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I’ve read this chapter… And reread it… And reread it… And I’m pretty sure that it sucks but I don’t know. I’m suffering from ‘I Think I Suck’ disease so I can’t even tell…
If it does suck, just don’t say anything…
Gosh, I am just a bottle of sunshine today…
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So, seduce his boss.
There’s a number of things wrong with that plan.
1. His boss is married.
2. His boss has had four kids with the woman he married.
3. It’s his boss.
4. His boss is very much straight, even if he’s a total tease.
But Ced said it may go better than he expects so the pros and cons are weighing up pretty evenly.
Richie laughed at his mental sarcasm and shook his head. He didn’t even know why he was thinking about this. He already decided to not do it. Sure, that’s the cowardly path but it’s also the moral one. This wasn’t exactly a situation to conveniently forget morals.
“Hey, Rich, what are you thinking about?”
Richie realized that he was staring at a blank screen and looked up at Greg. “Oh, nothing,” he sighed, “Nothing at all.”
“It doesn’t seem like nothing,” Greg said with obvious concern. “What’s up?”
“It’s nothing,” Richie smiled reassuringly, “But thanks for asking, Greg.”
“No problem. If you ever need to talk, I’m always here. Even if it’s about the cute boy you’re interested in,” Greg winked playfully.
Richie laughed, “I wouldn’t force you to listen to me fawn over a boy. Besides, I can fawn over him as much as I want but that doesn’t mean I’ll get him.”
Greg smirked knowingly, “Delroe?”
“Shut up,” Richie pouted, “How did you know?”
Instead of answering, Greg laughed and shook his head. “I’m not going to tell you not to go for him but tread carefully.”
“You actually think I should try,” Richie asked, shocked.
“Yeah, why not?”
“Um, he’s married for starters.”
Greg snorted, “That’s not exactly working out.”
“He’s straight?”
He shrugged, “I have a feeling Delroe never really labeled his sexuality. Everyone else did.”
“Why would you say that?”
“This is just a speculation but usually people who are indifferent about the sexuality of others are indifferent about their own.”
“Oh.” Richie sat in near trepidation, “You’re basically telling me that I have no reason not to try.”
Greg nodded, “Pretty much.”
“No, no, no,” Richie shook his head frantically, “I can’t. What if… What if I ruin his life? Get his kids ripped away from him?”
Greg sighed, “There’s going to be risk if he does agee to be in a relationship with you and he knows that. Why don’t you let him decide whether he’s going to take them or not?”
“Because,” Richie set his eyes on the ground, “I don’t want to be a risk.”
“Oh,” Greg immediately softened and thought about what he could say next. This wasn’t exactly a simple situation no matter how much he tried to insist it was. He could easily see both Tyler and Richie getting hurt if they pursued a relationship. However, he grew up believing that true love defeats all. Maybe they weren’t in love quite yet but they would be soon. Or maybe he was being ridiculously optimistic but he couldn’t help thinking that they would have that happily ever after. A humble beauty like Richie and a, well, beast like Tyler were bound to have a happy ending. “I’ll put it this way. If you truly like each other then no witch curse or angry villagers can tear you apart.”
Richie quirked an eyebrow, “If you put it that way then I can’t really disagree… I guess.”
Greg bit his lip nervously, “I better get back to work. I’ll talk to you later.”
Richie nodded, still looking at him oddly, “Okay, see you later.”
Sending him one last smile, Greg turned around and walked away. As he made his way back to his desk, one thought went through his head. “I can’t believe I got away with saying something so lame.”
At one point throughout the day, Richie decided that he would ask if he has a chance. Asking would be harmless enough. It’s not pressuring him or forcing him to make a decision. Just alerting him to his options.
Okay, maybe not options since Richie would never consider himself to be an option but he should know that the guy he drives back and forth has a huge crush on him.
Richie took a deep breath as they pulled into his apartment parking lot. Tyler parked and waited for Richie to hop out as usual.
“Um, Tyler,” Richie cursed his weak, spineless voice.
Tyler watched him curiously. “Yes, Richie?”
“I was just wondering,” he couldn’t believe he was going to ask this, “If you’re strictly straight.”
Tyler stared at him. Uncomfortable, Richie shifted around in his seat, his eyes fell to his fidgeting hands, as he waited in breathless anticipation for the answer. Or for the laughter. He was pretty sure Tyler was going to laugh in his face for even asking.
“No,” Richie’s head snapped up to see an extremely uncomfortable Tyler, “I’ve never been strictly straight, I’ve just liked women more.”
“Oh,” the word was whispered and filled the entire car before a silence fell.
“Yeah,” Tyler finally broke the silence, “Oh… Why do you ask?”
“Oh,” this time the word was full of embarrassment. Richie tried to grasp something else to say but he never thought he’d get this far. He was totally unprepared.
“Would this have something to do with the other day?” Tyler asked sincerely. “You’re seriously attracted to an old guy with kids?”
“You’re not old,” Richie argued timidly, “And I love kids.”
Tyler snorted, “Oh yeah, forgot about that. So you want to try having something between us?”
Richie nodded shyly.
“Okay,” Tyler smiled, “I’d be lying if I said that never crossed my mind.”
The rolling waves of shock rendered Richie speechless. A few garbles of unintelligible words left his mouth but nothing more. What was he supposed to say? He honestly expected from the bottom of his heart to be shot down. Tyler was being too accommodating. He should have put up some type of obstacle. Getting what he wanted too easily was beyond frightening for Richie.
Tyler snickered, “Okay, I see you’re a bit out of your depth right now. Why don’t we try this?” He leaned forward, his gaze was directed to Richie’s near quivering lips.
Richie’s heart stopped as he noticed Tyler come closer, his eyes darkening with lust. His breathing picked up and excitement and fear blossomed in the pit of his stomach. He watched Tyler’s eyes close and felt his own began to flutter.
That’s when he found another obstacle.
“You’re married,” Richie suddenly exclaimed, “You can’t do this to your wife.”
Tyler sighed and sat back up, “It’s not like she’s not cheating on me.”
“But two wrongs don’t make a right.” He was desperate.
“But two rights don’t get me off,” Tyler replied mockingly.
“Is that what you want your kids to learn?”
“My kids happen to not be here in case you haven’t notice.”
“I don’t want to be your secret.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell my wife all about you once I get home.”
“What about the work rule, no relationships?”
“That’s just designed to keep negative feelings out of the work place. Those people who can’t get over a break up don’t work well with the people they broke up with.”
“Why are you so eager? Why do you think that we’ll work out?”
Tyler looked about ready to rip out his hair, “Because I’ve been thinking for a while that I’d do you. Now you’re putting yourself on a platter for me so I might as well bite.”
Richie glared at him, “Can’t you put that a bit more elegantly?”
“Fine,” Tyler huffed, “You want elegant? How about I can’t get you out of my head? I can’t help feeling happy everytime I hear you laugh. I want to kiss you whenever I see you smile. I want to put my arms around you and just feel your presence. I’ve even imagined you hanging out around the house with me and my kids like it’s the most natural thing in the world. You would, without a doubt, be the best choice I made in my life.”
Richie couldn’t breath. He didn’t want to break the spell.
“I know, I’m married,” Tyler continued, “It’s hard to forget but it was never going to last. I was too young and stupid to realize that. I just haven’t had a reason to end the charade. You can be my reason. You can be the game changer. You’re the one who can change everything for the better.”
Richie couldn’t breath. “What about your kids?”
“What about them? Last time I checked, you loved kids.”
“They won’t mind having me around?”
Tyler thought about it, “I doubt it. They can be fairly ‘go-with-the-flow’ type of kids when they want to be. They won’t make a big deal of it.”
“Okay,” Richie finally allowed a giddy smile break through, “I would love to be in a relationship with you.”
Tyler sighed, “I can not believe you made me convince you. I think you hurt my pride.”
Richie shook his head at him, “You mean your ego.”
“Whatever you want to call it, as long as I can do this,” Tyler swooped down and caught Richie’s lips in a kiss. For a moment, Richie allowed himself to be lost in the kiss. He kissed back with the same feverish intensity that Tyler kissed him with but he knew they were going to have to stop. He didn’t want to but his morals were like cymbals clashing in his ear.
“I’m sorry,” Richie pulled back, panting softly, “Maybe we can try this again after you’ve divorce her.”
Tyler groaned, “But that could take forever.”
Richie smirked, “And you better start now then.”
Tyler groaned but didn’t argue. As much as he hated the stance Richie was taking, he had to respect it. “Fine.”
“Thank you,” Richie kissed him on the cheek before climbing at the car and practically floating up to his apartment. Why wouldn’t be floating? Everything that he said would never happen just happened. His every insecurity was put to rest. Now all he had to do was conveniently forget that maintaining a relationship is harder than starting one.
Tyler was greeted home by the television playing one of the kids’ cartoons loudly. Loud enough to shake the foundations of the house. There was no way he was going to have this conversation with Spongebob playing in the background so he marched into the family room and turned the volume down. He looked at his kids and challenged calmly, “Turn the TV up again and see what happens.”
They all nodded frantically, the threat not lost on them.
“Good.”
He walked up the stairs and went into his wife’s study and closed the door behind him. “Sarah.”
She sighed and closed her laptop. “Tyler. Is this about the thing with Troy?”
Tyler said thoughtfully, “Sort of. I do want to talk to you about the kids.”
“Good because I want to talk to you about them too and I want to you to not say a word until I’m done.”
Not how he planned this but he could make it work. “Okay, go ahead.”
“Tyler, I’m tired of being a mom and that’s why you probably want to tell me that I haven’t been a very good one. It was great at first, showering a baby girl with affection but I think you saw what happened. It became tiring, then we lowered our guard and ended up with Venus. God was punishing us when we contracted Troy and Bonnie was the moment I could see hell opening up for me. It’s too much pressure. I miss living for me. I miss being able to go to my room, close my door and being left in peace. I thought it was just temporary, something every parent goes through, but it’s not. I’m tired of waking up and getting the kids ready for school and I’m tired of being married. I want to be my own person again.”
This… Was scarily convenient. “You want to get a divorce.”
“I want to forget about this life. I don’t want kids anymore.” No, this wasn’t convenient. It was fucking abandonment.
“Sarah, you do know that they’re not puppies, right? You can’t just sell them when it gets too hard to take care of them. You can leave me, say you never even loved me, but don’t you dare turn your back on your kids.”
Sarah’s eyes hardened as she glared at him, “You can handle being a single father.”
“You don’t fucking get it, do you?” Tyler couldn’t believe his ears. She couldn’t be that ridiculous, “Did you ever fucking get it? Has this always been a game to you? You can’t tell me that you don’t want our kids then walk the fuck out. You’re their mother, whether I like it or not and they’re going to need you while growing up. God dammit, they need you now, Sarah. This isn’t a job you can resign from.”
“I’m sorry, Tyler, but I’ve already decided.” Sarah stood and threw her laptop into her bag. “I’ll send the divorce papers over to you. Bye Tyler.” She picked up a couple of suitcases that Tyler hadn’t even noticed sitting beside her desks.
That’s how she left. With everything she wanted packed into a bag and everything she hated about her life left in her dust. That’s what broke Tyler. The fact that everything that he built up in the last eleven years meant nothing to the woman he shared it with.
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