Page 21 of Havoc
They were alone again, and silence filtered between them. Remy drowned it out by looking over his menu, and Lawrence did the same. When he decided what he wanted, he looked up and found Lawrence looking at him.
“Tell me, what made you go into sales?” Remy asked.
“My mom used to say I could sell ice to a polar bear and fire in hell. It was something I was good at, and I enjoyed it. When I got my first job as a teenager, it was in a shopping mall, and we made a commission on our sales. I knew then it was what I wanted to do,” Lawrence responded. “What about you? Was business always the plan?”
“Sort of. Initially, I pursued a business degree to go hand in hand with a law degree focused on contract law. I planned on opening my own firm. But I discovered I enjoyed the business aspect more, and when I landed the job at Cayman Industries, it made sense to stick with it. I’m good at what I do, I enjoy it, and it’s lucrative.”
“The trifecta. It’s always good when those three things align.”
“I have a question. I’d heard of Global Technologies before we met but didn’t know what they sold. By the name, one would think it created software used in daily life or something similar,” Remy stated. “But it isn’t. So, why that name?”
“Technically, it is used in daily life for several people,” Lawrence pointed out. “But when they first launched, they aimed to create smart software that powered appliances. The focus shifted when one of the founding engineer’s family members was diagnosed with kidney failure. They realized they had the technology to help make life better for others. The name had already been chosen, and they stuck with it.”
That made sense. They were already creating under that name, and Lawrence was right. What they were doing still fell under their original umbrella, but the focus had changed.
“Do you have any siblings?” Remy asked, moving to another topic.
“Nope. I was blessed to be an only child.”
Remy smirked at him. “So, you’re spoiled.”
“Not at all. What about you?”
“I’m also an only child.”
“I would ask, but I get the feeling you prefer to do the spoiling,” Lawrence said.
“It should be more than a feeling since you’ve experienced it firsthand.”
When Lawrence cleared his throat, Remy refrained from smirking again, and when he changed the subject, Remy allowed it. “So, I need to be honest with you,” Lawrence started. “Your revelation in the elevator took me a little by surprise.”
“Did it?”
Lawrence nodded. “I assumed that you were bisexual.”
“Why is that?” Remy was genuinely curious as to why Lawrence had made that assumption. They hadn't spoken about their exact orientations, so he couldn't blame him too much for it.
“It was a feeling I got, what your aura told me, and I'm usually right, but I'm glad I was wrong this time.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes,” Lawrence responded with a nod. “It means one less gender I have to worry about.”
“There isn't anyone you need to worry about as long as you want to be here.”
The server returned with their drinks, and both men placed their orders. Remy wondered how much of the night Lawrence would spend playing shy with him.
Lawrence watched Remy as he leaned back in his chair. They'd just finished dinner, and he debated whether he wanted dessert. Well, dessert in the food sense because he was, in fact, hungry for a different type altogether.
While they ate, they’d talked, getting to know one another better. The night before, Remy made it clear that their relationship could be one of more than just sex if that's what Lawrence wanted. So, he didn't see the harm in trying it and getting to know one another. He discovered that Remy was thirty-six, seven years older than he was.
Lawrence typically didn’t date men much older than him, but there was a first time for everything, and he felt he wouldn't be disappointed. He attributed Remy’s age to the way he made Lawrence feel. Though he knew that wasn't always the case. His friend Colbie’s relationship was proof of that.
“Would you like dessert?” Remy inquired as his eyes came up to meet Lawrence’s.
“I haven't decided yet,” Lawrence responded.
“Something tells me that's not quite true,” Remy replied.
