Chapter Four: Ready to Escape
(Stan)
I used to have a high school math teacher who loved to say, “Time flies when you’re having fun!”, whenever the dismissal bell rang. It made sense that she felt that way, but for anyone who didn’t like math, time didn’t fly and it wasn’t all that fun. It was that way for me. Her forty-five minute class felt like it lasted all day and I remember groaning under my breath any time she singsonged her chipper dismissal.
The passage of time is always relative to what you’re doing; zipping past when you’re enjoying yourself and barely crawling by when you’re stuck doing something you don’t want to. For those who aren’t keen on big crowds and mingling, an hour long reception might be a form of torture and their escape couldn’t come fast enough. Contrarily, those who liked to mingle and meet new people, might wish for an hour more.
I was usually in the later camp. Finding it fascinating talking to new people, learning bits and pieces about what they do and how they do it, catching up with old friends and acquaintances and learning those interesting ticks that people try so hard to hide. But that wasn’t the case the night of the Bucks’ reception.
I felt incredibly guilty that as each new person approached me, all I wanted to do was check my watch to prove that time was actually moving and to look for Ryan. I told myself that I needed to know where he was, since I’d promised to find him near the end of the reception. But the real reason was based on a more selfish truth. I just liked looking at him.
He conveniently stood head and shoulders above most which made it easy to pick him out of the crowd. That, and there was usually several guys gathered around him taking turns reenacting a pass or a play. It was humorous to watch the first couple of times, but as the same scene kept replaying, I wondered if he ever got sick of listening to people giving him a play by play of his career.
He was good at hiding it if it did. He always smiled, chuckled and added something to the story that made the group bust out laughing; catching the attention of others who would later go up to him and repeat a similar scene. He didn’t show any signs of ever slowing down, even when the crowd started to thin out, and I realized that he probably would’ve kept going if someone didn’t save him.
While I waited for his current conversation to end, I motioned to my assistant to meet me at a closer table and went over some last minute details. I’d plotted for almost two weeks to make sure that Ryan and I would have a moment alone that night. I’d tried to make it happen during the reception, but with both of us having to mingle around the room, it hadn’t happened.
Thankfully, he’d suggested us going to dinner together and I immediately thought of the perfect place. I’d asked my assistant to check their availability and as we were just finishing up, I noticed Ryan’s conversation ending and swooped in before anyone else could.
“It’s starting to die down.” I whispered while his back was towards me. From the way his shoulders squared I could tell that he hadn’t recognized my voice and was preparing himself for yet another conversation.
He slowly turned around and smiled at me like he had everyone else that evening and sighed when he realized it was me. “Ready to escape?” His eyes pleaded with me to show him how and I motioned to a nearby door.
We kept silent as he followed me into the kitchen. The handful of staff still there were too busy to notice us and we made it undetected to another door on the opposite side of the room. It led to a dimly lit, narrow hallway that contained event coordinator and head kitchen staff offices that were abandoned at that time of night and the only sound was our footsteps on the carpeted floor as we made our way to a service elevator.
“Where should we eat?” He broke our silence as I pushed the elevator button and we waited for it.
“There’s a place nearby that has great burgers. . .” I turned to look at him and saw him already smiling and nodding.
“You must mean Ferdinand’s.” It wasn’t surprising that he knew about it and I was thankful that he agreed that it would be perfect. They were famous for having the best burgers and fries in town and we debated about which one on the menu was the best as we took the elevator down to the garage.
The second the doors opened and he did a double take from seeing my car and driver waiting for us, I realized that we hadn’t talked about how we would get there. “I thought that we could go together in my car since he already knew where to meet us. We can go separate or in yours though if you prefer. . .”
He smiled and shook his head. “It’s a good idea. I just need to call my driver to let him know so he’s not waiting for me to show up.” He pulled out his phone as we walked to the car and talked to his driver while I made sure mine knew where we were going. Less than five minutes later we were parking behind the restaurant and knocking on the back door.
“Mr. Yeger. . .And Mr. Andrews!” Ferdinand’s cheerful voice greeted us and he excitedly shook our hands as we stepped inside. “We’re happy that you’ve chosen to dine with us this evening!” He continued once the door was closed and turned to look at me. “The usual table?” I nodded and his eyes disappeared from his smile. “Wunderbar!” He clapped three times and turned around to lead us down the hallway.
Ferdinand’s, wasn’t just well known for its gourmet burgers, it was also popular because of Ferdinand himself. He was always there to greet each guest as if they were a family member returning home and to make sure that everyone was well taken care of. He was also very discreet when the occasion called for it and it was one reason I’d thought of going there.
My “usual table” was in a secluded back corner of the restaurant and was one of the more private tables there. Ferdinand had offered it one night, after noticing several patrons staring at me while I ate. I usually didn’t mind the attention, but on the occasions when I wanted to enjoy an unobserved meal, I’d call ahead and see if the table was available.
Luckily, it was that night. After seating us, Ferdinand made sure we were comfortable, told us that our server, Timothy, would be with us shortly and disappeared around the corner. That’s when it finally happened. We were alone and besides our server, no one would be interrupting us.
Not wanting to deprive myself from looking at him any longer. I glanced over at him. He was already looking at me with a crooked smile and raised eyebrows and I wished that the moment could last just a second longer than it did; because he looked gorgeous when he was feeling a little cocky. “He already knew we were coming. . .”
I nodded and pursed my lips to try to keep my ridiculously huge grin at bay and looked down at the table as I started to explain. “I asked my assistant to check on a table.” I paused long enough to look back up at him and set half of my smile free. “In case you thought coming here was a good idea.”
His smile widened and he nodded. “You mean the handler?”
I laughed louder than I had in a long time and shook my head. “I’ve never heard him described that way. . .I’ll have to tell him that one.” Timothy popped in long enough to give us our drinks and take our orders and I waited until he was gone to continue.
“I hired Steve not long after I started attending these events for the company. I used to lose track of time and only talk to a few people instead of mingling around the room. My dad suggested that I hire an assistant whose job included providing subtle reminders that I needed to move on and talk to other people. He’s also very good at directing people away when they get a little too enthusiastic or clingy.”
He looked away and smiled wistfully as he thought out loud. “I can’t say that wouldn’t come in handy sometimes.”
“You didn’t seem to mind talking with people, though. . .” His knowing smile returned and I realized that I’d given away that I’d been watching him.
“I don’t. Not usually.” He took a drink of his lemon water and continued. “It sounds like I’m a lot like you and talk to people longer than I probably should. Unless someone offers an escape route.” His crooked smile returned and so did mine.
Each back-and-forth of our conversation proved that my initial impression of him was right. He was friendly, intelligent, witty and always seemed to have an underlying sense of determination about him. But unlike last time, it wasn’t to close himself off from finding out whatever this was between us.
I didn’t know what he was thinking and feeling, but it was becoming incredibly obvious to me that this was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. I was steadily falling for him with each second, smile and look that passed between us and kept praying as the night went on that I wouldn’t do anything to ruin it.
“How many of these have they asked you to do so far?” I’d been curious since seeing him mingle that night and finally asked him after our food arrived.
“A handful. I went to several in the years before, but it was mostly Trev who did them then.”He shrugged and finished another bite of a fry before continuing. “I wasn’t supposed to be in this position so soon.”
He waited to see if I understood what he was hinting at. I did to some degree but wanted to make sure that I hadn’t missed anything about what him taking over as quarterback meant for him.
“When I was drafted by the Bucks, a little over two years ago, it was under the agreement that I would learn the position from Trev and if all went according to plan, I would take over after several years. Which was great, because I didn’t feel like I was ready to start, even though Coach Haines and others told me I was.”
I was surprised to hear him admit that and my face must have shown it because he continued to try to explain. “I get in my head too much sometimes. Start to doubt myself. I had several offers that would’ve allowed me to go to a team and start, but I didn’t want that. So when the Bucks gave me a chance to learn from the guy who’s a legend at ASU, who I’d heard about for four years, I couldn’t pass it up.”
He took a drink of his water and continued. “That was the plan, anyway. But there’s a number of things that can put a wrench in it. There could be a trade, ownership and coaching changes, injuries. . .” His voice trailed off when he got to what caused the change in plans for him and seemed to do what he mentioned earlier; starred at the table and got stuck in his head for a minute, then shrugged before continuing.
“I miss him as a teammate. We used to bounce play ideas off each other and he was always the first one to talk me up when I’d start to doubt myself. . .but as much as I miss having him around on the field, I miss having here as my friend more.”
I nodded, knowing exactly how the last part of what he said felt and looked down at the table too as I thought about what Trev meant to Ryan, me and many more. “He’s the type of guy who has a huge impact on people’s lives but doesn’t really know it.” My head snapped up when his did and I gave him a small smile when his head started to enthusiastically bob up and down.
We ate in a mostly comfortable silence for a bit after that. Neither one of us wanting to add much to what the other said and trying to absorb all the things that we’d learned about each other. My thoughts repeatedly came back to the discovery that a quiet and unsure man laid buried underneath a strong, determined and talented exterior, and how it reminded me very much of the shared friend we’d just talked about.
There wasn’t much food on either of our plates when curiosity got the better of him and he started asking his own questions about my experiences. “How many of those events do you usually attend?” He smiled at me as he pushed his plate away and sat back in his chair.
I shrugged and thought for a second before answering. “It depends. We tend to have more at the beginning of the fiscal year when people are looking for donations and such. Sometimes it’s as much as three a week or as less as a couple a month.”
“That many?” He looked as shocked as he sounded and I chuckled.
“It comes with being a part of the family business. I don’t usually mind it though. There are days when I’d rather go home and relax, but I try to remember that other people have given up their time. Plus, I get to know some very interesting people at them. . .” his head tilted at my pause and his eyebrows raised when I leaned forward and lowered my voice, “. . .and if it means that I get to have dinner with a particular attractive, witty, intelligent man. . .” I leaned even closer and focused my eyes completely on his. “. . .then I’m all for it.”
I still very much believed that it was wise to let him set the pace, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t flirt and let him know where I stood, and after seeing his reaction, I was glad that I did. His eyes stayed glued on mine and a small smile pulled at his lips while a shade of pink rushed up his neck and face. It eventually made him look away for a second and I determined then that one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen was Ryan Andrews blushing.
Timothy coming by with the check and us debating about who should pay gave enough of a pause for things to cool down. In the end, to save us from being there all night, we agreed to split the bill with me paying the tip, and as we waited for our cards, Ryan took the opportunity to ask another question.
“I’ve heard about Yeger Enterprises in the news, but have no idea what it does.” He wasn’t alone. Most people didn’t know much about the actual business dealings.
“The short version is that we develop and distribute customer relationship management software.” He looked like most people when I gave the short version, a mixture of slightly amused and confused.
I smiled and tried to better explain. “It’s software that collects info in a way that helps companies analyze customer behavior for marketing purposes. Social media companies use it to gather info about what people click on, or TV Stations will use a form of it to keep track of what stories people are reading so they know what topics are popular.”
He nodded and picked up his almost empty glass of water, pausing to ask his next question before taking another sip “Do you help develop it?”
I shook my head and chuckled. “No, I help market and sell it. It didn’t used to be centered around providing software. Back when dad started the company it was more of a marketing firm that helped develop strategic marketing plans for other businesses. As everything began to shift online, he realized that the company would benefit from switching to offering marketing tools and hired program developers.”
“Smart move.” I nodded and saw Timothy approaching with our cards. We thanked him for serving us and Ferdinand appeared again to personally escort us down the hallway and to the back door; making sure along the way that everything was to our satisfaction and that he mentioned how he hoped that we would return soon.
Besides giving us a chance to talk a little longer, riding together gave me the opportunity to see which building he lived in. It was a ten minute drive from Ferdinand’s and as we approached it, I asked my driver to pull into the garage and up to the floor where Ryan mentioned his apartment being.
The sound of our doors closing echoed through the space and masked the beginnings of an awkward silence. I was about to say something, to try to make it slightly less uncomfortable, but he beat me to it. “Thanks for the ride.”
I smiled and nodded. “Thanks for asking me to go.” You’d think two grown men could’ve thought of more clever things to say, but we didn’t. It only became slightly less awkward when he added.
“I’d uh. . . .” He looked up from the ground and took a breath that I could hear from several feet away. “. . .like to do it again sometime.”
I grinned like an idiot, but I didn’t care. I pulled a business card and pen out from my jacket pocket, quickly wrote my personal cell on the back and held it out to him. “Anytime.” Our fingers barely touched when he took it but I still felt a little jolt pass between us.
Our eyes locked and we stood there staring and smiling at each other for way too long. He eventually put the card in his pocket and managed to thank me again. I nodded and put my hand on the car door handle as I said. “Night.”
“Night.” He smiled, turned and walked through the door that kept staring at for several moments. At some point I had enough sense to get back into the car and let out a satisfied sigh. “To home, Mr. Yeger?” James called back to me and i nodded.
“To home.”
*****
The sound of the guitar makes him smile and he stares out the windows at the city skyline that lies on the other side of the river. He spots the building easily. It’s one he’s looked at countless times but never with the knowledge of who lived on the other side of its stone walls. The man who was quickly occupying all of his thoughts.
Dance with me, I want to be your partner
Can’t you see the music is just starting?
Night is calling, and I am falling
Dance with me.
Fantasy could never be so giving
I feel free, I hope that you are willing
Pick the beat up, and kick your feet up
Dance with me.
Let it lift you off the ground
Starry eyes, and love is all around us
I can take you where you want to go.
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