My Best Friends Brother

Chapter 44

"Okay Mom, you know I love you but I'm going to be late for this meeting. I'm glad you guys are having fun but stay safe alright?"

Mom has been chatting about her latest cruise for over a fucking hour, I managed to have a shower, get dressed and drive here but she still hasn't relented once. Her and my aunt hardly touch US soil anymore, apparently cruise ships are basically floating sex-hotels that take you to a new country every few days and are littered with enough young cougar meat to keep them both satisfied for months.

"I think I'm a bit old for the pregnancy talk Elmo, besides, the condoms are free on board."

I really didn't fucking need to know that.

"We're going to be at sea for another three days so not sure when I'll have signal again, just wanted to check in with my boy. How are things with my little genius? That disgusting thing he calls a mother drunkenly fallen down the stairs and caved her own head in yet?"

To say my mother wasn't a fan of Chrissy would be the understatement of the decade. She really fucking hates her, and nobody can blame her for that. My mother and Steve have grown closer since she left my father, she considers him her son as much as she does me now, and watching how hurt he was after what Chrissy did, it's something my mother will never be able to forgive.

It doesn't stop her idolising Liam though, she's the closest thing that boy has to a grandmother and she practically worships the ground he walks on. My mom was quite the shy kid too by all accounts so I think she sympathises with how sensitive Liam is.

"Unfortunately not, the social worker was supposed to ring me last night but didn't bother. She said that right now there's no grounds to take him from his mother so I've just got to maintain the contact I have. He misses you though."

She sighs. "I know sweetheart, I miss him more. I got him some vintage games from a market in Germany last week, next time we dock I'll post them out to you. You're doing the best you can Josh, remember that one day he'll be old enough to make these decisions for himself, I have no doubts that on that day you'll be making that bedroom of his at your place a bit more of a permanent structure."

I fucking hope so.

Looking down at my watch I know I'm already pushing it, but it's just actually really nice to talk to her.

"Thanks Mom, give my favourite aunt a hug for me. I've got to get to this meeting, I'm pretty sure Xade is already in there waiting for me."

"Oh, Xade now is it? The last time we spoke it was all 'Mr. Hunter the prick.' Something I should know? He cute?"

Being on those ships surrounded by geriatric versions of Brie for so long has made her think that every friendly relationship is just sexual tension waiting to be broken.

"No, nothing you need to know. He's just a business client."

She seems unconvinced. "A gay business client?"

For fucks sake. "Yes a gay business client, well at least I think he is. It's not like that though."

I can hear someone over the ships speakers wherever she is calling for members of the salsa class, at least I know this conversation is coming to an end now, she wouldn't miss one of those classes with that new instructor of hers for the world. Apparently he has the ass of a guy half his age, not that I needed to know that when she told me two weeks ago.

"What's the problem? Oh God, is he one of those big scary ones? What do you guys call them again, bears? Is he a bear?"

Jesus Christ, I really wish Brie would stop sending her BuzzFeed articles on gay language. Last week I was having to explain to her what the fuck a twink was, I could really do without this shit.

"For fucks sake Mom! No he's not a fucking bear. He actually looks like he stepped off an underwear billboard in Times Square, but no matter how good looking he is, it doesn't change the fact that we are just business associates."

Mum huffs. "So this isn't the guy that Brie was telling me about?"

I'm going to kill that fucking girl.

"Mom! Seriously, you three need to stop this weird little fucking girl-fan group that you've got going. You're like the fucking Sanderson sisters of gossip."

She laughs as I hear her feet scurrying along the deck whilst she races towards her latest Latin lover.

"It wasn't like that Elmo, this time she just rang to see if I'd be bringing anyone to the wedding and we got talking. You know she likes me to keep her updated on everything that's happening on board, she says it's better than any soap opera! Besides, we wouldn't have to talk about you behind your back if you actually told us all what was happening in your life!"

I should never have told any of them anything.

"Look, I'm fine. When there's something to tell you guys, I'll tell you okay? I've actually got a date with him tonight and I'm already fucking nervous enough, so you go to your dance class, I'll go to this meeting, and we'll talk about it the next time you see dry land with the stars and stripes flying over it. I love you."

She chuckles, soft salsa music now playing in the background. "We're all just excited for you sweetheart, we've been waiting for someone to rush you off your feet... Oh that Gail bitch has my spot up front, I'm going to give her a quick shot to the ankle like Brie told me to if she doesn't move quick... I love you more, kiss Liam for me."

I guess I should be grateful that her and Brie are just talking on the phone and not passing out after throwing up a bottle of tequila onto Steve's laptop like the last time she was in town. That girl becoming her daughter-in-law is my mother's dream come true.

I know they all mean well with their excitement, but this thing with Miles is difficult enough without them having to add so much pressure to make it work into the situation also.

The restaurant is just as quiet today as it was last week, the same smiling waitress greets me at the door and we walk over together to the private rooms. I'm hoping today goes without a hitch because my boss has been threatening to remove my spleen and hold it hostage just to make me close this fucking deal.

At least my emails with Xade have been a lot more friendly since the last time we met. Really friendly in fact, he's actually a really nice guy when you get over the fact he can be an absolute asshole if he thinks you're a dick too.

He's got good energy, I always like being around people who are easy to talk to and make you feel better just because of their presence. You don't get a lot of that in this world, most of the guys I meet eat, sleep and breathe their business. I love my job but it's not everything that I am, it wasn't even what I really wanted to do.

This was all supposed to be temporary, I was going to spend three, maybe four years here max, then go on to start my own firm. I didn't want to be answering to anyone, I wanted to be my own boss. But then Liam came along and I knew if I had to put all my energy into a new business, I wouldn't have the time to spend and bond with him.

Now I've been here for eight years, and I think I'll be lucky to get out before I turn forty. The money is really good, I don't hate being on a team with Charlie and most of the time I don't hate the deals that I work on, it just does nothing to fulfil me either.

The door to the room opens, this time instead of being met with insolence Xade looks up from his newspaper and smiles at me. It's actually quite funny to see somebody still reading their paper in print, even from my minimal dealings with him I can tell he's quite old school on a lot of stuff, prefers vinyl over Spotify and film cameras over digital. It's kind of charming.

He looks different than the last time I saw him too, no suit now but still professional in black trousers, a black high neck jumper - that seems to have been made specifically for his body with that fit... wow, I want one - and heavy black boots. The tamed back, long blond hair that I saw last time now hangs loosely around his shoulders, he actually looks a bit like he stepped out of the shower this morning and just left it to do its thing, not that it doesn't suit him.

Let's face it, a guy that looks like that would never be unattractive no matter what he did or didn't do to get ready.

His smile is genuine as he stands to his feet and extends his hand to me across the table.

"It's nice to not have to hate you the moment you walk into the room." He jokes, shaking my hand firmly before gesturing for me to take a seat. "My lawyer looked over the pages and everything looks good but you said something about changing a part on the pension scheme?"

"Straight to business it is then..." He almost chokes on his coffee trying to wave his arms to tell me he didn't mean it like that but I just laugh at him getting so flustered before sinking down into my chair, the red that now coats his cheeks making his hair look even lighter.

"Yes, we have to change one bit." I nod, opening my briefcase and pulling out all the pages we'll need to complete everything today whilst he brings himself back together. Do I really make him this nervous? "Basically, there was a discrepancy in the numbers you guys sent over to the ones that we got when we did our initial investigations. It was probably just inputted incorrectly but I have someone checking through everything as we speak, it doesn't make a massive difference overall but in order to make sure everybody got their cut we've had to move some money from one area into another."

The door to the room opens, two waiters walking in carrying high tea trays full of breakfast pastries. I'm fucking starving, it smells so good but how did they know to bring it already? Did he just take it upon himself to order for both of us?

As they lay the food on the table a waitress walks over with a tray containing two mouth-watering coffees. I need some fucking caffeine.

"Caramel cappuccino with an extra shot?"

That's my fucking coffee order. How the fuck did he...

"That's his." Xade states without even looking up from the pages he now holds in his hand. I look at him over the pile of pastries and he seems to sense my view, as his eyes scan up to meet mine and he quirks his manicured eyebrow with a smirk. "I have an eidetic memory. I never forget cute faces or their coffee orders."

That's... kind of impressive.

Taking a deep swig of my coffee, I let the soul-gratifying wake-up-juice float through my body. I didn't even get time to make myself one before I left this morning, Mom had me too busy. Also, I was still up texting Miles at three am, so I'm kind of fucking exhausted... Worth it though.

I'm so fucking excited to take him out tonight, I've got shit planned all day just to stop me going to pick him up early. It's taken me all week to get this organised but he's fucking worth every second. I know we are kind of going with the flow at the moment, but I still wanted to show him that he is fucking important to me... I just hope he likes it.

Xade picks up one of the pastries, ripping it in half delicately before bringing it to his lips, all the time keeping his eyes on the page. I've noticed that when he's in business mode nothing really gets through to him, but when he snaps out of it he might be the most laidback person I've ever met, and considering that Han is basically horizontal that's saying something.

"Eat something will you, or are you one of those gym dudes that only drinks protein shakes?" He comments whilst flipping to the next page.

I've never actually been one of those guys that will turn down food for a bit of liquid and powder. I like to fucking eat.

Taking one of the cheese and bacon croissants for myself, I almost inhaled the entire thing by the time he's made it to the bottom of the section.

"Is it this part?" Xade attempts to lean over the high trays of food and show me where he's pointing but I can't make it out this far apart.

"I think so, I think it's point B? Page fifty or is it fifty-four?"

"For fucks sake." He laughs, standing up and taking hold of his chair before dragging it around the table so we are now sitting next to each other and I can actually read what the fuck he's trying to show me. "Here, the bit about exchanging assets."

He rests his elbow on the arm of my chair but I have to hold his wrist and turn it towards me so I can read the page he's on. "Yeah that's it, there must have been a mistake the first time around."

The pulse in his wrist now hammers against my fingertips, it's so fucking fast you'd think he'd ran a mile not been sitting here reading the paper. Is he really that nervous about signing these today?

I let go slowly, trying not to startle him so he'll go back on this deal. I don't want to force him into something he's not ready for though.

"If you need more time to go over this again I completely understand, we can just leave it for a few days if you're nervous?" Goodbye spleen.

He doesn't look at me, letting his arm drop onto my seat whilst sipping his coffee.

"What makes you think I'm nervous?"

He's really not good with eye contact is he.

"Your pulse feels like it's about to give you a fucking heart attack. If you need more time I'll make it work, I don't need you dying on me, that's a whole different set of paperwork."

He laughs, "Thanks, I'd hate for my untimely death to be such an inconvenience for you."

Finally he looks up to meet my eyes. He's been running that whole business for two years, and other than this section, it's been doing relatively well, but it's clear that this part of the job isn't his favourite.

He sinks back into his chair with a deep sigh, clenching and unleashing his fingers like he's trying to disrupt the rhythm of his heart getting to them. "The way my heart was pounding has nothing to do with signing these papers, trust me." His eyes quickly glance over at me before returning to his coffee. "Did you mean what you said before? About looking into the rest of the business with me?"

I nod. "Definitely, when you're ready just call me and we can get started. There's definitely a drain in there somewhere, we just need to find it."