Home / Romance / Boys of RDA / Chapter 7: Free Wi-Fi

Share

Chapter 7: Free Wi-Fi

Author: Megan Matthews
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56
The tiny round table I'm occupying is bumped from the side. The entire piece wobbles before it drops back into place with a clang. Hot chocolate splashes over the side of my white paper cup and spills on the papers beside it. Wonderful.

The offender looks over her shoulder with a quick, "Sorry," sent my way as she shuffles her gigantic purse over her shoulder, jarring another patron on her way out. I'm willing to admit coming to a busy coffee shop on a Saturday morning to try and get some work done may not have been my best idea.

I'm not even by the door, but every few minutes someone bumps my black padded chair or nudges the small table I've precariously balanced all my supplies on. I tried to work at home this morning, but it turns out reading about dog food trends over the last twenty years is as fun as memorizing the US Presidents was in third grade. How could I have resisted the little corner coffee shop with the short black overhang? Plus they have free Wi-Fi.

The cute coffee shop sounded like a great idea at the time, but with an hour before I need to meet my brother, I can get more work done at home. If not, my trending reports could help me catch a nap. At least I know what to do the next time I have a case of insomnia. I start to gather up the now wet paper and other supplies I'd scattered around, sticking them in my brown leather bag. I've barely vacated my seat before someone swoops in and claims the abandoned space.

I stroll down Van Ness, window shopping at all the stores lining the street. It doesn't take long before I start wondering what Finn is doing today. Is he sitting in his own little coffee shop this afternoon? Where do gamers hang out?

The closer I get to home the more the streets start to fill with people as they shop their afternoon away. The tourists are easy to pick out with their shorts and thin summer shirts. They hug themselves to conserve heat as they walk in the brisk San Francisco air. Ben's promised me I'll grow used to the tepid temperatures the bay experiences year round, but for now I'm wrapped in a fleece. I'm a Southern California girl at heart. I'm not sure if I'll ever consider seventy to be summer.

I stop on the way home and pick up a few necessities, but I make sure not to overbuy. I learned my lesson earlier this week. Red wine goes with pizza right? With no time to chill a bottle, I don't have another option. So we'll have to make do. Knowing Ben, he'll be waiting for me at my apartment even though it's early. We made plans to watch the game together and for some unknown reason he always forces me to watch the pregame material as well.

Today's game against the Rockies is an important one. It's the third in the three-game series. The Giants have won both games over the last two days, but more importantly Ben and I have a bet. We've been betting against opposing teams for as long as I remember. This time he has $10 on the Rockies and I have his help hanging pictures if the Giants sweep them. Most of the time I don't care what team I bet on. It is more important to bet against Ben, but I'm not looking forward to hanging pictures. The Giants need to win today. With their current record against the Rockies, it's a sure bet.

Sure enough as I clear the door to my lobby, Ben is stretched out in one of the pleather chairs next to the mailbox wall. He sits, his jean-clad legs propped out in front of him. The black long sleeve t-shirt with "Not your homeboy" in white lettering across the front gives him an imposing feel. Dark tinted aviator lenses rest on top of his dark brown hair and don't soften his appearance. Even out of uniform, Ben has this way about him. He screams authority. Today is no different.

Ben stands as he sees me, "It took you long enough. This lobby smells wet." Our matching dark brown eyes take in the lobby together.

"I had to stop for refreshments," I reply holding up the bottle of red wine, "and I'm not sure wet can have an odor." The lobby does seem to have a particular smell to it, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe wet. Not that I'd ever admit that to Ben.

"Whatever. This place stinks. You should bring an air freshener down with you," he says and then follows me up the stairs. "Of course, I wouldn't have had to sit around festering in the stench if I had a key to your place."

His big black duffle hits me on the leg as we make our way up the stairs. I hadn't noticed he had it with him when I walked in. Observation isn't my strong point. I would make a horrible detective.

"Why do you have a bag with you? Did Rebecca kick you out?" I decide to ignore his other complaints.

"Why would you think that? Rebecca and I are fine. I'm working a long shift so I'll leave right from your place after the game." He runs his hand through his hair displacing the slight waves, another shared sibling feature.

We round the third floor and I decide to respond before the walk leaves me breathless, "You can't leave until you pay up on your bet after the Rockies lose. You need to hang up my pictures first. I have them all ready for you. Did you bring a hammer?" I start our pregame smack talk.

"I brought the hammer, but I'm not going to need it. I hope you stopped at an ATM because you're buying my lunch tomorrow," he taunts, not even winded. Stupid in shape police people.

I unlock my apartment and listen to Ben rant about the necessities of an older brother protecting his sister and why it means he needs a key and pass code to my place. My wine is placed on the kitchen counter while Ben takes a wooden-handled hammer from his bag and tosses it on the coffee table in front of the television. It hits the wood with a thud and I wince hoping it didn't cause a dent. Most of the pieces in here came with the place and I'd like to get a deposit back one day.

"Let it go, Ben. You are not getting a key to my place." I've already given one to Rebecca and Marissa for emergencies, but Ben does not need to know. He'd be checking up on me all the time. The man has no sibling boundaries. I grab his bag from him and head to my bedroom so he can't continue the argument.

"Pen, did you order pizza to go with this fancy wine?" He hollers at me from the living room.

I change into my favorite grey sweats and an orange San Francisco Giants t-shirt. Because of our past, Ben and I both have attire featuring almost every major league team to be worn on the occasions we bet on them. Our one withstanding loyalty is our mutual Southern California college team. We're proud Warriors and have a truce on all college sports.

Back in the living room, Ben has poured a glass of wine for me and stolen a can of soda for himself. He takes up a side of my sofa, his feet propped on the coffee table. The pregame announcers drone on in the background.

"No, I haven't ordered pizza yet. I need to figure out who delivers here. I'll search and then we can pick closer to game time." I position myself on the opposite side of the sofa, my legs stretched in his direction. One foot goes to his lap and my toes wiggle at him.

"You can start on my foot rub at any time. You still owe me from our last game."

Ben throws me a look, but picks up my foot and begins to rub. It's heavenly. I'm sure one of Rebecca's main reasons for marrying my overprotective brother had to do with his ability to give a good foot rub. The last few minutes of the pregame show trickle by as I relax and enjoy the pampering. I'm about to switch feet on Ben when a knock at the door stills us both.

"Did you order the pizza?" I ask, thinking maybe he's surprised me.

Ben pushes my feet from his lap and stands. "No, so let me get it. You don't know what kind of freak it could be." His protective brother mode is in full overdrive.

"Ben, there's a keypad." As soon as the irritated words leave my mouth, my brain catches up. There's only one other person who knows the code and wouldn't use the buzzer in the lobby first. Finn. I jump up to try and beat Ben, but he's already turning the knob.

Finn is tall, but Ben meets him at eye level. Why am I surrounded by tall people? Ben doesn't open the door all the way. Rather he braces himself against the frame, "Can I help you?" Ben uses his best suspicious cop voice.

"Oh. Um. I was here for Aspen." Finn answers on the other side of the door. He looks confused by the entire situation, a large white square box with a pizza sketched on the sides rests in his arms. I squeeze past Ben and push him out of the way. The whole scenario gives me flashbacks to high school.

"Finn!" I say with a little too much excitement. "I didn't think I'd see you today."

"You know this guy?" Ben points a thumb in Finn's direction.

Related chapters

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 8: Yes, We've Met

    "Yes, he's staying in the penthouse." I turn back to Ben and mouth, "be nice" in his direction. I hope it doesn't sentence Finn to an interrogation from my big grizzly.Ben leaves the doorway, but stays in the kitchen offering us no privacy. Finn's cologne spreads through the space that separates us causing me to lean closer. Behind the pizza box he wears an orange Giant's short sleeve t-shirt and another pair of jeans. I'm not sure how he pulls off the comfortable look so well. He's also back in his glasses today, which puts the whole image together and my insides delight at the sight."I remember you said you were watching the game today, so I thought I'd bring over some pizza and a movie for later. It was stupid of me to think you wouldn't be watching it with someone. I'm sorry." Finn starts to turn away and I rush to stop him."No wait. Come in and watch it with us. I'd love to have another Giants fan to root with me. Ben's going for the Rockies and he's going to be sore when

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 9: Unimpressed

    Light from my television screen casts highlights on Finn's face as he eyes me from his place on the couch, waiting for my reaction. I face him, causing the blanket we're sharing to pull tight between us."So? What did you think?" he asks."Well..." I let the remaining credits roll as I form my answer. "I thought the Hulk would be angrier. Isn't he supposed to get bigger the more people piss him off?""What are you talking about? He went from a normal sized man to a green power train. How much bigger can he get? Trust me, this version was more true to the story line." He simply waves off my concerns."There's another version? How can you have two movies from the same comic book?"Finn rattles off an answer. Something about an earlier movie where the plot was slow and didn't follow comic book canon. "The dad is never involved in the comics. They completely made all of it up. It's blasphemy."When Finn said he brought over a movie to watch, I didn't realize it would be a super

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 10: Skin to Skin

    I have no idea if I am or not. I can't feel anything besides what he's doing to me, but I don't want him to stop. "Yes.""Good, baby. Lean back a little and enjoy the show." Finn's hands move down my body both gripping the top of my sweat pants. A single finger traces the area where the fabric meets my skin, causing it to break out in goosebumps from the delicate touch. As his fingers come together, his hand slowly moves underneath the material, moving down my body before it comes to rest on the top of my hip.One hand pulls on the drawstring hem as his other moves lower. Finn moves slowly, giving me time to stop him. I don't. My hips lift up allowing my pants to slide past my hips, but stopping once they've cleared Finn's hand and hit my knees. I guess I'm going to look the other way while Finn steals third.I settle back into the couch cushions. Finn's fingers flex on my thigh pulling my leg over his. I'm now open to his hand's exploration —— a fact which spikes my nerves. With

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 11: A Hickey

    A hickey. Finnegan McRyan gave me a hickey. I'm going to kill him. Thank God, San Francisco is permanently celebrating fall, so I'll get away with using a scarf as a fashion statement to hide the small purple mark at the base of my neck. The blue scarf doesn't match my spring jacket, but I have no more time to waste.Cars move at a snail's pace on the street as I push through my building's front door and stop outside. I wore jeans and sneakers to make the walk to our brunch meetup easier, but now the task is overwhelming no matter my footwear. Yesterday on a map, the walk from Pacific Heights to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood didn't seem so bad. Today I'm already an hour late and the idea of walking all the way past Golden Gate Park for some Tahiti French Toast sounds impossible. It's all uphill.I eye the road in front of the building and can't spot a single Taxi. Why is it so hard to get a cab in this town? Marissa had to drive in, but with parking there is no way I can ask her

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 12: Eavesdropping

    Marissa turns her back to the eavesdropping couple, her head tilted to scrutinize me more. "Yes, you did. Don't fight it, Pen. It's easier if you give in and tell us. And don't leave out the details on the hickey either.""Oh my God." Why is she my friend again?Amanda stands next to Marissa, her back now to the couple as well. "Did you really?" Her blue eyes are wide probably in search of whatever clue gave me away to Marissa."Yes, she did. Come on, Pen. This is the circle of trust. It all stays in the circle." She looks at Amanda for her agreement while her arm and hand make a wide circle signifying our group's placement within its boundaries."I didn't. I swear. We didn't get that far before I called the game," I promise them and then laugh at my own use of baseball lingo continued from last night.Amanda pops her hip, "Spill it." Marissa has rubbed off on her in the span of an hour and a half. It's scary.I give them the bare rundown of last night's events doing my bes

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 13: More Official

    Today's beige heels look incredible with my black pencil skirt and light blue long sleeve silk blouse. A matching black blazer finishes the outfit and am ready to start my Wednesday. I don't even put on walking shoes to feign the possibility I'll walk to work. Finn and Jake have been my ride the last two days, and as I enter the lobby this morning, I'm greeted by Finn propped in his favorite spot on the wall."Good morning, Finn." I say as I'm halfway across the lobby.His mouth perks up and he takes two steps toward me dressed in his signature jeans and a blue long sleeve shirt. "Good morning, Aspen. Ready for work?""Yup. You know, you could wait for me upstairs in the hallway."Jake opens the door as we emerge from the building. "I could, but then it wouldn't feel the same. I would simply be meeting you for a ride. This feels more official, don't you think?""Um, sure." His thought process is so convoluted it makes me chuckle.His hand moves across the backseat and rests

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 14: Chocolate Tasting Tonight

    "We're not trying some?" I'm disappointed. He said there would be chocolate tasting tonight.I hadn't realized how close I'd worked myself next to him as we stood in front of the case until I need to take a step back in order to see his entire face."We'll be back for hot chocolate later, but let's eat dinner first. Don't worry, I wouldn't bring you to a chocolate factory and not let you take some home," Finn promises. I swear, the man can read my mind. That or all the years Ben's harassed me about my lack of a poker face weren't merely mean-spirited jokes at my expense.Hand in hand we jaywalk across the street to a large grey building hidden by trees. It isn't until we reach the door that the name Tacolicious comes into view. The store hours are listed directly below in the same thin, simple font, and I'm glad we have hours left so there won't be a need to rush.As with every other restaurant I've been to in this city, the tables are packed together and mostly full. "Chocolat

  • Boys of RDA   Chapter 15: There's No Finn

    Jake, in another black suit, waits for me outside at the end of my workday on Thursday. He opens the back door and I expect to see Finn waiting for me, but he isn't. In his place sits a small rectangular green box with a large white bow wrapped around it. I assume the box is for me, but I don't reach to take it. Finn's absence hits me harder than I would have expected. I've gotten used to his smiling face before and after work each day. His excitement is infectious. Finn always leaves me in a good mood."Are we picking Finn up now?" I question as soon as Jake is in the vehicle.He meets my eyes in the rear view mirror and hesitates in his answer. "He had to stay late for a meeting, but he said he hoped the surprise made up for him not being here.""Oh." Jake's comments don't sound good. "Do you have to go back and wait for him?" I quickly work out a plan to talk Jake into making me a tagalong. I still haven't been to the building Finn works in. He's only told me they recently bou

Latest chapter

  • 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.

DMCA.com Protection Status