Work and Play Pt. 14

"I was the one he harassed," I say, angrily, lowly. Harper's face changes entirely. "What the hell is this? What the—"

"First of all, I'm really fuckin' sorry that happened," Harper says. "That's no joke. Really sucks, I'm sorry. I'm glad this asshole was fired. But now it makes sense." Harper shakes his head in disbelief. I'm about to ask why he's here, when he jumps to the next thing. "Are you dating someone?" he asks, hands folded. I keep my mouth shut, and stare at my fries. "See, Zeke. I can't say anything else until you cooperate. It just looks bad on lawyer terms if I just, blabber on about—"

"You work for Roderick Tracy, and he's trying to destroy people's lives to save his own ass," I say shakily, my anxiety bubble coming to the surface.

"I wanna know if you're dating someone," he says. "And I will not use it against you."

"If I am, then what?" I ask.

"So, you are. Nod yes." I do, hesitantly. "And who is that person?" he asks, digging into his file. I keep my lips pinched again. "Zeke?"

"Who needs to know? And why?" I ask frantically. Harper sets a photo in front of me. It's of Gabe, and the back of my head. We're on the hill at City Park. I feel my breath hitch. This was our first date.

"Is that you in this photo with Gabriel Ortega?" Harper asks lowly, and I sense the concern in his voice. I try to blink it away, but I feel myself start to freak out. "Just need a verbal 'yes', Zeke. I'm tryna help you."

"Y-yes," I whisper. Harper sighs with relief.

"Alright, good. If I had the chance to fuck Gabriel Ortega, I would too. Now..." he drums his fingernails on the file. "Now, I'm actually gonna help you."

"I don't trust you," I say, and I fidget with my fingers, staring at the fries in front of me.

"Reasonable, Sweetheart. So. Clay Edgar took this photo, and he says you two are dating. He was hired to prove it by none other than my shitty, shitty client," Harper explains. "Now, I was not down to blackmail Gabriel Ortega in the first place—I've been in the position before, not fun—but I was especially not down when one: it became a scandal about his sexuality and two: I saw the back of a head that I swore I recognized. And I was like 'no way that's him, he's across the country; not all gingers look the same' but sure enough, I found you on the OrtegaTech employee page. Surprise! I'm here." Harper shrugs. "So, does anyone in your office know you two are playing out this office roleplay fantasy?"

"We are a couple, it's not anything weird," I snap. "B-but no. Nobody really knows, not that I know of. I am trying to be the CEO of this branch and things like this—" I gesture everywhere, "make it difficult. If I'm CEO while Gabe and I are together... it could just seem bad, we could be investigated."

"It's so cute seeing you in the professional world. Well. Agreed. You shouldn't try to get promoted right now. My client decided to make sure he had dirt on me, too," Harper says. Then he takes my hand in his. "I fucking hate Roderick Tracy. HATE. And now that you confirmed some of this stuff, I can make it disappear. Trust me. I will throw him off the trail, scare Clay Edgar, all that. But I need you to keep in contact with me. And stop going out with Gabriel."

"What?! I'm NOT breaking up with him—"

"No, no. I mean going out in public. You two can have all the kinky office sex you want."

My eyes widen. "...How did you know that we—"

"I didn't know, but thanks for confirming it," Harper chuckles. I am still hesitant. I haven't seen Harper in years. The only thing I remember about him besides fucking him every other week-rarely just by himself, but sometimes-was his attitude, which was... sour most days. Sometimes he would pick on me endlessly, making me really really angry before fucking me. He wasn't the type to mildly joke, either. And he's one of those people who doesn't give a fuck. I was one of those people who could argue forever. One of those rare times, Harper one called me "fag" for a whole hour in place of my name. I've never really been violent, but that was the closest I ever came to hitting someone. I screamed in his face, and shoved him toward my door, as I'd been trying to kick him out for the past twenty minutes. Then as I turned away from him, he grabbed my ass and humped me.

"You just need some dick, little one," he said, as if nothing had even been happening moments before.

"I fucking hate you!!" I elbowed him in the ribs.

That was one of the best times I ever had fucking Harper.

Aside from those times, he was fun, but sneaky, kinda nonchalant, very observant. I guess going into law was fitting. "Look Zeke. Once I leave, I was never here. I never saw you, and we never had this conversation. But you do need to answer when I call, so I need your number."

"I hate this," I grumble. Harper agrees. "Then what? Gabriel and I have already been really fucking quiet about our relationship. And now I'm not supposed to try for CEO?"

"Put it on mute, and you shouldn't have any more issues. Honestly, Zeke. You can do whatever you want, as long as you think you aren't going to be crucified for it."

I frown to myself. "We barely go out already, Harper." I think of how we've barely been out four times. All of our "dates" are together, holed up in his house, or mine. I like being lowkey, but now...

"Look. I'll do my best to make sure this ends quickly from where I am, but the more a case is drug out, the more ambitious assholes like Tracy get, and men like your boyfriend get worn down. Start making dumb choices."

I have to stop myself from getting excited at someone else other than Gabriel and I and Jiao have called him my boyfriend. "I'll let him know. I just..." I trail off. "I'll let him know. We will just have to... adjust I guess. I probably shouldn't visit him in the building, a-and I need to—"

"God, you're so cute."

"You've gotta stop saying that."

"Can't help it. You still run your mouth like that, it's funny. Other than that, how's life?" Harper asks, digging back into his food. "I mean, Colorado, huh? You live alone?"

There's more I want to talk about regarding the who's and what's of this entire situation, but I really, really, REALLY want to talk about Gabriel. In detail. I've already told Harper that we've been dating, so I figure there's no harm in gushing about him.

"Yeah. I have a house. Two bedroom."

"Nice," Harper nods. "And... when did you and Gabriel start—"

"St. Patrick's Day. We hooked up in a break room," I blurt out. Then I just start going into our whole story. Harper nods, and I can tell he thinks I'm being honeymoon-ey about the way I talk about Gabriel, but I don't care. He lets me speak, he asks questions. He laughs with me. It honestly feels SO good to just blabber on about my relationship. I leave out any parts that may benefit Roderick Tracy, just in case Harper isn't being entirely truthful, but he seems genuinely interested.

"Sorry to dump all that on you," I say at the end.

"I don't mind. Sounds great to hear about happy, non-miserable people in love for once," Harper shrugs.

Love. Yes.

I clear my throat. "It's nice I guess. Well... I mean what about you? How's life?" I ask. Harper shrugs again. "Keep up with anyone from school? Mikey or Landon?"

Harper raises his brows and scoffs before taking a bite. He talks with his mouth full. "Landon is out of the country 'til God knows when. I don't talk to anyone else." The way he says "Landon" makes me think there's something there, but I don't tend to pry. I think Landon Romanatto is one of my very few Facebook friends. I know he's been traveling in South America for the majority of his time out of college. Some philanthropy thing.

I pry anyway. "I know you guys were friends."

"Yeah, he asked me to marry him right before my parents died, then left the country when I said no. So. Yeah. We're not on great terms right now." Harper smiles sarcastically, then takes a long drink. "Sorry to dump all that on YOU."

Wow. I want to know more. I also feel like Harper is done talking about that. I didn't know he and Landon were even close enough for any serious romantic relationship, let alone some drama around marriage. I might be too much a stranger to dig into his parents dying.

"No, it's okay. I-I'm sorry about your parents, wow."

"Thanks. Happened three years ago. I'm over it. I'm over everything, really," Harper says, nonchalantly. "But I'm not over getting money even from shitty people like Tracy, so. I'm trekkin'. I really am gonna help you out, Zeke."

"Thanks, Harp."

---------

Before we parted ways, Harper made sure to exchange numbers. Apparently he has a burner.

"You know," he says as he hops in his rental. He talks through the open window and starts up the car, "I... end up with a lot of free time. It'd be nice to catch up sometimes. I travel everywhere. It's no biggie for me to hop on a plane, go to a festival or show, or anything, really. Ski trips... that other rich white people shit that happens in Colorado. I uh... yeah. It'd be nice to acquaint myself. Again, I mean. You seem, kinda not weird now," Harper teases.

I laugh at his attempt to tell me I'm cool. It'd be nice to have another friend now. "Yeah, yeah whatever. I mean I don't do much, but I would be down to catch up. More, I mean."

"Bet." Harper puts on a pair of Ray Bans. "Don't be a stranger!" With that, he skirts off.

I am back in my office in reasonable time, pacing while I try to figure out what to tell Sean when he asks, that won't sound strange when he inevitably tells Grayson. Another lie. I suppose it's a lie to cover for something crucial, but I still feel annoyed that I even have to do this. I have to tell Gabriel everything about Clay Edgar, now, and he's going to feel like I lied to him too. I never brought up that Clay told me he knew about us. Maybe I could've stopped this from happening somehow.

Sean pops up on me fifteen minutes before clock out as I try to make sense out of some budget cuts, and he hands me a folder. I think it's more budget shit. "So who was this 'Jesse Pinkman' person? You disappeared."

"Oh, old friend from college pranked me for lunch. Harper... Romanatto." Damn it.

"That sounds like an even more made up name," Sean says with a laugh. He's just as nosy as his boyfriend. "That's nice, though. I get together with my college buddies every once in a while. We do an obstacle course once a year."

Of course, Sean and his friends would do a damn obstacle course. "Sounds awful," I joke.

"Eh, meathead things." Sean looks at me with a knowing smile on his face. "So... this Harper person."

"I was never involved with him like that," I say just as knowingly. Partially a lie. "No gossip here. We caught up, he's in town because he travels, that's all."

"Ah. Well, I believe you. Just joshin' you a little. Better not contribute to Grayson's theory, you know."

There's that little red flag again.

"Not that we're talking about you," Sean corrects. "If anything... if something Zeke related comes up, he kinda runs. We are anti-Zeke talk in the house. It's... strange." Sean shakes his head and laughs. "I dunno. Sorry. It probably has nothing to do with you." Well, I think 'something Zeke related' quite literally has something to do with me, but I don't know if I want to know. I think about if Grayson and I will ever be back to normal, or if this weird shit is the new normal.

"I dunno," I shrug. Sean smacks his lips.

"I think Grayson had feelings for you that were not just a 'crush,'" Sean says out of nowhere, staring at his shoes. "I think he... might still sometimes... feel however he does. And that's fine! I mean, shit we all have people that we would—you know, the what ifs. It doesn't help that I'm an um, pushy person."

I don't know what to make of this. This is the type of information I didn't want to know. Sean talking to me about it means it must be a prevalent issue.

I shakily reply. "I don't think Grayson has feelings for me. I think... he gets annoyed with me, because I-I'm not always an open person."

"No, no. I see things. And really um, it's not anything you do. Not your fault," Sean shrugs. "Sorry, man. This is unfair. It's just something I noticed, like. He doesn't say a lot but it's the unspoken shit, you know?"

"I don't know what to say, Sean. I'm... I never mean to hurt Grayson, really."

"I don't expect you to say anything, I just.. I wanted to vent it a little with someone knows some context. Like, I really feel better already."

It sounds like I'm the problem, here.

"I hope you, uh, you and Grayson can talk about it sometime. I know Grayson and I haven't really been the same since we kissed but he said that was done with."

Sean bites his lip, frustratedly. "I didn't know that happened," he says. Then he smiles to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. "I... that makes a lot of sense. Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow for the commercial." Sean is friendly as he leaves my office, but I know this conversation can't possibly lead to anything great.

I nervously ponder the whole situation as I leave, and it turns into anxiety as I drive home, stand in my kitchen, try to do my own chores. Gabriel facetimes me as I prepare to roast some carrots. "Hey."

"Hello, Mr. Hartigan. How are you tonight?"

"I am... okay. Um. Some shit kinda came up. I think we should chat about it," I say, jumping right in.

"Uh oh," Gabriel says, and he gets up to go somewhere else in his house. "Shoot."

"Well. Long story short." I take a deep inhale. "Harper Welsh came to visit me. He is the attorney on Tracy's end, and Clay Edgar was hired by Roderick Tracy to spy on us. There's a picture of us together."

Gabriel's face is blank for a few seconds, then his voice is calm, but stern. "Why would you EVER talk to Roderick Tracy's lawyer?"

"He's an old friend. He said he was going to help," I explain everything that I can. "He said that he was going to make some shit disappear. He seemed sincere, really. And I don't know how Clay Edgar knows about us, but he taunted me on an elevator right after he was fired. Harper said he would scare him off. I told Harper that we would lay low."

Gabriel looks like he's trying to process everything. "So, you gave details of our relationship to a perpetrator of the most stressful thing of my life? Sorry, soon to be OUR lives? Once people inevitably know."

I close my eyes. "No, Babe. It wasn't like that."

"He's going to blackmail me. Us."

I protest. "I really don't think so, Gabe."

"You don't 'think' so. That's great, Zeke."

"He says the last thing he would want to do is hurt someone based off their sexuality," I sigh. "Harper is gay himself."

Gabriel squints. "Hold on. This is 'Harper-Harper'? As in who used to fuck you Harper?" He laughs sarcastically. "Zeke. This was a bad idea through and through. You just confirmed to a direct contact of Roderick Tracy—who is trying to quite literally ruin your life and mine—that we are together."

"The picture confirmed that," I correct.

"What kind of picture?"

"I-It was us, the back of my head, your face. I only saw one photo so I think there's just one."

"So your face wasn't in it, but you confirmed that it was you," Gabriel says plainly. "Can you admit that this was not your finest hour? This is not good, Zeke. Clay fuckin' Edgar? C'MON Zeke. Think with your head." I don't like his tone. Condescending. I didn't want to fight over this.

"I know you're new to knowing your sexuality, and trust me, it's not easy for me—"

"No, Zeke, I am not worried about any backlash about my sexuality. This is about you, Babe. You are going to be looked into. Your personal life."

I groan. "I know you don't know him, but I trust Harper. I think we're going to be okay if we lay low. No more hooking up in the building, no more sneaky anything."

"My name is on the building; I think I'll continue to do what I please. Zeke... I don't think you understand the gravity of this situation. Your friend is getting a paycheck. Pay. Check. Did you ask if you were being recorded?"

"N-no. I'm really sure he is being sincere with me here. And look, I need to think about what it might be to become CEO of this region."

Gabriel sighs, frustratedly. He writes something down while shaking his head. "Look, Babe, I get that you think you know everything, but you don't. I think you got duped."

"You can't trust mu judgement, that's fine. I'm just telling you what happened today," I snap at him, and then fix my tone. "I think even if this weren't being thrown in our faces, it would be a good idea to... consider things. You know? The things I do in my job... the things I want to do soon, I don't want it to feel like favoritism if anybody ever wanted to make that a thing."

"Zeke, why do you even want to be CEO? You're too exciting for that," he says, annoyed almost. I don't like it.

I explain slowly. "I feel like I like working at the building with your name on it? And I like being a part of the big picture, a-and being in a position where I can make a difference. I like being acquainted with the innerworkings of a lot of complex departments, and—"

"Relax, I didn't need an interview answer," he sighs. I frown. "I'm saying... maybe that's not what you even want to do. I don't know."

Oh hell no. "So I'm supposed to put my plans on hold because of your stuff."

"No, that's not what I said at all. I'm saying you don't even know what you want. Being a chief of this region would be miserable, especially right now, regardless of what you and I would endure in the midst of this scandal."

"I think you just confirmed what I'm saying," I say.

Gabriel rolls his eyes. "I'm sorry but I don't want to talk about this right now." He shrugs.

"So when are we going to talk about it?"

"Not right now," Gabe says plainly. Then he continues to write. "So, how was the rest of your day?"

It takes me a second, but I decide to square this conversation away for later, like Gabriel wants. Because the Gabriel who was telling me I was smart, and capable, and a leader and all that is nowhere to be found in this conversation and I don't feel like arguing. "I'm really considering getting a dog, I guess."

"You should."

The rest of our conversation is timid. Gabriel seems determined to keep things light. Maybe the reality is setting in.

-----------

The commercial comes out Wednesday instead of Tuesday, and Shannon has a little viewing in her office, as she's one of the only people with a large TV (per her installation, nobody has seemed to question her) and the small group of usuals stands in her office. Me, Grayson, Sean, Marsha. Shannon plays the ad.

Sean and I griped about what they were going to do if they didn't use our contacts at all. As we mumble, and Gabriel's face comes on the screen, we all stand at attention on the screen. I'm instantly very, very curious about this advert.

Gabriel sits for a second, looking like he's anticipating, until he says "Are we rolling?" he seems genuine. It's cute. He must get a nod, because he replies, "oh, sorry" with a large, toothy grin "let's go again." Then the commercial cuts to the real thing. "Hi, I'm Gabriel Ortega."

It's a typical commercial, Gabriel looking like he's chatting business, other people using our tech, an overlay monologue about OrtegaTech being his family heirloom. Soft music in the background. Then it gets interesting.

"I've known this company as something very personal to me. Connecting people of all identities. As a Mexican-American, dual citizen, biracial, bisexual, scholar, millennial—there's a lot that I and others with any of these identities have had to grow into while living in an always changing era, and if anything, OrtegaTech has been a saturated market for those who haven't been given opportunity before. Whether you work here, or you use our technology to develop your cause, your art, your education—"