Page 13 of The Boy from Half Moon

Alec tapped his wristwatch. “A bit slow on the service today, Todd,” he stated, glancing at me. I assumed to make sure I was paying attention to him. “Not the level of service I signed up for,” he added.

“I’m very sorry, Mr. Browning. Dave called in today and we are short-staffed,” he defended, laying two cocktail napkins on our table.

Alec pointed across the deck to a table of four. “I was here before they were, Todd,” he pointed out. “I don’t believe they’re gold members either, yet they all have drinks. Why is that?”

I literally wanted to melt into the wood decking. What a pompous asshole. “We aren’t in a hurry,” I added, hoping to diffuse an uncomfortable situation. Alec shot daggers at me.

Our server motioned toward the other table. “That is Councilman Hills, sir. I was told to greet him immediately,” Todd defended. “But you have my full attention now.”

Alec perked up instantly. “The Councilman Hills?” he asked, suddenly forgiving of the perceived slight. “The newest council member who sits on the Natural Lands Board?” Todd nodded. “Then, by all means, make sure his party’s entire check is charged to my account.”

“Very well, sir,” Todd replied.

“And make sure he knows who covered that check, Todd,” Alec added emphatically, with a wink.

We gave Todd our drink order, and he hurried away to fulfill them. “You know the councilman?” I asked.

“Not yet, but I will after today,” he replied, studying the group across the deck from us. “He could be a great asset for me to have as a friend.” I watched as Alec continued staring at the foursome. I could almost see his mind swirling with the excitement of another person being in his pocket.

Alec struck me as a social climber, which seemed odd considering his father’s law firm was worth millions and he owned half of the company. Eventually, I imagined, he’d be getting all of it. Witnessing his singular focus on the councilman spoke volumes about his personality. Like my ex, Alec appeared to be a collector of influential friends and associates, and I was reminded once again that I was not attracted to people like that.

“Thank you for the advice on the suites here,” I said, trying to shift the conversation to a more relatable subject. “I can hopefully move into my new loft in two weeks.”

“Why didn’t you pay cash for the unit so you could’ve closed quicker?” he asked, turning back to me. I shook my head like he had the wrong rich friend with him. “Any reason why?”

I let out a laugh. “Only one,” I began. “I don’t have a million in cash.”

“The firm could’ve fronted you the cash, Tate,” he stated. “We could’ve made it part of your compensation package and deduct the mortgage over time.”

“I couldn’t do that,” I insisted. “What if I don’t work out, or end up not liking living in Bend?”

“Trust me, you will on both counts. Besides, I have big plans for you, Tate,” he said. “Professionally and personally.”

“Personally?” I asked.

Alec grinned and reached across the table for my hand. “I’ve been waiting to meet a man of your caliber,” he began. “I see big things for the two of us in this town.”

Whereas I was flattered, we’d only just met, and I wasn’t sure I could or should date my boss. I knew the perils of such an arrangement and had heard many horror stories related to such relationships.

“You’ve just met me, Alec,” I reminded him. “Of course, I’m flattered, but I’m not looking for anything serious right now,” I added. “I’m finally getting to a good place after a year of grieving a failed relationship.”

“You just need to get to know me better,” he claimed. “And I can be very persuasive.”

“How about we work on being friends first?” I responded. “We can get to know one another and see where we stand after we establish a friendship.”

“Just a quick heads up, Tate,” he began. “You should know that I’m an impatient man. I see something I desire and I go for it.” He lifted his cocktail and took a sip, gazing at me over the rim of the glass. “And just so we’re reading from the same script, you’re on my radar and I usually get what I want.”

I knew better than to antagonize my boss or argue my point of caution where he and I were concerned, but the more he spoke, the less inclined I was to the idea of us dating. From what I’d witnessed thus far, a professional relationship would be a struggle, let alone a friendship or something more. I was usually drawn to strong men who went for what they wanted, but Alec had an aggressive, winner-takes-all edge about him that was unsettling to me.

And, of course, there was the boy at the bakery. He was too young, too inexperienced, too hidden, basically too everything, but for some reason, he was constantly on my mind.

CHAPTER EIGHT: Luke

I remained curled up on bales of hay, with my jeans at my ankles, staring into the dim interior of the barn’s loft. Small particles of dust and debris floated in the streaks of sunlight that made their way through the aging walls of the building. I numbly stared at the dust as I began to put myself back together again emotionally. Franklin had exhausted his needs and left me to get back to whatever else he did in his day.

I hated my weakness. The constant threat of abuse from a man who claimed to be a vessel of God was overwhelming. Was I the only one suffering at our leader’s hands or were others silently struggling as well? How long would he be wielding his power over me? I had many questions and miserably played them over in my mind after each experience. What Franklin did couldn’t be normal, yet he was the person God had appointed to lead our family of worshipers.

Standing up, I winced with pain from his brutal attack. I was a physically strong person, but I didn’t feel like a match for a man of Franklin’s size. I wasn’t a small man by any means, but he was at least four inches taller than me and had a minimum of another hundred-plus pounds on him. When I struggled to get away, he simply overpowered me. When I’d grown bigger and stronger, the ropes were introduced.

---