Ryan got into his silver BMW four-door and sat back before he began the car.

His face was hot, and he knew that he could no longer look Tia in the face after learning that she had heard everything naughty thing that he had done with Ash. He usually wasn't the type to be so abashed by his actions, but this seemed so... intimate. Maybe it was because of the situation or that they were just strangers a day ago. Ryan shook his head and told himself that it was nothing but him overacting.

He started the car and began driving out of the gate, seeing a slick white car... And assuming that it was Tia's since there weren't any more visitors and only two vehicles there after they came home yesterday. "Bixby, call Javier Diaz."

"Calling Javier Diaz."

"Ry Ry!" He cheered after the phone rang twice. Ryan had missed his voice. Aside from being someone he would go to for sexual release; he would always know that he had a friend in Javier. They had met when he first came to L.A. Javier was a brilliant and talented attraction, intoxicating the L. A scene, the fashion world, and even the world of art. Ryan had found himself becoming quite close to the younger man as they seemed to meet at each event or gallery showing, even the high-end Galas for L. A's most famous.

Ryan missed being home. He had had everything he could have ever wanted there, but love...

He shook his head, knowing that he had barely hesitated when it came to booking his flight to New York when his father told him about Ashton. Ryan chuckled at himself. He had hope-maybe too much of it. "Hey, Javi." His tone relaxed, happy to have some familiarity back, if only for a moment.

"Ry baby, miss me yet?"

Ryan caught himself laughing, his cheeks rosy as he leaned back, the semi-busy road looking tamer than he was used to. "Of course. Do you miss me?"

"Oh fuck yes. Urgh, you're like the only human I can stand for more than a second. So, when can I meet the new hubby?" Javier jumped off his bed, his brown eyes full and happy now that his favorite human was on the phone. He worked his fingers through his luscious deep brown waves as he regarded himself in the bathroom mirror.

"Umm, I'm not sure, but I'd love to have you in New York, though. Would that be possible... maybe then we can arrange a lunch date with my fiancé."

"Oh, fiancé, is he as irresistible as the media says he is?" Javier abandoned the bathroom mirror for the kitchen as he busied himself inside the cupboards, his hunger now eating at him.

"He's better. Much more delicious in person, pictures did not do him enough justice."

Javier shot up from his crouch. "Oh, you didn't!" He exclaimed, eyes twinkling as he grabbed his phone from off the counter. Ryan heard him slam something and gulped at being figured out.

"What are you going on about?" deflection being his next best chance at distracting Javier.

"Don't play me for a fool, Ryan Cyruson. You had sex with him, didn't you?"

He bit his lip as he turned off at his exit. Why did he have to surround himself with such intelligent humans?

"No..." there was a long pause between the two men. Ryan caved first, knowing the stubbornness of Javier rivaled his own, and always won. "Okay, yes... we had... something close, we jerked off... quite intimately last night also."

Javier snorted, rolling his eyes. "Is there any other way to rub one off with another man?" He sighed at Ryan. Surely he didn't take his time to get cozy with his new fiancé. Javier went on rummaging through the fridge. "How did you get into his pants so quickly, Ryan? You just left L.A a few hours ago. Damn, were you that starved even after we had sex all those times?"

Ryan shook his head, thankful that Javier couldn't see his guilty smile. "Hours? What an absurd exaggeration."

"Ugh, shut up, you damn well know what I meant, and no. It is not 'an absurd exaggeration' because you literally just left L.A."

Ryan groaned. "I... it's a long story, maybe another time. I called because I honestly haven't spoken to you in two days, and I did not imagine that this whole arrangement would have gone down this well."

"Well, that's a good thing. Is Ashton treating you okay? I mean... you know what I mean."

Ryan didn't answer right away, biting his lip as he pondered this over.

"Yes. At first, Ash was uncertain and maybe a little hesitant... but we spoke a lot, and I think I understand why we were both so off with each other a little."

Javier hummed. "Okay, okay." He paused, and Ryan looked towards his cell to see if the call was still active. It was. "So, did you cook for him?"

The edge of Ryan's lip perked up. "Yes."

"You rarely ever cook for me, Ryan. What does that say? Do you-"

"I was just trying to win him over! I had to get him to at least tolerate me, Javi." He rushed to say, cutting off Javier's words as he turned into a service land and spotted his destination.

"Huh," his voice low. "Well, okay!" His peppy tone was filling the speaker as he started a fire under a frying pan. "Well, honey, I'm going to get some food cooking. You have a great day. Kiss the hubby for me."

Ryan chuckled, not missing the way his voice changed in a matter of seconds. He spun the steering wheel, his car obediently following his direction.

"Goodbye, Javi. We'll talk again."

"Of course, Ry Ry. Okay, bye." The call ended, and Ryan leaned back in his car, having found a parking spot, very lucky too. It was still early, but in New York, it was nowhere near early, not in this congested city, and with these obsessive workaholics.

He sighed and ran a hand back over his face and through his dark blond hair. Fucking annoying, so damn annoying. He hadn't missed New York as much as he thought he would. L.A wasn't any better, but it was somewhere in-between. Ryan missed Africa, and the Caribbean, somewhere that felt homely and bustled with ordinary people living their everyday lives. The party life was catching up to him. Maybe that was the reason he agreed to this messed up arrangement. He wasn't getting any younger, but he also wasn't at the point of a crisis. Maybe he should have asked more questions, perhaps he should have pressed his father more on the issue, or maybe ask him why he had broken his alcohol-free lifestyle after so many years.

He bit the inside of his mouth, blue eyes furious. He needed to figure this arranged marriage shit out. And why the hell their fathers pressed so hard and even went beyond their means to get Ashton and himself together. Something smelt horrid, and it wasn't the elephant in the room that night...

Someone was holding something over their father's heads, and if his minor degree in business and law had taught him anything, it is that one must never let suspicions go unchecked. No rock left unturned. He had to discuss this later with-"

Steady knuckles rapped against the glass and made him jump and whip around in his seat to the window where the patient rapping came from. He exhaled his fright as he saw his mother's beautiful face on the opposite side of the window. He pressed the button to roll it down and then pursed his lips softly. "Mother, didn't anyone tell you that you shouldn't startle a man sitting in his car?"

She straightened her stance and folded her slender arms over her chest. "Didn't anyone tell you that it's suspicions and weird to sit in a running car making weird faces in the air in New York City?" She retorted. He opened his mouth to attempt at a rebuttal, but nothing could one-up his mother's words. Not when she was correct and knew it. He closed his mouth, making her smirk, one that matched his perfectly. "I thought so."

"Well played, mother."

"Thank you. Come on out, let's have a drink and some crepes."

He threw his head back in a little dramatic manner, eyes fluttering. "Urgh, the best crepes in this part of the city. I missed them."

She grinned, her eyes bright and her cheeks rosy. L.A lacked a few things that the city had, like his mom... he missed her the most while he was on his travels. He brought up the glass, turned off the car, and stepped out, locking his car after himself, his tall figure shadowing his mother by a few inches. He opened his arms and embraced her, sighing as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "I missed you."

She pulled back and beamed at him, her pleasant smile reminding him of his younger days. "Ryan, you act like we weren't just together on a short trip a month ago. And besides, it's only been a day since you've seen."

"Yes, but on a video call." He said, knowing full well that she was still correct, but that didn't mean that he didn't miss her all the other days of the year. He rubbed her bare shoulders. "Let's get inside before they get busy."

"Ooh, yes." She did a little dance as she jumped onto the sidewalk, her peach short heels clicking against the concrete, as the sheer bottom half of her floral spring dress fluttered about her calves. The white and peach flowered ruffled fabric fitting her small frame well and making her look younger. She always did like to flaunt her long legs. He regarded her as she went on about how silly he was acting, maybe in an attempt to try to sway him away from their current predicament. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in loose ringlets by her matching peach hair clips, leaving the rest to fall down her back and two curls to fall before her ears that dawned small gold hoops that matched her thin necklace.

Ryan knew that her smile would be dispelled soon, but he will let her enjoy this mother-son moment for a little longer since he had questions for her as well.

"Oh, Ryan, do you remember when I first brought you here when you were around four?" She gushed, wrapping her hands around his left forearm.

He smiled. "Yes, mom, you let me try three different kinds of crepes, and although I suffered for it afterward, you still let me do it again." She laughed and nodded, leaning her head to his shoulder as he pulled the door open to ¹R Swirl Crepes restaurant.

¹ R Swirl Crepes (not using the full real name)