New Tricks Read online

  When she released him, Brandon checked his watch and raced back to Thomas’s as fast as he dared. He transferred his bags to Thomas’s car, went inside, and carried out Thomas’s before packing the computer bag Marjorie had sent with the laptop, putting in all the devices he’d need.

  “Thomas, do you need anything else?” he asked when he found him in the office.

  “No.” Thomas put some papers in his bag. “This is the last of it. Lock up the back, and we’ll get going.” They headed in different directions, and once the house was locked and checked, they met at the front door and walked out to the car.

  “Are we going to make it on time?” Brandon asked as he checked the time—a little over two hours left.

  “No problem. You drive so I can make calls.” Thomas got into the passenger seat, and Brandon slipped behind the wheel of the sweet BMW and started the engine. “The pilot isn’t going to take off until we’re on board, considering you and I are the only passengers.” Thomas grinned, and what Marjorie had said about the single suite at the Plaza clicked. They were going to be the only occupants of the single hotel suite as well. That was definitely going to be interesting.

  “Are we going in your plane?” Brandon knew Thomas was wealthy, but he hadn’t given much thought to just how much money he had.

  “It’s the business’s plane, but I have priority, and since I arrived, it’s been in Denver in case I needed to get back.”

  Thomas sent text messages while Brandon drove. As they got closer, Thomas directed them to the private section of the airport, and once they were cleared through security, they headed out to the private jet.

  “Man….” Brandon hummed as he followed Thomas on board. Their luggage was stowed for them, and they settled in plush, luxurious seats to get ready for takeoff.

  “We’re ready,” Thomas said into a phone.

  The attendant closed the door, and the plane taxied out, smoothly leaped into the sky, and turned toward the east and New York.

  ONCE IN the air, Thomas spent a lot of time on the phone. Brandon wandered through the cabin a little, checking out the luxury before sitting back down. The flight was going to take nearly four hours. He checked that Thomas didn’t need anything and then settled in for the ride.

  Thomas grabbed his bag, pulling out some papers and setting them on the table in front of them.

  “What’s going on?” Brandon asked tentatively.

  “One of the sellers for a project we’ve been working on has decided he wants to hold out, most likely for more money, and is being a dick. He has a reputation that isn’t stellar, and I wouldn’t deal with him if I didn’t have to. But this idiot has messed with the wrong person. We made him sign a letter of intent, which is a binding contract, and I added a clause that stipulates that he pays the costs of any delays caused by him.” Thomas leaned back in the chair. “And I have his signature on it. He wants to play with the big boys, well, he’s going to find out that this one is a shark and I have a huge set of teeth.” He smiled, then returned his attention to the papers in front of him.

  Brandon ended up reading on the iPad for a few hours. He and Thomas were treated like kings, with the flight attendant bringing drinks and generally taking care of both of them. There was internet, so Brandon texted Marjorie to let her know where they were, and she messaged back right away.

  I have a car that will be waiting to take you into the city once you arrive. It’s going to be late, so find out what Thomas wants to do for dinner. He can get a seat in the hotel restaurants easily, but if he wants to go somewhere else, you’ll need to make a reservation. Use Open Table.

  Thanks. I’ll check, he sent in return. Anything else?

  No. You’ll get in late because of the time change. Get something to eat and get some rest. The next few days are going to be exhausting, and while the time change is only two hours, it’s going to affect you. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person tomorrow. She sent a smiley face, and Brandon smiled, sending her one in return.

  He spoke to Thomas once he was off the phone and contacted the hotel to let them know they would eat there that evening. They assured him it wouldn’t be a problem. Then Brandon checked the time and rolled his eyes. It had been a very busy day and he hadn’t eaten much. The attendant brought snacks and apologized that there wasn’t something more. Still, the mixed nuts were good, and he ate enough of them to hold him over.

  “I’m a little nervous,” Brandon confessed, and Thomas lifted his gaze from his papers. “I don’t know anything about New York, and I really don’t know why you brought me along. It isn’t like I can really help you here.” Marjorie was the one who had New York wired and all, not him.

  “You’ll be here to help me. Stay close and take care of everything you can. These kinds of situations always get crazy. The office is going to be up in arms because they’ve all put a lot of time and effort into this project, and they’ll be nervous and wired. Just stay calm and be available.”

  Brandon nodded slowly. He really wasn’t sure what that meant, but he figured he could do that.

  Thomas leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. “I’m so done for now. I can’t look at these papers anymore. They aren’t going to tell me anything I don’t already know.” He sighed deeply.

  Brandon slipped out from behind the table to the other side and slid into the chair next to Thomas. “Are you officially done working for now?” He took one of Thomas’s hands. “You look drawn and tired.”

  “I am. I feel like I’ve been running full speed for a week. I used to be able to do that for days on end. But I can’t anymore.”

  Brandon made a mental note to get Thomas to a doctor when they got home. “You aren’t old.” He squeezed his hand.

  “No, I’m not. But I can’t go at this pace forever. It was why I moved, and now I’m going back.” Thomas bit his lower lip. “I don’t want to go back to New York permanently, but I’m afraid I might have to.”

  Brandon’s chest clenched, but he didn’t release Thomas’s hand. “You can live wherever you want to. You deserve that. This is one issue. We’ll be there for a few days, and then you can go home.” He gently turned Thomas’s head to face him and kissed him softly at first, but then leaned into the magnetic touch, wanting more. “Let yourself look forward to that.”

  “I’m doing my best, but maybe I was too hasty moving out to Colorado when I did. Maybe I should have spent more time making sure everyone was ready for this.”

  Brandon sighed. “As long as you were in New York, they were never going to be ready for it. They rely on you quite a bit.” He’d seen that more than once, especially with the number of phone calls Thomas received through the day.

  “Gentlemen, we’ll be landing in half an hour,” the attendant said as everything in the cabin was prepped for touchdown.

  “Everything is going to be great. You know that. This guy doesn’t stand a chance.” Brandon wished he could do more for Thomas, but he wasn’t someone involved in the day-to-day running of his business and didn’t know enough about it to be helpful. As someone who cared about Thomas, he wanted him to be able to take it a little easy and let go of some of this pressure. More than anything, he wanted Thomas to be happy.

  Thomas smiled, and Brandon hoped he’d helped. The last thing he wanted was for Thomas to return to New York permanently.

  THEY LANDED and found a limousine waiting for them. They got in, and their bags were transferred from the plane. Brandon watched out the windows as they drove toward the city. The lights of New York seemed to come on as they rode in, the light of the day fading and the city turning itself on. Brandon switched from side to side, not wanting to miss anything.

  Thomas smiled at him as Brandon got excited.

  “Is that the Empire State Building?”

  “Yes,” Thomas answered as everything disappeared from view when they passed through one of the tunnels and then burst into Manhattan. “We’re probably going to go up Fifth to the hotel, so keep a lookou
t.”

  The stores glittered, the library lions sat regally, and Rockefeller Center glowed with light as they passed. They pulled up to the entrance for the Plaza and the driver opened the door. Brandon stepped out, looking upward, his mouth hanging open at the height of elegance and grace. A chill ran up his spine, and he looked downward at himself, wondering if he was dressed well enough to pass through those doors.

  He grabbed his computer bag, and Thomas put an arm around his shoulders, guiding him toward the entrance. “It’s all right. It’s just a fancy hotel.”

  “That’s easy for you to say,” Brandon said as his nerves increased.

  Thomas chuckled and leaned close. “Remember, I’m not from here either. I grew up in the same town you did. Just put on your game face and pretend you belong here. Keep your head high, look straight ahead, and don’t let anyone or anything intimidate you.” Thomas squeezed him lightly, and then they walked to the door and passed inside.

  The interior was even more breathtaking, with marble and stately elegance everywhere. Thomas approached the desk, and Brandon did his best not to gape about like an obvious tourist, but it was difficult. “You ready?” Thomas asked, and they walked to the elevators. “Our luggage will be brought up.”

  “Of course.” Brandon stayed close, and they entered the elevator and the bellman pressed the floor. They rode up in a miniature cubicle of luxury, everything about this place exuding grace and elegance. Brandon had a few questions, but he was afraid to speak, and when he did, it was in his church voice. “I feel like the country cousin in a Jane Austen novel.”

  Thomas nodded as the door opened and they stepped out into a hallway of soothing cream, their footsteps muffled by plush carpet. The bellman unlocked the door, and they stepped inside.

  “The Ellington Park Suite,” the bellman whispered. “Do you need me to show you anything?”

  “No. It’s perfect. Thank you,” Thomas said, tipping him.

  “Shall I place the luggage?” He looked from the bags to each of them.

  “It’s all right. I’ll do it. Thank you.” Brandon set the computer bag carefully on the sofa. Truth be told, he was afraid to touch anything in case something happened, because he figured each piece of furniture in this breathtaking room of light blues, white, gold, and soft gray cost more than he made in a month.

  “Very good.” The bellman nodded and left the room.

  Brandon finally allowed himself to take a breath. He felt like one of those girls in a Bond movie or something, overwhelmed by James’s surroundings. “Is Marjorie nuts?” he asked.

  “Why do you ask that?” Thomas lifted his garment bag and carried it into the first bedroom. Brandon peeked inside at the ultimate luxury of the king-size bed, suddenly relieved the room had a second bedroom, because he was going to need it to hide and keep his hands to himself.

  “She could have just booked a couple rooms at the Hilton or something.” This had to cost a fortune. Brandon tamped down his nerves and carried the rest of Thomas’s bags into the bedroom and started unpacking everything. “I’m going to need to find a cleaners. Your shirts wrinkled.”

  “Call down to the lobby. They’ll come get them and have them pressed by morning.” Thomas sat on the edge of the bed. “You have nothing to be concerned about.”

  Brandon separated the shirts and made the call. Then he finished unpacking while Thomas made some calls, leaving the room. Brandon finished his task before returning to the living room, where he found Thomas on the sofa with the television on. When Brandon approached, he patted the seat next to him.

  Thomas gestured to the other room. “Marjorie got us a two-bedroom suite. It’s up to you which bedroom you want to use. I won’t push you if you don’t feel comfortable….”

  Brandon slid closer to Thomas, leaning against him. He lifted his gaze to find Thomas looking back at him. “I don’t want you to think….” He swallowed hard. “I never want you to think that I care about you… for this.” He motioned around the room.

  “I didn’t. Marjorie made the reservations, remember?” Thomas smiled.

  “She said she’d take care of it. I never mentioned that we should stay at the most expensive and famous hotel in New York.” Brandon started to move away, but Thomas held him still.

  “I know that. Marjorie did this on her own and got this house-sized suite because she wanted us to be comfortable and have some space. This has nothing to do with you, and I know you don’t care for me because of my money. I’ve had that happen before—I know what it feels like.”

  “Good. Because I care about you for you. Not the plane or the fancy hotels.” Brandon moved closer once again. “And I don’t want to stay in that room way over there. I like this… right now… quiet and just you.”

  “Then that’s what we’ll do.” Thomas yawned and closed his eyes. “Go ahead and get yourself settled. We’ll go down to the Palm Court for some dinner. They have a nice menu, and the surroundings are magnificent.”

  “Okay.” Brandon began to get up, but Thomas tugged him back to kiss him.

  “You know, I dated someone I worked with before, and, well…. With him, things never felt like this. There was always this push-and-shove about how he should act at work and when we were alone. If he got angry, he suddenly reverted to employee status and acted like I was treating him like a servant or something. You….”

  “We talked about this. No lovey-dovey hanky-panky during working hours, and right now I need to see to things. I’m sure you have a few calls to make, and I have some things to finish up. And I need to change, because I’m not walking in there looking like a schlub. Then when we leave the room, I can be your date for the evening.” Brandon bounded away and took care of his luggage. His shirts were worse than Thomas’s.

  A soft knock sounded on the door. Brandon answered it and gave the bellman all the shirts they needed to have pressed. They were whisked away with a promise they’d be ready first thing in the morning.

  Brandon put on one of his new white shirts and then his dove gray suit with a deep blue tie. He also made a pass through the marble bathroom and met Thomas in the living room.

  “You look very nice.”

  “So do you.”

  Thomas put on his jacket, and they headed to the elevator. This time Brandon held Thomas’s hand, and as the doors slid closed, he kept his gaze on Thomas for the ride down.

  They shared a smile, and once they got off, Thomas led them to the restaurant, with its palm trees and stained-glass ceiling that took his breath away. No wonder Thomas wanted to eat here. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Brandon.

  They had an exquisite dinner of duck and salmon, each bite a burst of flavor. Brandon was spoiled forever. The diner back home would never be the same. “I could get used to this…,” Brandon quipped as he finished his duck, sitting back full and happy.

  “Tomorrow will be a long day, and it will be pizza and takeout for dinner,” Thomas warned, even as he tried not to smile. He set his napkin on the table and took care of the check. Then Thomas guided him out of the restaurant and through the front door.

  As soon as they stepped out, the sounds of the city nearly bowled Brandon over, noise coming at him from every direction. “How could you stand it?” Brandon resisted the urge to cover his ears.

  “You get used to it, and after a while, you miss it, believe it or not. Millions of people living and working in just a few square miles.” Thomas pointed to an illuminated gold statue on top of a huge pedestal. “Central Park is right over there, and if you walk down Fifth, you pass some of the world’s most interesting and expensive shops. Times Square is that way, as are all the theaters of Broadway. Is there anything you want to do?”

  “Do?” Brandon asked, completely overwhelmed.

  “Sure. Come on.” Thomas took Brandon’s hand, weaving their fingers together. “I thought we could go for a walk.”

  The sidewalks were still jammed with people bustling down the busy thoroughfare. They passed Ti
ffany’s, and more designer clothing stores than he’d ever seen in his life, as they walked.

  “This is one of the best places in the world. I loved it here for a long time.”

  “Why?” Brandon asked, holding Thomas tightly in case they got separated.

  “The energy. I knew if I could be a success here, I could be one anywhere in the world. Everything here is heightened, and there’s pressure on top of pressure, tons of money, and….” Thomas stopped, and they turned around. “There’s our hotel. Just a small portion of it is the actual hotel any longer. Mostly it’s apartments that people own. They start at ten million dollars. And they’re sold out. Our suite would sell for twenty million or so. And that’s just the suite we’re staying in tonight. It’s smaller than the house your grandma lives in.” He shrugged. “Everyone competes for everything here. It was like a dream of sorts to match wits with some of the best in the business and come out on top.”

  Brandon turned, tugging on Thomas’s hand. “I thought you were on top of the world that first day when you answered the door shirtless and hired me to mow your lawn.” Brandon tilted his head slightly. “You were busy and doing great things at home… and you were twenty-eight or twenty-nine. Even my mom and dad talked about how successful you were.”

  Thomas shrugged. “I guess I wanted more.” He turned away. “And look what it got me.”

  “It made you a success,” Brandon told him firmly, putting his hands on his hips. “And your family is proud of you. My mom and dad found out I was gay when I was in college. I couldn’t hide who I was anymore, and it nearly broke my heart when they rejected me. I packed my things and left the house. Grandma gave me a permanent home because she loved me no matter what.” Brandon wiped his eyes as people passed by, jostling him slightly.

  “I’m sorry that happened,” Thomas said.

  “I’m not. It happened years ago, and I’m pretty much over it. My mom and dad aren’t going to change, and I learned a lot of things because of it. I’m stronger than I thought I was, and Grandma showed just how much she loves and cares for me. I also realized that I needed to rely on myself for my happiness, not other people.” Brandon caught Thomas’s gaze and cupped his cheeks in his hands. “It also helped me become the person I am now and put me on the path to whoever I’m going to be. So whatever you did here and all the successes and failures only made you the man you are.”