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Chapter 61: Grandmother Introductions
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Boys of RDA Chapter 62: Real Leather
The dark brown chairs in my building's lobby have to be real leather. They're steps above my New York apartment. The whole building is a higher class than I've ever lived before. From the marble floor to the crown molding ceilings, I love every inch. The pay increase with my promotion allowed me to upgrade my living arrangements, and so far it's worth every extra penny I pay to live here."Would you like me to call you a cab, Ms. Stevens?"Did I mention the doorman? I swear I've fallen into apartment heaven. Who cares if the four-thousand-dollar rent is more than half my monthly take home pay. I have a doorman."No. I'm waiting for someone, but thank you."The greying man in his cute dark suit returns to his place by the door after a quick head nod in acknowledgment. The last time I saw Trey was the anniversary party Thursday night, but through a few quick texts, he's invited me to hang out with him and Finn at their friend Cosmo's place. I didn't peg him as the early Sunday mo
Boys of RDA Chapter 63: Meet the Gang
His voice brokers no argument and I realize these two were not aware I'd be joining the group this morning. I start to worry, but the woman smiles in our direction, taking both Trey and me in with a memorizing gaze."That's great. I'm Aspen." She unlatches herself from Finn's grasp and he grunts his disproval, but she ignores him and leans over to shake my hand. "This is Finn.""Yes, we met briefly Thursday night." I lean back into the couch immediately liking her."I miss all the good stuff, but I couldn't pass up the chance to spend the day with my brother and new baby niece. She's so cute. I just want to pinch her cheeks the whole time I'm around her." Her fingers make little pinching motions like a crab and I laugh."You should worry, Finn, soon she'll be asking for one of her own." Trey points between the other couple and both of them look shocked at the idea."Um, no. I mean... yeah sure... but... not now." Aspen barely recovers first. "Have you made Simone play with yo
Boys of RDA Chapter 64: Buena Vista Park
"Thanks, Jake." Aspen waves to the tall, kind of scary man who drove us across town as she gets out of the black Escalade. I stand on the sidewalk beside her as the car blends into the distance."You have a driver?" I ask the question I've held in since following her out of Cosmo's. Most of my clients in New York had drivers — it was almost expected — but I didn't get that vibe from her or Finn.Aspen turns to our right and walks past a gate with Buena Vista Park on the sign. Her eyes move up the hill. "Well, he's Finn and Trey's driver really, but it's easier to use Jake than find a taxi, and Trey normally drives himself."She keeps talking as we start to climb the hill to some unknown destination. "Marissa and Amanda will meet us at our usual spot. We started coming here this summer and it kind of stuck. And the food is to die for."Our walk comes to a stop about halfway up the slope when she turns to me with a serious face. "Marissa and I met in college. She's going through
Boys of RDA Chapter 65: Do the Quick Touristy Thing
The black door to the Escalade closes behind Trey and he clicks his seatbelt into place before our driver, the same guy from Sunday, makes it back to his position behind the wheel."Will you tell me where we're going now?" I question.Around lunch when he asked to pick me up from work and promised to provide me with dinner, I didn't hesitate in my answer. Now, I'm slightly nervous. Never mind. Slightly nervous went out the window an hour ago. The deadline inched closer and closer, and I sailed right into freaking the hell out.Trey leans toward me to look out the window on my side. "We're going to do a quick touristy thing and then dinner at my place.""Should I change my shoes?" I lift the leg closest to him to show off my bright red Jimmy Choo heel. I'm a New Yorker. I'll walk in heels anywhere when needed, but I'd rather save my feet if I can.Trey sighs when he sees my shoe. "Unfortunately, yes. While I hate to see them go, you'll want to be more comfortable." His finger
Boys of RDA Chapter 66: Lombard Street
Trey turns in the opposite direction of L.D. and we start the walk back up Lombard Street. This time our slower pace gives me time to take in the details of the landscaped area and houses on each side of the roadway.We walk back up past all eight curves of Lombard Street, on the pedestrian steps this time. Once we reach the top of the hill we drove down minutes ago, the need to fill the space starts to claw at me. I try to pretend we're a normal couple, out for a cute stroll rather than what we are. And what are we? I can't even answer the question myself.My anxiety builds and I start to question what we're doing here more and more. I'm about to throw out one of the hundred or so reasons I've thought of to make my exit when Trey picks up our conversation as if no time as passed. "Do you like pizza?""Of course." Who doesn't like pizza?"There is a great place a block or so from my house. I'll order and we can pick it up on the way to my place. What do you like for toppings?"
Boys of RDA Chapter 67: Good Times in the Beginning
"There must have been some good times in the beginning, right?" I ask to learn more about the young and ambitious Trey.He laughs in thought again. "There were tons of great times. Grant stayed at Stanford to finish his senior year. Ryland had already been recruited for a semi-pro team, so he left before finishing college as well. Finn and I were living in this tiny two-bedroom crap rental. We survived on soda and pizza for every meal. It was in a horrible part of the city, but we craved that coveted San Francisco address. It was the only place in Silicon Valley we could afford."As our memberships grew, we were forced to hire more coders. We'd have five or six guys sitting in our tiny living room all working together. It was my job to feed everyone and keep them motivated since I was little to no help with the code.""I'm sure your neighbors loved that.""They weren't too bad. Eventually we needed more servers, so we ended up renting office space in Oakland and putting them in
Boys of RDA Chapter 68: The View
The dishes clank together as Trey throws my plate on top of his in the sink.I stand from my stool and wander to his large window in the living room. "I love your place.""Thanks, the view's better upstairs, but I think inviting you to my bedroom might be a bit presumptuous at this point in the night."I giggle snort from nerves in the most unladylike way imaginable. Get a grip, Simone.Trey crosses the area in the living room decreasing the distance between us. He throws his hands in the air, palms out. "I promise, no bedroom antics."For a split second I consider asking him to describe these antics, but I can't bring myself to do it.Trey prowls to his black leather sofa, his movements fluid like a large cat stalking its prey. I turn to keep an eye on him like you're supposed to do when faced with a predator.He takes a seat in the middle of the sofa and turns his head in my direction with a small smile. "Unless you'd like to find out what I'd do to you on my bed."I
Boys of RDA Chapter 69: The Flood Mansion
Roger pulls his little red convertible into the half circle driveway in front of the white exterior of The Flood Mansion and we pause in the line of cars to wait our turn with the valet. So far he hasn't spewed comments about my attire so I'm hoping tonight's dress meets his standards. It's still a little black dress, but the satin material falls to the floor and the fabric shimmers in the light — more of an iridescent black. The fabric swoops at the top across the shoulders and gives the entire piece a fancier feel over what I wore to our last event."Beautiful, isn't it?" he asks from the driver's seat.The house is an actual mansion, not just in name. The long white building looks to be made from marble or some other stark white material. Details around the windows and roof match the formal entryway with its detailed columns and simple yet still grand front steps."I didn't realize San Francisco had this type of architecture. I thought it was all Queen Anne.""The Flood Mans
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Boys of RDA Chapter 246: Series Epilogue
Six months later"I thought you were painting this room silver?" Hudson asks dropping his half of the couch inside of our brand-new tiny living room. That's not fair. It's bigger than the apartment when I lived with Marissa. Living here will be like me having my own special mansion. Except this time the rent is higher.I put my end of the couch down and then promptly sit at the end of it. I've done my part of moving. This is why we hired movers. I don't know what it is about men wanting to lift heavy objects. Plus, it's not like there's much furniture to move. The old apartment came furnished. This stuff is new.I look at the wall, which shimmers in the bright light from our large open window in the new living room. "I did. It's Silver Fox.""This color is gray.""No, it's Silver Fox.""It looks gray to me."I shake my head in dismay. "Gray is darker."He nods slowly. "Uh-huh. Whatever you say."Hudson and I have been living together since he made the permanent move t
Boys of RDA Chapter 245: Finn Hooked You Up
A few weeks later"Wow, Finn hooked you up." My eyes blink a few times trying to adjust to the overpowering glare of so many television screens in one room.Hudson laughs as he steps behind me. "Ridge taught me you can never have too many cameras.""Well, you definitely put his words into practice." No less than thirty flat screen TVs line a wall in the room Finn and Hudson started calling the war room. I'm pretty sure Finn has a camera everywhere Aspen may go in San Francisco. There is even one in the comic shop. The transition has gone well for the most part. Finn and Aspen had a heated debate over her bodyguard situation.Once Hudson accepted the position, he didn't waste time. It's been less than three weeks and he has a war room set up and is spying on half the residents of the city. My man gets shit done."Are you happy?" I ask turning around so we are face to face.Hudson rolls his eyes and says something silently to the ceiling of the room. He's recently taken up pr
Boys of RDA Chapter 244: Full Marissa Style
The glass automatic door at the airport entrance slides open and I saunter in with a purpose. No woman has ever been as determined as I am to put a man in his place. Full Marissa style.And then maybe win him back. It depends on his response. I've been through tons of shit the last few weeks. I need someone who can handle me and won't chicken out.Aspen and Finn checked me out of the hospital and then took me back to my apartment making me promise I wouldn't leave when I asked to be alone. My mother even listened when I told her it was a great time to visit my brother in Washington. He'll love it.Besides my shattered heart, I'm medically fine. There's no reason for people to be stuck hovering around me. Hurt or not, I've still peopled too much these last few days, so it wasn't hard to press that I needed quiet time. I promised to head right into bed and sleep for a few more days.But I've broken many promises lately. And kept secrets. I am not the same girl I was last year. An
Boys of RDA Chapter 243: Horrible Timing
I hate to be a bad friend — who am I kidding, I'm always the bad friend — but Aspen could not have picked a worse time to make her visit. And I love her. She was here all day yesterday. Getting water, refilling water, fluffing my pillow and accidentally pulling on my IV before doing it again while apologizing for pulling on the IV. Hudson and I haven't had two minutes to ourselves. I tried to fake sleep yesterday afternoon, but then they stood around the bed looking and me and whispering."Do you need your pillow fluffed?" she asks for the thousandth time. It's become her filler question. What she asks me if she doesn't know what else to ask.I shake my head, giving Finn my best "calm her down" look, but he doesn't notice. He's so madly in love with Aspen he thinks everything she does is adorable. "I'm fine, Aspen. Relax."My best friend is definitely more put together than Hudson in the last two days, but not by much. Her hair is flat on one side, a little curly on the other, an
Boys of RDA Chapter 242: A Scene I Never Want to See Again
A STEADY STREAM of beeps wakes me up to a stream of light.A hospital. It's the place I've woken up the last two days. I can't complain. It's one hundred times better than a concrete floor in an abandoned factory in Oakland. Even still I fight the panic as my brain comes into consciousness. The hospital therapist says eventually there will come a day when I don't wake up ready to flee, but I'm not sure I believe her.My awake body is heavy and sluggish. Yesterday I spent most the day sleeping as my conscious mind worked around what happened after I was taken from the sidewalk in front of Cosmo's.Hudson was shot. I watched it with my own eyes. What I didn't know at the time was the bullet grazed the side of his body and most of his injury was due to the shock of being shot. Even though my mind didn't want to believe it at the time, he led the charge to rescue me. And yes, he absolutely shot Jimmy in the head — a scene I never ever want to see again, but one that plays on repeat e
Boys of RDA Chapter 241: Kidnapped
Breathe. I hit reality with a start. Tears form as I blink my eyes to open them. My shoulder hurts, a tingling stiff sensation like I slept on it wrong. At one point I must have broken out in a cold sweat and my skin is clammy, moist yet chilled. My knuckle scrapes the hard ground underneath my body as I sit up and the events of what happened flood back. It wasn't a bad dream. I've been taken right from the front of Cosmo's. Kidnapped.They shot Hudson.I have no idea how long I slept or where I am. No longer in the van, the room is dark around me and it takes longer than I want for my eyes to adjust. Of course, there's no positive to be found when they do. Sawdust and dirt smells permeate the air. On the ground there's not only cold hard concrete but sharp pieces of wood. I wipe a few from my pants legs only to have them stick to the skin of my fingers.As I try to stand, there's a clink of metal. I tug my foot to find it doesn't move. My leg is bolted to the ground with thick m
Boys of RDA Chapter 240: Forgive and Forget
"Are you sure you won't walk in there and start crying?" Hudson asks as we stop in front of Cosmo's Comics and Café.I take a deep breath and check myself before I answer because frankly he's probably right to be worried. It's been two days since we met with Drew at the restaurant in Oakland and I spent most of that night crying. I haven't talked to anyone since then. More than likely they think I've been taking this time to apologize to Hudson. He promises he's forgiven and forgotten and even understands why it took so long.Hudson spent the last few days consoling me as I came to terms with finally admitting what happened that night and saying goodbye to Drew if only in my own mind. He's been perfect. He didn't push or yell at me to do it faster or tell me I was being ridiculous. He listened and held me when I needed him. I couldn't ask for a better man.Hudson is everything I've ever wanted in a guy. Sensitive enough to figure out when I'm hurting, but strong enough to tell me
Boys of RDA Chapter 239: Final Answers
"That's your answer?" Hudson's eyebrows lift.I hit my knee against his. "Hudson."He sighs in agitation."Well, Drew, the way I look at it Amanda doesn't have much to tell. It sounds to me as if in her story you were a friend who was there to help her out. Who didn't want to get involved in a police investigation. But before I can trust her opinion that you're a nice guy, I need proof."Drew laughs even though it's inappropriate for the time. "I don't think I'm a nice guy, but thanks, Amanda.""Um, you're welcome?""I started working construction jobs part time when Clare and I were in foster care." He stops talking right as the story gets good."But you don't do construction work now, do you?" Hudson asks the exact question I've been thinking.It's like pulling teeth to get facts out of Drew, but what he doesn't understand is Hudson will have no qualms telling Ben if he's not satisfied with his answers."Yes and no. From time to time my boss asks me for extra favors
Boys of RDA Chapter 238: Truthful Memories
"Sorry, Dean, I've got to get home. Lots of Christmas prep to do."There's no time to chase another raid with so much work to do for Aspen's Christmas celebration. They overdo it for most holidays, but the big ones are the worst.He nods, accepting the answer. I rarely take him up on offers for more raiding or the hundred times he's asked me out for coffee. "Okay, see you next time." He waves, following a large group of people making their way to cars and bikes before heading toward the wharf.I step onto the sidewalk outside the baseball stadium to look for a cab. The road is eerily quiet since there isn't baseball in December and the people from the raid snatched up the cabs. Even though Grant, Clare's boyfriend would kill me, I scroll through my phone and find the Uber app. If I have to call for a ride anyway, I should at least make it a cheap one. He'd be pissed over how close I am to his neighborhood without someone here with me, but it's too late to worry about that now.
