He returned to sit next to Jordan, who put an arm around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, babe.”
Drew watched their interaction, not without a twinge of envy. They were so perfect together. As corny as it might sound, Drew had known from the moment he introduced Jordan to Keith that they would fall in love. They complemented each other, no matter that they were so different in temperament. Jordan’s type A, perfectionist behavior had been calmed somewhat by the easygoing, good-natured detective. Keith never raised his voice, never got mad. Jordan’s occasional lapses into rudeness or snide comments were met with a raised brow and a, “really, babe that was uncalled for,” which always had Jordan issuing an apology.
They gathered up their plates and dumped them in the garbage. Jordan and Keith left after Stevie promised to think hard about Keith’s suggestions. He was left with Ash and Stevie, standing by the door.
“Keith will make sure it’ll work out, and Ash will keep you safe.” Drew ruffled the young boy’s hair. “He’s a great guy, huh?”
With a face full of hero worship, Stevie turned to Ash. “You’re the best. I only wish it would all happen like Keith says.”
Drew held Ash’s gaze. “When Keith makes a promise, he keeps it. Don’t worry, Stevie; it’ll all be over soon.” They left, Ash not saying another word, his hand remaining on Stevie’s shoulder in a protective clasp.
Drew cleaned up and remembered he had sent out invitations to the women from the dating website and when he checked his e-mail, he found that three of the seven had already accepted. That thought brought him no joy or excitement as it once might have.
Somehow the clinic had become his reality. As he e-mailed back the women to confirm the dates and times, he knew if he didn’t find some human comfort soon, he’d go mad. So whether or not he was excited about meeting these women, he’d do what he must to start to feel alive again.
Chapter Fifteen
“Where the heck do you put it, kiddo?” Ash couldn’t help but laugh as Stevie came back with a second burrito, a bag of chips, and guacamole.
Instead of apologizing as he might have a month ago, Stevie grinned and peeled back the foil wrapping. “Hey, I’m a growing boy, like Dr. Drew’s cat.” He took a big messy bite and chewed away as he rummaged around in the bag for a handful of chips.
At the mention of Drew’s name, regret seared through Ash, leaving a bitterness he hadn’t thought possible. That night over two months ago now seemed almost dreamlike, and as the brightness of the memory turned hazy with the passage of time, he wondered if the feelings had truly been as intense as he recalled.
Better that they moved on with their separate lives. He leaned back in the chair, enjoying the sight of Stevie demolishing his Mexican food. After that talk with Keith, Stevie had started working at the clinic, helping Javier at the front desk. He’d gained confidence and even admitted to Ash he had a little crush on the older boy.
Stevie hadn’t mentioned any more abuse, and he’d begun to gain weight and grow, although Ash suspected it was meals like these and the ones Drew’s grandmother provided him at the clinic that contributed to his healthier look. “So, kiddo, you’re going into junior year of high school. Have you thought about what you want to do after you graduate, like college?”
Stevie chewed and swallowed. “I talked to Dr. Drew, and he said he’d help me with tests and my applications and stuff. I know I’m not smart enough to be a doctor, but I thought I could maybe be a technician or something.”
“You can be anything you want to be. Remember that.” Ash leaned forward, elbows on the table.
“Well, yeah, but my grades aren’t so good. I wanna help the doctors, you know?”
The excitement in Stevie’s eyes warmed Ash’s heart. To think that only two months ago he’d been a scared, shy child, afraid to look people in the eye or express an opinion. Now his confidence, while not at its peak, had certainly soared to heights never before imagined.
“Take your time, and when you get ready to apply, we’ll all be here to help.” Ash checked his watch and asked in what he hoped sounded like a casual voice, “You’ve gotten to be very friendly with Dr. Drew, haven’t you?”
Stevie’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, he’s really nice and friendly. Did you know he has a girlfriend? I met her when he invited me to his apartment. She came over, and we played with his cat.”
The taco chip he’d been holding crumbled to bits between Ash’s fingers. “No, I didn’t know. What’s her name?”
“Um, Shelly. She seemed nice. And she’s pretty.” He grinned. “I think she really likes him. She kept standing close to him and touching his shoulder.” He made a face. “I even caught them kissing once.”
Another good thing in his life he’d fucked up. What did he expect? Drew wasn’t going to remain celibate forever, and his divorce would be final soon. Obviously he’d decided to move on and found a perfectly nice woman, like he should. The pain lancing through him made it impossible to breathe. “What time do you have to be home? It’s almost five o’clock.” He barely managed to choke out the words.
Stevie gulped down his soda, then wiped his mouth. “Yeah, I’d better get back now, or I’ll be late for dinner.” He stopped and stared. “You okay? You look kinda funny.”
“I’m fine. Come on.” Ash stood and took Stevie’s tray to the front of the restaurant as they walked outside. “I’ll drive you home.” He draped his arm around the boy’s shoulders.
“Do you think you should?” For the first time, Stevie sounded uncertain. “I told them about Dr. Drew and Dr. Jordan, but not you.”
“Don’t worry; I won’t drop you off right in front of the house.” He took the keys from his pants pocket and disabled the alarm. “Hop in.”
With a grin, Stevie slid into the front seat. “This is such a cool car.” His hands smoothed over the leather seat. “It must cost a ton.”
“You know, Stevie, remember I started off like you, no family, gay, and abused. But I knew if I wanted to get out, I had to get an education and make something out of myself.” Ash drove toward Red Hook, where Stevie lived.
“But I’m not smart like you or Dr. Drew.” Stevie stared out of the window. “I can’t be a lawyer or doctor.”
“Then be whatever you can be, only be the best at it, and help people along the way. Paying it forward is the best thing you can do.” Ash turned down Van Brunt Street and pulled into a space about a block away from Stevie’s house. “They’ve been leaving you alone lately, haven’t they? You haven’t complained or shown up hurt.”
Stevie didn’t answer for a few moments, fidgeting instead with the seat belt. “They have, but I don’t know.” He shrugged his thin shoulders with the bravado of the very young and spoke with surprising strength. “Something’s off with them, but as long as they leave me alone, I don’t care.” After unbuckling his seat belt, he gave Ash a shy smile. “Thanks for the ride.”
“No problem, kiddo.” After Stevie got out of the car and came on to the sidewalk by the driver’s side window, Ash continued to speak. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”
Before Stevie could answer, a yell echoed from down the block. “Yo, shrimp.”
Stevie paled. “Oh shit, no.”
From the description Stevie had given him, Ash knew right away these were the boys Stevie lived with, Jimmy and Donny. He got out of the car and leaned against the hood, arms folded across his chest. The two young men swaggered over. They wore tight muscle T-shirts and baggy cargo shorts. Ash pegged the one with the cruel, handsome face, hair buzzed short over a bullet-shaped head, and sneering expression as Jimmy. The other one, Donny, he presumed, was thin and wiry, his face covered in stubble and a mistrustful look in his eyes.
“Shrimpy, who’s the dude?” Jimmy’s eyes brightened with an evil light. “He must be a rich man with that car. Is he your sugar daddy? You fucking him?”
A sickening feeling crept through Ash. This could go very wrong, very fast if it wasn’t handled carefully. “Hey, guys, I’m a friend of Steve’s. I gave him a ride home from work.”
Jimmy eyed him with undisguised hostility. “Yeah? What’s he do for you? Suck your dick?” He laughed at his own joke and high-fived Donny.
Ash’s lips tightened. “Steve helps out the doctor in the clinic. I know he’s told you. He’s a very valuable member of our staff.” Shit, he’d love to punch these two punks in their leering faces.
“Yeah, he’s told us. We’re sick of hearin’ about Dr. Drew this and Dr. Jordan that. Bunch o’ fuckin’ pussies, all of you.” Jimmy cracked his knuckles. “Comin’ around here in your rich-ass car showin’ off to everyone, thinkin’ you’re better than us.” He walked away, Donny following him, then called over his shoulder. “Better kiss him good-bye and come home now, Stevie boy. Don’t wanna make everyone mad.” Then he kept walking. Donny hurried to keep up with Jimmy’s long strides, shooting uncertain looks over his shoulder.
“Shit, are you going to be all right tonight?” Ash raked his hand through his hair, frustration tightening his voice. “Text me later and let me know if everything’s fine.”
“I will.” Stevie hefted the backpack he always carried with him onto his back. “Thanks for dinner and everything, Ash. I gotta go.”
“Bye, kiddo.” Ash watched him hurry up the block to his house. After he disappeared around the corner, Ash shook his head and returned to his car and drove off to his Park Avenue apartment, a million miles away.
The phone rang, and he pressed the button. “Davis here.”
“Mr. Davis, this is Martinson. I have some more news.”
Good thing he was at a light; otherwise he might’ve rear-ended the car in front of him. “Go on, tell me.”
Martinson cleared his throat. “I found him, sir. Mr. Luke Conover lives in an apartment in Chelsea. He changed his name legally from Martelli five years ago. For the past two years he’s worked for the investment firm of Lambert and North as a financial consultant. He’s single and has no children. The people at his firm speak very highly of him, but they all say he’s quiet and doesn’t socialize much. He doesn’t drink, smoke, or do drugs.”
Ash let out a long stream of breath.
Thank you, God
. Un-fucking-real. All these years Luke had lived here, in the same city, and he didn’t know it. “Do you have an address for him?”
Through the phone, the pages of a notebook crackled. “It’s 1655 West Nineteenth Street, Apartment 4C.”
Glancing at the dashboard clock, Ash saw it was after six o’clock. Still early to be home, but he’d take a chance. If he had to camp outside all night, he was going to see Luke. “Thank you, Martinson. Excellent work. Any news of Brandon?”
“No, sir. But now that I’ve located Mr. Conover, I can concentrate my attention on his case. I presume that is what you want.”
“Absolutely. Keep me posted. And thank you, again.” Ash clicked off and headed over the Brooklyn Bridge. Traffic was heavy, but he finally made it down Chambers Street to the West Side Highway. By the time he reached the exit by Chelsea Piers, it was almost six forty. Nothing like rush hour in the city to eat away valuable time. Ash maneuvered through the maze of downtown streets and soon found himself on West Nineteenth Street.
He pulled into a parking lot and walked toward Ninth Avenue. There were some new high-rises and also some lovely brownstones in this neighborhood. Obviously, Luke had done well to be able to afford to live here. His heartbeat quickened as he spotted the glass-and-steel high-rise where Luke lived.
Pulse racing, he could hardly contain his excitement as he approached the concierge desk. “I’m here to see Mr. Conover. Is he home?”
The concierge, an older gray-haired man, barely looked up from the desk. “I’m sorry, sir. Mr. Conover is away on business. He isn’t expected back for several weeks.”
Joy faded, replaced by the pain of disappointment. “I see. Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome, sir. Have a good evening.”
His steps dragging, Ash returned to his car. Now that he knew where Luke was, he wanted to swing from the trees and yell from the rooftops. A sobering thought hit him as he started the car.
What if Luke doesn’t want to see me?
* * * *
Two weeks passed and Ash returned once again to Luke’s building, only to be met with the same response. Mr. Conover was still out of town, and they had no firm date for his return. His phone vibrated in his suit pocket, and when he saw the text was from Drew, he grew alarmed.
“What’s the matter?” Aside from hurried hellos and good-byes in the clinic, he and Drew had barely spoken to one another in the past month. Ash had caught a glimpse of Drew’s girlfriend when she stopped by the clinic one evening to meet him for a date. She was small, with long dark hair and big brown eyes that gazed at Drew as if the sun rose and set on his every word. Everyone in the clinic except him had met her, but he had no desire to sit and watch her put her hands and lips all over the man he couldn’t stop dreaming about.
He remembered all too well what Drew felt and tasted like.
“It’s Stevie. I’ve called Keith and Jordan. Can you come over to my apartment?” Drew’s tense voice sent a chord of anxiety thrumming through him.
“I’m in the city. It’ll take me a while to get back to Brooklyn.”
“Get here as fast as you can.”
Drew’s terse voice had him speeding through yellow lights. He took the Battery Tunnel back into Brooklyn since it was less crowded, and within twenty minutes, he pulled up in front of Drew’s apartment building. He recognized Jordan’s car as he ran across the street and up the front steps. Someone buzzed him in right away, and he pounded up the stairs. Jordan held the door open for him.
“It’s bad, man.” Jordan’s tone was grim. “Luckily nothing was broken, but he’s scared to death.” He pointed to the living room. “Drew has him lying down on the couch.”
Ash barely heard him as he hurried past. His gaze fell on Stevie’s huddled body on the couch, his face hidden from sight. Drew’s cat was curled up next to him, his large furry body pressed against the boy as if to give him strength.
“Hey, kiddo. What’s going on?” He knelt beside him and touched Stevie’s hand. The boy shuddered, then spoke, his voice muffled as his lips were buried in the crook of his arm.