“Only if you let me pay for dinner.”

  Lucas pulled into a parking space and put the transmission in park. “By your own admission, you like me. Right?”

  Sterling had an idea of where the conversation was headed, and it made him smile. “Yes.”

  “And what we’re doing here?” He wagged his thumb between them. “One could consider this dating?”

  His smile stretched a little wider. “Yes, I suppose one could.”

  Lucas nodded several times before he spoke again. “Okay.” Then he exited the vehicle and came around to open the passenger door for him. “Just for the record,” he added before they reached the entrance of the diner. “I like you, too, but I’m paying for the pancakes.”

  He sounded so serious Sterling had to duck his head to hide his growing smile. “I had suspected as much,” he teased. When Lucas reached for the door, he hurried forward and stopped him with a hand to his forearm. “Thank you, Lucas. For everything.”

  After a significant pause, Lucas dipped his head in acknowledgement and reached for the door again. He didn’t speak until they’d made it inside and had been escorted to a corner booth by a red-headed waitress wearing too much lipstick.

  “I have something for you.”

  “Oh?” Sterling finished pulling his coat off, folded it, and placed it on the padded bench seat beside him. “What’s the occasion?”

  “No occasion. You said you wanted to relate to people, right?” Pressing his shoulders into the back of the booth, he lifted his hips to slide his hand into the front pocket of his jeans. “Well, I thought maybe this would help.”

  Resting his elbow on the tabletop, he opened his hand, dangling a silver, star-shaped pendant from a delicate chain that looped around his fingers. The raised center of the star literally sparkled in the harsh fluorescent lighting of the diner, glittering in shades of gold and silver.

  While beautiful and unique, Sterling didn’t understand how it would help him form connections with the people in his life. “It’s beautiful.” Holding it delicately, he stroked the charm with his index finger. “Thank you. Truly.”

  “It’s stardust,” Lucas explained, laughing when he arched an eyebrow at him. “Okay, it’s actually glitter, but just go with it. Think of it like a talisman.”

  Giving up on trying to figure him out, Sterling clasped the necklace in his fist and sighed. “I don’t understand.”

  “A talisman,” Lucas repeated, “like a reminder. Just wear it for a few days, okay? And when you’re interacting with people, it’ll help you remember to give just a little more, be a bit more open.”

  He still didn’t understand, but Lucas seemed so confident, so he just smiled and thanked him again as he fasted the necklace at his nape. “I’ll try.”

  “I have no doubts.” Lucas shook his head, his lips curving marginally. “I believe in you.”

  five

  Leaning back in his office chair, Lucas propped his feet up on his desk and laughed into the phone. “You’re not interrupting anything,” he assured Sterling. “Trust me, this is the best part of my day.”

  He’d seen the guy only once since the night he’d driven him home—just once in nine days—and that had been a business meeting. The separation made him crazy, but he understood how much stress Sterling was under to finish his presentation. He also knew exactly how much he wanted that promotion, and while it might be inconvenient for him, he admired that dedication and tenacity.

  “I just wanted to let you know that your mini commercials will be displayed on eleven digital billboards in the city. They’ll start the last Friday of the month and run through the end of March.”

  “I thought I only paid for nine billboards?”

  “You did.” The smile in Sterling’s voice sent a tingle down his spine. “I was able to work a little magic, though. You can thank me later.”

  Realizing it was the perfect segue, Lucas interrupted before he could continue with his update. “Speaking of later, I want to see you. What are you doing tonight?”

  “Oh, Lucas, I wish I could, but my presentation is in the morning. Maybe we can do something tomorrow after work?”

  Lucas bit back his frustration. “No problem. I’ll pick you up at your place around eight.” His phone beeped with an incoming call, and he frowned at the name on the display. “Hey, I need to take this call, but I’ll see you tomorrow. I’d say good luck with your presentation, but you don’t need it. You’ve got this.”

  They said a quick goodbye, and he switched to the other line. “Mr. Bell, as I live and breathe.”

  “Shut up, Wiley.” As one of his oldest and closest friends, Brady never pulled punches. “Did you get it?”

  Sitting up in his chair, Lucas lifted the cream-colored invitation from his desk and stared down at the elegant black script. “Slade is hosting a charity ball.” He couldn’t help but snort. “This has to be a joke…or hell froze over.”

  He’d grown up, so to speak, with Slade Kingston and Brady Bell in the foster care system, and they’d forged a bond that few could understand, let alone hope to replicate. Lucas loved Slade like a brother, but the man didn’t exactly have the reputation for shaking hands and kissing babies. His competitors, and even some of his employees at Forward Technologies, called him the Dragon King. While Lucas knew better, he could also see how Slade had earned himself the moniker.

  “No joke,” Brady answered.

  “And let me guess. You’re catering this event.”

  Despite their miserable beginnings, he and his foster brothers had done quite well for themselves. Slade had his ridiculously lucrative company. Lucas had Neverland, and Brady owned one of the most coveted restaurants in Denver, with Embers’ reservation book filled months in advance.

  “I am. Slade is coming in for a tasting in about half an hour. You should swing by.”

  An undercurrent of mischief tinted Brady’s voice, piquing Lucas’ interest. “I’m assuming you didn’t tell him I’ll be there.”

  “Nope, and this conversation never happened.” Then he disconnected the call, leaving Lucas chuckling into the silence.

  Intrigued by Brady’s cryptic invite, Lucas went in search of Rina, letting his manager know he’d be out for the rest of the afternoon. Then he grabbed his coat from his office closet and left the store to hail a cab.

  Fifteen minutes later, the taxi pulled up to the curb in front of Forward Technologies. After paying the driver, including a generous tip, he entered the building, intending to make his way up to Slade’s office. As luck would have it, however, he spotted the guy hurrying across the lobby, his head ducked and impatience clear in his long strides.

  “Kingston!”

  Of course, Slade paid him no mind and just kept walking. Shaking his head, Lucas took off at a jog, dropping a hand on his friend’s shoulder when he finally caught up to him. “Hey, Kingston!”

  Slade stopped and turned, his scowl slowly morphing into a welcoming smile. “Wiley.”

  “I wanted to drop by and see with my own eyes that you were still alive.” Not exactly a lie, but not really the truth, either.

  Slade frowned at him. “How did you hear I had the flu?”

  Actually, he hadn’t heard, but now Slade had him curious. “You were sick?”

  “Yes.” His eyebrows drew together, and his lips turned down at the corners. “If you didn’t know I was sick, then what are you doing here?”

  As much fun as it would be to watch Slade’s reaction to hearing about his phone call with Brady, Lucas kept quiet on the subject. “I got this invitation in the mail saying you were throwing a charity event, and I needed to come make sure you weren’t replaced by a pod person.”

  “Fuck you, Wiley. I’ve given to charity before.”

  It was such a typical Slade response he couldn’t help but laugh at the guy. “I know you have, but you’re the man that gave enough money to the hospital to have an entire wing named after you, then threatened to pull the funding if anyone found out about it. Why are you doing something so...public?”

  “It’s a long story, but I have somewhere to be.” Slade pushed past him and exited the building, cursing at the light flurry of snow that had already coated the sidewalks.

  Oh, this was too good. Lucas suddenly understood why Brady had made it a point to contact him. “There’s a woman.”

  Slade came to an abrupt stop and turned to glare at him. “Why the hell do people keep saying that?”

  “Ha! So, there is a woman!”

  “I didn’t say that.” He huffed as he dragged his fingers through his dark hair. “It’s complicated.”

  Lucas could sympathize. “Brother, it always is when a woman is involved.”

  After a few seconds of silence, Slade finally relented and gave Lucas a brief summary of the events that had led to his decision to host the upcoming event. Everything he said seemed to revolve around a man—not a woman—named Tian, and by the time he finished, Lucas couldn’t stop laughing.

  “Oh, God, this is priceless. A ball. You’re throwing a masquerade ball. Does this make you Tian’s prince charming?”

  “I fucking hate you.”

  The stormier his gray eyes became, the harder Lucas laughed. “Naw, you’re more like the evil queen...or king, to be more precise.”

  “I’m leaving now. We’re doing the tasting at Embers, and you’re making me late.” He started walking again, frowning when Lucas fell into step beside him. “What are you doing?”

  “If you’re going to eat at Brady’s place, I’m coming with you.” Not on his life was he going to miss this, and it had nothing to do with the food.

  Slade sighed but continued down the sidewalk. “Fine. But, Lucas?”

  “Yeah?” he asked with a broad grin.

  “If you hit on Tian, I may have to kill you.”

  Some of Lucas’ enthusiasm faded, and he tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat and shrugged. “Don’t worry, I’m having my own issues right now.”

  Slade’s eyebrows winged toward his hairline. “Oh? What kind of issues?”

  He understood how seriously Sterling took his work, and he applauded that conviction, but he couldn’t help but think the guy had been avoiding him. They’d barely spoken in over a week, not even on the phone, and their meeting to finalize the details of his ad had been stilted and awkward at best.

  He had agreed to go out with him the next evening, though, so maybe he was reading too much into the situation. Frankly, the entire thing confused the hell out of him, and he’d much rather watch Slade suffer than go through it himself.

  “Just…don’t ask.”

  Standing just inside the doors of Neverland, Sterling dusted the snow from his hair and grasped the strap of his new messenger bag—a small gray, leather satchel—in a white-knuckled grip.

  As always, the store overflowed with life, the air filled with the giggles of children and the warm, inviting scent of spiced apples. It never changed, no matter the day or time he walked through the doors, yet it always brought a smile to his lips.

  “Mr. North?” Rina rounded the end of the crescent-shaped counter and bounced over to him, the curls piled on her head swaying wildly. “What can I do for you today?”

  “I’m actually here to see Lucas…Mr. Wiley.”

  Rina pursed her lips and glanced toward the closed office door. “I’m sorry, but he’s not here right now. Is something wrong? Maybe I can help.”

  “No, no, nothing’s wrong.” Reaching up, Sterling toyed with the small star around his neck, a habit he’d formed since Lucas had gifted him the necklace. “Did you have a pleasant birthday?”

  Rina’s face lit up, and her eyes sparkled. “Oh, it was fabulous, and I met this guy.” Her smile softened, and she sighed wistfully. “We’re going out again this weekend.”

  Valentine’s Day. Sterling bit down on the corner of his lip while he debated how much of his relationship with Lucas he should share. “Actually, there is something you can help me with.”

  Taking his elbow, Rina led him into Lucas’s office and closed the door firmly behind them. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain tall, dark, and handsome toy store owner, would it?”

  “He told you?”

  “No, but it’s written all over his face every time he looks at you.” Propping one hip up on the desk, she clasped her hands together, her petite frame practically vibrating. “Now, what’s the problem, and how can I help?”

  Sterling didn’t know where to begin, the guilt staying his tongue. He hadn’t dated much, had never really had the time or patience for it. Burying himself in work and disappearing for days at a time had never been an issue, not until he’d met Lucas.

  All week, he had been dodging Lucas’ calls, knowing full well that he would talk him into a night out when he needed to be concentrating on his presentation. He’d justified his actions by telling himself he would make it up to Lucas when things calmed down, but every day, the guilt burrowed a little deeper.

  He had driven away plenty of men who refused to take a backseat to his career, and honestly, he didn’t miss any of them. Lucas, however, he had missed every moment since their last meeting.

  He’d been avoiding him, yet the guy still made it impossible to concentrate on his work. Thoughts of Lucas distracted him constantly—his smile, his laugh, the way his soft lips felt against his forehead. They hadn’t even shared a proper kiss yet, but despite his best efforts, he just couldn’t get Lucas out of his head.

  It had taken Lucas hours to get his laptop back in working order and regain access to his accounts, but he’d never complained. He’d patiently explained that Sterling’s computer had been infected with a Trojan meant to steal information like passwords, then he’d installed additional protective software.

  The following morning, he had arrived bright and early to drive Sterling into the city, and they’d even stopped for coffee at his favorite café. While Sterling had worked, Lucas had arranged to have his car towed to a nearby garage for repairs, and by the time his workday had ended, his vehicle had been returned to its original parking space in the garage.

  He had yet to see a bill for that, and something told him he never would.

  “Hello?” Rina waved a hand in front of Sterling’s face. “Earth to Sterling. Where did you go?”

  “Do you know if Lucas has anything planned for Saturday?”

  “Valentine’s Day?” Rina’s eyebrows drew together, and she shook her head. “He hasn’t mentioned anything. Why do you ask?”

  One date wouldn’t make up for ignoring him, nor would it repay everything Lucas had done for him, but it was a start. “I want to plan something special for him, but well…”

  Rina nodded knowingly. “He’s a bit unique, isn’t he? A free spirit, if you will.”

  Settling into one of the squashy chairs in front of the desk, Sterling held his bag in his lap and sighed. “Yes, and I adore that about him.”

  “But it makes it difficult to plan a surprise for him that he’ll love,” Rina supplied. She laughed when Sterling wrinkled his nose. “What’s that all about?”

  “I’m not overly fond of surprises myself, but this isn’t about me.” He and Lucas had dissimilar definitions of “fun,” hence his uncertainty about plans for the weekend. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

  “I have a couple of ideas.” Sliding off the desk, Rina reached out and took Sterling’s hands, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry. We’re going to make this the best surprise he’s ever had.”

  Sterling mirrored her smile, but honestly, he would settle for anything other than utter failure.

  They spent the next half hour tossing ideas back and forth, until Rina landed on an idea that fit Lucas so perfectly Sterling actually clapped his hands together. “Oh, you are absolutely amazing. You can’t tell him,” he added sternly. “It has to be a surprise.”

  “My lips are sealed,” Rina promised, making a show of drawing an imaginary zipper across her lips. “Now, go. He’ll be back any minute.”

  They’d both agreed that he should keep up the avoidance act until the big reveal for maximum impact. Still, disappointment settled in his heart, and he only hoped the plan would be enough to make up for his recent absence.

  After thanking Rina again, he hurried out of the store, ducking his head against the swirling snow as he walked to his car. Once in the driver’s seat, he used his phone to look up the name of the business Rina had given him and placed the call while he drove. After finalizing the details, he hummed under his breath to the song on the radio, the traffic barely fazing him for once. He even stopped by his favorite coffeehouse for an early evening treat.

  “Hello, Danielle,” he said in greeting to the barista behind the counter. “How’s the wrist? Still sore?”

  While he had been skeptical at first, the talisman Lucas had given him turned out to be more effective than he could have imagined. The cool metal of the pendant nestled between the hollow of his collarbones, a constant nudge to be more open and approachable. It not only served as a reminder, but strangely, it gave him the courage to be vulnerable, to put himself out there for possible rejection.

  “The wrist is much better.” The raven-haired beauty lifted her right arm, twisting her hand back and forth. “I’ll be glad when spring comes. Slipping on the ice in front of a dozen people was so embarrassing.”

  Sterling winced in sympathy. Danielle hadn’t been working at The Brew long, only a couple of weeks, but she definitely brought her own flair to the café. Young, no older than twenty-two or three maybe, with pin-straight ebony hair and big, emerald-green eyes, she probably drove all the male customers crazy.

  And likely a few of the females as well.

  Sterling placed his usual order of a large vanilla chai tea and leaned against the counter. “How are you settling into your new apartment? Do you like the city?”

  “Denver is a lot different than Cheyenne.” Danielle moved around behind the counter, talking over her shoulder while she worked to prepare Sterling’s tea. “I mean, I guess technically, we’re in the ’burbs, but it’s still taking some adjustment. I love my apartment, though. I haven’t spent much time on my own, but I’m finding I kind of like it.”

 

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