club. “I left him in the locker room to calm down. I told him not to leave. Said if he left, he wouldn’t be back for a long time. He’s still there. Trust me.”
“Okay, let’s get this over with.” I moved to get up, but Foster stopped me with a hand on my forearm.
“By the way, how’s Operation Baby Bear going?”
I dropped back down. “How long are you going to keep calling it that?”
“Umm… forever?” Foster smirked.
Asshole.
“I don’t know,” I said, finally. “Maybe forward. Maybe nowhere.”
“Nowhere?”
“I might have fucked up, okay.”
“Aww talk to Daddy Foster.”
I glared at him.
“Oh, come on,” Foster said, rolling his eyes. “What did you do?”
I ran through the series of events as they’d happened, starting with Lee leaving the apartment to party with Law and ending with Miller sitting in silence after I’d made my offer and then him leaving without giving me any indication as to his answer.
“Well,” Foster said as I finished. “It could have been better, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse.”
I groaned, dropping my head into my hands. Foster patted my back in sympathy.
“I mean, he could have laughed in your face.”
“True.”
“He could have slapped you. He could have—”
“I get it,” I said, cutting him off. “I get it.”
“Stop being so doom and gloom. You’re a catch, Carson. He’ll be back.”
“You think?”
“I’m your best friend, so of course, but like honestly…” He shrugged.
Well, if Foster was one thing, he was always honest.
“Yeah, I’m done with this conversation,” I said, getting up from the couch. “The locker room?”
“Remi?”
“Yeah.”
“Yep,” Foster confirmed.
“Yep,” I repeated, turning toward the locker room and one potential Dom maybe age player.
Well, that had been all kinds of awkward, I thought, leaning back in my chair.
Remi had been defiant and rebellious as I’d led him from the locker room to my office. Willing to hear me out, he’d listened as I’d outlined what Foster had conveyed to me as well as my own observations. By the time I’d broached the subject of his dominance, he’d scoffed. When I’d brought up the idea that he might be into age play, he’d laughed, but I’d seen through his act.
I’d rocked his world, and he was floundering on the inside.
I could see his thoughts whirling through his brain as he tried to catch up. He’d had probably told himself he was submissive so often that the idea he might be dominant wasn’t computing.
With a promise to think about what I’d said, Remi had shuffled out of my office. I could only hope a little soul-searching would lead him down the right path.
I lifted my head when my phone dinged. I reached for it, hoping against all hope to see a message from Miller. It was an insane thought, but I had it nonetheless. Miller didn’t have my number, and I didn’t have his.
Turning on my phone, I stilled.
I had a message from Lee. Lee had Miller’s number. Lee had my number.
Tapping on the notification, I laughed as I read his message.
What were the fucking odds? Pretty good seeing as I’d had the same thoughts every time my phone chimed.
Lee: Hey! I was talking to Miller and asked him if you’d offered to help him paint a mini like you did for the rest of us. He said yes, but he didn’t have your number, so I gave it to him.
Lee: Oh and here’s his.
I was going to kiss that man the next time I saw him. Well, I wasn’t, but the sentiment was there.
I copied Miller’s number and immediately added him to my contacts. I even put a little pink heart next to his name because of reasons, a whole lot of reasons, a plethora of reasons.
Me: No problem. Tell him to text me whenever and we’ll set up a day.
And by whenever, I obviously meant that very second.
Lee: He’s staring at his phone. Give him a minute.
A minute passed and nothing.
Lee: Okay, give him more than a minute.
I stared on the clock on my computer, willing to give him five.
With a few seconds to spare, my phone chimed.
Miller♥: Hi.
Oh, he was so frustratingly adorable. Five minutes and that was all he could give me? Hi?
Me: Hi, Miller.
Me: Lee said you were still interested in painting a mini.
Miller♥: Yeah, I was wondering if your offer was still standing.
Which one, I thought, then immediately pushed it away. Now wasn’t the time to be bringing that up and scaring him off again.