17. No I Was Just Near My Phone

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Shooting for a double upload today m'loves!
Here's another long one!
Also did you guys prefer numbers for chapter headers, or would you like me to make fun chapter names? I always wondered whether that would be easier for you guys to jump to chapters you might want to read again.
I dunno.
Lemme know :)
xoxo

John

I wish I could say my Saturday was spent sipping mimosas on a beach somewhere

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I wish I could say my Saturday was spent sipping mimosas on a beach somewhere.

Instead, I was hunkered down in my home office working on tasks that Don had assigned me throughout the week. And working was putting it lightly, because every two seconds I was glancing at my phone like a text would magically appear without the notification sound.

I had messaged Derek to see what time we were on for tomorrow, but that was two hours ago and he still hadn't responded.

"John," I whispered to myself, "get a fucking grip."

The sound of my phone going off startled me. I barely even looked at the caller ID before answering, which was a mistake because of course it was Don, someone I probably would've ignored at this point in the day.

"Were you expecting my call?" Don asked.

I moved some of the stacks of paper to the side of my desk to give me better access to the computer mouse. "No, was I supposed to?"

"Well you picked up after barely the first ring. Usually I can feel you debating whether you want to pick up as the third and forth ring goes through on my calls. This was record timing... sir." He added that formality in like it was going to do something.

My hands froze at that, and I leveled with myself a moment. If Don asked about the second thank you, what was I going to say exactly? And more importantly, did he really need to know about my plans for Sunday? Most likely not... I bought enough comics on my own that whatever Derek and I picked out tomorrow wouldn't raise much suspicion with my credit cards.

That and, regardless of how bad it sounded, I didn't want Don to talk me out of this one. Not like he had much to stand on, friends went to comic book stores together all the time.

And I really didn't want to hear about what was for the good of the company and myself. As reckless as this was, all I wanted to do was spend a little more time with Derek. Especially before Christian became a living pain in my ass.

I know how it all sounds, trust me. I know.

But the thought of seeing Derek in his element at one of my favourite comic book stores sounded too good to pass up. I was also excited for us riding there. His bike was beautiful, and it made me wonder how good a rider he actually was. Like should I be drafting out a will today or not? I liked the uncertainty that came with him.

"No I was just near my phone," I replied. That was technically the truth, but Don was also right, I usually debated picking up his calls whenever I saw them come through. Getting a call from Don was usually to inform me of some shit hitting the fan, and honestly? I had very reserved time for bad news these days.

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