Boystown Season Four Read online

“Joyelle is pregnant again. She says it’s not mine.”

  Cole stood up. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not sure I believe her, but I don’t have time for that now.”

  “I’ll walk you out.”

  “You can keep the bottle,” Derek said. “I don’t think I ever want to see Maker’s Mark again.”

  Cole smiled. “Okay.”

  Cole walked Derek out of his apartment, through the hallway, and out onto the building’s outdoor landing.

  “Thanks again,” Derek said.

  “No problem,” Cole replied, hugging Derek.

  On the sidewalk, Dustin was jogging past the building. He paused and jogged in place as he watched Derek and Cole hug on the stairs. Then he watched Cole disappear back inside the building as Derek came down the stairs wearing the Notre Dame shirt.

  “Hey, there,” Dustin said. “Don’t you live across the street?”

  “Headed there now,” Derek said.

  “You okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Derek said. “Sorry, I can’t stop and talk now. I’m in a rush.”

  “No worries,” Dustin said as he watched Derek cross the street. “Don’t forget you owe me a rain check.”

  Derek raised his hand to acknowledge Dustin’s statement and headed to his place across the street. Dustin watched Derek go into his building and then continued on his jog.

  By the time Derek changed into a suit and arrived at the Mancini Global board room, Gino and Justin were already there along with attorneys Vincent and Sam Provenzano. When Derek entered through the glass doorway, the conversation stopped and the four men greeted him.

  “Jesus,” Derek said. “It’s like a mob out there with all the reporters.”

  “This is big news, unfortunately,” Sam said as Derek took a seat at the table.

  “Good to see you, Sam,” Derek said. “It’s been a long time.”

  “You, too,” Sam agreed.

  “My cousin is working with Justin,” Vince explained. “I thought it best that he be here as well.”

  “In case Justin tries to kill me again?” Derek asked.

  Justin rolled his eyes and Gino said, “Not funny.”

  “You don’t really think I had anything to do with your shooting, do you?” Justin asked.

  “Of course, not,” Derek said. “But apparently Michael had enough evidence to make an arrest.”

  “It’s obviously a set-up of some kind,” Gino added.

  “What really scares me is the lengths my real attacker has gone through to keep his own identity secret.”

  “And that’s just the point we need to emphasize at the press conference -- that the real attacker is still out there.”

  “What press conference?” Derek asked.

  “The one we scheduled for thirty minutes from now,” Justin stated.

  “Several divisions of the company are taking a big hit today because of the news of Justin’s arrest,” Vince explained. “Your public relations people are doing the best they can to reply to reporter and investor questions, but they want to hear from you directly.”

  “And the longer you and your brothers are absent from the public eye, the more speculation there is,” Sam said. He slid several sheets of paper across the table to Derek. “I’ve put together a list of guests and workers from the fundraiser who agreed to testify under oath that they were with Justin all night at the party, including Gino. Plus, I have a list of hospital employees who will verify that Justin was at Gino’s bedside when the intruder entered your hospital room.”

  “We have to get the charges against Justin dropped as soon as possible,” Vince said. “Not just for his sake but for the sake of the company.”

  “I have friends in the State’s Attorney’s Office and I’m meeting with them while you’re giving the press conference. You three Mancini brothers need to present a united front to the world to assure all your investors and customers that everything is fine.”

  “Emmett is on his way over here now,” Justin added.

  “As soon as the press conference concludes, Vince will bring you over to the State’s Attorney’s Office to join my meeting so you yourself can request the charges be dropped.”

  “Here’s the script for the press conference,” Justin said, handing it across the table to Derek.

  “Boy, you guys have thought of everything,” Derek said.

  “Cole called me,” Gino explained. “He said you were a bit ‘under the weather’ today and the company needs to act quickly.”

  Derek looked up from the script to Gino. “And why aren’t you celebrating in the midst of all this?”

  “I’m not my brother,” Gino said.

  “Thankfully,” Vince added. “Gino has been incredibly helpful today.”

  “Thank you,” Derek said quietly.

  “Any questions?” Sam asked.

  “I think you’ve covered everything.”

  “There’s a part in the script for Justin and Emmett as well,” Vince said. “But the main part is yours since you’re the one who was shot. Review it and be sure to sound convincing. You only get one shot at this.”

  Derek laughed. “The performance of a lifetime, eh?”

  “Something like that,” Justin said as Emmett entered the room.

  “I’m here,” Emmett said.

  “Perfect,” Vince said. “Have a seat.”

  “I have to go,” Sam said, standing up. “Good luck to all of you. And, Derek, I’ll see you at the State’s Attorney’s Office.”

  “Thanks, Sam. For everything.”

  Sam left the room and Emmett sat down in the chair he had vacated.

  The men briefed Emmett on their plan and the press conference as Joyelle lay on the couch in David and Tyler’s living room. Under a blanket, she was sipping some tea and watching television.

  Tyler entered the room and sat down at the foot of the sofa. Putting his hand on her legs, he asked, “How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine, thanks. Just resting. I’m a bit sore all over.”

  “That’s to be expected from the fall. How’s your head?”

  “It’s okay. Thank God I don’t have a concussion or anything. I’m very lucky.” Joyelle paused a moment. “Thanks for letting me stay here with you.”

  “No problem. Besides, David is out of town at his parents’ house.” Tyler adjusted the blanket over Joyelle. “Babe, I have to ask you about the baby, though.”

  “I know,” Joyelle said, nodding as her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry you had to find out that way.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I only just found out the night of the fire. Dr. MacMahon literally called and told me I was pregnant right before the fire started. Since then, things have been crazy and I didn’t know what to do.”

  “Wait a minute,” Tyler said. “If you only just found out the night of the fire, then the baby...”

  Joyelle nodded and whispered, “Could be yours.”

  Tyler’s face lit up. “Oh, my God, Joyelle. That’s incredible.”

  “The last time I slept with Derek during my amnesia and the times I slept with you are very close together.”

  Tyler moved closer to Joyelle and folded his arms around her. “Joyelle, this is amazing. We could be having a child.”

  “Now you know why I kept it from you -- and Derek. I wanted to wait until I knew who the father was for sure.”

  “It’s mine, Joyelle. I know it is. I can feel it.”

  “Oh, Tyler,” Joyelle said crying. “Nothing would make me happier.”

  “When can we find out for sure?”

  “I have to wait a few more weeks before they can do a paternity test.”

  “That’s not too far away. And then we’ll know.”

  “And what if it’s Derek’s? What will become of us then?”

  Tyler looked into Joyelle’s eyes. “We’ll deal with it. I’m not going anywhere. I love you; you know that.” He kissed Joyelle.

  “You
may be his brother.”

  “I know,” Tyler said. “Can you believe it? That’s why David went home -- to ask his parents what they know.”

  “Has he found out anything yet?”

  “I haven’t heard from him, other than a quick call to tell me he made it there safely. If the news is true, being David’s brother would be the best part. He’s a great guy.”

  Joyelle smiled. “He is.”

  “What the hell?” Tyler asked as he caught a glimpse of the TV set. The show that had been on was interrupted for the Mancini press conference.

  “Turn it up.”

  Tyler grabbed the remote control and turned up the volume on the television so they could better hear what Derek was saying.

  “...and I have no doubt that my brother Justin is innocent. While my brothers and I have had our share of differences over the years, as all brothers do, they are upstanding, ethical people who are committed to our family as well as to the success of Mancini Global. Even as I speak, my attorneys are meeting with prosecutors to have the charges against my brother dropped so that all efforts can be focused on finding the real person who shot me and still remains at large to this day. As soon as this press conference has concluded, I will join that meeting to ensure justice is done and charges against my brother are dropped immediately.”

  “Wow,” Tyler said.

  “Literally dozens of witnesses have come forward in the past twenty-four hours to verify that my brother Justin was with them at a fundraiser at the time of my shooting. In fact, that night my brother Justin risked his own life to save the lives of many others who were trapped in that unfortunate fire that ultimately destroyed my other brother Emmett’s restaurant. The three of us have suffered a great deal in recent months but we remain united and determined to move forward onto bigger and better things, not the least of which is continuing to expand the success of Mancini Global.”

  Justin stepped over to the podium. “To all our loyal consumers and investors, we want to say that we are committed to serving you and meeting all your needs as we always have in the past. As Derek just said, we are confident that the charges against me will be dropped and our focus and attention will remain on the growth and quality of our company and its many divisions. I have complied with all of the requests of the police department, turning over whatever evidence they requested and allowing them to search my home, because I have nothing to hide. Personally, I would like to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone who has reached out to me offering love, support, encouragement, and assistance over the past twenty-four hours. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude and appreciation.”

  Emmett then approached the podium as Justin stepped aside. “Finally, we would like to thank Commander Michael Martinez and the entire Chicago Police Department for their hard work investigating my brother Derek’s shooting. They have been working tirelessly to locate the shooter and we are confident that the real shooter will be brought to justice in the very near future. Thank you.”

  Tyler and Joyelle watched and listened as reporters scrambled to ask questions and get the attention of the Mancini brothers, but the three men simply left the podium and re-entered the headquarters building behind. Eventually, reporters stopped yelling out questions and left the area.

  At the end of the day, Max entered Rebound nightclub looking for Gino and Justin. He worked his way through the crowd in the main room and headed toward the side bar, where Gino and Justin had asked him to meet them. Finally, he found them seated around a table below a large video screen. As he approached the table, they got up and each hugged him. Then all three men sat back down at the small table.

  “We took the liberty of ordering you a drink,” Gino said.

  “A vodka soda, if I remember correctly,” Justin added, sliding the drink across the table to Max.

  “Perfect,” Max said, lifting his glass. The other two lifted theirs as well and they all touched glasses. “Cheers.”

  “Cheers.”

  “Sorry for not meeting in a quieter spot, but we’ve both had a crazy day,” Gino said. “We needed to let our hair down a bit.”

  “Totally understand,” Max said. “And this is actually the perfect spot to discuss what I wanted to discuss with you. I hope it’ll be a fun thing.”

  “I have to admit, you really got the best of our curiosity,” Justin said.

  “Well, you know how long Emmett and I have been engaged now. And with the restaurant and moving and then the fire and now the rebuilding, we haven’t had a moment to even pick a date, let alone plan anything.”

  “I’m sure,” Gino said, taking a sip from his drink.

  “So I was wondering...well...what you two might think of a double wedding?”

  “You guys and us?” Justin asked. “Wow.”

  “Bad idea?”

  Gino looked at Justin and then back at Max. “Not at all. I think it’s a fantastic idea.”

  “I know it’s short notice with your wedding coming up soon, but I just thought--”

  “Some of the planning is already done, but if you’re okay with that, I think it’d be great,” Justin said. “Getting married with my brother Emmett sounds great to me. It’ll make Memorial Day even more memorable for all of us.”

  “And I think it would be an amazing thing for the families, too. A chance for us all to be together -- no business, just celebration,” Gino stated.

  “Do you think he’ll go for it?” Justin asked.

  “I don’t know,” Max admitted. “But I didn’t want to even ask him before talking to you two.”

  “Well, we love the idea. You two love each other as much as we do, so why not share the celebration? Our guest lists would most certainly overlap anyway, so this would make it easier for everyone...as long as you don’t mind getting married in California on my family’s estate,” Gino said.

  “I’m sure it’ll be beautiful,” Max said. “We both love California and it’ll be a great getaway for us. We could use one.”

  “You two have been under a lot of stress lately,” Justin said. “So have we.”

  “I saw the press conference today. Do you really think the charges will be dropped?”

  “Our attorneys are still meeting with the prosecutors. We’re optimistic.”

  “I hope things go your way,” Max said. “So they can finally get the real attacker...whoever they are.”

  Back at Derek’s condo, Emmett was lying on the couch in his sweatpants watching TV and eating a small bowl of ice cream when Jensen entered through the front door.

  “Well, how was it?” Emmett asked before Jensen even had a chance to take off his coat.

  Jensen smiled widely and replied, “Awesome.” Then he put his coat over the back of a chair and sat down on the sofa next to Emmett.

  “Wow,” Emmett said. “Twice in one day. You must really like Hugo.”

  “He’s a sweetheart,” Jensen said, taking the spoon from Emmett’s hand. “How could I not like him?” Jensen ate some of the ice cream from Emmett’s bowl. “And he’s bright and sexy and fun.”

  “Sounds like a good match,” Emmett said. “I’m so glad. Just go slow. Enjoy every moment you two spend together.”

  “I am. We are hanging out again tomorrow,” Jensen said, eating another spoonful of ice cream. “Emmett, I need to tell you something.”

  “Sure,” Emmett said, taking the spoon back from Jensen.

  “Remember when you first met me? I was broke and desperate, stripping and doing whatever was necessary to get by.”

  “I remember.”

  “I wasn’t my best self,” Jensen stated. “And then I met you. You showed me compassion and understanding I had never experienced before. You took me into your home and even gave me a job.”

  “I remember that, too,” Emmett said, eating more ice cream.

  “I had no idea how to even deal with someone being so nice to me. Everyone I had ever known had either abandoned me or wanted something from me, usually sex. It took me
a while to realize that your love was sincere and genuine. So I did something stupid.”

  Jensen had gotten Emmett’s undivided attention. He put the spoon down and asked, “What was that?”

  “I was so used to saying ‘yes’ to anyone who offered me money.”

  “What did you do?”

  “Rachel Carson offered to pay me to do something -- and I did it.”

  “Rachel? How do you know her?”

  “She saw me around the restaurant and, when I told her I worked for you, she offered to pay me a lot of money to do something for her.”

  “Jensen, just tell me.”

  “She paid me to have you sign those papers about your shares of the family company.”

  “What? How?”

  “The night of the fire...remember when I came up to check on you? You were in a state; you kept saying you were looking for something. I told you I had some papers for you to sign for the performers. The document Rachel needed signed was in the stack of them.”

  “Oh, my God.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Jensen said. “Please, you’ve got to believe me; I didn’t really understand what was going on until recently.”

  “Jensen, it’s not your fault. It’s Rachel’s. But thank God you’re telling me this now. You may be just the person who could undo this entire situation.”

  “You’ll forgive me?”

  Emmett hugged Jensen. “Of course I will. Don’t you see? I have been wracking my brain for weeks and weeks trying to figure out how it happened. Now I know -- and Rachel has been out to get my family for a very long time. You were just a pawn of hers.”

  “I’ll do anything I can to help make things right.”

  “I think you just did. We’ll call Vince Provenzano first thing in the morning.” Emmett hugged Jensen again as Jensen let out a soft sigh.

  The next afternoon, Carlo, Marco, and Rachel were having cocktails in at the Peninsula Hotel before their meeting with Derek and Justin at Mancini Global. Their table in the window provided a fabulous view of Michigan Avenue where Chicagoans and tourists rushed in and out of the stores and restaurants along the boulevard.