Tristan shrugged. “I guess.”

  It was true, but Tristan wasn’t interested in Henry. Or Charles for that matter. However, Tristan was definitely attracted to Harrison and Camden.

  “Since you like Harrison and Camden, I won’t go after them, but can I have Henry and Charles?”

  Tristan snickered. “You must ask them. Besides, I don’t know if they’re single or not.”

  All of a sudden, Felicia sighed. “Forget it. I don’t have a chance.”

  “Huh? What made you—”

  “Look at Charles and Henry.”

  Tristan glanced at Charles and Henry, and he immediately understood. Charles and Henry obviously liked each other as more than just friends.

  “Dang!”

  “Just my luck. Anyway, do you want to take your fifteen-minute break now? The bakery is quite empty. You should join your friends.”

  Tristan agreed with Felicia. He grew more nervous by the second as he approached Charles, Harrison, Camden, and Henry at their table. He was fully aware that his increasing apprehension had nothing to do with Henry and Charles. He couldn’t stop staring at Harrison and Camden. His infatuation for them was spiraling a little bit out of control. It was insane, considering the fact that he had only known them for such a short period of time.

  “Hey,” Tristan greeted when he got to the table, and he became anxious when all four men focused on him. “Is it okay if I sit here with you?”

  Harrison beamed widely as he got up and pulled out one of the extra chairs, which happened to be right in between his and Camden’s. “Of course. Have a seat.”

  Tristan thanked Harrison before plopping onto the chair. Harrison returned to his own chair.

  “What were you talking about before I got here?” Tristan asked while darting his eyes from one man to another.

  “The most annoying customer we’ve ever encountered,” Camden replied. “Harrison has nothing to share. Charles and I are done. It’s Henry’s turn next. You can share your story after Henry.”

  Tristan nodded. “Sure.”

  Then he listened attentively when Henry spoke up. At least, he tried to. For some reason, he was hyperaware of Harrison’s and Camden’s presence, and he got rather distracted. He was taken aback when Harrison suddenly leaned in sideways toward him, but he didn’t feel the instinctive reaction to get away. He also noticed that Camden had reduced the distance between them, but he wasn’t uncomfortable at all. He wasn’t sure if it was because he trusted Camden and Harrison, and he probably felt safe around them. Or maybe there was another reason for it. Whatever it was, Tristan found that he didn’t mind being in such close proximity to Camden and Harrison. In fact, a part of him wished that the two men would move toward him a little bit more.

  He did his best to be discreet as he peeked at Harrison, fantasizing about being wrapped up in Harrison’s tight embrace. It would most likely be warm. After that, he briefly studied Camden’s hands and arms. They weren’t as big as Harrison’s, but they looked strong. Tristan wondered what it would be like to hold hands with Camden, and he became nervous again. He forced himself to concentrate on Henry’s story. He only hoped that neither Camden nor Harrison could hear the rapid beating of his heart because he wouldn’t be able to explain his reaction to their nearness. Besides, he required a bit of time to figure out his feelings for Camden and Harrison because everything was such a mess inside his head.

  He must find out if he was truly romantically attracted to Camden and Harrison. Maybe he gravitated toward them because they made him feel secure and well-protected. Or it might be because he hadn’t dated anyone for a while, and he was simply lonely. He was also possibly a little overwhelmed with lust since he hadn’t been physically intimate with anyone in a really long time. However, he wouldn’t think about any of that for now. For the time being, he wished to enjoy the time he got to spend with Camden and Harrison. He would analyze everything else much more deeply later.

  Chapter 9

  “What are we doing at the park?” Camden asked as he, Tristan, and Harrison got out from the car. “Are we going on a picnic or something?”

  “Or something,” Harrison replied while grinning at Camden and Tristan.

  It was thirteen minutes to seven in the evening, and the park was still quite crowded. Over the next few minutes, Camden noticed people staring at him as he, Tristan, and Harrison walked around the park. Then again, those people were probably looking at Harrison who was like a mini giant. Or they were most likely stunned by Tristan’s incredibly pretty face, and they couldn’t avert their gazes. Camden couldn’t blame them if they gaped at the sight of someone like Tristan. It might sound corny, but Tristan’s beauty could rival that of the most exquisite and lovely of all heavenly angels. In fact, Tristan’s ethereally gorgeous face would have an angel’s beat by a million times and more. If given the opportunity, Camden would like to date Harrison for real. As for Tristan, Camden still couldn’t make up his mind if his growing crush had more to do with lust or if there might be something deeper involved.

  “Tiring day at work?”

  Harrison’s question startled Camden out of his reverie, and he hurriedly shook his head. “Just wondering about where we will be having dinner.”

  That was a lie, but Camden was rather embarrassed to reveal the truth. He couldn’t exactly inform Harrison and Tristan that he was abruptly aroused by the thought of so many strangers lusting after his men even if that wasn’t true at all. He wasn’t certain how to label the relationship between him, Harrison, and Tristan, but they definitely weren’t boyfriends. It didn’t matter, though. In the eyes of the people strolling around the park, the three of them looked as if they were together. Like lovers or something equally intimate, especially since Harrison had wrapped his arms tightly around Tristan’s and Camden’s waists like a possessive boyfriend.

  “I’m also curious about that,” Tristan interjected, and Harrison chuckled.

  “The two of you will know soon enough.”

  Camden nodded, and Tristan also didn’t utter a single word. The three of them continued making their way deeper into the park while chatting about the interesting things that had occurred at work earlier that day. Camden didn’t have much to share, and neither did Harrison. Their activities were quite boring. Tristan, on the other hand, seemed really happy.

  “Linda didn’t come to the bakery,” Tristan said while beaming widely. “I’m so relieved.”

  “Has the police contacted you yet?”

  “Yes,” Tristan answered Harrison’s question. “Approximately a couple of hours after you, Camden, Henry, and Charles had left the bakery, the police stopped by. I gave them the recordings from the CCTV that I’d prepared. They even waited at the bakery for Jason, Linda’s other victim. Jason has the closing shift today.”

  Camden grew mad in an instant. “That woman is a sick sexual predator. I bet you my balls that she must have some more victims in other places.”

  Tristan visibly winced. “I think so, too.”

  “How did Jason react when he saw the police?” Harrison inquired, and he appeared really concerned about Tristan’s colleague.

  Tristan sighed. “Jason was terrified, but he concealed it well. I felt bad for Jason. He’s the sensitive type. Gentle. A sweetheart really. Jason and I have many things in common. We both lost our parents when we were kids, but Jason had it worse than me growing up. I can’t tell you the details because I don’t have the right to reveal Jason’s story to you, but…well, his childhood was filled with painful memories. Anyway, Jason participated in all kinds of sports and several academic activities in school so he had excuses not to return home until late in the evening.”

  Camden clenched his fists. He had never met Jason before, but he was enraged. Tristan might not have told Camden and Harrison the full story, but it was easy to read between the lines. Camden could guess at what kind of a shitty childhood Jason must have experienced.

  “Did he hold up all right after the police was done talking to him?”

  Tristan nodded at Camden. “Yeah.”

  “Are you close to Jason?”

  Tristan smiled at Harrison. “Yeah. Aside from us not having our parents anymore, Jason is only a year younger than me. The other employees at the bakery, Edward, Janet, and Felicia, are quite a bit older than Jason and me so the two of us naturally bond because of that.”

  Camden noticed Tristan’s cheeks suddenly reddening slightly, and his curiosity was piqued. “Is there any other reason?”

  “N-not really.”

  Camden didn’t believe Tristan. He was sure that Tristan must be hiding something from him and Harrison.

  “Does Jason have a crush on you or something?”

  “No!” Tristan exclaimed while shaking his head at Harrison and blushing even harder. “The two of us are too similar face-wise. Even our build is more or less the same. Besides, I’m more attracted to men who are older than me.”

  Camden was delighted. Then he gaped when something else dawned on him.

  “Are you implying that Jason has a pretty face like you?”

  Tristan’s silence and obvious embarrassment confirmed it, and Camden was stunned. Harrison looked shocked.

  “Damn!” Harrison muttered loudly a few seconds later. “I can’t imagine how I would feel if I saw you and Jason standing side by side right in front of me.”

  Tristan sighed. “Not a great idea. Dawn once thought it would be wonderful to pair Jason and me up at the bakery. We did pull in a lot more customers that month once word spread after a day or two. The customers weren’t creepy or rude, and Jason and I were able to handle them just fine, but their outrageous flirting became too much for us. In that particular month, the bakery had eight or nine female customers for every ten people who came in, and some of them ended up staying for hours, monopolizing the tables and chairs.”

  “Sale figures must’ve been excellent that month.”

  Tristan frowned while gazing into Camden’s eyes. “Not really. I mean, we sold a lot more than we normally did, but the difference wasn’t significant. Ever since then, Dawn has never arranged for Jason and me to be on the same shift at the bakery. Not worth the hassle.”

  Camden laughed. “That’s hilarious.”

  Tristan chortled a little. “Yeah. I guess it is.”

  “We’re here,” Harrison interjected, and Camden was astonished by the sight in front of him.

  “Ferris wheel?”

  Harrison nodded. “But not the kind you normally find at a carnival or an amusement park. Each cabin is a dining area, containing six tables, and it can accommodate a maximum of thirty people, including the six servers.”

  Camden was amazed. “Is there a refrigerator in the cabin?”

  Harrison shook his head. “All customers must order the food in advance and arrive an hour prior to boarding on a set date and time. Or even earlier if they prefer to. The chefs will prepare the food on the ground and load everything onto a cart. The servers will distribute the food to the customers once they’re all seated. Every customer must finish his or her food within one hour.”

  “Have you eaten here before?” Tristan asked.

  “Yeah,” Harrison asked. “With some business acquaintances. The experience today will be different.”

  “How so?”

  Harrison smiled at Camden. “You will see in a minute.”

  Then he made his way to the hostess and informed her that he had a reservation. Initially, Camden was confused when he, Tristan, and Harrison were ushered into an empty cabin almost immediately, but he understood what was going on upon seeing the inside of the cabin. There was only one table and three chairs, which meant this was a private cabin. Four chefs and three servers followed Camden, Tristan, and Harrison into the cabin, and they had five food carts with them. One of the servers approached the table once Camden, Tristan, and Harrison were seated, handing them the menu and waiting for them to order.

  “This is unbelievable,” Camden whispered to Harrison. “Are the chefs going to cook for us right here inside the cabin?”

  “Yes,” Harrison confirmed before beaming widely at Camden and Tristan. “I’ve paid for two hours for the use of this cabin so we don’t have to rush.”

  “Okay,” Camden and Tristan said almost simultaneously.

  After that, Camden looked at the menu. There weren’t many items available, which made sense because the chefs wouldn’t be able to bring an unlimited number of ingredients onto the cabin. Moreover, the chefs needed to cook the food as fast and efficiently as possible so the dishes couldn’t be too complicated. After the three of them had chosen what they wanted, the server walked away, and Camden was relieved. It felt odd and uncomfortable to be stared at by the server. Camden was glad that he, Harrison, and Tristan got some of their privacy back.

  “Do you like this place?”

  “It’s unique,” Tristan answered Harrison’s question.

  “I feel exposed,” Camden admitted rather sheepishly. “The chefs and servers aren’t focused on the three of us all the time, but it’s still rather strange to be stuck with them in here for the next two hours. Dining in a place like this is an awesome experience, but I’m not sure if I’ll come back again in the future.”

  “Got it.”

  Then Harrison changed the subject, talking about the party this coming Saturday. Camden was surprised when Harrison mentioned that the party would be held in New York because he had assumed that the party would be somewhere in Austin. It was too late to back out now. Not that he would even consider it. He had promised to accompany Harrison, and he wouldn’t go back on his word.

  “Will we fly to New York?” Tristan asked. “I’ve never traveled on a plane before.”

  “Yeah,” Harrison replied. “I’ll arrange everything.”

  He didn’t provide any details, though. Camden was a bit curious, but he let it be. He believed Harrison would properly take care of the tickets, accommodation in New York, and the other miscellaneous stuff. Camden was certain he had nothing to worry about. Besides, the servers had brought the appetizers and wine to the table, and Camden wanted to enjoy them. When Harrison abruptly offered Camden a bite of his appetizer, which was a small fried spring roll, Camden was momentarily taken aback, but he didn’t refuse.

  “It’s delicious,” Camden complimented while smiling at Harrison.

  He was being honest. The flavor of the crab was accented without being overwhelming. Harrison seemed delighted.

  “Good.” Then Harrison turned toward Tristan and fed the man one of the spring rolls. “How is it?”

  “Yummy.”

  Harrison grinned. “Great.”

  Camden decided to return the favor, and apparently, Tristan had the same idea. It became a little awkward because Harrison had to choose which one to eat first between Camden’s shrimp and beef meatball, which was dipped in cranberry sauce, and Tristan’s mini ham-spinach crepe cup.

  “Meatball first,” Tristan suggested, and the matter was nicely resolved.

  Over the course of the entire meal the three of them took turns sharing their food, and there was no odd tension between them. Camden didn’t feel as if he was competing with Tristan for Harrison’s attention. In fact, he and Tristan got along really well. Tristan exuded warmth and gentleness. Camden also liked Harrison a lot because the man was so protective and kind. Toward the end of the meal, he figured out he was developing feelings for both Harrison and Tristan. He didn’t have the courage to label it yet, but there was definitely some tender affection involved, along with a healthy dose of lust. He couldn’t confess to Harrison or Tristan, though. He wasn’t certain about their feelings, and he didn’t want to ruin the friendship between them. It would be better and safer to conceal it.

  Chapter 10

  Busy?

  It was a one-word text message from Camden, and there was nothing special about it, but for some reason, Harrison immediately smiled while looking at his smartphone. At the moment, he was still stuck in his office even though it was nearly thirty minutes past eight in the evening. He had had too many things to deal with that day, starting with three video conferences earlier in the morning, a meeting with the shareholders straight after lunch that lasted until nearly three o’clock, another meeting with the senior managers from various departments that had concluded at around six in the evening, and tons of reports to go through afterward. He tapped on the screen of his smartphone so he could answer Camden’s text message.

  Almost done. Exhausted and starving. What are you up to?

  Harrison clicked on the send button before placing his phone back on the desk. He, Camden, and Tristan had hung out together over the last few nights. Every time he met up with Camden and Tristan, he would always be hit with a surge of excitement, lust, and affection. He enjoyed spending time with Camden and Tristan. Unfortunately, he was unable to go out with them that night. He reminded himself that he would see them the next day, and they would be flying to New York so they could attend the party. Then he was startled when the landline abruptly rang. He was bewildered and curious because he didn’t expect anybody to contact him via the landline at that hour on Friday evening. Besides, his business acquaintances would always call him on his smartphone or chat with him via the instant messenger.

  “Harrison Cooke speaking.”

  “Good evening, Mr. Cooke. I’m Jake Shores, one of the security guards on shift tonight.”

  Harrison frowned. He was even more confused now because the security guards had never bothered him even when he had to stay in the office until one or two in the morning, and he had done that many times in the past.

  “Hello, Mr. Shores. What can I do for you?”

  “Just address me as Jake, sir.”

  “Okay, Jake. What’s going on?”

  “You have guests, sir.”

  Harrison was astonished. “Guests?”

  “Yes, sir. Mr. Tristan Newman and Mr. Camden Barrera are here at the lobby. I require your permission—”

  “Yes!” Harrison exclaimed. He was simultaneously astonished and elated. “Let them go up to my office.”

 

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