Page 28 of Tied

Tyler

It’s Sunday. Early brunch with the usual suspects.

As always, Jim and Charlie have pre-arranged our table at their restaurant. It’s overflowing with morsels. Their wild children are running around, hiding under tables, playing drums with the flatware, and keeping the wait staff in need of hair color products. Jax and Troy are walking in with oversized sunglasses on, hand in hand, expecting us to be silent as the night. Tig is juggling the baby and the door as his wife steps through with their middle child in her arms.

“Fell asleep again?” I ask, hoping to help her with the heavy burden. The kid weighs a ton when he’s dead asleep.

“Yeah.” Passing him over like a game of hot potato, Tessa visibly relaxes once the sixty something pounds is off her shoulders. Their oldest, Madex, is working at one of Jim’s other restaurants on weekends as a busboy. He’s doing great, but that means she and Tig have to bring Corla and Grantly when their nanny has the morning off on Sundays.

“She sleeping through the night yet?” I ask Tessa, taking a seat at the large round booth.

“Yeah, Corla is doing great. Now if I could get Grantly to sleep in, I’d be fantastic. Not happening though, as he’s just too busy. How’s work, Ty?”

“Good…yeah, good,” I say, detached.

“That sounds like sure, fine, kinda. What’s going on, Ty?”

Shaking it off, I give her a fake grin. “Work’s great. Just interesting.” Breaking down the whole fiasco on Friday and Saturday with the governors, taking Governor Rock to the club, and the crazy shit that’s gone on since, she listens intently. I’ve always loved how Tessa and Tig fit in with us. At first, I wasn’t the easiest guy to get along with. Too many shards of my heart on the ground behind me, like pulled entrails, but Tessa can be attentive and understanding of me and my explosive relationships, or non-relationships, as they are.

“So, what’s he like?”

“Who?”

“Governor Rock?”

Shrugging my shoulders, I adjust Grantly so that he’s laying across my lap. “He’s an imposing man.”

“How so?”

“Well first, he’s married, and as soon as we got through the doors of the club, he propositioned me. Then I see him, trying to act like he isn’t watching my every move, though I know he is. Thing is, as soon as he found out I wasn’t available, he moved on to an easier target, I guess. He seems fickle. The whole country knows how well his last date went over.”

“So you’re sorry for him? Or disappointed?”

“Not a problem of mine. He’s not my husband. He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Would you like it if he were?”

“No. Definitely not.”

She doesn’t believe me. “Really?”

“What does it mean to me? He’s not staying in New York, he has to get home.”

“Do you wish he was?”

“What, staying?” I brush it off. “No, not at all. I like fidelity. I doubt he has that characteristic.” Shifting Grantly, as my arm is now asleep, I try to change the subject. “New topic. How’s the book going?” I ask her, hoping to deflect the interest of my sex life.

“Good. I have a publisher now. They’re looking at setting up a tour after Corla is old enough for me to leave her with the nanny for a few nights.”

Cutting in, Jim beams with excitement for our friend. “That’s great, Tes. I’m so proud of you.” He gives her a monster hug, the likes of which only Jim and his over-the-top personality can give. His smile is honest and pure.

Releasing her and standing back up, Jim checks his watch. “We’re just waiting on Julia and Rush, then we’ll start. Any requests today?”

We don’t differ from our usual meals often, but Jim has learned to ask over the years just in case we’re feeling experimental. “Could I have the avo-bennies today instead of granola?” I ask.

“Totally. I’ll let the chef know. Anyone else?” The rest answer, smile, or wave off the changes before Jim heads off for the kitchen. The restaurant has people in place to do those things, but he loves the hands-on feel of Sundays with us.

The door opens. “Look what I found on the street!” Julia shouts as she and Rush pop through. Turning on the seat to look around Tessa, I see they have another in their twosome.

Chris.

Nibbling the inside of my cheek, I nervously torture my lip as I rest back on the chair…

Hiding.

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