“Let us know if you need anything,” Duke says.
Adrian returns with my drink, Trevor delivers the burgers, and all of us dig in, no one talking for a few minutes. When the conversation picks up, it’s the guys talking among themselves, and I’m grateful just to eat and listen. So far I’ve mostly only heard Trevor give Duke a hard time, but as they discuss the club and some local news items, they sound like friends and equals.
Adrian asks Garrett more about his work, with Duke adding his own questions. Garrett involves me in the conversation about the IT department, but I keep my answers brief and enjoy simply observing.
Duke and Garrett are an interesting contrast, and it’s difficult to imagine that these two very different men would find themselves across a table from one another under ordinary circumstances. To my surprise, they get along smoothly and find they share an interest in boats and fishing. It’s a common activity in this area, of course, but I never knew Garrett was a fisherman.
As the fish stories get started, the two men talk like they’ve known each other for years. All four men do, and for some reason, it makes me happy to see them all enjoying each other’s company.
The men each eat two burgers, but despite my appetite, I’m full after one, plus a generous handful of chips. Once everyone is done, I try to help carry things back into the house, but Adrian and Duke insist they have it covered.
“Want to walk down to the water?” Trevor asks me and Garrett. “You can’t see much at night, but it’s still a nice walk.”
“Sounds good,” Garrett says. “Are you up for it, Autumn?” Garrett has always been so considerate, and I think I had taken it for granted as part of our work relationship, but these past couple of days have made me realize that his default mode is to be thoughtful and look out for me.
“Sure,” I say. On top of the nap, the food has given me more energy, and a walk sounds great. Little by little, the unpleasant parts of my day are fading away and the good parts are taking over.
“I’m glad we got you all moved out,” Garrett says, sticking close to me as we set out across the grass.
“Yes, thanks for arranging everything.”
“To be honest, I didn’t arrange things. I called Trevor and Adrian, and then Duke got involved,” Garrett says. “And it’s a good thing, since he has a truck. I wouldn’t have been able to move your furniture tonight unless we could find a rental truck.”
“Duke to the rescue,” Trevor says with a laugh, like it’s his own private joke.
“What does that mean?” I ask. “Does he always go around rescuing people?”
Trevor shakes his head. “No, just you. He insisted on leading the charge to help you.”
I don’t know what to do with that information. It’s not the first time Trevor suggested that Duke was interested in me.
Before getting involved with Trevor, Adrian, and Garrett, I’d have probably run away from someone as intimidating as Duke. As a virgin, I wouldn’t think I’d be able to handle someone like him, but the little bit of experience I have now makes the older man intriguing.
Last night, Trevor had also joked that I was collecting men, and it’s really starting to feel that way, but can I handle Duke as part of my collection?
All those tattoos peeking out from under his collar and sleeves definitely have me wondering what’s hidden beneath his clothes, and his massive size makes me speculate about whether everything is in proportion. I swallow a big gulp of nerves at the thought of his dimensions.
“Speaking of Duke,” Trevor says to me, “I need to apologize to you.”
“Apologize? For what?”
“After I was hired to come to your house —“ He makes a face here, and I grimace at the reminder of Lindsey. “I told Duke what happened that night, about the reason I was hired, just because it was so outrageous. And then today, I inadvertently connected the dots for him, so he knows that you were the one I was hired for.”
“Okay …” I say.
“So he knows you’re a virgin, and that’s your own personal business, so I apologize for making him aware of it.”
I’m quiet for a moment as this sinks in, and when it does, my anger bubbles up so quickly, I stop in my tracks. “Is that what this is all about?” I ask, gesturing back toward Duke’s house. “Help the virgin? Like I’m some kind of prize to be won? God, why is virginity such a big deal?”
I hate that all of my stuff is unloaded here now, because I think it would be best if I go to Garrett’s as originally planned.
“No, no,” Trevor says, quick to protest. “It’s not like that at all. Duke didn’t even know about the virgin thing until our drive over here right before dinner, after he’d already jumped in to help. I don’t mean to make a big deal about it, and the only reason I’m mentioning it is because Duke seems interested in you, and I wanted you to know that he knows, and that I apologize for sharing that information.”
When I’m still frowning at him, Trevor adds, “Virginity doesn’t need to be a big deal, but it’s probably good for someone to know, if they were going to … get involved. But anyway, that’s not why I told him. It was more of an accident, really.”
“Okay. Whatever,” I say, starting off toward the water again, my head dizzy at the thought of Duke “getting involved.”
It’s peaceful down by the dock, even as internally, my brain is working overtime imagining scenarios that involve Duke. Frogs croak and insects buzz in the trees, and I try to let the noises of nature soothe me. It’s easier when Garrett pulls my back against his chest and wraps his arms around my shoulders. And easier still, when, even while Garrett is holding me, Trevor takes my hand in his and squeezes it, giving me a comforting smile.