Page 19 of Lost Little Boy
“Me. And I’ll list myself as your emergency contact in your file. You have my phone number already, and I have yours. I’d like you to start texting me when you leave work and when you get home. Same thing when you leave your apartment in the morning and when you get to work. I want to know where you are, sweet boy, not because I’m some crazy stalker, but because I care about you and want to be sure you’re okay. If you need anything, you let me know immediately.”
I was sure my eyes were the size of dinner plates. “Whywould I do that?” I already took up enough of his time. I refused to take upmore.
Wex closed the laptop and stood, grabbing his suitcoat fromthe back of his door. “Because I want to know that you’re okay. It’s importantto me that you are healthy and happy, Perry. Now, time’s gotten away from me.Let’s go. I’ll take you to your apartment to change, and we’ll talk more on theway to mine. I need to change and call one of my reps who is in Uganda on abuying trip, so I’ll wait in the car at your apartment. Now, let’s go.”
Why did I follow him to the supply closet to get my backpack and go to his car? It was as though he’d hypnotized me and I didn’t wantto upset him.
When we arrived at my apartment building, I hopped out. “You’ll wait here?”
Wex grinned and held out the keys. “I’m not going anywhere, sweet boy. You can take the keys if you don’t trust me.”
I rolled my eyes. I’d never met anyone like him.
After going inside, I ran up the stairs to my floor and let myself into the apartment. I hurried to the solarium where I slept on the pullout couch and closed the sliding glass door and the blinds. I hid my new toys behind the couch with the other things Wex had given me and grabbed a change of clothes. I hurried into the bathroom, not noticing any sounds from my roommates, and I took a fast shower.
I glanced in the mirror and decided I didn’t have time to shave, so I opened my toiletry kit that I kept on a shelf over the toilet, sliding on deodorant and putting a little product in my wild hair. I combed it and dressed as quickly as possible.
I went to my room to hang my towel and washcloth over the closet door to dry, and I put on my socks and sneakers. When I stepped out of my room, I nearly ran down my roommate, Shane.
“Where you off to? Nora and I were going to order Thai food. We figured you’d want in.” He wasso smug I wanted to punch him. I was sure I’d break my hand because I had no idea how to hit anyone, but Shane pissed me off.
“No, thank you. I have a date.” I didn’t think it was too far from the truth.
I wasn’t sure what was going on with Wex and me, but I’d never tell Shane Mills or Nora Lake anything about my personal life. I paid my share of the rent, and that was as far as my interaction with them went.
“Oh? Paid or unpaid?” Shane turned to Nora who was sitting in the living room on the couch with a green mask on her face. They both laughed.
“Nobody’s paying anybody for anything. I gotta go.” I walked down the hallway until Shane grabbed the back of my T-shirt.
I turned to see what he wanted. “It’s a shame it’s not paid. Our rent went up a hundred and fifty bucks. You owe fifty more come June first.”
My third of our rent was now eleven hundred dollars, which seemed high, considering the apartment we had and the idea that I slept on the pullout couch in the solarium off the living room. “I’ll have it.”
I rushed down the stairs and out the front door. Wex was standing outside the car, staring at the building. I looked up at the picture window of our apartment to see Nora and Shane staring back at us.
“Can I ask a favor? Will you kiss me?”
Wex didn’t say a word, pulling me into his arms and brushing his lips over mine before sweeping his tongue over the seam. I opened without hesitation, and he kissed the living daylights out of me.
When Wexler Grassley pulled away, he pecked my lips twice before his face lit up in a big smile, surprising me. “I’ve been waiting for that since the day I met you, sweet boy.”
Stunned. I was beyond stunned, but that didn’t stop me from diving in for another kiss. I had no idea what Wex saw in me, but I was going to take the chance to kiss him again if he’d let me.
He did!
Chapter Ten
Wex
Earlier in the day…
“Dad, you wanted to see me. What’s up?” I walked into my father’s office before going to collect Perry for the soccer game. Knowing my father, he wanted me to do something I wouldn’t want to do, but I’d do him the courtesy of hearing himout.
“Wex, my boy. How was your day? I had a chat with Nancy earlier, and she told me about the Richard Jenkins issue. Nasty business when someone says something they didn’t think through.” He stepped from around his desk and sat in the chair beside me.
“Well, if people didn’t have racist, bigoted, sexist thoughts, it wouldn’t be an issue, would it? Nance said she was going to fire him. Did you talk her out of it?” I wouldn’t be surprised.
My father rolled his eyes. “You really think the worst of me, don’t you? Nance wanted to demote him and give him another chance after his admin leave is over, but I overrode her decision and called him to say we’ll be sending his things home. He’s fired, and if he tries to file a suit, I’ll unleash the lawyers on him.”
