Chapter 19: The Beginning
Clay's leg bounced nervously as he waited for his turn to be called. He was currently sitting in the HR department of one of the most successful hospitals in the city. The Danvers family ran several hospitals like this one and he had always wanted to work for the family.
Elle Danvers was a legend and her grandson was easily one of the most handsome men he had ever seen. It had been a dream to be even accepted for the interview. There was a personal assistant job available for one of the managers here. Clay had always wanted to be a personal assistant. Despite his personality, he never wanted to be running the show, or the centre of attention, instead he wanted to help the one that was.
Clay wasn't the only one waiting in the small room. There were a few guys that looked to be about the same age as him and then there were some older guys that looked like they had plenty of experience.
"Clay Rodgers!"
He jumped at the sound of his name being called and he hurried to meet the deep voice. His heart, which was already racing, suddenly jumped at the sight of the very handsome man holding the door open. He looked to be of Asian descent, with short dark hair and deep dark eyes.
Clay followed behind him and tried to get his mind out of the gutter. His dick was twitching at the sight of the handsome man's sculpted figure, especially his nicely rounded ass.
They soon arrived at a small office and Clay was instructed to take a seat. The small office had a desk and two armchairs with a coffee table in between them. Clay sat in one of the chairs whilst the handsome man took the other.
"Hello Mr Rodgers, my name is Daniel Lu, I am Aiden Danvers personal assistant. I will be conducting the interview today," he informed him.
"Please call me Clay, I hear Mr Rodgers and I expect to see my deeply religious father standing behind me with a disapproving scowl on his face," he said with a chuckle and then blushed.
Mentally, he kicked himself and wished he could take it back. However, Daniel chuckled and smiled at him putting him at ease.
"Clay it is then," he said causing Clay's heart to flutter. "I see you've graduated with a master's degree from the University of New Orleans in business management. That's impressive! Do you not have any experience working as a personal assistant?"
"Well no at least not in the conventional sense. I used to work as an assistant for a few of my more older professors at school but I wasn't paid for it. It was more for experience and to help out," Clay explained.
"I see," Daniel said nodding.
Clay mentally slapped himself. His friends had said to lie and say he had tons of experience on his resume, but he had ignored them.
"Can you tell me some of the duties you did for the professors," Daniel asked putting the folder down and staring at him intently.
"Well, I organised one professor's office. It was a nightmare, how he managed to find anything was beyond me, I guess he couldn't that's why I had to sort out all the papers. Bless him though, he was an old fuddy-duddy that hated technology, I liked him. I also organised another professor's diary, setting up meetings and the like. I had to learn how to organise one of those old-fashioned file-a-fax journal things for his diary. I was also tasked with copying and handing out stuff for their classes."
Daniel nodded seemingly satisfied with that answer. He picked up the folder again and scanned it whilst Clay eyed the water again. Daniel looked up and noticed. Without a word, he put the folder down, moved forward and picked up the pitcher and a glass. Daniel poured Clay a drink and smiled when he passed it to him. Clay nodded gratefully.
"You're originally from Texas, what made you move here?" Daniel asked.
Clay blushed and lowered his head.
"Do I really need to tell you why?" he asked which had Daniel leaning forward.
"If it's too personal then of course you don't have to tell me. I guess I'm just curious as to why you came here for college and for a job. I know several good universities in Texas," Daniel explained.
He wasn't sure himself as to why he was curious as to why Clay left Texas. All he knew was that he found the younger man intriguing. He was smaller than his six-one frame, with dark brown hair that was shaved at the back and sides and slightly longer on the top. His dark brown eyes and pale skin gave him a sultry look.
"Well, it's nothing serious but my family and I have never gotten along, well except my mee-maw, but she didn't visit often and then she passed away. My family are very religious and they thought my being gay was just my way to spite them. I didn't have many friends so when I graduated I decided to go to an out-of-state school. During some of the school breaks, I wouldn't go back, instead, I would find a job and just say I was busy."
Clay swiped a stray tear and Daniel felt like comforting the smaller man.
"The first few times I went back were hilarious and horrifying. The first time they had invited a priest I didn't know over, apparently he ran one of those camps for gay teens to 'save them'" He said the words 'save them' with air quotes and Daniel understood what he meant. "I only agreed to come back for Christmas if they didn't invite that priest over again or anyone else like him."
"Instead, guess what they did. They invited a girl over and started talking about an arranged marriage. I wasn't allowed to tell her I was gay or anything, she gushed over how handsome I was and how she was so excited to be marrying me. I had an argument with my family after she left. Then I left the next day with what was left of my things from home and I haven't been back since."
Daniel nodded and smiled. Clay blushed and quickly hid his hands.
"Oh god! Why did I just tell you all that?"
Daniel chuckled "It's ok, I didn't mind."
"You probably think I'm some sad case that is overly emotional. I'll completely understand if I don't get the job because of this. I should have just lied and said something less pathetic."
Clay's self-deprecating laugh made Daniel chuckle. Daniel changed the topic then and asked a few more questions related to the interview before bidding farewell to Clay. He went through the formality of interviewing the others but he'd already decided who would be best for the job.
The manager was old and said he didn't need someone with too much experience but someone that knows how to work with older folk. Daniel had chuckled when the manager had said that. He was really specific about it too, saying he didn't need someone to try and bring him into the twentieth century. With Clay's experience working with older professors, Daniel was sure he would be what the older gentleman wanted.
---
Several days later Clay screamed down the phone when the HR department called him to offer him the job. He went out that night with his boyfriend to celebrate.
Nick was a year older than him and worked as a coffee barista. He was tall and handsome in his own way, but after that interview Clay shamelessly thought that Daniel was even more handsome. Nick and Clay had met in Clay's first year of college and had moved in together after Nick graduated.
They were currently at one of their favourite haunts. A small gay club that was close by their home. Clay was giddy and tossing back shot after shot to celebrate. Nick, however, didn't look as pleased. Especially when Clay talked about the job to their mutual friends. Clay chose to ignore his mood as he wasn't going to let anyone spoil his night.
When they got home, Clay was completely drunk and wanted to continue celebrating with Nick. He climbed on top of Nick when he went to lay down and started to grind himself down onto his sexy boyfriend. Nick, however, wasn't in the mood and pushed Clay off and told him to go to sleep.
---
The next day Clay asked Nick what was wrong but the other man told him that it was nothing and to leave it. Clay wasn't sure what to do but he did as he was asked. When Clay started his new job Nick's mood continued to get worse.
When Clay had his first paycheck he wanted to take Nick out for a meal. Nick had taken Clay out many times after he had graduated without expecting Clay to pay anything. So, Clay had wanted to return the favour.
He had booked their favourite Chinese restaurant and Nick had promised to be there. Clay had arrived on time and was seated whilst he waited for his boyfriend.
"Hello!"
Clay jumped at the sound of his name and blushed. He looked up into those dark eyes he has been dreaming about for the past month. Daniel chuckled at the younger man.
"Oh! ... Hi ... Hello Mr Lu," Clay stammered out.
"It's Daniel," he said. "Are you here to meet someone?"
"Yes! My boyfriend, he should be here ....." Clay looked at his watch. "Half an hour ago!"
Clay deflated. He hadn't realised that he had been sitting waiting for that long. He took out his phone in case he had missed a text message from him. A blank screen met his gaze and he sighed.
"Oh ok, I will leave you to it. I saw you and thought I would say hi," Daniel said with a small smile which Clay took for pity.
"Ok, have a good night Mr Lu, I mean Daniel."
When Daniel walked off to his table Clay tried calling Nick. He called a number of times and each time it would ring and then go to voicemail. After another half an hour, Clay decided to leave. It was clear that Nick wasn't coming. He passed Daniel's table and said goodbye but Daniel stopped him from leaving.
"Did he not show up?" Daniel asked as he motioned for Clay to take the empty seat in front of him.
Clay sighed and shook his head as he did as instructed.
"I'm sorry. Maybe he got held up at work?" Daniel offered as he motioned for a passing waiter.
He made Clay order some food and smiled when the younger man blushed when he insisted that he join him for dinner instead. Once the food came Clay sighed.
"I know he isn't busy with work. He works at a coffee shop and they close at half five and it's now half eight. We had booked the reservation for half seven as we don't live far from his work or this restaurant. To be honest, since I got the job he's been acting strange."
"How do you mean?" Daniel asked curiously.
"Well, when I got the job we went out to celebrate but he acted more like he was at a wake. We haven't made love since I started the job. He always goes to bed after me, I've tried staying up and seducing him but he just tells me to stop and go to sleep. At home, he barely speaks to me and we don't eat together as we used to or spend any time together."
"I think he might feel a little threatened," Daniel offered and chuckled at Clay's confused expression. "I assume that before you got this job he was the breadwinner in the relationship and paid for things. He was the one that was the centre of attention for you in some way, right? Like he could just call you or tell you to be somewhere or do something and you could."
Clay nodded as understanding dawned on him.
"Well, now your attention can't be fully on him as you have a job to focus on too. You can no longer come to him or be there for him anytime he wants. Also, I would imagine that you now earn more than he does if he works in a coffee shop, so he most likely doesn't like that."
Clay, instantly, called for a waiter and asked for his food to be packed up to go. Daniel smiled and nodded at him, understanding clear in his eyes.
"Thanks, Mr ... I mean Daniel," he said as he stood.
"No problem Clay," he handed Clay a small card. "Here is my number if you need to talk again."
Clay blushed as he took the card and then bowed gratefully. Then as soon as his food arrived he quickly raced home.
---
The house was quiet when he walked in, the living and dining area was all dark but Clay could see a light on in the bedroom. As he made his way he almost tripped over something. His eyes widened when he picked up a single piece of clothing he didn't recognise. In the dim light, he could see several other pieces of clothing scattered about, he could tell there was enough scattered around for more than one person. Clay knew they weren't there when he had left for the restaurant a few hours ago.
He made his way over to his room and stopped at the slightly open door. From the view in that small slit, his heart sank. His boyfriend of five years, Nick, was naked in bed with a woman. She was moaning and giggling as he grunted and thrust into her. Without making a sound, Clay walked back out the door.
Rain was pouring down as he walked away down the dark streets soaking him to the bone. His tears mixed in with the rain. He walked for hours unsure of where he could go. The rain had eased a few hours ago and he was now sitting on a bus bench. His phone had been ringing for a while but after seeing Nick's caller Id he had ignored it.
Eventually, Clay booked a room in a nearby motel. He showered and cried into his pillow all night. No sleep came to him and at work the next day he looked haunted. His eyes had bags under them and his skin was pale. His boss had asked if he was ok but Clay pretended to be fine.
---
A few hours later, Daniel noticed Clay sitting staring out the window in one of the small staffrooms and frowned. Aiden noticed who he was looking at and smiled.
"Is that the young guy you've been interested in lately?"
Daniel stared at his boss in shock which made Aiden laugh.
"I've known you a long time Daniel. After you were forced to fill in for Maggie for the interviews you've been different. Do you think I haven't noticed how you're always looking around when we walk through the hospital? At first, I didn't connect it until Edgar came a few weeks after the interviews to thank you for choosing his assistant. The smile gave it away."
Daniel smiled and nodded.
"It seems like I wasn't as discreet as I thought," he chuckled. "His name is Clay Rodgers. Originally from Memphis, but moved here for school. I happened to see him last night when I went out to eat. He had been waiting for his boyfriend and needed someone to talk to."
Aiden looked back at the younger man and then turned to Daniel and took his iPad off of him. Daniel stared at him confused.
"He doesn't look ok," he explained. "I think he needs to talk to someone again."
Aiden pushed Daniel towards the door and then left. Daniel smiled after his boss, grateful for his understanding. Then with a deep breath, he opened the door and walked in. Clay looked up when he heard the door but the dead look in his eyes made Daniel falter however, he steeled himself and continued on.
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