Island daddy destination.., p.12
Island Daddy (Destination Daddies), page 12
My hunger persists as I allow FaceID to unlock the screen. When I let out another massive scowl, my Grindr messages are revealed. Of course, I’m shocked and disgusted in the same breath. There’s one message from Kragen’s profile. Which is incredibly strange, because his device is locked in my desk drawer on a whole separate island. He must’ve brought an iPad on his trip. And the other profile picture couldn’t send any more nails underneath my flesh than it does now.
WADE, 22 – 5 miles away: Hi there. Would I get burned if I touched your volcanic cock?
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Only on Friday night did I see that Google Alert which warned me he’d be gracing the islands with his miserable presence to shoot a film. Not to mention the fact that my Grindr profile is inconspicuous as all get out. The little shit doesn’t know whom he’s texting, and I plan on ignoring him.
Now onto Kragen’s message with an attachment, probably giving me the fair warning of his written exposé for The Patriot’s Examiner. Only when I tap into our conversation thread, do I realize just how incredibly wrong I am. He’s sent a screenshot from the Sploosh website, including the candid photo of us kissing on the beach, accompanied by their nasty headline. The tone of his message is either of shock or embarrassment. Honestly, I can’t be sure in this exact moment.
What the hell is this, Reid? No doubt, the whole world’s seen this.
As soon as my thumb lands on the keyboard, another blue message bubble displays. Before I have a chance to fully read it, another one follows.
I have so much I wanna tell you, but I’m sending this from my iPad and can’t call you. Not that we’d even got to the phone number exchange portion anyways. Can you meet for a late dinner?
I owe you the truth… and after I’ve had some time to calm down, I know best how to say what I need to.
He’s right. The little fucker definitely owes me the truth. I suppose allowing him the opportunity to express what he needs to, is the least I can do. Since I need to eat, perhaps I’ll provide him the courtesy of another free meal. And well, I guess the prudent thing to do would be replacing his phone after for all intents and purposes, stealing the old one.
Glancing at the time in the top left of my screen, tells me the day has gotten ahead of me. Since it’ll already be eight at night by the time I can get dressed and put on a happy face, a late dinner it shall be. I hammer away a short reply, attempting to convey my level of annoyance behind each word.
Okay. Fine. Meet me at The Palace. Tell the host Jenna that I’ll have your dinner jacket at my table.
I shoot straight up from bed to spend the next few minutes getting ready. Though I’m riled to no end, I wouldn’t dare show up to a public place with the aesthetic of a red puffer fish. A few dabs of eye cream and a few spritzes of Creed Aventus later, have me quickly scanning the closet for something to wear. I change quickly, retrieve Kragen’s dinner jacket, then saunter back into my room. No sooner do I approach the door, when a thought occurs to me that his Wade hand-me-downs are in the closet.
“Guess I’ll still give them to him,” I huff loudly, blowing a wispy strand of hair out of my face.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
KRAGEN
What a day, man. I honestly shouldn’t be surprised by Reid’s reaction. I’m sure if the tables were turned, I’d be absolutely livid to find someone else digging into my company servers for God only knows what. But at the same time, I don’t have a high level of assurance that our dynamic would last. That’s assuming should we have chosen to take things a step further.
And there’s no way that I’d be able to live with myself in such a constant state of uncertainty. For all I know, his failed relationship with Wade Learn had an equal amount of shortcomings on both sides of the relationship fence.
I’m sprawled out on the bed which Candace and Tuti are paying for until Wednesday morning. Yet I haven’t slept here the last three nights. Carrie is on a FaceTime call with me using my iPad. Well, since I was a fucking moron and lost my only lifeline last night at that stupid party.
“I’m telling you, Care Bear,” I blurt, glancing back at her face from a momentary daydream out the window. “I think I know the other reason I hate drinking.”
She nods, grinning in the process. “Because it’s poison and makes you do stupid shit.”
A scowl forms on my face, as I can see the nasty remnants of heavy crying. “Like almost trying cocaine for the first time?”
Carrie screeches through the device loud enough it could be heard halfway across the Pacific. “WHHHHAATTT?!?”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “Apparently Reid’s friend’s—cousin’s—whoever’s kid ended up convincing an incredibly drunk Kragen Darling to snort something he wouldn’t have otherwise touched with a ten foot pole if sober.”
Her eyes grow wide. “Oh you didn’t, Kragen?” She asserts more than questions. “Your moms would be so disappointed.”
I shake my head. “No, I didn’t,” I admit earnestly. “Daddy Rei—erm—I mean Reid—stopped me just in time,” I stammer, scratching the nape of my neck. “God, why do I keep calling him that?” I ask aloud, mostly to myself out of embarrassment.
“Because somebody has feelings for the guy,” she replies in the same fashion any supportive friend would. “That picture has so much chemistry,” she adds, her eyes growing ravenously. “Is he as hot in person as he is in those commercials?”
My head couldn’t be skewed any farther left. “What picture?” I reply, thinking she’s dreamed up some image from my description. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Carrie coughs as if she spoke out of turn. “So you haven’t seen the Sploosh website?” She asks, interrupting our video feed to share her screen with me. “This one, Krae,” she says, scrolling to a screenshot she’s saved in her camera roll.
I’m instantly taken aback once my best friend enlarges the photo. It’s a picture of him and I kissing on his private beach, at the precise moment the waters turned translucent for a brief period of time. Of course the headline above it has to turn my stomach into a raging mess. What the actual fuck?!?!
“What the actual fuck?!?!” I screech aloud, covering both eyes with my palm. “How did they—”
Carrie interrupts me instantly as I see her face return to the screen. “Kragen, they’re paparazzi,” she hisses. “He’s their favorite meal in a lake of hungry piranhas.”
Oh my God. Allen is gonna see this picture and think I’m falling in love with Reid. Which I am. And for the love of all things holy, Candace and Tuti are gonna have a shitfit when they see this. If they haven’t seen it already.
As I finish battling the rapid thoughts to swarm my mind, Carrie pipes back up with snapped fingers to jolt me back to the present.
“Dude,” she snaps. “Is anyone in there?”
“Yeah” I sigh. “I fucking like this guy,” I add, glaring at the sorry echo staring back at me in the FaceTime window. “And yet, there’s something about him that makes me feel like I couldn’t write anything which would have a negative impact on his life.”
“Ohhhh honey,” she says in the same fashion as Tuti would.
I glance out the window to see it’s rapidly getting dark. Either there’s about to be a brief storm, or the sun is bidding us farewell. Ultimately, if I have any hopes of getting in touch with Reid, I must catch him before he moves onto another person. God only knows how often he’s on Grindr. Is he already over me? Has he found another boy within the last few hours?
“Okay I gotta let you go, Care Bear,” I sigh again, shooting an uneasy look into my front-facing camera. “I’m gonna install Grindr on my iPad and message him that way,” I add, raising my forefinger. “Can you forward me that screenshot you just showed me?”
We’ve wrapped our video conversation so I could download Grindr to this device. I’m about to fire off a quick message with this screenshot, wondering the entire time if Reid’s even seen it yet. Surely he has. His publicist must have some instant Google Alert set up to detect any mere mention of his name online within a New York minute.
No sooner do I press the send button, when a loud knock damn near rattles me off this bed. After shuffling up to the peephole, I’m fast to identify the ravine which Tuti’s neck takes the appearance of. She’s definitely frailer than she’d be willing to admit.
“Hey Momma,” I greet her, sliding the door ajar. “I’m so glad to see you.”
Tuti clicks her tongue as she extends both arms to offer a giant hug. “Your Mimi, Tessa, and I have been worried about you,” she mutters softly. “We saw that photo and no doubt the tabloid couldn’t be any more wrong about the situation.”
“Yeahhhhhh,” I sigh. “I figured you guys probably saw that.”
I pull away from Tuti’s embrace to look her square in the eye as she swallows hard. “Where’d you run into the likes of Reid Fairchild?”
Well now that you put it that way. A dry cough escapes my throat. “Well, actually I did run into him in the lobby when I left Tessa’s reception on Friday night.”
“Oh,” she responds. “And it was some love at first sight?”
My head wavers from shoulder to shoulder. “Not at all,” I assure her. “At least, I ran away from our encounter because Allen has assigned me the duty of digging into Reid’s company while we’re here.”
Tuti swallows hard another time, but I interrupt her before she can respond. “Don’t tell Mimi this, but I technically met him through Grindr,” I confess, reaching my hand to her shoulder. “But I didn’t know it was him until meeting for lunch on Saturday.”
“He’s the friend Candace mentioned?” She replies, raising a brow. “I wouldn’t tell her you’re on that seedy app,” she adds, pinching my cheeks. “We encourage you to seek a partner of your own, and she just wants to ensure you do it safely.”
I attempt to offer a reply when I hear a faint ding coming from my iPad on the bed. “Ohh I bet that’s him.”
* * *
I’m not sure who’s more eager to be sitting at this table. Reid, or maybe me. Judging by the reaction on his face, it seems like he’s calmed down considerably since the last time I saw him. But my inherited extra sensory gifts from Tuti are telling me that he’s still peeved. Serves me right, I suppose.
Penny collects the menus before tottering back away, leaving us to stare intently into the other’s eyes. I take a sip of iced pineapple tea, setting the glass back down while formulating my apology.
“Well—” I pause. “First of all, I’m incredibly sorry for violating your trust,” I add with conviction.
Reid’s brow practically reaches the ceiling with a scoff. “You’re goddamn right you violated my trust,” he hisses. “Do you know how much of a fool you’ve made me feel like—” he pauses, allowing me the moment to rebut.
Once my lips engineer their next syllable, Reid extends his flattened hand to shut me up. “I thought you were developing genuine feelings for me,” he says. “Did Saturday night mean absolutely nothing to you?”
He’s right to be mad after the wild sex from that night. There’s a certain degree of thrill associated with his playroom. Mostly an abundance of trust building, given it’s lack for a better word, a sex dungeon. But as time has passed since his cock plunged deep within me, I’ve felt a deeper connection with him. And it seems selfish for me to give into my occupational interests, over trusting that we’d have a fair shot at a relationship. I understand that now.
I nod. “Of course I have feelings for you, Reid,” I reply, briefly glancing away from the table. “But I just—” my vision returns to his solemn gaze. “I wasn’t sure if we’d be successful taking our dynamic to the next level,” I add, reaching across the table for his hand. “Since I have to help out with the household groceries and bills, I couldn’t risk going back to my boss empty handed.”
Reid seems hesitant to accept my grip, but finally gives in. “Why me?” He asks vacantly. “Why my company?” He adds with a shaken head. “What deep, dark secrets does your publication think we’re hiding?”
A thought from earlier this weekend pops back into my mind. I bet he has no clue what a Ponzi scheme is. Reid didn’t even go to business school. So he’s been overseeing that company, relying on every other suit and tie to lead his footsteps. And now it’s going to bite him in the ass. If I don’t intervene like he did for me last night.
I contend with a frog in my throat, taking another drink of my tea before replying. “You do know what a Ponzi scheme is, right?” I ask, studying the empty look in his hazel brown seas.
“Huh?” He replies, tilting his head.
“Hello???” I blurt, rapping my knuckles against the table. “Schitt’s Creek—the whole reason The Roses were excommunicated from their wealthy lives—”
Reid’s expression has evolved into shock from being incensed only moments ago. “Are you saying—” he pauses.
I nod in agreement as if reading his mind. Finally, he understands. I just had to make it relatable for him.
“Mmm hmmm,” I acknowledge. “And I’d like to help you save your father’s corporation from ruins,” I add, squeezing his hand. “If you’ll let me.”
He bites his bottom lip while breaking my stare. In this moment of pause, all I can hope for is that he accepts my apology. But he hasn’t said anything to mollify the worry inside me that I’ve gone and fucked everything up entirely. Penny returns promptly with our plates. Or bowls, rather. It seems Reid is having what I am—an entire bed of white rice covered in teriyaki chicken with vegetables.
“Here you are, boys,” she says, teeming with amusement. “Third time in three days is a new record, Mr. Reid,” she adds with a wink.
All Reid seems to be able to reply with is a humble grin, if even genuine at all. I know if the tables were turned, I’d be worried about a cataclysmic chain of events leading to the collapse of my entire world. So, he’s right to feel how he does in this moment. Penny departs from the private booth, allowing us to dig into our meal. I’ve already shoveled two bites down my hatch, where he’s yet to so much as pick up his fork.
Reid clears his throat before a most liberal gulp of champagne. “You think it’s too late to save the vote?”
Surely the company can be saved from total ruins. I barely skirted by four measly years studying English, Journalism, and the like. Let alone any basic business course at all. I’m unsure how the corporate structure shit like this works. But if proving my affection can be best expressed by helping him seek a positive resolution, then Reid can consider me involved.
I click my tongue, all the while rubbing the circumference of my glass. “It’s possible,” I reply. “My liberal arts degree couldn’t be farther from an M.B.A., but I’ll do everything I can to help you save Fairchild Resorts Group.”
Reid clutches my hand tightly. “I’d really appreciate the support,” he says, glowering down at his food as if he’s not even hungry.
“What else can I do to prove how sorry I am?” I ask, dropping my fork in the process.
The subtlety in his gaze beams from across the table, while a glint at the corner of his aperture dances from our table’s light overhead. “If you’re serious about wanting my forgiveness,” he replies, momentarily scanning the surroundings. “Banana Boy will have to prove his remorse in my playroom.”
“You wanna take me back to Maui tonight?” I ask, my head matching the tilted direction of his.
He blows the few wispy bangs dangling over his forehead. “No, little boy,” he replies intently. “I have one in my Kūhiō Beach penthouse as well.”
So all is not lost? It seems there’s still a chance for redemption. And in order to regain his trust, I’m supposed to hand him every last bit of mine, in another new environment, submitting to yet one more world of pain. And since I’ve been a bad boy, this is bound to hurt. Do I trust Reid? A sigh falls from my lips.
“And if I—” I reply, pausing as I glance around to ensure nobody’s close-by. “If I accept my ‘punishment,’ then all will be forgiven?”
Reid blinks in a short succession. “No, but it’s a start,” he retorts. “You have to quit that ridiculous job and move in with me.”
Is he a mind reader? Because no joke, I’m about to—or planned on—explaining to him that I decided to leave the paper. Not that quitting would be optional at this point. Certainly better than being fired. The likes of which, something Reid probably hasn’t ever had to worry about in his entire privileged existence. But I can’t move in with someone whom I’ve known for less than four days. That’s fucking bananas!
My vision constricts as I drop my fork, the sound echoing throughout The Palace. “You’d have to contend with my Mimi for that to become a remote possibility,” I admit. “Candace is quite the protective mother wolf over me and my sister.”
He holds up a forefinger while scooping his phone from the table. Whoever he’s about to text, apparently takes precedence over our conflict resolution. Not that I doubt his intent on correcting my behavior like a true Daddy would. But his mind seems to be captivated by something far more important than this conversation.
“Hang tight, little boy,” Reid instructs with half of his vision shot towards me. “I gotta catch him before he jets off to San Francisco.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
REID
Kragen has me questioning the very foundation of my fragility. Not even two hours earlier, my heart felt like it was bursting into flames after being betrayed by yet another younger guy. And now, it’s almost as if I forgive him entirely.
After giving it some thought, Kragen’s apology makes perfect sense. We haven’t known each other for any great length of time. So there’s no way he could share the same level of enthusiasm as I have for advancing our relationship. He expressed his need to keep a steady paycheck coming in. But there’s a sizeable portion over my heart, eager to shower people with help. If Kragen becomes my permanent boy, he’ll want for nothing. And neither will the Darling family.
