The Pet Stylist and the Playboy

by Rebecca James

  “We do, and that’s because we give one another space. When you and Felicity are married a few years, you’ll understand what I’m talking about.” He laughed. “I remember going to a key party one night. I went home with Wanda Whetstone, and your mother ended up with old Mr. Farley. She was not amused.”

  I gaped. “You slept with Charles Whetstone’s mother?”

  “Yep. I lucked out that night.”

  I didn’t fucking know my parents at all. The real kicker was, all this should have made what I’d come there to say so much easier, but it didn’t.

  I took a breath. “I’m not marrying Felicity.”

  My father’s face hardened. “What do you mean, you’re not marrying her? We just spent ten thousand dollars on your engagement party.”

  “We’ve decided we’re incompatible.”

  “And you wait until now to figure this out?” My father stood, and we faced off. “This is going to cause a scandal, Dante.”

  “I’m not marrying someone I don’t love.”

  “I’ve told you, compatibility will happen in time.”

  I shook my head. Knowing what I now did, I didn’t want anything like my parents’ marriage.

  My father narrowed his eyes. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you running after that server at Jonas’s club. I recognized him. He’d been at your birthday party.”

  I bristled. I should have expected my father to notice and keep it to himself until it suited him to bring it up.

  “It is about him, isn’t it?” my father pressed, cheeks coloring with ire. “It’s one thing for you to have a dalliance with a man here and there, but completely another to want to see one openly. I thought we understood each other on that count.”

  I moved into my father’s space, enjoying the surprise in his eyes when I did.

  “I’d rather have a loving relationship with a man than a sick farce with a woman,” I said quietly. “Do you think it’s normal for a married couple to go to parties where sexual partners are exchanged according to whose house key they draw? It’s not. You’re not who I thought you were, and I don’t want to have anything to do with you or your way of life.”

  I turned to leave, but before I got to the door, my eye caught on something sparkling on the floor. I bent to pick it up, mind quickly connecting the dots.

  “You didn’t buy mother a bracelet for Christmas.” I still had my back to my father, and I heard him sigh.

  “No, you saw what I gave her.”

  I turned and held up the bracelet. “You bought this for Marta, didn’t you?”

  My father glanced at the bracelet in my hand and nodded. He looked truly confused at why I was asking, which just made everything worse.

  I threw it on his desk. “All this time I thought you had this wonderful marriage, and you were screwing other people the whole time.”

  “Watch your tone with me, young man.”

  “Or what? You’ll send me to bed without my supper? I thought I was doing the right thing, leaving my friends and a life I loved to rub noses with the snooty and entitled. I was going to follow in your footsteps.” I chuckled darkly. “Man, was I stupid.”

  I turned and strode down the hall toward the back exit, completely done.

  “We aren’t finished!” my father called after me. “I’ll see you at home.”

  “I’m not going home. Ever again.” I pushed open the exit door and stepped out into the night, ignoring the Mas and walking down the dark street.

  Bringing up the Uber app on my phone, I arranged a ride home, to the clubhouse.

  ***

  I knew they would, but I was still touched when my club brothers welcomed me back with open arms. Their easy acceptance brought tears to my eyes that I tried to hide behind beer, laughter, and a fog of cigarette smoke. After a couple hours, Tony and Skitz left for their night jobs, and Bullseye headed to bed because he had to be at work early. Blaze had just refreshed our drinks when Morgan arrived in leggings and one of Zeke’s shirts, his dance bag thrown over his shoulder. He wrinkled his nose at all the smoke in the room and waved his hand in the air.

  Zeke stood from the couch and stretched before wrapping Morgan up in his arms.

  “Wanna go back to your place, babe?”

  “Too tired.” Morgan said into Zeke’s chest. “Let’s just go to bed.”

  “I don’t want to hear any sex coming from your room! I need my beauty sleep!” I called after them, grinning, because Zeke had listened to my antics through the wall for years.

  “So, does this mean you’re broke?” Hung asked, grinding out the butt of his cigarette in the ash tray.

  “Yep, and it’s so fucking worth it.”

  “You can always do a scene with me in our next production. I’m killing it on both sides of the rainbow.” He cupped himself lewdly. “Everybody wants this—man, woman, and everything in between.”

  I moaned. “Oh, God. Shut up, man.”

  Hung was teasing me. He knew while I supported Blaze’s company, doing porn didn’t appeal to me at all. He sat back and grinned at me before taking a slug of his beer. He was a good-looking motherfucker with a huge cock, and he knew it.

  I smiled at my brothers, so glad to be there with them. We’d been avoiding the elephant in the room until that point, and it was time to clear the air. “I’ve been an idiot, guys.”

  “Glad you finally figured that out,” Ax said, before letting out a loud belch.

  “I think our little Dante’s finally figured out what he wants,” Blaze said.

  I absently rubbed my fingers over my mouth. Blaze was right: I did know what I wanted, but the question was would I still be able to have it?

  My buddies all looked half-asleep, so I started picking up empty bottles.

  “Go to bed, clowns. We can talk tomorrow.”

  The others shuffled out, but Blaze fetched a garbage bag from the kitchen and helped me straighten up.

  “You gonna go see Swish tomorrow?” he asked, holding the bag open for me.

  “I was thinking about it.”

  “Yeah, well. I guess I don’t have to tell you not to expect him to welcome you with open arms.”

  “I know I hurt him. It wasn’t my intention, but that’s no excuse. Hey, what’s going on with you lately?”

  Blaze paused. “What do you mean?”

  “I hear you’ve been real moody.”

  Blaze scratched the back of his neck and looked away.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Well, if you want to talk, I’m here.” I slapped him on the back.

  We turned out the lights and checked the locks.

  “Hey, Dante.”

  I turned. Blaze had an odd look on his face, part uncertainty and part determination. “Yeah?”

  “Er, what do you know about that guy you introduced us to at your birthday party?”

  It took a minute for me to come up with who he meant. That party had been one long, miserable night. “You mean Lake Adams?”

  “Yeah, that’s him.”

  “Uh, well, I went to high school with him. Used to take up for him when he’d get teased, you know, ‘cause he was a little over the top. But we aren’t exactly friends. I always got the feeling there was something up with him. He was always on edge. Why?”

  “Just wondered.”

  I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms over my chest, a notion coming to my head. If I was right, it might explain Blaze’s moodiness the past year. “You attracted to him, Blaze?”

  “What? No.” I was pretty sure he was lying. The whole thing should have surprised me more because Blaze had always said he was straight, and I’d never seen a clue otherwise, but it didn’t.

  “Remember, you’re talking to a guy who plays for both teams. Nothing wrong with being a little bi-curious.”

  Blaze studied his bare feet. “I don’t know what I’m thinking,” he mumbled.

  “Okay, man.” I squeezed his shoulder and headed for bed.

  I lay in the d
ark, listening to Zeke and Morgan murmuring to one another on the other side of the wall. I wished I could roll back the months and have Isaac in the bed across the room. Man, I’d give anything to do things differently. My phone rang, and I groaned when I saw my mother’s name on the screen. No way was I in the mood for an argument. I’d turn the damn thing off, but Isaac might need me. I wound up answering, listening to her bitch for a few minutes, and then hanging up on her. I took a couple painkillers and rolled over, trying to get comfortable, my mother’s sharp voice ringing in my ears.

  I should have known you wouldn’t follow through. You just had to embarrass us, Dante. Don’t think you can come back here. Your father and I are done with you.

  To think I’d spent my life thinking I needed to be like my dad. It would be funny if it wasn’t so damn sad.

  But I wasn’t worried about my parents anymore. My mother was right: we were done. The worst of all of it was I’d hurt Isaac. I’d had him and let him go, and if I was lucky enough to get him back, I swore I’d make him happy, because if there was anything I’d learned in the past few months, it was what love was. I was in love with Isaac and had been for sometime, only I had been too dumb to recognize it. It was why I wanted more of him; why I didn’t want anyone else; why I was lying awake thinking about him so late at night instead of sleeping. With a deep breath, I relaxed my body and started counting sheep.

  ***

  I awoke before nine and had breakfast with Zeke while Morgan slept in. Some of the guys were up already, and the others were still in bed. Thankfully, Zeke didn’t lecture me on how he’d been right all along about me and Isaac. Maybe he sensed I knew it. I thought about calling Isaac before dropping by, but I was afraid he’d tell me not to come, and I had to see him.

  But before I could leave, Zeke asked me to help him with a bike repair, and then Morgan made lunch for us, and then Tony came in and talked me into a couple games of pool. As eager as I was to see Isaac, it was good being with the club again.

  By the time I pulled up in front of Isaac’s, the sun was dipping behind the trees. A Kia I recognized sat out front, and I took a few deep breaths to clear my mind before climbing off my bike and heading for the front porch where Deirdre and Caleb sat with a basket full of kittens. I wasn’t going to be a jealous asshole if I could help it.

  “Wow, that’s a lot of kittens.” I counted at least six in the squirming bunch.

  “Someone left them at a local church.” Deirdre looked like she’d been crying.

  “You okay, sweetheart?” I asked softly.

  She nodded. “Yeah. It was just a shock about Gus, you know?”

  Caleb eyed me uncertainly. He was a good-looking kid with big gray eyes and curly dark hair, but there was a wariness about him that I’d noticed before, like a rabbit ready to flee at the first sign of trouble.

  Deirdre let out a shaky breath. “Anyway, Caleb’s moving in with Isaac today. We’ve been fixing up the guest room for him.”

  I raised my brows. “Really?”

  “My family’s moving to North Carolina with me where I’m going to school,” Deirdre explained.

  “That’s cool. We’ll miss you, though.”

  I left them on the porch and stepped inside the house, almost running into the wall when the first thing I saw was Hugh with his arms wrapped around Isaac. I cleared my throat loudly, and the two parted. Isaac peered around Hugh’s arm.

  “Dante. What are you doing here?”

  “Didn’t I say I’d be back?” I hadn’t meant to snap, but what the hell? Had he all but forgotten me now that Dr. Doolittle had arrived?

  Hugh smiled, always so damn affable. Or maybe he was being smug. “Hey, Dante. How’s it going? I heard you were getting married. Congratulations.”

  If my eyes were lasers, he’d be a burning hole in the floor. Forget not looking like a jealous asshole, all bets were off now I’d caught him with his hands on Isaac.

  “I’m not getting married,” I said.

  Hugh frowned. “Oh, my mistake. Isaac called and told me about Gus, and I came right over.”

  I wanted to ask him why that was necessary but managed to hold my tongue.

  Isaac stepped forward and touched my arm. “Are you okay?”

  My eyes locked with his, a kaleidoscope of butterflies taking off in my stomach.

  “I’m fine.”

  “What happened with your dad?”

  “I’ll just check on the animals while I’m here,” Hugh said, heading for the back of the house. At least the guy could take a hint.

  “I don’t really want to talk about it right now, but let’s just say I’m back at the clubhouse for good.”

  Isaac studied me a moment. “I’d about convinced myself you belonged in that world. I’m glad I was wrong.”

  I filed that away to think about later.

  “How are you feeling today?” I asked, noticing dark circles under Isaac’s eyes.

  Isaac looked at the floor. “Okay. I keep thinking I need to go up to the house and fix Gus lunch.” He rubbed at his chest like it hurt, and I pulled him close and kissed his head. He stiffened a little, and although I deserved that, it pissed me off because he hadn’t been pushing Hugh away.

  “I hear you’re about to have a roommate,” I said, releasing him.

  “Yeah. Caleb. I’d talked to Gus about it yesterday.” Isaac looked pained.

  “Gus was a very giving guy. I’m sure he was all for it.”

  Isaac nodded. “He was.” He rubbed his face. “Don’t get me crying again. I’ve done so much of it, my eyes are sore.”

  I couldn’t help myself; I wrapped my arms around him again. “I don’t want to make you cry.”

  Isaac relaxed for a few seconds before wriggling out of my grasp. “Tell me what happened with your dad.”

  I took a deep breath and sat down on the couch, waiting for Isaac to join me before speaking.

  “I went to the dealership to tell him I wasn’t going to marry Felicity and walked in on him fucking the receptionist.”

  Isaac’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, my God!”

  I shook my head. “I know. I was not expecting that.”

  “But I thought you said your parents had a great marriage. He’s been cheating on your mom?”

  “I thought they had a great marriage but turns out they agreed long ago not to be monogamous. Apparently, they’ve always fucked around on each other.”

  Isaac’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry.”

  I ruffled his hair, unable to keep my hands off him for long. “I’d really thought we’d strike up some kind of a compromise, you know? I wasn’t willing to get married, but I could still work for him. But not now. I never really knew them.”

  “But they’re your parents.”

  I shrugged. “They’ve never been real parents to me. Besides, my mother made it pretty clear on the phone last night she doesn’t want me around now that I’ve shamed her.”

  “I can’t believe she could say that to her son.”

  “Can we drop it? I really want to talk to you about a few things.”

  The wary look on Isaac’s face hurt me to the core.

  “Like what?”

  Of course, Hugh chose that minute to walk back in. I swear, the guy was either majorly clueless, or he was doing it on purpose.

  “Isaac, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’ve got a few questions about Sophie.”

  “Sure.” Isaac got up and followed him down the hall.

  Goddammit to hell.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Swish

  I was glad Hugh called me away because I wasn’t eager to hear what Dante had to say. As happy as I was that he’d called off his engagement to Felicity, I was scared he would want to pick things up with me again, and I didn’t think I’d be strong enough to resist him.

  So, I asked Hugh to stay for dinner and told Dante to extend the invitation to the club. Cooking a meal at Gus’s brought mixed emotions. While it was sad to be there without him,
cooking for everybody in the big kitchen calmed me down. By the time the group of bikers arrived, I had baked chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni, and green beans ready on the table.

  I sat between Hugh and Caleb. I could tell Caleb was making an effort to keep himself calm, but since the moment Ax had arrived with the others, tension rolled off him in waves. He flinched every time the big biker spoke or moved too abruptly. Ax was scary-looking, there was no doubt about that, but if Caleb would just stop and really look at him, he’d see he was an attractive, kind guy. The tats all over his bald head and his huge, muscular body dissuaded most people from taking the time to do that, though, and with Caleb’s innate nervousness, he was even less likely to try.

  We talked and laughed through dinner, and I thought I should do this at least once a month—cook and have everyone over. As soon as the meal was over, Ax announced he had to go. I walked him outside.

  “You don’t have to leave,” I said.

  “I hate seeing the kid so worked up and knowing it’s because of me.”

  “He’s going to be living with me, so he’s going to have to get used to you. I don’t want you to avoid coming over.”

  “A little at a time,” Ax promised.

  When I walked back into the house, everyone was clearing the dishes. “You still want me to go with you to the lawyer’s?” Dante asked me.

  “Yeah, if that’s okay. The appointment’s at two tomorrow.” Even though I was a little afraid to be alone with Dante, I still wanted him with me at the appointment with the lawyer. I didn’t know what to expect, and I needed his support. It felt weird being named Gus’s son right before he’d passed away, like I’d planned it or something, even though I knew that was stupid.

  “No problem.”

  “I could go with you, if it’ll make things easier on Dante,” Hugh offered, stopping in the archway to the kitchen, dishes in his hands.

  “That’s really nice—” I started to say, but Dante interrupted, tone leaving no room for argument.

  “I’m going.”

  Morgan nudged me on his way past, and I knew what he was thinking—that he’d been right all along about Dante being jealous of Hugh.