Broken by the Pizza Delivery Boy

“Yes, Mr. Ross. I’ve scheduled the meeting for tomorrow morning.”

“Devon, I told you it’s alright to call me by my first name,” I speak into the phone.

“Alright—sorry, Max!” my assistant replies.

“It’s fine. You’ve been doing a great job, considering it’s only been a week since I hired you.”

“Thank you!”

“Go ahead and order that pizza to my house, then take the rest of the night off. You’ve earned it.”

I hang up and stare down at my work laptop, watching the emails coming in. It’s late at night, but I’ve still got a crushing amount of work to do. My marketing firm is the target of an acquisition, and I’ve been working hard to facilitate the sale.

I set to work, typing away until I get a call from my security agent at the property gate.

“Hey, Mr. Ross—you’ve got a pizza delivery guy here. Should I let him in?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

I rise from my desk, stretching my tired limbs. It pains me to admit it, but I’m getting a bit old. My best years are behind me, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how I want to spend the rest of my life. By all metrics, I’m “successful”, but I don’t feel happy. I have the wife, the kids, the wealth…but something feels missing. I’m not quite sure what it is, but I intend to find out. Once my business is sold, I’m planning on retiring and doing some soul-searching.

*knock* *knock*

I jog toward the front door. This house is cavernous, and sometimes I feel like I need a golf cart to get around. My footsteps echo while I race through the foyer toward the front door. Polished marble lines the floor, reflecting brilliant light from the crystal chandelier hanging high above. The walls are paneled with dark wood, giving the space an elegant, old-world vibe.

“Hey, man. I brought your pizza.” The delivery boy grins as I open the door. “You’ve got a sick house!”

I stare in shock at the hulking figure before me. At least a full head taller than I am, he looks down with deep blue eyes that seem to glow in the dim light. His wavy brown hair cascades down over his forehead like a wild river, giving him a rugged, unkempt appearance. Tan and muscular, he looks like the kind of guy you’d expect to see on a college football team. Wide shoulders and full pecs strain against the tight polo shirt he wears. I doubt the pizza company even has shirts large enough to fit him.

“Thanks.” I laugh and take the pizza box.

He holds out the receipt for me to sign. One meat lover’s special with extra sausage—just the way I like it. My assistant paid with my card, but it looks like he didn’t leave a tip.

“Shit. I don’t have any cash on me. Who even carries cash anymore these days?” I glance up and give him an apologetic look.

“You could give me a blowjob.” He winks.

“W-what?!”

“I’m joking, bro. This isn’t some sort of low-budget porno.” He grins.

This guy has an unusual, fearless vibe. As I look up into his eyes, I sense a sort of wild, playful energy that I’ve never encountered before. He’s like a bolt of lightning—electrifying the air with youthful enthusiasm. It’s refreshing.

“O-oh, yeah.” I give an awkward smile. “Well, if you want to come in, I’d give you a slice. You can consider that your tip. Plus, I could use some company—it’s been a long day.”

“This was my last delivery for the night, so I’ve got time to burn.” He looks past me into the foyer. “And your place looks amazing. So yeah, I’m down!”

“Ok, come on in!”

He steps through the doorway, allowing the warm light to illuminate his body. He’s even sturdier than I realized. Thick veins run up his tan forearms, crisscrossing into his biceps. This guy is beyond the level of a typical athlete—he looks like a bodybuilder.

And he’s so tall…

It suddenly feels like a bad idea inviting him inside. This is a guy who could overpower me and snap me in half if he wanted.

“Damn, this is nice!” He looks up at the chandelier with wide eyes.

“Oh yeah? You like it?” I step forward. “Follow me.”

I lead him down the hall and through a sitting room with soaring bookshelves and floor-to-ceiling windows. He glances from side to side with excited eyes and his mouth ajar. He’s like a kid in a toy store…or maybe an overstimulated puppy.

“This place is huge!”

“It’s alright.” I smirk, thoroughly amused by his reaction.

We finally arrive in the dining room. It’s a tall, circular space with a wooden table cutting down the center. The walls are hand-painted with a panoramic forest scene showing emerald-green trees surrounding a sapphire-blue river. High above, intricate plasterwork lines the ceiling, giving way to a black iron chandelier hanging low over the table.

“Damn! What do you do for work?!” He plops down in a seat at the table.

“Marketing.” I sit opposite him. “So, what’s your name?”

“Jason.” He points to the nametag on his shirt.

“Oh, I should’ve noticed that.”

“What about you?”

“I’m Max.” I crack open the pizza box, filling the room with a salty, savory scent.

He reaches out and grabs a slice, and I follow suit. The food is delicious—my tired body has been running low on fuel. It’ll be nice to just chat with this guy. These days, I rarely get time for social interaction outside of work and family.

“Marketing, eh?” He focuses on me with those deep blue eyes. “Do you like it?”

“I used to, but lately it’s been wearing me down. I’m selling my company and planning to ride off into the sunset. Once the deal is closed, I’ll land a massive windfall. I’ve already done pretty well for myself, but this will be enough to set my family up for generations.”

“You have a family?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah, a wife and two teenage sons.” I hesitate for a moment. “But I’m not home much. I have a workaholic lifestyle.”

“And your wife puts up with that?”

“Sort of…it’s a sexless marriage.”