Swish (6 page)

Any day Alex got home early was a great day. He had the evidence Lexy wanted that there
was
an affair with one woman. He'd still have to go out on Saturday to catch them romancing each other on the trails, though. Lexy was obsessed with proving that this wasn't a one-time mistake.

From what she'd said, the asshole had always excused himself by saying it wasn't anything serious, just self-control slips. Alex hoped catching Darren a couple times with the same woman would blow a hole in Lexy's ability to forgive him for those “mistakes” he kept making.

He settled down by grabbing a beer from the fridge and chilling out in front of the TV. There was a marathon of some show about hot lawyers, so he watched that.

A little later, Alex ate a microwave supper he'd grabbed on his way home, then returned to the marathon. He had a slight interest in the exploits of the characters, at least one of whom was
clearly
fucking gay. The TV would never show that, though.

Alex chilled out, doing as little as possible until he got a text from Thomas that evening.

Call me?

He grinned and licked his teeth, stretching out again to enjoy the moment. The same man who'd told him to fuck off that afternoon was all hot and cold. Clearly he was getting to Thomas somehow. It was kind of enjoyable since Thomas had always been able to keep him at arms-length.

“Hello, Thomas,” Alex greeted once his ex answered. He knew he sounded a little smug, but he couldn't help it.

Thomas sounded annoyed. “Look, this isn't another...”

“Booty call?”

“Shut up. I'm only calling because I want to know about your work.”

Alex straightened up. That was less fun. He rubbed his hand back through his hair and muted the TV. “Go on.”

“Are you bringing what we saw to the bank's attention?”

Alex paused, considering how to answer this. Thomas knew who he'd been investigating, but not why. He could have been working for the bank, a partner if Anna one, or Darren's wife as he actually was. Thomas wouldn't be able to guess which, and he had to keep it that way.

“I can't. This is evidence in an ongoing investigation.”

Thomas paused for a few long moments. “Ah.” He sounded frustrated. “Right.”

“Anyone who sees impropriety in the workplace can approach their supervisor,” Alex said mildly, tugging his jeans and scratching his thigh. “Naturally.”

“Ah... Right.” Thomas paused for a few long moments and Alex let him stew in silence before he spoke up again. “I do approve of catching fraudsters and cheaters and stuff, I guess. It's just that we were on the receiving end of it before.”

Alex hadn't expected any forgiveness, even unspoken. “Oh? I'm glad you see a different side now.”

“But you
really
shouldn't have crept on Cam if you still wanted anything to do with me,” Thomas told him. “You had to know he wouldn't like that.”

“Yeah, I... had some warning he might not take it well.” Alex had been told that by the guys who'd hired him. He'd had an idea anyway, from his own general knowledge of Thomas's brothers. “I was wrong to put anyone you love on surveillance. I hesitated before taking the job, but... I should have turned it down. I know you might not trust me again and that's okay. I just... needed the money, man.”

“Damn right that's okay,” Thomas told him firmly. “I get needing the money... a little more now.” Alex frowned, concerned for a brief moment before Thomas went on. “But I already didn't trust you.”

Alex's annoyance slipped through for the first time in a long time. He was used to being utterly professional and keeping his feelings under wraps. But Thomas
kept
poking that damn wound. “Still banging on about me leaving for Toronto?”

“Excuse me?”

“You were the one who didn't want to be out,” Alex pointed out mildly. He knew it would piss Thomas off, but he couldn't help saying it. “I warned you I needed to be public if I was gonna date you exclusively. And you knew I was graduating and leaving.”

“So it's my fault now?”

Alex pictured that indignant face. “It would have happened one way or another if you never got the balls to come out. I saved us the agony later.” The phone line went dead; he knew it before he even tested. “Thomas? You there?”

He laughed quietly and tossed his phone on the couch. It was damn hard to get Thomas worked up at all, let alone to the point where he'd hang up on him.

As much as he tried to ignore it, remorse crept in moments later, though. Provoking Thomas also wasn't much fun. He liked the adrenaline rush of getting one over on someone, sure. But this was the guy he wanted to rekindle something with...

It was a stupid call, and Alex regretted it within ten seconds. He turned the TV up again, letting Thomas take the space he needed. When he was ready to talk, he'd call back – maybe next week, maybe never.

It was harsh, but it was the truth; he'd needed someone he could be out with, and Thomas hadn't been that guy. Nonetheless, he knew he could have put it a little better. Okay, a lot better.

That was a truth Alex was reluctant to admit: he was a hard man to be around. The lower his mood, the more he poked and prodded people, and damn it, he didn't even know why.

Probably another depression symptom. He made a face.
I'll make an appointment someday.

And Thomas was right – he had to look harder at the cases he took from now on, and maybe at how much of a dick people saw him as. He was never gonna get a boyfriend if he kept this act up. A bad boy was only good for one thing, and Thomas had already gotten that.

Maybe I'll make an appointment tomorrow.

Alex rolled over to grab his phone and dial the doctor's office. It was way past closing, but they'd get the message and call him back.

“Hello. I'm looking to make an appointment. My number is...” Alex tried to sound perky as he left the message, then pressed
hang up
and put the phone down again.

If Alex ever wanted more... he had to give more, too.

Mom and Dad were in the kitchen, and Jackson was helping them wash up. Cameron had Thomas alone in the living room. He intended to take advantage of the moment's peace and quiet. After all, a little birdie had told him that Thomas might
not
be opposed to dating right now.

He and Noah had discussed the possibility of setting Thomas up with someone – one of their mutual friends or someone new.

But first, it only seemed right to chat to him about it.

“So, Valentine's Day is only next month,” Cam tried, stretching his legs out as he sprawled on the couch.

Thomas gave him a disbelieving look. “That's about the least subtle way you could have put it.”

Cameron laughed and rubbed his face. “Yeah. So, you planning on getting a move on before then? Or are you waiting for the perfect person to slide down the sidewalk into your lap?” It was possible Thomas was suffering from unrealistic standards, after all. It was pretty hard to beat Noah and Chase as being the perfect boyfriends. Noah a little more perfect, though.

“Mm,” Thomas glanced out into the backyard, then looked back at Cam. “What I told you about after the barbecue in August, that kind of panned out, but kind of didn't.”

Vague.
Still, at least Thomas was talking, and Cam wanted to encourage it. Maybe he was shy about talking about a girlfriend when everything else in the family was about boyfriends. Cam didn't want him hiding away his personal life. Or, of course, it could be a boyfriend...

“You ever call them back, then?”

Thomas was quiet.

“You gotta take initiative sometimes,” Cameron elbowed Thomas. “Dude, it's been months.”

“That's what Noah said.”

“Aha, you've been talking to love guru Noah but not your own brother?” Cam feigned being wounded. “Or even Jackson, the lump...”

Thomas was frowning. “Yeah.”

“Why not?”

“You can drop this subject anytime.”

Cam raised his eyebrow. “Why?”

Thomas turned to look him dead in the eye. “Just mind your own business. I asked you back then not to interfere. So don't interfere.”

That was about as close as Thomas ever got to yelling at someone. Cameron instantly put up his hand and nodded. “Yeah. Sure. Sorry, man.”

Thomas's shoulders sank and he rolled them a little, then offered a smile instead. “Yeah.”

The silence between them was tense, interrupted only by clattering and laughter from the kitchen.

Cam snorted and poked his finger in Thomas's direction, waving it around his chest. “You've got a little pent-up...”

Thomas slapped his hand away and punched his shoulder. “Says the one who was grouchy for
months
last year.”

“Well, they fixed
that
, at least,” Cam smirked just to make Thomas groan. Being able to have great, rowdy, red-blooded sex with Noah again was a treat. Cam had noticed that he was a lot calmer in general, so Thomas wasn't wrong. Maybe Thomas needed to get laid, too. “You know, you can take up a sport,” Cam suggested.

“What?” Thomas had never really
done
sports. “Like what? Hockey?”

“Fuck, no. They'd crush you,” Cam laughed. “You're living in the capital of outdoor sports. Snowshoeing or skiing or something. We have enough of the shit around to do something with. Arctic ice running.”

“Is that a sport?”

“It should be. That'd be hilarious. Even more injuries than hockey, I bet.”

Thomas rolled his eyes but still smiled. “Fine. I've been thinking about going out this weekend and doing something just to...” he trailed off for a moment, then finished, “do something.”

Get your mind off something?
Ooh, Cam was intrigued. He knew better than to push Thomas's buttons again so soon. “Yeah, you should. Some quiet time alone might be good. Or around other people. You spend enough damn time alone.”

“I have friends. At the bank, and the board game cafe when I go.”

“Like once a month, when you're not reading the latest... I don't know, horror-thriller thing.”

Thomas shoved him. “I hate horror. You should know that.”

“Whatever the hell you read,” Cam grinned. “Nerd.”

Thomas hauled himself to his feet and shook his head. “We should see if they need any help. God, you're like the cat who got the canary since surgery. I think you need a little less activity.”

Cam laughed richly. “No way. I waited fuckin' long enough,” he shook his head. “Hey, maybe sports will help you meet someone and get a little
more
activity. Meet me in the middle,” he wriggled his eyebrows.

“I'm ignoring you until further notice,” Thomas shook his head. Cam laughed again and followed his little brother to the kitchen. They'd all find out what Thomas was hiding eventually. Maybe before his deathbed, Cam thought with a grin. He had to open up
someday
, to someone. Hopefully they'd be included.

“So, I need to go up around that way? Is there anything that way?”

Alex knew damn well that there were warm-up cabins in both directions from the trailhead. He just needed to confirm which trail the romantic couple had chosen for their planned illicit rendezvous.

He was pretty sure he knew which direction they'd gone, but he had to be sure. Skiing in the wrong direction would be a pretty big fuck-up.

“Well,” the ski rental guy said, rubbing his chin, “there's a cabin both ways, if you get that far out. But for your first time on skis in a while, you might not.” Alex might have feigned a little less knowledge than he had to flirt more with the guy. Nothing wrong with that, even if it was idle interest.

It was weird only to have a passing interest in the guy before losing interest again. His days of eyeing men who walked into the high-end boutique where he'd started his career, and of getting at least three numbers a shift, were over.

“Oh,” Alex laughed. “I guess you must have regulars who can. Do they come out on weekends, or is it amateurs like me?”

“There's one couple who seem talented. They came this morning and headed up to the Sycamore cabin. You might want to go to the Beech cabin...” the guy hinted with a rueful laugh.

“Is-- wait, isn't that against the rules or something?”

“They look like a new couple, I don't recognize them. The regulars know better,” the rental guy grinned. “When a marathon skier crashes in with snot running down his face and interrupts--”

“Oh,
Jesus
,” Alex laughed, holding up a hand. “That was an image I didn't want.” He almost doubled over on his poles, trying desperately to forget it. “Fuck.” The guy was leaning on the table as he laughed, too. “They've never been out before and they made it there? I might have a shot.”

“This is... maybe the third time I've seen them, but yeah, they found it easy enough. They said last time they enjoyed it...” the guy ruefully smiled. “That trail
is
flatter and a bit faster.”

“Okay. I might give it a shot. I'll just knock before I enter.” Alex winked, pushing himself gently backwards on his skis. “Thanks a lot.”

The guy was cute enough, bearded and young with dark brown eyes, but so not Alex's type. Nothing like Thomas, either.

“You're welcome. Enjoy your afternoon.”

Alex turned like a starfish, one step at a time, until he faced the trail head. He glided away across the snow in small, testing strides.

It was easier than he remembered, but he'd strain some muscles he wasn't used to targeting in the gym. He had to pace himself to make it all the way to the cabin. Alex desperately wanted to gather that last bit of evidence for Lexy and wrap up his case.

It only took a few glides from foot to foot as he settled into the easy, smooth rocking rhythm. The rental guy had waxed them with exactly the right stuff. He had just enough grip when he needed it, but enough glide to skate across the top of the snow. He'd make better time than he could in the classic tracks with his skis parallel and his arms working too hard.

With leg muscles like his, he kept his strides under control. It was a joy to skate across the crisp, squeaking, white groomed trail until the main cabin vanished behind him.

The most exertion wasn't even in his legs. It was in his arms each time he dug his pole tips into the snow and bent. He propelled himself along as his skis formed a V enveloping the direction he wanted to travel. He rocked back onto his right foot without poling each time, then dug his poles in again for his left foot.

For extra speed, he
could
double-pole and propel himself along on both left and right strides. He didn't have to go that fast right now, though. He'd watched them set off just a few minutes ago and they couldn't be a lot faster than him.

The trees closed in around him within minutes and he was utterly alone. Well, almost alone. Birdsong reached his ears from winter birds braving warmer weather to forage. Probably partridges or jays. The tree boughs hung heavy with snow, a few bright berries peeking out between the lumps of snow and icicles. The last freezing rain had at least given a great, crisp surface to the snow that made skiing easier. It dragged trees down sometimes in the dead of winter, so it wasn't always great.

Oddly enough, this was the most peaceful he remembered being since moving here from the hustle of Toronto's suburbs. The air bit at his nose and lungs, but he wrapped his scarf a little tighter. He clutched his ski poles tightly to keep propelling himself forward.

The solitude was kind of nice, even if part of him wanted to share it with someone – to point out pretty Christmas card scenes or split snacks with. And if that someone was Thomas in his idle daydreams, nobody had to know.

Thomas still hadn't called him, but it had only been two days since their Thursday evening call. He expected it would take another day or two for Thomas to cool off again. When he did, Alex would apologize. He
had
been in the wrong, at least partly, for that conversation.

But that would happen in time. Right now, he was just a few easy miles away from nailing this bastard exactly how Lexy wanted, getting a great paycheck, and helping her get the confidence to confront him with the damning evidence he was so sloppily giving to him on a platter.

It was hard to say which gave him more pleasure: the beauty and solitude of the woods or getting to ski on the clock. Maybe both.

He loved his life sometimes.