and creamer down on the table, then nodded.
But she didn’t get any words out before another figure followed behind, carrying cups and straws and an armful of paperwork, as well as a messenger bag hanging around hisneck. He had deeply bronzed skin and a very angular face, with brassy waves of hair sweeping back from his face, topped with large, round sunglasses. Evander changed his look up every few months, so that, at least, wasn’t a surprise.
