Ugly Davey - 18. Chapter 18 – Lucky to Have You

Chapter 18 – Lucky to Have You

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

I let out an exasperated sigh. “You know, there’s no reason for you to torture the poor stapler. If you have something to say, then say it,” I said, irritation coming across clearly in my voice.

Rachel stopped from where she had been continuously smacking the stapler in order to release her frustration. Her face twisted into a snarl and she continued to glare at me with pure disgust.

I was leaning against the wall next to the elevators in the reception area, my duffel bag lying next to me on the floor. It was Thursday, and Tyler and I were to leave for our trip to Whistler soon. We had just been about to head out, when Tyler had been held back by an important call from a client. That was how I found myself waiting for him to finish up so that we could start the two-hour drive right away. But of course when I had decided to wait in the reception area, I had failed to take Rachel’s vile mood into account.

Thump.

Thump.

I rolled my eyes at Rachel’s childlike behavior. She had been giving me the evil eye all week since Monday when she had learned that I would be accompanying Tyler to the conference. If office gossip was to be believed, Rachel fervently believed in the scenario that often took place in romance novels. Those novels in which the heroine accompanied the hero on a certain trip, during which the two usually ended up with having hours and hours of hot steamy sex. This was then almost always followed by the two of them professing their undying love for one another before both of them lived happily ever after. According to the rumors filtering around the firm all week, Rachel had envisioned herself as the heroine to Tyler’s hero. She had wanted to go on such a trip with him ever since her obsession with Tyler began.

Well I had three words for her. Suck it bitch!

I smirked at her, and her eyes widened in response. I let my expression show that I knew exactly what she had wanted, and where she had failed, I had succeeded. Letting her believe that if anyone were to have hot steamy sex on this trip with Tyler, it would be me.

Rachel’s eyes narrowed and she once again began abusing the stapler. The sneer on her face only adding to her vulture like appearance.

Heh! I couldn’t help but feel like a smug bastard for pissing Rachel off. She deserved it after how much she talked behind my back around the office. So even though I knew that nothing would ever happen between Tyler and I on the trip, I let her go along and think differently. Let her think that Tyler actually chose a dweeb like me over her.

“Sorry it took so long, David,” Tyler said upon entering the reception area.

The instant he set foot inside, Rachel’s whole demeanor changed. Gone was the snarling expression and the laser death vision she had shooting me with. It was replaced by what she probably thought was a charming smile, and fluttering eyelashes.

“Good evening, Tyler,” she said in a gag worthy attempt at being seductive.

Tyler gave her a polite smile. “Evening Rachel, you have a nice weekend. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Yes, you have a wonderful trip as well,” Rachel replied, leaning down on her desk to give Tyler a clear view of her humongous boob job. But Tyler was already turning away from her and heading towards me. I wondered whether it was only my imagination or if his smile brightened and became more sincere when his eyes landed on me.

Definitely my imagination, I inwardly sighed.

“Ready to go?” he asked, coming to a halt right in front of me and placing a hand on my forearm.

It had taken a while, but over the past few days I had gotten used Tyler touching me casually like this every now and then. It seemed that from time to time Tyler would place a hand on my shoulder or forearm like this. Sometimes he would brush closely by as he made his way past me. Every time something like that happened, I would find myself mesmerized for a few moments with Tyler’s scent or the warmth of his touch.

It also made me wonder whether he was doing it on purpose, but I eventually chopped it up to my overactive imagination. Tyler was most likely not even aware that he was doing such a thing.

I looked up at Tyler and answered his question. “Ready when you are, boss!” I replied with a cheeky grin.

Tyler let out a warm chuckle, the one that shot straight to my cock, which gave a happy twitch.

Before I could make a fool of myself by getting a hard on in front of Tyler, I bent to pick up my bag and sling it on my shoulder.

We entered the elevator and then made our way down to the parking garage. The idea was to take Tyler’s car and therefore I had left mine at home and took the bus to work this morning.

I couldn’t help but chuckle when Tyler reached into his pocket for his keys, and remotely unlocked the doors of the vehicle we would be driving.

“Are you serious?” I laughed, looking at Tyler’s big shiny black Escalade SUV. “Don’t tell you me you’re one of those guys that drive big cars to compensate for their lack of size down below.”

Tyler chuckled at my joke. “Hey! It’s better to have room to stretch out your legs during a long drive. I didn’t want to hear you complaining every fifteen minutes about how your legs were cramping up in the car.”

He made his way over to the driver’s side, but then stopped and looked over at me across the hood.

“And trust me,” he said, his voice dropping lower and his eyes sparkling under the florescent lighting of the parking garage. “Size is the last thing I have to worry about.” Then with a smirk and a wink, he got in the car. Leaving me standing there with my mouth wide open.

I gulped, because I knew what he said was true. After all I had gotten to rub up against it while dancing during our encounter that one fateful night, and he definitely hadn’t been lacking in size.

***

“So,” Tyler began, breaking the comfortable silence that had formed nearly after an hour into the trip. We were about halfway there and were currently nearing the town of Squamish.

The journey so far had been quite enjoyable. Tyler had constantly been making me laugh with telling funny anecdotes about his father and son. In return I had regaled him with tales of growing up in Prince George and some of the mischief I had gotten into. Tyler had initially found it hard to believe that I could get into so much trouble as a child, but he had finally come to the conclusion that I wasn't as innocent as my necktie with the laughing monkeys made me seem.

“Yeah?” I asked Tyler, turning down the radio’s volume to better be able to hear him.

Tyler’s gaze was still focused on the road, but I saw his grip on the steering wheel tighten ever so slightly. If I had to guess, I would say that he was slightly nervous.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Tyler began. He shot a quick glance towards me, before reverting his eyes to the road. A slight blush spread on his cheeks, and I had the overwhelming urge to just lean in and brush my lips across his cheeks, to feel if they would be warm beneath the red flush. I tightened my grip on the edge of the seat to keep myself from doing something so foolish.

“Are you seeing anyone at the moment? I mean do you have a boyfriend? Uh partner?” Tyler coughed uncomfortably.

My eyes widened. I hadn’t been expecting that question. I turned my head to lookout side the passenger window at the moving landscape beyond. Trees upon trees passed by, their rich green color standing out in contrast to the rocky terrain of the mountains.

“No,” I said after a moment. I gave a self-deprecating laugh. “I don’t think people are interested in having a relationship with someone like me.” I knew that Tyler would take these words and believe that I was talking about my appearance, but I had actually truly meant them because it was the truth. Even as Dave, Tyler had refused to have a relationship of that nature with me. Not to mention that even before Tyler came a long, there had been numerous men who had all been up to fucking, but nothing much ever beyond that.

Maybe it was about high time that I realized that I was the one who was at fault. Maybe there was something about me that drove people away. “I guess there’s just something about me that screams ‘run away as fast as possible’.” I said to Tyler while continuing to stare out of the window.

I was lost in my thoughts when Tyler spoke up. “That’s bullshit, David!”

The vehemence in Tyler’s voice surprised me and my head snapped to look towards him. Tyler was still keeping his eyes on the road but there was an angry expression now marring his face.

“Whoever told you such things is an idiot! You’re a great guy, David, and any guy would be lucky to have you as a part of his life.”

Tyler said this with so much conviction that my heart started fluttering in my chest. I looked at Tyler’s profile, his eyes shining and face firmly set as though he had no doubt about what he said. All of a sudden Janet’s words began to race through my head.

“Even I noticed the interest shining in his eyes.”

No, it couldn’t be.

“What I saw was definitely interest on Tyler’s part.”

Could it?

I had to know for sure whether Janet had been right in her assumption, and the only way to do that was to ask Tyler. I couldn’t keep going on with constantly wondering whether there was ever truly a slightest chance that Tyler had feelings for me.

“Are you seeing anyone?” I asked, wanting to know if Tyler had finally hooked up with his perfect man.

Tyler looked at me from the corner of his eyes, before looking away again.

“No,” he said. “But there is someone I’m very much interested in.” Tyler blushed a little before he added, “I just haven’t gathered the courage to ask him out yet.”

I’m sure that if Tyler had been looking at me at that moment, he would have told me to close my mouth that was wide open in shock. I couldn’t believe this. Tyler seemed so nervous and unsure of himself, the same Tyler who had come on to me so confidently at the club that one Friday night. Tyler had everything, so how could he be so shy when it came to asking out the person he loved.

Tyler answered my question as though he had read my mind.

“I’m just as scared as the next person of being rejected, David.” He must have caught the dubious look on my face because he continued. “Yeah I understand I have money, a good job, and that my life is pretty much set right now. But all of that doesn’t count when the person you want doesn’t want you back. It’s difficult because I don’t come alone; I have my son who comes with me in package deal. If the person who’s going to be my partner can’t accept that, then we could never work—no matter what my feelings towards him may be. So it’s really important that I find the one, you know?”

With that I finally understood. Tyler was scared that the person he wanted to give his heart to would only throw it back in his face in return. Just like Tyler had refused mine when I offered it to him. But I couldn’t help but think that whoever would do such a thing to Tyler to be anything more than an idiot. Especially if he chose Tyler having a son as the reason to do so.

I looked Tyler in the eye and told him this. “If this person can’t accept the fact that you love your son and won’t abandon him for anyone, then this person is an idiot. You’re a great guy, Tyler, and I’m sure Timmy is a great kid too. If this person can’t deal with the responsibility that comes with having a child in your life, then he really isn’t worth your time.”

Tyler blinked, and then blinked again. Then a brilliant smile spread over his face that took my breath away. He reached over and gently grabbed my hand before giving it a light squeeze. His hand was big and warm, and I stared down in wonder at his golden tanned skin across my own olive toned one. Tyler lightly brushed his thumb over my knuckles before letting go and returning his hand on the steering wheel.

“You’re a really great guy too, David,” Tyler said softly.

I continued to stare at my hand for the rest of the trip.

***

We got to Whistler around half past seven. The sun had already begun to set as the days were starting to become shorter as fall had begun. As we neared the lodge where we would be staying and the conference was to be held, I couldn’t help but take in all of the surroundings. The last time I had come to Whistler had been in the winter and everything had been covered in layers and layers of snow. Now on the other hand, everything was rich green, golden, brown, and the other entire myriad of colors associated with fall.

I lowered the window to deeply breathe in the crisp fresh air, so much more refreshing that the pollution filled air in Vancouver. It was chilly out, but I refused to close the window as I soaked it all in. Whistler with its backdrop of sprawling mountains was a sight to behold.

We pulled up into the parking lot of the lodge, and Tyler and I both got out to finally stretch our limbs.

“Ah that feels good,” Tyler said as he put both arms in the air as he stretched his back. I discreetly ogled his body as I continued with my own stretching. Apart from the few breaks at gas stations, we had driven mostly nonstop. It felt good to finally be out and walking about.

“Let’s go get settled in and than we’ll decide what to do about dinner, yeah?”

At the sound of dinner, my stomach took the opportunity to show its agreement my rumbling loudly.

Tyler chuckled. “Well I’m glad that your stomach approves.”

I blushed like an idiot and mumbled unintelligibly in response as I got our duffel bags out from the back seat of the SUV.

Carrying our bags, we entered the lodge. The lodge wasn’t a huge complex, but an average sized, comfortable one. It was big enough to fit the 100 lawyers, law students, and activists expected to attend, but still have an intimate feel to it. The lodge had a log exterior with huge windows, and looked to be well maintained.

Entering, we set foot into the lobby, dimly lit with the few lamps scattered around. It seemed that they relied on the natural light shining through the windows during the day, and therefore didn’t have any overhead lighting apart from the few chandeliers visible in the dining room on the right. The floors were all dark varnished wood, as was the reception desk that we walked to.

An old man was seated behind the desk, working away on his computer. “Good evening,” he said, when Tyler and I stopped in front of the desk. He looked at Tyler and gave a polite nod, before turning to me to do the same. But when his eyes landed on me, they widened in surprise.

Here we go again, I inwardly rolled my eyes. I was so used to dressing up in my dweeb outfit, that I sometimes forgot how it looked to people when they saw it for the first time.

Tyler cleared his throat to bring the man’s attention back to him. There was a frown on Tyler’s face as though he had not liked the way the man had been staring at me.

“Hello, I’m Tyler Fritz. We’re here for the Law Conference. I believe we have reservations for two rooms under my name.”

“Ah, yes,” the man coughed, looking a little embarrassed at having been caught staring at me. “Just a moment, Mr. Fritz.”

The man started to type into the computer. He looked at the computer, frowning slightly, and then typed something again. His frown deepened. “I’m sorry Mr. Fritz, but there seems to be only one room booked under your name.”

My eyes widened. “What?” I squeaked. “No, that shouldn’t be. I called in on Monday to book another room. I was ensured that the change was done.”

The man glanced at me, before looking back at the computer. “Yes, it seems like a change was made. But not to add another room, but to change the original single room to a double.”

I looked at Tyler. “Tyler, I’m sure that I booked two rooms. This has got to be some kind of mistake. I swear,” I started to ramble.

Tyler put a soothing hand on the back of my neck and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s OK David, we’ll clear this right up.” Tyler smiled at me and I immediately relaxed.

Tyler turned back to the old man that had been watching our exchange. “Could you please exchange that double room for two separate single rooms please?”

The man was shaking his head before Tyler even finished the request. “I’m sorry, Sir. But all of the rooms have been booked to full capacity. Unless someone doesn’t show, we don’t have anymore available rooms.”

I think I may have started hyperventilating if Tyler’s hand on my back had still not been comforting me.

Oh god! Tyler and I in the same room? Oh my god, oh my god!

Tyler gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry David, guess we’ll be stuck in the same room. We’ll have our own beds, so it’s not like we would have to share. I hope that’s fine with you.”

I nearly swooned at the mention of sharing a bed with Tyler? That would have been a dream come true. I could already imagine it. Tyler’s large strong body spooning mine from behind. His warm breath tickling the nape of my neck.

I had let my imagination wander a little before reality came crashing down.

Oh shit! How am I going to manage sharing a room with Tyler and keeping up my ugly pretense at the same time?

It was going to be damn near impossible if Tyler and I were stuck in the same room, sleeping only a few feet apart from each other. That would mean I would now have to keep my disguise on 24/7, not even being able to take it off while I slept.

Oh god! I was so screwed.

I wanted to do nothing but panic. To run around in circles waving my hands in the air and yelling how I was doomed. But I couldn’t. Not when Tyler was looking at me expectantly and waiting for an answer.

“Yeah, Tyler,” I said, trying to hide the edge of panic in my voice. “That’s fine by me.”

Tyler gave me a beaming smile as his face lit up, and I had to wonder if maybe the hardships of the next few days would be worth it to see that expression on Tyler’s face again.

“We’ll take the room,” Tyler said to the old man.

“Excellent,” he said, and proceeded to tell Tyler where to sign.

As the man handed Tyler two sets of keys for the room, my stomach took that moment to make itself aware again. I gave a sheepish grin to Tyler whose gray eyes were sparkling in amusement. “Sorry. Just a bit hungry, I guess.”

The old man laughed at that. “I wouldn’t call that ‘a bit’, lad. I’d say by the sound of that you could probably eat a whole darn cow.”

“Well maybe only half,” I replied, still slightly embarrassed.

The man laughed again and shook his head. “Well as glad as we would have been to feed you that half of a cow, I’m sorry to say that the kitchen has closed for the night.”

My expression must have shown something, because the man hastened to add, “But there are various restaurants within walking distance that I’m sure you would find all the food you need.”

So we headed towards our room to drop off our bags before going out to eat. The room that we were assigned was modest sized that contained two double beds, a television on the dresser, and an average sized bathroom. It was painted in an off-white color that contrasted beautifully with the dark wooden floors, the hunter-green sheets on the beds, and the light tan colored curtains. The best part of the room had to be the small balcony that opened up to the sprawling landscape of snow-capped mountains beyond. I could have spent hours sitting out there and just staring at the breathtaking view.

“You ready to go?” Tyler asked, after he finished freshening up in the bathroom as I had already taken my turn first.

“Yep,” I replied, and so we headed out.

***

After eating at a small Greek restaurant that we found while wandering around Whistler Village Square, we stepped outside of the restaurant, only to be caught in the torrential rainfall that had started while we were still enjoying our meal. The sun had long since gone down and it was fully dark out. Light poured out of the various shop fronts and restaurants nearby.

“Shit!” I squealed as the water had us both drenched in just a few moments. I pulled on the hood of my jacket and we both started walking briskly towards the lodge, with me grumbling along the way.

Tyler’s laugh rumbled out from beside me. “Hey, a little rain never hurt anyone.”

I looked at him, though there was not enough light to make out his features. “This is not a little bit of rain, ok? This is like ten levels above raining cats and dogs. This is like raining fat rhinos and hippos,” I grumbled.

Tyler’s laugh sounded out in the night again and I inwardly preened a little at having been the reason for it. It even made me less grumbly at the sudden change of weather, even if only a tad bit.

We walked beneath a street lamp, and the dim light was enough to illuminate our faces for a bit. It was then that Tyler reached out and swiped his thumb on the side of my chin.

I gave a startled squeak and Tyler chuckled.

“Sorry,” he said, “but you had a bit of ketchup on your chin.”

I looked up at Tyler, but once again couldn’t see his face since we were again surrounded by darkness, having already walked out of the lamp’s range.

“T-thanks,” I stuttered.

It was only as we neared the lodge that it hit me. I had never had ketchup at the restaurant to begin with. We passed another store and I managed to get a look at my face through the reflection on the shop glass. I gasped at what I saw and my heart stopped in its tracks.

The rain had smudged my fake acne make up. Long red streaks were now visible across my whole face as the red droplets slowly rolled down my cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin. It looked as though rivulets of blood were running down my face.

Holy fucking shit!

I was so bloody fucking screwed.

To be continued…