2. Bestie

Last night didn't turn out bad at all, and Hendry woke up the next day with Mae still asleep naked by his side. After all the sexual activities he should feel better, well, the tension was mostly gone but somehow he still feel like something was missing. 

Work, yeah, that was it, Hendry thought as his brain was slowly jump-starting and connecting his body with the will to get up and start his day. No one should wake up at six a.m. after only a couple of hours of sleep. The feeling that lingers after last night's sexual activity was gone instantly when he saw the time on his phone. That Friday he was supposed to be on the golf course doing more networking.

He groaned when the alert that Sloan set up for him started beeping frantically. Mae woke up and stretched her body like a beautiful feline arching under the sun. Though it was still dark outside, Hendry wish he had the time for a round of quicky. The second alarm warned him that he was wasting his precious minutes when he can start sipping on his morning coffee instead.

"Fuck you, Sloan," Hendry grumbled to no one, but he get out of bed and went straight to his ensuite. Minutes later his feet led him to his spacious kitchen where his coffee machine awaits and he starts his morning routine by making the perfect two cups of coffee.

Hendry smiled when Mae walked out of his bedroom looking perfectly gorgeous with her bed hair, and back to wearing her clothes from last night.

"I should leave," she smiled back at him but decided to linger when Hendry offered her a cup of the steaming hot latte. "Such a perfect host." She praised after sipping her perfect cup of morning coffee.

"You're not so bad yourself." He flirted and pulled her in for another kiss, seconds before his third alarm reminded him that he should get dressed and go to the club.

"You're a busy man, I will leave you to start your day. You know where to find me." She pecked his cheek and strutted out of his penthouse apartment. He finished his coffee and put their empty cups in the sink for the maid, then went back to his room to get dressed and left the apartment less than ten minutes later.

The day was set, a quick breakfast at the club then a round of golf with his business associates before Hendry ended back in the confinement of his office and back to the end of the week managerial meetings.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Camden." His PA greeted him from his desk.

"Don't mock me, Sloan, your alarms had just ruined my perfect morning." The man stopped by his assistant's desk and sat his ass while he casually flipped through the written down notes that Sloan compiled while he was out of the office.

"Hendry," Sloan practically purred his name knowing it irritated him even more, while he gathers the documents that his boss needs to sign, "I'm your PA, it's my job to set those alarms. So I take it things goes well with Ms. Mae Harper?"

"Yeah, she was perfect. Too perfect, she made me wish that I get another chance with her this morning. But then I didn't, because of your alarms." He scowled and Sloan chuckled before he got up from his desk and opened his boss's office door. The sexy man followed behind his assistant and couldn't help himself to not enjoy the view.

Hendry liked watching his assistant. Sloan Bryson is a very attractive man. But he was off limits. The man was his PA, a good one at his job and he didn't want to lose the guy when things ended between them. So, this was what he let himself enjoy, little banter here and there between him and Sloan, and obviously looking at his sexy behind when the man was oblivious to his staring. All those gazes and flirts need to be enough since Hendry had gone through PAs like tissues, before Sloan.

His dad scolded him for his lewd behavior, telling him that HR had had a lot on their plate already and that him changing PAs should not be happening every six months. But back then he just couldn't help himself. Now, Sloan had been with him the longest, and honestly, Hendry didn't know how long he could keep his hands away from the guy. Maybe one day he should get older ones, less attractive ones, though he had tried. Older men and women, they just didn't fit well with his work pace.

"Sir?" Sloan called him out as the man waited for his signatures.

"Yeah, sorry, just leave those on my desk

I'll call you when I'm done."

"Very well, I'll go and get your afternoon coffee, would you like me to order your dinner as usual?"

Sloan had proved himself to be a valuable asset for Hendry for the past two years, his work schedule had been impeccable, and he had been finishing tasks, meetings, and closing deals right in the allotted time frame. And working after-hours had been less hectic with Sloan making sure that his needs were covered before his assistant left the office.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Brody Curran called and told me to remind you to pick up your phone. Though I already told him that you were at the club."

"Yeah, I met him last night. The man looked a bit off, I need you to call him for me and tell him to come over to my office anytime after working hours, while I finish signing these off for you. I'm going to be late for the managerial meeting if I call him myself." Hendry explained while his eyes scanned the documents in front of him and started scribbling down on some, then signing off on others.

"Okay, I'll call him right now and order dinner for two, with some beers?"

"Oh yes, that'll be great, Sloan, thanks, those roast beef sandwiches from the deli with their greasy fries, chips, and cold beers." Beers, yes, Hendry needed those for a relaxing night with Brody, knowing there were only decanters of whiskeys, gins, and rums in his office.

Sloan shook his head, the man was living a healthy lifestyle and Hendry knew that he judges his choice of take-out order every time.

"And because of that look, go ahead and add their gooey chocolate chip cookies."

"I'm giving you the look because you need to live a healthier lifestyle."

"Hey, I spent all morning under the sun, walking, swinging my golf clubs, that's pure work out right there." Hendry laughed when Sloan squinted his eyes but said nothing. The guy knows not to challenge his boss. Hendry still looks fit, though he knew that Sloan was right, he'd feel better with less salt, processed cheese, and grease in his diet.

"Right, I'm going to leave you to your schedule then and be back later for the managerial meeting."

"Sloan, it's me, your ordinary head of the company, not the head of the country where my schedule is not negotiable." Hendry chuckled and thanked Sloan for calling Brody before getting back to his task.

Sloan had met Brody, a few weeks after he started working for the company. Brody was there for a lunch appointment with Hendry and he noticed that Sloan was watching them. He realized that his PA couldn't keep his eyes off him and his buddy. He was probably thinking about how perfect they were for each other. Hendry knew his PA most likely thought that they were both an item, but then Hendry also knew that later he was corrected by someone from his office. Though, people would ship them together even if it wasn't remotely possible. 

Sloan had just left the office when Brody knocked on Hendry's door.

"Buddy, hey, come in. Sloan had ordered dinner and I've been waiting for you." Hendry got up from his seat and gave his friend his brotherly hug. It lasted seconds, but it manage to put a smile on Brody's face and that made Hendry feel better.

As the evening progressed, Hendry noticed that Brody seemed distracted and worn out, so he suggested they take a break and have their beer on the balcony of his office.

"I still couldn't believe that you managed to snatch the biggest balcony on the entire floor. The view is amazing, Hendry."

"Well, it was Dad's doing, you know this. First impressions are everything for business, and more meetings were held in my office with big clients to show them just that." He clinked his bottle with Brody's before they took another gulp of their drinks.

"Yeah, it's a good perk though," he said as he took a seat on the outdoor sofa.

After all the small talk, Hendry couldn't hold back anymore. "Brody, what's been going on? You seem a bit off and not just from last night, cause you still are,"

Brody sighed and looked at the skyline. "It's just been a lot lately. Work had been crazy, and my personal life is a mess."

Hendry put a comforting touch on Brody's knee. "You know I'm here for you, right? You can always talk to me." Brody looked up at Hendry after letting out an audible sigh. "I know, Hendry. That's why I came tonight. I need to see you, I don't know..."

Hendry put an arm on his back and rubbed his shoulder, trying to comfort him, hoping that the guy would talk some more.

"It's my dad, he wanted me to start building a family. He already had me set up with one of his best friend's daughters."

"And obviously you didn't want it, have you talked to your dad? I mean... you're an adult, Brody, and it's not like the old days. You have a say in your future."

His confession startled Hendry, he never thought Brody's dad would make him marry someone.

"I mean, it's not like I don't know her. She's my childhood friend, she's pretty and sweet, but this is not how I want things to go. I'm still young, and I..."

Hendry knew exactly what his best friend was about to say. He knew that Brody didn't want to let out his true feelings for him, cause he sure as damn feels the same way. He loved the guy and to have Brody marry another woman while they both clearly harbors feelings for each other was not what he imagined his life would be.

"Do you want me to talk to your dad?"

"Dude, don't," for the first time that evening the man let out a hearty laugh. "I can do this, I just can't let Callie down. I think... I think she wanted this."

"Well, man, of course...you're a goddamn catch, you're devilishly handsome, rich, and just look at that fucking body." Hendry teased his buddy, not that he wanted Brody to marry the girl. But there was a pang in his heart, and visioning his best friend walking down the aisle was not what he expected to happen in the near future.