STEFANO {Published/Sample Only}

45

I sank back into the chair, adjusting the cuff links on my suit jacket- just as my phone started vibrating on the conference table. Mark! I stretched my fingers for it, sliding it over, already seeing the incoming picture icon... was he here again... or was it another shower shot... either way... I slid it into my lap- only to see Luca's name on the screen instead. Goddammit. I flashed my eyes over to him, sitting at the opposite end of the table next to Suthers, staring right at me- with that ridiculous fucking grin.

I opened the picture... Jesus... I dropped my head towards the table, edge of my fist flying up to my lips, blocking the laughs I was choking down. It was the pic Luca had taken on Halloween a few weeks ago, Gav in a Fred Flintstone costume. Fuck. Poor Gav, he was never gonna live that down. 'The gift that Keeps on giving... best birthday present I've ever gotten... well almost.' The words popped up in front of me and I shook my head, tossing the phone back down. How had that trip already been weeks ago? Felt like we just got home.

"And you said Gavin Romano will be running point?"

Suthers straightened in his chair, his lawyers and VP's following like dominos.

"That's right," Luca grumbled back. Luca had agreed to take them on personally but after the trip he pulled clients, shifting Gav's- without bothering to run it by me first. "Gav... Gavin is top notch, best we have."

Then Suthers closed the folder in front of him. Hands clasping together over it. "Well I think we've crossed all our T's and dotted all our I's. Ready to call it a day?"

"Absolutely!" Luca pushed out of his chair, immediately throwing his hand out to shake the team's. "Time for round two."

"Let's cheers downstairs, then head to the club up Ferry. Nothing better than mixing business with pleasure." Suthers team exited and I stood, linking the single button on my suit jacket before packing up my shit and following them out. A drink sounded good after sitting in a boardroom for an entire fucking afternoon.

"I'm gonna get it blown up!" Luca laughed, stepping to my side as we walked out.

"What?"

"That picture of Gav, frame it on my wall."

"You want a framed pic of Gav in your place? So do half the chicks you bring home."

"Shut the fuck up." He knocked his arm into mine, both of us laughing as we continued to the group waiting at the elevator ahead.

"Stefano! Luca!"

I looked back, spotting Tony heading over, hand out for Luca's before swinging it to mine, so I reached out- shaking it.

"Happy birthday Luca." Tony's hand flew up to Luca's shoulder, nudging him towards the elevators.

"It's not happy yet, let's get the fuck out of here and find my happy." Luca charged off, Tony and I a few steps behind him.

"Nice suit." He nodded over- see, he did like my shit- no hidden meanings.

"Custom made." As most my suits were. I was too tall, too bulky.

"Tailored to fit every muscle I bet."

"Exactly." These biceps didn't fit most suit jackets.

He bumped my shoulder, slowing me down, distancing us from the group ahead. "Haven't seen you around or heard much from you guys."

"Crazy time of year." End of Q4, we were barely breathing. "We just got back from Cali and we've been catching up, in overdrive."

The full elevator went down, leaving Tony and I back, my thumb already pressing to call it again.