As Time Goes By - Georgetown Book III - 2. ATGB II

Eyes closed, CJ adjusted the headphones over his head. The train’s rocking provided a familiar, comforting feeling. A year after Election Day 2016, he and Owen were on the way to New York City, memories of his involvement in Hilary Clinton’s campaign fresh on his mind thanks to the recent interview with Trip. He smirked realizing how much he had changed since moving to Washington and in particular, during the time he worked as a surrogate for the former Secretary of State.

Reticent about being a public figure, he fought against revealing too much personal information while on the trail. Remembering what a mess his feelings were at the time, the smirk became a silent chuckle. He tried to keep people from knowing about his personal life, yet he was quick to reveal he was gay. A conversation with Congressman Joseph Kennedy III from Massachusetts helped him get over his publicity phobia. Saving the life of an elderly woman in Charlottesville the previous summer thrust him into the spotlight once again and he thought he handled the notoriety much better.

At the time, he gave Charles Beauregard Houston III the first interview and subsequently replied to every other request from reporters. The same day he spoke with Trip, he agreed to give him an exclusive concerning his experiences and feelings on the first Tuesday in November 2016. He enjoyed the interaction and was certain it would not be the last time they worked together. The article appeared in the latest issue of The New Yorker and he already had several messages about it. He would reply to them over the weekend while he and his fiancé plunged further into public view.

This was their first visit to New York since August when they spent a few days on Fire Island. While CJ played a mean air-drum, the shoulder nudge disrupted his revelry. He turned his head and pushed aside the Bluetooth device covering his ears; the Aussie’s crooked grin filled his vision. “You listening to them again?”

CJ nodded and leaned over to peck at his boyfriend’s cheek. They had attended the Imagine Dragons concert at Washington’s Capital One Arena on Sunday; days later, he was still playing their music non-stop. He noticed one of the train’s occupants frown while the two men kissed so he leaned in and did it again. Fuck the judgmental assholes if they could not deal with it.

“Damn right I am. Their new album’s so fucking good I may never listen to anything else. My new anthem’s gonna be ‘Whatever it Takes’. I do love the adrenalin in my veins the way the song says.” The late-afternoon Amtrak Acela Express leaving the nation’s capital was crowded with business people and tourists heading to New York City for the long weekend. Veteran’s Day fell on Saturday this year, so the Federal Holiday was celebrated on Friday.

“What time’s Chipper getting in again?” Cristiano Humberto Israel Pereira, Jr. was flying from Miami to celebrate his twentieth birthday with them, his sister Cristina, and a handful of friends.

“His flight lands at Newark about an hour before we get to Penn Station. He’ll prolly be waiting for us at the apartment.”

 

The Manhattan Upper East Side co-op owned by CJ’s fathers and their friend Dr. Matthew Calhoun had become a second home to CJ and Owen. Visits alone or with friends were a frequent occurrence, more often than not during three-day weekends. Over time, they accumulated enough of a wardrobe in the large New York City pied-à-terre, their traveling luggage consisted of a backpack each.

“CJ! Ozzie! Damn it’s good to see you. Welcome back to the City.” Ajax Karalis was three years older than CJ and two younger than Owen. He worked as a doorman at the building on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 76th Street, taking over the spot vacated after his father retired, while studying to become a graphic artist at Hunter College.

“You’re looking good, mate.” Owen shook hands with the Greek-American man while CJ stood a step behind, admiring their friend’s looks.

Ajax’s bright blue eyes sparkled as he tipped the cap emblazoned with the building’s address upwards. “Thanks, Ozzie. You guys ready to party this weekend?”

“Damn right, bro. And you better be too.” CJ swatted the man’s hand away and instead wrapped him in a hug. So what if it was not considered proper protocol for a tenant to be so chummy with an employee? He was without doubt in a ‘fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke’ type of mood. “What’s your schedule?”

“Working the late shift today. Brought a bag with clothes Chipper took up to the apartment already. Tomorrow I’ll work morning ’til mid-afternoon. Then I’m off 'til Monday.”

Upstairs, they heard the shower running through the open bedroom door. Two units were joined years before to create a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment with double living space and two kitchens. CJ always thought the second cooking area should be turned into a fourth bathroom and the living space of the smaller unit enclosed to create additional sleeping space. As it was, the couch in there turned into a double bed for those times occupancy rose.

CJ walked into the master bedroom belonging in name to Matt Calhoun but which Chipper took control of whenever it was the younger set visiting alone. Strolling into the bathroom, he leaned against the counter top and stared at his friend through the glass enclosing the shower. “What’s going on, bud?”

“Hey, CJ! Glad you and Ozzie finally got here.” Chipper dismounted the showerhead from its bracket and ran it over his body, rinsing away soapsuds. “Dude, I’m sooo ready to party…” He turned off the water, shook his head, and ran a hand through his brown hair. It was cut short and stylish as it had been the last few times they had seen each other. The college sophomore went through several lengths, styles, and colors in the past, but contrary to what most people would expect, as he entered college the wildness dissipated.

CJ raked his eyes over Chipper’s body; his friend was not as bulky as CJ’s or Owen’s but he was in damn good shape. Although he often shaved his chest, a trimmed carpet of soft-looking fuzz now fanned across his pecs and trailed down the center of his torso. The hair ribbon merged with the coarser growth surrounding his genitals. “Looking good, bud. Glad we both avoided the freshman fifteen. Bet you’re getting laid right and left looking like that.”

“I do okay. Tell you some of the stories later. So, are you and your studly boyfriend ready for PRIME time?” Chipper referred to the Chelsea neighborhood bar they planned to be at after dinner.

“Fucking A, dude. Ready to get my drink on!”

Chipper’s laughter reverberated in the confined space. “Listen to him! While in the spotlight during the campaign last year, he wouldn’t even look at a bottle of booze. And now he’s ready to party it up.”

“Tonight it’ll be mild. The three of us have to be up at dawn tomorrow. But watch out Friday and Saturday nights!”

“Dude, I can’t believe your dad quit his job. What the hell happened and what’s he gonna do now?”

“You’re gonna shit after you hear about it. Finish up in here and I’ll tell you the whole story. Oh, and he’s going to work with Papa Brett in the family businesses from now on.”

They ordered pizza and ate while catching up with each other’s lives. The death of Owen’s sister and the couple’s travel to Australia to see her and attend the funeral left them in a somber mood. Chipper had already returned to the University of Miami by the time his friends were back in Washington. CJ recounting his time in Israel with Levi Olken and Ezra Dawani-Olken, and Owen talking about Levi and Ezra’s wedding in Washington improved the atmosphere. By the time Chipper finished telling about hookups in Miami with fellow students at the Frost School of Music, they were laughing and ready to head out.

 

The crisp November evening forced them to wear more than a t-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops; Chipper kept bragging that was the most he ever wore in South Florida whenever he went out. They rode the train to the 23rd Street Station and walked the final blocks to their destination. The bouncer at the door smirked while he checked their IDs and banded their wrists. CJ suspected the big bruiser had an inkling two out of the three were not real.

“Hey, handsome. How about three blowjobs?” The bartender’s head popped up when he heard the request; rummaging through a cooler, he had failed to notice the three men approach.

Sean frowned, uncapped the bottle in hand, and placed it on a napkin in front of a customer. “Sure thing, sir. Which one of you’s gonna come back here and chow down first?”

“Asshole! That’s what you have Ethan for. Where the hell is he anyway?”

Sean Owen Brody ran a hand through his flame-colored curls and frowned. “Not coming out tonight. He worked late and decided he needed to rest since he has to be at the office early tomorrow.”

“On a holiday?”

“Guess that’s what happens if you’re low man on the totem pole. Only a half-day, though.” The bartender placed four glasses in front of him and reached for a shaker to mix the requested cocktail.

Owen leaned against the bar and watched their friend work. “You guys still coming out with us tomorrow night, right?”

“Damn right we are. Why do you think I’m working today? Ethan said to call him when you get done at the photo shoot tomorrow. He’s spending the weekend at my place, so he may be walking funny by the time he returns to work on Monday.”

 

“Yummm! Fresh meat!”

CJ, Owen, and Chipper looked up to see two guys walking towards them. They rose with the sun, showered, ate, and headed to Queens. They were early and there was nobody around, so they sat on the stoop by the front door of the abandoned warehouse being used for the photo session.

“You here for the shoot with Clive?” The same voice posed the question. The speaker was a tall, gangly guy who revealed a mane of burgundy hair when he pulled off the knit cap. “I haven’t seen you before. You guys new in town?”

“Who are you?” CJ had stood, wary of two strangers approaching in a somewhat deserted industrial area.

It was the black guy next to him who replied. “That’s Ken. He’s harmless. But don’t bend over in front of him.” The guy flipped his ball cap around and stretched a hand out. “Marshall. And I’ll take a guess you’re the three newbies Clive told me about.”

“I guess that’s us. CJ. The blonde’s Owen and the other guy’s Chipper. Do you usually have to wait when you do one of these things?”

“Honey, waiting is the job.” Ken squatted in front of the door and lit a cigarette. “Waiting to get the assignment. Waiting for make-up and hair. Waiting for wardrobe. Waiting for the photographer to be ready. Is this your first time for real?”

“Second for me.” Chipper took a step and offered the crouching man his fist to bump. “Those two played hard to get for a year before they agreed to do it.”

“No shit?” Marshall sounded surprised. “A famous fashion photographer wants to use you and you wouldn’t do it?”

“They’re not in the business, Marshall.” Clive had opened the front door and stood smiling at the five men. “Morning, gentlemen. Come in, come inside. We just got here and used the back door. We didn’t have a key for this one. CJ, Ozzie, the crew’s so looking forward to this.”

“Hang on a minute.” Ken dropped his smoke and crushed it under the heel of what looked awfully close to a ballet slipper. “You chase around trying to convince three unknowns to pose for you. Me? I beg for the job and only get it after I blow you?”

Marshall slapped his companion’s back so hard the guy stumbled and almost fell. “That’s ’cause you’re a ho, gay boy! Not all of us rely on the casting couch to get work. Anyway, you’ll blow anybody.”

“Wrong! They have to be breathing. You didn’t complain the time I did you while your girlfriend was out of town, straight boy. So, what’s the deal, Clive?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I met them in South Beach last year. They were having lunch at an outdoor café and I approached them. CJ had some privacy concerns because of a project he was involved with at the time. It took a while for us to hook up. For the record, you had the job already when you pulled me into the bathroom stall at the club.

“But don’t get too cocky. These three are part of a group of friends and I wanted to use the six of them. Unfortunately, the redhead in their gang is in the Army and deployed who knows where. I chose you as a stand-in for him. One of their other friend’s black and that’s whose place Marshall’s taking. We have one more guy coming to stand in for their skater buddy.”

CJ shook his head and grinned; he grabbed the backpack and walked into the empty industrial building. Empty was a relative term. There was no manufacturing equipment in sight, but trash littered the floor and broken-off pieces of machinery and battered office furniture remained behind when the space fell into disuse. Dusty, cobwebbed clerestory windows filtered daylight into the cavernous room. A series of lights and a paper backdrop were to one side, while metal racks full of clothing and a few chairs around a three-section portable screen were tucked against a wall. He assumed that was the changing area. The privacy partition was one of the items his attorney Rachel Stout added to the contract CJ asked her to review. There would be no stealth nude shots.

The place was crowded with people hustling equipment into the warehouse. A raised rear garage door revealed a parked panel truck. Clive introduced them to his staff: a hair and makeup artist, three wardrobe assistants, a couple of gophers, and a fashionably dressed woman, representing Italian Vogue, wearing sunglasses indoors. With Chipper prodding them, CJ and Owen agreed to pose for the magazine’s spring feature on men’s suits. CJ had no idea why they were shooting business attire in a dump like this. The potential artistic vision escaped him.

Once the last model arrived, they all clustered around Clive while his assistants rolled in a cooler and a cart loaded with sacks and boxes from a catering company. “Okey dokey. Thank you all for coming and sorry for making you work on a holiday. Chipper lives in Miami. CJ and Owen in Washington. Since all three go to school and have busy schedules, as soon as I found out they were planning a New York trip, I had to make it work.”

The hair lady ran clippers over beards, leaving behind manicured scruff. She wet, and styled their hair, applied varying amounts of product to their faces, and passed them over to wardrobe.

Each man had their own clothing rack. Clive asked for sizes and measurements in advance, but CJ was amazed how much tinkering it took until the photographer was satisfied with their appearance. Anyone looking at them from the side not facing the camera would notice the number of clips and pins used to make the outfits fit without wrinkles or bulges. No wonder nothing ever looked as good on real people as it did on a fashion spread.

“How you doing, CJ?” Owen removed his current outfit and handed each item to one of the assistants to hang back on the rack. They had been at it for a while, taking pictures of each model individually and in shifting groups; Clive called for a break while they prepared for the final portion of the shoot with all six human mannequins together.

“Okay, I guess. Getting a little cranky. I’m still glad we decided to do this. It’s a good experience. But if Ken grabs my ass one more time, he’s gonna get slapped down. It was funny at first but it got old really quick.”

CJ had a foot up on a chair while unlacing his shoes when Ken walked behind him and ran both hands over CJ’s ass. “You mean like this, college man?”

“That’s it!” CJ was not kidding about getting cranky. He was up early, had survived on coffee and bagels since then, and his patience had worn thin. Whirling around, he clamped a hand around the man’s neck and frog-walked him backwards until Ken’s shoulders hit one of the concrete columns. Startled and maybe scared, the man stared wide-eyed at his assailant. “You listen to me, pretty boy. I’m not one of your play things. You so much as look at me again, I’ll fucking crush your throat. And that goes for my boyfriend too. We’re both off-limits.”

“Leave him alone, CJ.” Chipper rushed over and pulled at CJ’s arm. “Ken, I’d listen to him if I was you. He has couple of black belts. He could kill you with his hands before anyone could interfere. I don’t know if he has it with him, but he carries a loaded gun around too. Don’t piss him off anymore.”

The confrontation ended as soon as it began. Owen forcefully shoved back one of the crewmembers who tried to intervene, daring him to lay a hand on CJ with a piercing stare. Clive took Ken by an arm and propelled him towards a corner of the derelict space while talking.

Marshall draped an arm around CJ’s shoulders while chuckling. “He’s had that coming for a long time. Please don’t hit me. I’m not interested in your ass.”

CJ stared at the black man at his side, shook his head, and started laughing. “Sorry, I’m definitely not used to this shit. I can usually control my temper but…”

“It’s cool, man. Ken’s harmless but he doesn’t know when to stop. I’ve worked with him before. I’m used to his bullshit. Worst part is with his looks and body, he gets what he wants more often than not.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have done that. I better go apologize to him and Clive.”

Following the outburst, Ken seemed leery of being too close to CJ; he had to overcome any fears he harbored when the photographer forced them to stand together and even lean against each other during the next round of photos. At one point, he asked if it was true CJ carried a gun.

“I do most of the time back home. And when I go on motorcycle trips. But don’t worry, I didn’t bring it this weekend. New York gun laws are as much a pain as those back home.”

“So you’re a biker, huh?”

Yep. So’s Ozzie. And both my dads. And―”

“You have two dads?” The surprised response to the revelation led to more questions and explanations by CJ, Owen, and Chipper. By the time Clive called an end to the day, Ken was back to being flirty but kept his hands to himself.

 

Ethan was waiting for them at the apartment when they returned to Manhattan―CJ had left a key for him at the front door. The friends had not seen each other since the August weekend at The Pines; the reunion dissolved into a hug fest with enough backslapping to land someone in traction.

“I should have been there. I could have told this character trying to grab either you or Ozzie can be dangerous to one’s health. At least he was lucky Ritchie wasn’t there.”

The conversation about Ritchie first and then other members of the Squad didn’t falter when Ajax walked into the living room naked while toweling his hair. “Are you guys going to shower or what? I promised my girlfriend we’d be at the restaurant on time. I better not be late if I want to get laid tonight.”

“Like Marina not being around would keep you from fucking. You’d just jump all over Chipper’s ass.” CJ jumped off the couch as the man threw the towel at him. “I’m going, I’m going. Come on, Ozzie. I’ll wash your back and you can do mine.”

 

Eventually, they made their way to Añejo. CJ had made reservations for the group at the Hell’s Kitchen restaurant. He had read good things about the Mexican eatery opened years before by a Top Chef contestant. The immense selection of tequila brands and agave cocktails may have also influenced his decision.

“I’m surprised this place’s still open. I haven’t been here in ages.” Damien Prado, Cristina’s boyfriend, was older than the others. In his mid-thirties, the investment banker met Chipper’s sister while she interned at the same Wall Street bank he worked at. “We could have gone somewhere nicer, you know? I told Cristina I would pay tonight since all of you are still in school or recent graduates.” He lowered his voice and spoke to CJ. “Well, except for Sean. I’m not sure he could afford an expensive place either. I mean, he’s just a bartender.”

“OUCH!” CJ’s outrage at how hard Owen stepped on his foot dissipated after he saw the warning stare.

“Sorry, mate. Almost tripped myself up there.” Damien’s sotto voce comment was apparently loud enough for Owen to hear and the foot stomping was a preemptive strike.

CJ thought his boyfriend knew him too damn well. Hearing Prado brag about money and put one of his friends down had him ready to lash out. Instead, he tried to make nice, not wanting to spoil the evening. “Don’t worry about that, Damien. Ozzie and I will take care of dinner. After all, we invited you and Cristina to be our guest.”

“I don’t know, CJ. I mean, this could be a tad too rich. It’s nice you want to treat your friend, but I don’t want you running up a balance on your credit card.”

Ethan intervened and kept CJ from trashing the man. “How much do you know about CJ, Damien?”

“Oh, not much. Cristina’s told me he’s gay and has two gay fathers. He was involved in the election last year and he’s a student at Georgetown. I guess his family has a friend with a place in New York he stays at when in town. Cristina mentioned someone named Matt. But otherwise…”

“Okay, one thing wrong in there.” Ethan, Damien, CJ, and Owen were standing apart from the others while they waited for their table. “The apartment they use is owned half and half by Dr. Calhoun and CJ’s dads. I guess Cristina didn’t share that.”

“Oh? I wasn’t aware they could afford something like that. Apartments on the Upper East Side aren’t cheap.”

CJ slapped his forehead and shook his head; he suspected this was the beginning of a long evening. “My dads do okay, dude. And don’t worry about my credit card. One of them’s an accountant and he’s taught me carrying a balance’s not a good idea. What with all the interest they charge. So I pay it off every month. Why give money to blood-sucking bankers?”

“You guys look too serious. Come on, our table’s ready.” Marina Anastasi looked beautiful and CJ had told her so already. She hugged them all but CJ noticed Chipper’s embrace was longer and tighter. He smiled, thinking his friend was going to get doubly lucky for his birthday. “We have tequila to drink. And I can’t wait ’til we go dancing after dinner. I’m not missing out on the dance floor with you boys.”

“Ajax’s your boyfriend, right?” Damien followed when the girl laced arms with CJ and Owen and led the way.

“Yes, he is. Our parents were friends since before either one of us was born. We grew up together.”

“And he’s a doorman at the building these guys stay at?”

“For now. Hopefully he’ll find a good job as a graphic artist once he graduates.”

“I’m surprised he socializes with his building’s tenants. That’s uncommon.”

CJ steered clear from sitting next to Damien and it seemed others wanted to avoid him too. He ended up between Cristina and Chipper. He thought he would avoid talking to the irritating man but could not resist a response. “Ajax’s more than our building’s doorman, Damien. He’s a friend. And anyway, none of us care too much about what any of our buds do for a living. Hell, one of my besties’ going to be a motorcycle mechanic. Another one’s going to be a pharmacist, and a third one’s in the Army. But we’re all the same. Just because someone has a college education or money doesn’t make them any better than anyone else.”

Damien did not look convinced but at least he did not pursue the topic further. The round of tequila shots they ordered arrived accompanied by a bowl of lime wedges and a salt cellar. The first cocktail of the evening seemed to animate the group further and CJ had a hard time following the different conversations. Cristina ended up grabbing his attention.

“That was a beautiful save-the-date announcement you guys sent out, CJ. I was sooo happy to get it. And a bit surprised. I didn’t think you’d be doing it before graduation.”

“We figured we might as well. Ozzie and I know we’re gonna be together forever, so why wait? I hope you’re planning on being there.”

“Oh, definitely!” Cristina placed a hand on Damien’s arm and looked at him. “I added it to our calendar as soon as I got it. Have you guys figured out the details yet?”

“We’re still working out some things.” Owen glanced at CJ and gave him a tender smile. “You try and plan anything with a thick-skulled Cuban. You’ll realize it’s not easy to find compromise when you have different ideas.”

“Hey! I’m not that bad! So, Cristina, how do you like being out in the real world?”

“It’s different but I’m enjoying it.” Cristina had graduated from New York University at the beginning of summer and started a management training program at a bank soon after. “I’m still learning. The bank wants us to be familiar with all areas of operations.”

“I think that’s the same at most reputable businesses.” Ethan passed the salt to Marina and picked up a lime wedge; the server had just delivered their second round of shots. “I’m going through the same thing at the law firm. They keep rotating the attorneys I work for. I’ve been involved in a divorce case, patent infringement litigation, and a wrongful death suit so far. I thought I’d get a break since my dad’s a partner and I interned the past two summers but nooo. I‘m low man on the totem pole until the next batch of rookies comes in.”

“Spoiled bitch!” Chipper’s comment elicited a middle finger from Ethan. “I still love you, brother. Okay, since the first round was for my twentieth, this one’s for Ethan’s twenty-fifth.”

Wiping his lips with a napkin after downing the shot, Damien seemed unaware they were celebrating two birthdays. “When’s yours?”

“A week from tomorrow. At least this year it’s on Saturday. I’m glad I won’t have to go to work the next day hung over. CJ’s the lucky one. With his birthday being two days before Christmas I’m sure he’ll be partying his ass off again.”

“What are you doing this year, CJ? If you’re flying people somewhere for a party you better include me and Ajax this time. Or am I disqualified because I’m a girl?” There was a little pouting on Marina’s part.

“Nothing special this year. I’m thinking the next big celebration will be for the twenty-first. I’m pretty sure I’ll have to invite females to that one.” Marina stuck her tongue out at him when he tried to look disappointed and resigned to his fate. “No more boys-only ski trips. Too many friends and relatives with girlfriends or wives.” CJ watched Damien lean towards Chipper and whisper something in his ear.

“Oh, man. You wouldn’t believe CJ’s eighteenth.” Vigorous nodding by others around the table seconded Chipper’s comment. “He flew us all to Colorado and we spent a week on the slopes in Vail. It was sick! I’m hoping his dads don’t sell the place we stayed at. It could become a good party house for us in the future.”

Damien looked at CJ with a surprised expression. “You flew everyone out there and your dads own a condo in Vail?”

“Ummm, not a condo. It’s a big chalet. You can fit like twenty people in there. They don’t use it often but I’m thinking the same as Chipper. I want them to keep it.” CJ avoided commenting on his paying for everyone to fly out there but Damien did not let the matter drop.

“And you paid for everyone to go? How many people?”

“Mate, my boyfriend’s one of the most generous men you’ll ever meet.” Owen rested a hand atop one of CJ’s. “He spends money on others more often than on himself. There were over a dozen of us. We all had such a good time I think we’re ready to go back soon.”

As the food arrived, conversations drifted towards plans for the upcoming holidays. CJ was surprised when Cristina mentioned Damien would be flying down to Tampa with her to meet her father; he had not realized the relationship between his friend’s sister and the older man was so serious. When the server approached the table with suggestions for dessert, CJ asked Owen to order him something and excused himself to use the restroom.

The server brought one last round of tequila and placed a black folder containing the check in front of CJ. Damien was quick to object and reach for it. “No, no, no. I’m taking care of this. Remember, I can afford this a little easier than any of you.” Maybe it was the discussion of the apartment in Manhattan or the lodge in Vail but Damien seemed a little hesitant when he looked at CJ. A seed of doubt had been planted in his mind.

Ethan, Sean, and Chipper shook their heads and chuckled while a benign smile creased CJ’s face. “Too late, mate.” Owen’s glee suggested he enjoyed showing up Damien. “If I know my boyfriend, he handed his credit card to somebody when he went to pee. I bet you he told them to add an overly generous tip and close the charge.” The smile on CJ’s face grew when Damien opened the folder and found the charge slip and CJ’s American Express inside.

“Black Amex?” There was surprise and a touch of respect in his words. “You shouldn’t have done that, CJ. I wanted to treat you guys.”

“No way, man. This was all our doing. Chipper and Ethan are two of our closest friends. This was a birthday present to them from me and Ozzie. Tell you what, you can buy the first round wherever we end up next.”

 

“Did you have fun?” The remainder of the evening was as enjoyable as the meal. CJ limited his drinking trying to avoid a hangover; he knew there would be more alcohol consumption Saturday night. Although he was tired when they returned to the apartment, he was not too drunk.

“I did, mate. But next time we come up, we meet Cristina and Damien just for coffee if we have to see them. Don’t think I can stomach another night of him telling us how much money he has. How important he is. Or him being so stupid not to realize you have a heck of a lot more and deal with as many well-known individuals as he does.”

“He’s a dick! But as long as Cristina likes him…” CJ left the sentence unfinished when he started thinking about what the guy’s reaction would be if he did end up as Cristina’s plus-one at the wedding. Maybe then he would stop bragging about his wealth and connections.

“I thought he would get a clue when Chipper and Ethan kept on about the Colorado trip. Or when Sean talked about meeting all the dads’ friends and you. And how everyone was so nice to him even though it was an awkward situation. Damien should have realized you and your dads have money but don’t flaunt it. It wasn’t until he saw the card you used I think he started to realize he may have misjudged you.”