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A dozen. When had Robby planned this? How could the man be so thoughtful and wonderful and so completely impossible to have in his life?
How could he keep going without seeing his smile and kissing his lips?
So many questions. But in the end, he only asked one. “When can I start?”
Chapter
TWENTY-SEVEN
Robby
The next few days passed like a foggy bad dream. Xander hadn’t blinked an eye when he’d agreed to allow Robby’s last-minute request to take the week of vacation he’d earned.
Of course, he didn’t tell his boss the truth about why he needed the time, or at least, not the whole truth. He said he wanted to focus on his volunteer work and some personal stuff.
For sure, he did go to the Q-Center every day and N.A. meetings every night. Sometimes, he stayed, drinking burnt coffee with Thomas, until he could barely keep his eyes open. Anything to avoid the emptiness and the shadows at his apartment.
Just being at home brought his awful confrontation with Matt back into focus, and that night had done enough damage already. So, he tried to be useful to other people. By picking up some beds with Paul for the new recruits. By helping Vin study for finals. By convincing Brady he didn’t need to crawl back to his ex and beg forgiveness.
It kept the demons at bay.
His phone chirped, and though he wanted desperately to ignore it, he tugged it out of his pocket and checked the screen.
Brick: We miss you at work. Come by the house tonight for dinner.
Nope. He couldn’t face them yet. Couldn’t explain why his grand love affair was over before it barely had time to start.
Robby: Can’t tonight. But I’ll be back before you know it.
Brick: Still celebrating Matt’s big news? I get it. Just don’t forget about us.
Big news? The pull to ask warred with fear he should already know.
Brick: Why didn’t you tell us he was going to work at Berringer? Liv would’ve thrown him a party or something. She loves any reason to celebrate.
Ah. The internship. He’d forgotten about his pitch to Amanda and Jared last week. Damn. Was it only last week? It felt like a lifetime ago. At least he wouldn’t have to look Matt in the eye when he went back to work.
Robby: I’m at the center. GTG. See you soon.
He sank on the sofa, grateful the place resembled a ghost town this afternoon. The idea of facing anyone while he felt like this—well, maybe God was finally giving him a reprieve.
“I know Robby’s working today.” Paul’s voice echoed from the other side of the door, linking to the new add-on.
Who would be here to see him?
The answer slapped him across the face.
Paul entered the room with two men following behind him. Two men he never expected to see again for the rest of his life. Ephraim and Travis Jordan. His father and big brother.
As he caught sight of Robby, Paul greeted him with a wave. “Hey, son, these folks say they’re here to see you.”
Seeing his family knocked the wind out of him. Years of conditioning had him scrambling to his feet as his father approached.
“You couldn’t just stay dead and buried, could you?” Disgust dripped from his father’s voice, almost exactly as it had the last time they spoke. It burned like acid, even after all this time.
“What are you doing here, Dad?”
His father stopped his advance and squared his jaw. “Don’t you call me your sire, boy. You’re no son of mine.”
