Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

setting it on his lap, and glided across the carpeted floor.
    "What is this?" The man held up the report Preston had spent days compiling.
"The second-quarter projections you asked for," he answered levelly, wheeling himself to the small table against the office wall. "I asked for the first-quarter projections!" The man's face turned deep red.
Preston held his temper, knowing that the man had asked for the second-quarter projections.
    He'd spent most of the weekend in the office working on them, mainly because the first-quarter projections had to be completed first. Preston reached to the messy desk and pulled out a nearly identical report. "You mean this?" He handed him the report and left the office without another word. The man was such an ass.
    Back in his small office, Preston had only just settled behind his desk when the phone rang again.
"We need to review these figures."
    Preston shook his head. The man's office was one away from his, and he still always used the phone--for everything. You'd think he was the one who had trouble walking, the walrus.

    "Then come down here and I'll review them with you." Preston's arms were tired and his legs ached from the hours of therapy. He heard sputtering through the phone, but ignored it. The man did his best to make Preston's life as hard as possible.
    "Just because your father...."
Blah, blah, blah. Preston hung up when the man finally stopped yammering.
    Preston loved the actual work he was doing. The division had been performing poorly, and through hard work, Preston had been able to help identify the issue. For the first time he could remember, his father had actually been pleased, but that only made things worse between him and his superior, who now thought Preston was after his job.
    Preston spent the next hour reviewing all the figures and what was behind each one. "It should be easier next time because I built the logic into the spreadsheets."

    Finally, the man left, and Preston saw by his watch that it was almost time to leave. As he was finishing up, his cell phone vibrated on his hip. For a second, he hoped it was Stone, but he'd pretty much given any hope Stone would call.
    "Hi, Jasper."
"Hey, Preston. Just called to see how you're doing."
    "As well as can be expected. I'm using the walker as much as possible, but it's not easy here in the office." That was the one good thing happening recently--he'd been able to get out of the chair and actually walk. "The work's okay, and it's already spring here. The grass is starting to green up, and there's even a few early flowers peeking through." He never passed up the opportunity to rub in the warmer weather.
    "Ass. It snowed here again last night." Jasper laughed. "So how are things really?"
"Honestly?"
"Yeah, that's why I asked."
    Preston lowered his voice. "My boss is a lazy fuck, few people talk to me because I'm the owner's son, and there's nothing to do around here. I don't know anyone, and I hate living here."
    Preston fidgeted with a pen on the desk. "I like the work, though."
Jasper laughed loudly. "At least you're not bitter."
Preston couldn't help joining in his laughter. Jasper had always been able to make him feel better.
"I saw Stone today."
Preston's momentary lightheartedness faded, and he felt a familiar stab in his heart.
"He looked miserable."
"Good. He deserves it." He knew it was a petty thing to say, and it didn't make him feel any better anyway.
"I think he misses you."
Preston felt his head begin to throb. "Can we talk about something else? I spend enough time wondering what the hell happened." "Okay, fine." Jasper sounded annoyed. "How's your therapy coming?"
"It's okay. I miss you, though. The therapist is a real sadist. Just like you--but he doesn't make me laugh."
"That's because he doesn't have my fabulousness!" Jasper sang into the phone.
    Preston found himself smiling again. "That's it exactly." He wished Jasper could see him rolling his eyes. The happiness died away and both sides of the line became quiet.
    "Pres."
He knew that tone, and something was coming. "Please call him. You're miserable missing him and he's missing you." The anger began to build. "He threw me away, Jasper, just like Kent. He told me to leave and take this job. He couldn't have made himself plainer." "Don't paint Stone and Kent with the same brush. That loser Kent never cared for you."
"I'm not sure Stone did, either," Preston replied halfheartedly, not truly believing it himself.
How could Stone have faked