Dawn of Eve, MJ Howson [lightweight ebook reader TXT] 📗

as he pieced things together. “So, um, will you be paying for the nurse? That sounds expensive.”

“No. My uncle will.” Sean, visibly taken aback, frowned and asked, “What kind of question is that? And why do you care?”

“I’m just trying to understand.” Jacob felt both confused and angry. “You just chewed me out for not remembering about your uncle. Now you’re mad that I’m asking questions?”

“Sorry.” Sean crossed his legs and grabbed a Star Wars throw blanket from the end of his bed. He wrapped it around his shoulders and lowered his head. “My uncle isn’t hurting for cash.” Sean sighed, refusing to look at Jacob. “I don’t really like to talk about it but, he . . . um . . . he . . . founded Stone Investments.” He finally turned and looked at Jacob. “Have you heard of them?”

Jacob stared at Sean, half-buried beneath his dorky blanket. Having run in many high-end circles and chatted with elite patrons at the bar, Jacob was very familiar with that company. Stone Investments was a boutique investment firm that catered to the ultra-wealthy. To even be considered for representation, clients had to fall into the top one percent earners worldwide. And even then, Stone Investments would be picky.

“You’re related to that Stone?” Jacob asked.

Sean nodded silently.

“You’re telling me little geeky Sean Stone sitting beside me wrapped up in this dumb blanket is connected to Stone Investments?” Jacob was stunned. His astonishment quickly switched to curiosity. “Is your dad a co-founder?”

“No. It’s my uncle’s company.”

Jacob looked at Sean in amazement. How on earth could this meek nurse be related to one of the wealthiest men in the world? It’s always the quiet ones, Jacob said to himself. He leaned closer to Sean and asked, “How big is his apartment?”

“Why?” Sean asked, his voice tinted with distrust.

“Won’t it get crowded with the three of you in there? You said the nurse will live there too, right?”

“It won’t be crowded.” Sean’s eyes glazed over as he scratched his head. “I think it’s got at least five bedrooms. Maybe six. I can’t remember.”

“Wow.” Jacob’s mind riffled through the buildings in Manhattan that had apartments that large. “Where does he live?”

“432 Park Avenue.”

It took a lot to impress Jacob. Although he’d never been inside 432 Park Avenue, he was well aware of its reputation. The square ninety-six-story tower included multiple full-floor penthouse suites. Jacob assumed Sean’s uncle’s place had to be in one of those eight-figure residences. He suppressed his state of shock and let Sean continue.

“It’s hard to take in,” Sean said. “My mind’s kind of all over the place.” Sean let his blanket slide from his shoulders. He leaned back against the pillows and sighed. “Part of me is looking forward to being there with him, you know? He doesn’t have anyone else. I . . . I just worry what it’s going to be like, watching his memories slowly disappear. I mean, it’s already started. It’s just going to continue to get worse.”

Jacob stared at the television on the bureau across from the bed. All he could wonder was why Sean owned such a small TV. His uncle had to be in the top one percent of the one percent earners. Why hadn’t Sean asked him for a giant high-end TV? Why has Sean been living in such simplicity all of this time? And why did Sean need Jacob as a roommate if his uncle could have bought him an entire apartment building?

“When, uh, when will you move?” Jacob asked.

“I’m going to move a few things over this weekend, so I can be with him for Christmas. But don’t worry. Like I said, I extended the lease until the end of February. I’ll probably go back and forth between the two places and move the rest little by little.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Will you stay here in Jersey?”

“What?”

“For your next apartment.”

“Oh. Uh, I . . . I really don’t know. I’m still just taking this all in.”

“You’ve got a couple of months to figure it out.” Sean leaned forward and went back to his iPad. “I’m sure a guy like you has lots of connections.”

“Yeah.” Jacob slowly pulled the blanket from Sean and draped part of it over his cold shoulder. “Hey, Sean, if your uncle’s place is as big as you say it is, do you think that maybe, well, there’d be room for me?”

“What?” Sean yanked the blanket back. “No. Why would you ask that?”

“Well, we’ve been good roommates.”

“Good roommates?” Sean shook his head and rolled his eyes. “You’re always late with the rent, and I have to do everything around here.”

“Like I said, it’s perfect.” Jacob tossed his head back and laughed.

Sean curled up in a ball beneath his blanket and looked away, obviously not the least bit amused.

“Hey, I was only joking,” Jacob said.

“My uncle’s got Alzheimer’s, Jacob. There’s nothing to laugh about.”

Jacob slid against Sean and put his arm around him. He could feel Sean try to wiggle away, but he pulled him closer. Sean resisted for a bit but eventually relaxed and allowed himself to fall against Jacob.

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Jacob said. He gave Sean a gentle kiss on his head. “You’ve really been the best roommate I’ve ever had. I mean that.”

“Thanks.”

“I still don’t know why some guy hasn’t scooped you up yet. You’re a total catch.”

Jacob waited for some type of response from Sean, hoping the compliment would help smooth things over. Sean kept his face buried in his iPad as he studied the list of nurses.

“I’ll figure something out,” Jacob said. “Don’t worry about me. I always land on my feet.”

“I know you do.”

Jacob ran his fingers through Sean’s hair before sliding away to the edge of the bed. He stood up and stretched his arms above his head. This afternoon’s gym workout had been a brutal one. He groaned as he twisted his body.

“Did you feel like maybe grabbing a pizza?” Sean asked as he looked up from his tablet. “We could