Bitter & Sweet

21. Sweetness

Six Months Later

Beam's POV

Pha and Yo were making me sick. Honestly, even though Pha was happier than I'd ever seen him and I was thrilled for Yo, those two were making me almost regret helping them get back together. Yo had always been sweet, but suddenly Pha was sweet too. They were walking around in this haze of sugary confection and we were all in danger of getting cavities. Even Forth, who never had a problem with public displays, was getting annoyed at their over the top affection.

It wasn't just the overload of sweetness though. Their wedding was only two days away and their kisses were in danger of melting the floor around them. I love sex, and Forth was perfect in bed, so I had nothing to complain about, but I was constantly surprised that there weren't scorch marks all over the furniture in Pha's office. As their wedding came closer, his office was locked more often than not.

That was a problem for me. Not because I didn't want Pha to be able to get laid, but because I had to finish my work before I could go home to Forth and get laid myself. After Pring left, Forth started working with Pha in a tentative partnership. Forth left most of his work at his advertising agency to Kit, who was moving into a managerial position and doing really well.

Yo was still acting as Pha's personal assistant, but Pha had Ming take care of most of the office duties so Yo was just handling his personal calendar, taking phone calls, and making notes of what needed to be done. Yo had agreed to stay for one more year, because after that he'd need to start taking over part of his father's duties at their family company. Pha had argued that they were getting married, so Yo should stay with him, but in the end, he had to give up because Yo was the only child and there was no one else to take over.

It seemed that Nate and her fiancé, Suthee, were both going to work in the medical field. Her family ran a company that owned several hospitals and Suthee was studying to become a doctor. Since she was Yo's only cousin and he had no other extended family, he had to take over his father's company sooner or later. Luckily, it seemed that Yo was happy to do so and was already making his father proud by suggesting some interesting changes to the family business that were sure to be good for profits, as if his family needed more money.

I was proud to see that Yo was really finding himself. He was handling his responsibilities in our company and at his father's with composure, intelligence, and relative ease. It seemed that once he began to believe in himself, Yo was even more competent than his earlier work had led me to believe.

I knocked on Pha's door, two last minute things to discuss before we all took off a few days for the wedding and the happy couple left on their honeymoon. A minute passed, I knocked again, and then a muffled thump sounded from the other side of the door. I tried to open it, hoping no one was hurt, but it was locked, again.

The door pulled open and Pha was standing there with messy hair, swollen lips, and trying desperately to finish buttoning his shirt. He gave me an angry glare, showing me just how displeased he was to be interrupted, but asked with a calm voice, "What can I do for you?"

"I need you to sign these before you leave," I said, handing him the files and checking my list. "Pring called again, she wants you to reconsider her proposal. Yo's father called as well. He wants to remind you that he expects Yo home in time for his bachelor party tonight. He said, and I quote, 'Don't make my son late again and no more hiding in his room until he goes to bed. You aren't fooling anyone.'"

"Damn that man," Pha swore but then looked repentant when Yo swatted the back of his head.

"Don't talk about my dad that way," Yo said. He smiled at me, looking far more composed than Pha had when he came to the door. "I was just heading out. You're coming tonight, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't miss it," I said honestly. I'd been to Pha's bachelor party which had included a stripper until Pha had ordered the poor girl out with his eyes covered while Ming and Forth laughed their asses off. They didn't get to laugh last though, since Kit and I planned the party and knew exactly who to blame for her unexpected attendance. I was sure there wouldn't be any strippers at Yo's party. Suthee would never do anything to upset Nate and Ming was still in trouble with Kit over Pha's stripper.

"Why does he get to go to your party?" Pha asked, still begging to be allowed to come.

"Because he's my friend and because he didn't invite the stripper," Yo gave Pha a quick kiss on the cheek on his way out the door, but Pha followed him, whining.

"I didn't invite her, baby," Pha said, his voice sounding worried. "That was Ming and Forth! And I didn't look, I kept my eyes covered until she left."

Pha followed Yo all the way back to his office and would have followed him as he left, if I hadn't reminded him about the work that had to be done. Poor Pha looked like he wanted to cry when Yo left him behind. He turned to me with a frown, "You have the worst timing ever."

"You really shouldn't keep having sex in your office," I said, rolling my eyes at his impatience.

"We aren't. He won't ever let me," Pha took the files I gave him to his desk and started to sign all the places I indicated.

"Then what are you upset about? It's not like you were going to get laid anyway," I replied heartlessly.

"I would have this time!" he whisper-yelled angrily. "I was so close. I was halfway to getting his pants off, but when you knocked he pushed me right onto the floor."

I laughed. Maybe that wasn't a very friendly attitude, but it was funny and I couldn't stop myself. When he growled at me like an angry dog, I stopped laughing and put my hands up in surrender, "What do you want me to tell Pring?"

Pha handed the signed papers back to me and said, "Tell her I'm not interested and to stop pestering me. I've already made arrangements with her father to do any work we still have with them through another representative, so there's no reason for her to keep contacting me."

"She's not going to give up," I said, checking off the last things on my list. I just had to turn in these files and I was on my way to get ready for the party tonight.

"Then block her calls," Pha said, annoyance clear in his voice. "Tell them to refuse all her calls. I don't want her to be able to contact anyone in this company, especially not Yo."

"Are you sure that's not going too far?"

"I'm sure. She left a message for him last week."

"Shit, what did she say? Was Yo upset?" That bitch just couldn't accept defeat gracefully.

"Actually Yo wasn't upset at all. He just shrugged his shoulders and deleted the message," Pha said, smiling. "But even if he doesn't listen to her vitriol anymore, I don't want him to have to hear it. Blocking her calls is the best option."

I looked at Pha's smile and thought about all the changes he'd been making. He'd been my best friend since childhood, and I'd never seen him this contented or so much in love. I might complain about all the bliss he's gushing, but honestly, I was happy for him.

"Well, I've got to get going, boss," I said, turning for the door. "I've got a party tonight."

I ignored Pha's swearing and laughed under my breath. Pha was so whipped.