Saved by the Cross (Cross 3)

3 - Hero

Chapter Photo credits:

@ Milkos Depositphotos.com

Gray Hoffman dressed in a suit, but wished he could stay home instead of driving his boss to another charity event. He had been working for Monty Whitby for close to ten years. The men were best friends and each other's family. Gray had family, but they didn't understand him like Monty did.

The last time he went home to New Jersey his father tried to get him to have a beer with him. "Dad, I don't drink. I'm an alcoholic. One drink and I'll erase years of sobriety."

Gray knew the exact number of years. With a calendar, he could calculate the months and days since his last drink. It had been a long time since his sobriety was day to day. If there were such a thing as a recovered alcoholic, it would be him, but there wasn't. When he was eighty-five, he wouldn't be able to have just one drink.

Gray was better at staying sober than he was at relationships. He loved women, but hated commitment. Once was enough and so he put a shield over his heart. After a few weeks of enjoying a woman, he felt their possessiveness choke him and cut them loose with his well practiced line. It's not you, it's me. Sofia teased him, but he still loved her. Monty, Sofia and baby Ana were a family. Gray was uncle, babysitter, chauffeur, travel companion, and bodyguard rolled into one.

They had moved from the condo in Brookline to a brownstone in Back Bay. There was a lower level apartment for him and above was a large family home worthy of the CEO of Whitby Enterprises, a huge worldwide conglomerate. The wife of Monty's friend, Oliver Sumner, helped Sofia redecorate it. Even Monty helped, he would much rather choose vases than make decisions at work.

Only Sofia, Gray, Oliver, and Austin knew Monty's most guarded secret. Austin was Monty's agent who helped edit his books which he published under his pseudonym, the famous author and food critic, Trista Montgomery. Together he and Gray saved each other by traveling the world researching for Trista.

Gray looked around his apartment. The decor was the furniture from the old condo, but it was comfortable. His eyes caught the baby quilt and toys on the floor. Ana had hung out with him earlier while her parents were busy.

He picked it up to carry upstairs. He entered through the back entrance and walked into the kitchen. The babysitter was fixing a bottle. Monty appeared with Ana in his arms. She smiled at Gray, but didn't look hungry.

"Why is your thing so late?"

"It's Friday night. People work late."

"Not you." Gray laughed.

"I was in the office all day today. Take her. I need to go tell my wife she is naturally beautiful."

His large hands grabbed the baby. He hated pictures of him holding her. He looked like a giant. At six-four with broad shoulders, he scared men, but women flocked to him. Even at six months, Ana loved him. The baby looked up at him with her father's light brown eyes, but her mother's Colombian complexion. She was beautiful with a perfect little nose and rosebud mouth. She giggled as she reached for his ear and pulled it.

He kissed her floppy cheeks before handing her off to the babysitter who waited with the bottle. Camila worked part time and looked at Gray like she wanted to be invited downstairs. He ignored her flirting, because she was amazing with Ana. Monty would kill him if he had to hire a new babysitter. Like Sofia, Camila spoke Spanish to Ana. They hoped for her to grow up bilingual.

"Gray, she's ready."

The couple sat in the backseat as he drove. It was a game of pretend, because at home all formality disappeared. When he pulled up in front of the hotel, he got out of the car to open the back door. "Enjoy your evening, sir, senora." Sofia winked. He tried madam, but she hated it.