Bayside Queens (BoyxMan)

26.

26.

CJ

I made it a requirement for Quinn to text me every few hours, so with the persistent beeping of my phone in conjunction with the way I nearly shit my pants with anxiety every time it rang, it was natural for Boggs to be a bit concerned.

"Who the hell has gotten you this revved up?"

We were sitting in a booth at the tavern on our lunch breaks, Topher and Maeve—now official deputies—at our sides.

"It's nothing," I responded, too distracted with my reply to even bother with Boggs. Quinn was in London; he had been there for a week now, which meant my constant state of paranoia was nothing new to the three of them. Topher was the only one who knew what was actually going on.

I shoved my phone back in my pocket quickly, eager to avoid any further discussion on the matter. But, of course, Boggs wasn't willing to let it go.

"Bull," he replied, his voice rising with an annoyed tone I didn't have the patience for. "Who's the new lucky girl?"

I was surprised when I looked up to see Boggs smirking at me. Boggs never smirked. He hardly ever smiled, really. Something weird was going on.

I snorted at the question as Topher and I exchanged a similar comical look at the mention of 'a lucky girl.' I shook my head in response. "I told you, it's nothing."

"Oh come on! It's just us guys, there's nothing to worry about!" He was practically jumping across the table at me in excitement, the light-hearted, smiling demeanor so unlike his own. I felt myself frown.

"What in the world has gotten into you?" I asked him, deliberately avoiding the question. Boggs just kept grinning, the small brunette at his side displaying a similar small smile.

"What? Now it's a crime to be interested in my boss's personal life?"

"No," I told him. "It's just... you're never this... I don't know... happy," I confessed honestly. The Boggs I knew was stubborn, loud, obnoxious, and grumpy. Not animated, smiley, and genuinely concerned about my texting habits!

"Well if you would look up from that phone once in a while," Topher cut in, turning to look at me with a glint in his eye and a smirk at his lips. "You would have realized that lately Boggs has been a lot happier, per say."

Whatever Topher was hinting at, I didn't get it. But Boggs did. He gave Topher the most menacing stare I had ever seen. Meanwhile, Maeve burst into laughter next to him, causing everyone—even Boggs—to lighten up. The kid had this weird peaceful aura that just dispersed across the room. He could make anyone smile.

Our lunch continued regularly after that, no more mention of my constant texts, no more mention of whatever Topher was talking about, and no more picking on Boggs for smiling more than usual. I paid our check and we all got up, headed back to our respective cruisers before Topher grabbed my arm, preventing me from following Maeve and Boggs out the front door.

I turned and faced him with an expectant look. No doubt this was about whatever the Boggs comment was earlier.

"Are you seriously that consumed with Spinner that you don't notice?" He asked, eyebrows raised, arms crossed across his chest.

"Notice what?" was my response. He didn't like that very much. He huffed, then pulled me over to the transparent door and pointed outside to where Boggs and Maeve were getting into the car. Boggs was holding the passengers side door open as Maeve got in.

"What?" I asked, not noticing anything unusual.

"Oh, I don't know, do you open car doors for me?"

I shrugged. "I don't know," I told him honestly. "Do I?"

Topher groaned loudly, then turned his attention back to the car parked right outside the door. "Look!"

Confused, I moved my stare to the location of Toph's gesture. Boggs was now in the car, leaning over to Maeve.

"What does that look like to you? HUH?"

I sighed. "God, Toph, I don't know! He's getting something off Maeve's face?"

He just stared at me. "Oh. My. God. You are so fucking dense."

"Well just tell me, then! Don't go making me do some observational study shit!"

"THEY'RE FUCKING, CJ!"

Well I finally got the picture, and judging by the volume of Toph's voice, the rest of the tavern did too.

"How do you know for sure?" I asked after looking around and lowering my voice.

Toph gave me one of his are-you-kidding-me stares, before opening his mouth again. "I caught Boggs bending Maeve over his desk last week, but that doesn't matter. What matters is you either have to be an idiot or sincerely distracted not to realize it—without proof—and you my friend are no idiot."

I choked on a strangled cough, feeling myself go red in the face at the thought of two of my friends and employees fucking-- on company property no less. Toph snorted at my reaction.

"Huh. I guess you really had no clue."

Huh was right.

~~

Quinn

"I can give you three hundred for it."

"Three hundred?" I whined, not even caring that I sounded like a child. "It's a brand new IPhone 6! These things go for six—seven hundred each!"

The man at the counter rolled his eyes. "Three hundred pounds."

"Oh."

He nodded.

I sighed deeply. "Yeah, fine. That's fine," I agreed, handing over the device.

Carter was going to be so mad at me.

He handed me the three hundred and I quickly deposited it into the wallet I had recently bought. I thanked the owner and left, pulling my coat against my chest. At least I had gotten myself a proper jacket before I left; London's winter was almost as bad as New York's.

I walked a ways down the street before ducking into the gift shop I had seen on my way down to the seriously sketchy buy-and-sell place I had just returned from.

The store was quaint and cute like most English things were. I found what I was looking for and grabbed a stack of them and a pen. It cost me almost 10 pounds but I didn't care.

I stepped to the side of the register and began filling one out. Just writing his name down on the paper made my heart rate triple.

Hi Carter,

Please don't hate me, but I had to sell my phone. I'm going to Spain next week and I needed money for the plane tickets. And no, I'm not spending the money you gave me until I absolutely need it. Why would you do that? Sending me off with an envelope full of cash when you damn well know I don't take charity? Sometimes I feel like you don't know me at all. Anyways, I'm running out of space on this damn postcard so I gotta finish this letter soon. I love you. I miss you. I want to come home, so badly. I can't wait for I've-missed-you sex.

PS: Hasn't my writing improved? I actually paid attention in school after I met you. So thanks.

A million kisses,

Quinny