by Theresa Papa
I spend the drive home along the lakeshore contemplating my meeting with Nico. His handsome face captivates me, and I’m lost in my thoughts.
Beep! The car behind me reminds me that the light turned green. I park the car and run into my building straight to Jen’s apartment. Jen opens the door dressed in her loose boxers and tank, looking gorgeous as usual. She has the kind of natural beauty that doesn’t even require makeup.
“So how was the interview?” She plops on the sofa and hands me the second glass of wine she has on the coffee table.
“Oh, Jen! He is hot! And he’s so nice; he made me feel very comfortable.” I look at the floor awkwardly and chew on my fingernail with the memory of my sexual thoughts about Nico.
Jen’s radar kicks in, and she picks up on my nervous vibe right away.
“Okay Samantha, what are you not telling me?”
I look back up at her and proclaim loudly, “I can’t work closely with this guy without wanting to jump his bones every day. Seriously, I couldn’t even concentrate with all the sexual tension and the dirty thoughts going through my head while I was alone with him.”
Jen starts giggling and throws her pillow at me.
“At first, I sensed he was checking me out, and he smiled when he caught me checking him out.”
“Wait, he caught you?” Jen exclaims, her eyebrows meeting her hairline.
“Yeah, while his back was turned, I was looking at his, uh, assets. He turned around too swiftly, and I tried to look away, but I’m sure he caught me gawking. Then I saw him grin slightly at my embarrassment.”
“Okay, so he liked it. I guess that means he’s not gay?”
Shrugging my shoulders, I throw the pillow back. “There’s no way to be sure because there was conflicting evidence.”
“What happened that made you think he may be gay?”
I get up and begin to pace.
“The hot guy who picked him up and hugged him before they drove off together.” Samantha, you better just get your shit together, go to work, and concentrate on just that, WORK! There’s no mental pictures of Nico shirtless pressed against you to devour your mouth, along with his perfect hands traveling up and down your body.
“Well, maybe not. You should keep an open mind about it.”
“Hey, are you hungry? All this talk about handsome gay men reminds me about this place my friend told me has the very best tacos and margaritas. Let’s take the red line to Wrigley and try it out.”
“Tacos and margaritas sound great!”
“Give me two minutes to change.”
Since I’m already in a dress, I talk Jen into wearing one too. She comes out in a lovely green wrap dress that shows off her long, lean legs and her ample cleavage. She wears her hair down softly touching her shoulders. Then she slips into a sexy pair of nude heels. We head out the door, walk down Sheridan Road to Granville, and catch the red line at the Granville station.
Chapter 6
Nico Pope
Traffic has already tapered off since rush hour is winding down. Excitement climbs up my spine as I drive my new midnight silver metallic Tesla Model S P90 D out of the dealership. The car handles exceptionally well, and I’m pleased with my purchase. Normally, my choices are not as luxurious or pretentious, but I feel this one is a business decision. My phone rings, and I pick up through the Bluetooth.
“Hey, Dad, how are you?”
“Good, son. Can you stop by to see me tonight?”
“Sure, I can be there in about a half hour.”
“Great, see you then.”
I make a U-turn and head out of the city to my parents’ home in Kenilworth. I grew up in a loving and privileged environment surrounded by a large, well-known family. My grandfather started the family law firm, and as expected, my father and all subsequent Pope offspring will be lawyers. So true to my family’s wishes, I set out to do just that. After completing my undergrad in three years, I passed the bar at age twenty-four. Then a year later, the proverbial shit hit the fan, and our family name became infamous because of the actions of my uncle. And wouldn’t you know it, I was the person who had to bring all his atrocious deeds out into the light of day and therefore soiling my own name in the process. This case tested my soul to its very core. But in hindsight, I am proud of the morally upstanding route I took to obtain justice.
My brother Jaxson exits his car when I pull through the gates. We’re eleven months apart in age, making him twenty-eight and myself twenty-nine. We look a lot alike except his hair is lighter brown and mine is almost black. We’re exactly the same height and build, but our personalities couldn’t be more different. He waits for me to pull in and walks over to admire the Tesla.
“Hey, big bro! Nice choice, I love the color. I never thought you would finally give in and buy a car you could be respected and admired in.”
“Make no mistake, Jaxson, my business is to sell an image and beauty. This car is simply a marketing tool.”
The corners of his mouth turn up slightly as we walk up the front steps.
“Bullshit, is that why you needed the Model S P90D that will do 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds?”
“Well, if you're buying a new car, you might as well get the most recent technology they offer.” I rationalize my purchase to him.
He laughs and pats me on the back.
“I’m happy for you, bro, you deserve it. It’s a good-looking car.”
“Thanks, Jaxson, I value your opinion,” I say with a slap on his back.
My brother has always been what some would call the proverbial player. I tease him every chance I get.
“Who’s the flavor of the week? Anyone show any potential past one night in the sack?”
“What makes you think I’ve changed my ways since I saw you last? Even though I know you consider me an asshole, I fuck whoever makes me happy … Then I do Amanda on the side or sometimes simultaneously. It’s the perfect setup actually,” he replies as he wiggles his brows.
Typical Jaxson, he likes fast, expensive cars and a multitude of women falling all over themselves to be with him.
I open the front door, and we step into the foyer.
“Did Father call you here too?”
“He has, and it’s very mysterious. He wouldn’t give me any details over the phone. It was strange. But it could just be he wanted to see both of us face to face.”
We walk through the foyer and into the main hall where Dad’s study is located. He sits at his desk with his nightly glass of scotch, waiting for us to arrive.
“What’s going on?” I pour Jax and me each a glass of scotch, and we sit down to hear what Dad has to say. My dad looks tired and worried. He’s aged a bit since I last saw him even though it wasn’t too long ago.
“I need both of you to help with a family matter that has to stay discreet. It seems your cousin Elizabeth may have gotten herself into something shady. I can’t help but think that some of her recent choices are a direct result of what she went through as a child. We all saw how she began to dress differently, rebelled against rules, and ruined her reputation …”
Jax rolls his eyes and blows out a breath. “Save the fucking dialog. You know Lizzie was just trying to have control over something in her own life after so many years of being controlled.”
I put my hand up to halt Jaxson’s tirade while still facing my father. “What happened to her? Is she all right? Where is she?”
“Watch your language, Jaxson!” Dad then turns to me. “That’s part of the problem. I don’t have any answers to those questions. I don’t have anyone to ask. Her absentee mother never cared for her well-being as a child, so she sure as hell won’t concern herself with her disappearance now.”
I shake my head in disgust. “She has no one. She’s been supporting herself and has never accepted any of my help since the trial ended.”
Dad’s eyebrows furrow as he mutters, “She probably still feels guilty for the media reports about
my pedophile brother soiling the Pope name during her murder trial. We also can’t deny that the whole ordeal was the reason you gave up your law career …”
I put my palms together, press my fingers against my lips, and try to explain this again in the simplest way possible.
“Elizabeth’s acquittal was a notch in my belt, but the stress caught up with me, and I had to get out. I know you’re probably still disappointed, Father, but please try to be happy for me.”
Dad’s face softens in his reply.
“I am happy for you, son. You now have a very successful business, and you’re doing what you always dreamed about doing.”
“I’m now head of the firm, which is my dream come true, and we all get free haircuts. So all’s right with the fuc … world,” Jaxson says sarcastically with a wink.
Father presses his lips together and shakes his head at Jax.
“I was hoping that maybe one of you might have heard from Elizabeth recently?”
“No, I haven’t heard a thing,” Jax and I say in tandem.
“Initially after the trial, I really did look out for Elizabeth. I had one of my men keep an eye on her. She caught on after a while and threw a raging fit in my office, claiming she was now an adult and wanted her privacy. So I respected her wishes,” I say with a shrug.
Dad gets up and pours himself another drink. He turns around to face us with a solemn expression and states, “All I know is that her roommate reported her missing yesterday. The police say they will look into leads, but it’s possible they’re writing her off as a grown woman getting away for a while. I’ve stressed the fact that this should remain a private matter. Should the press get wind of it, they would dredge up all the old news that made our family name infamous. That is why I want the two of you to investigate discreetly. She may just be reverting to her old habits and running away, but I have an obligation to make sure.”
I pull out my phone and dial my contact at the police to see what information I can get to start our investigation. From there, we can make a plan. My conversation generates more questions, and I have a very uneasy feeling by the time I hang up.
“My contact tells me that the last conversation they found on her phone record was from a Giselle Gourdan. The strange thing is that this woman has worked for me for six months and is doing an incredible job. I would hate to consider she has anything to do with the disappearance of my cousin. The police say they’ve questioned her and have no reason to suspect any involvement.”
“It couldn’t be just a coincidence. Could it?” Jax asks.
I shrug my shoulders.
“I’m baffled. He also gave me Elizabeth’s roommate’s cell number, so I can go over to the apartment. The first thing we need to do is speak to her roommate.” I dial her cell, and to my surprise, she answers right away. I tell her who I am, and she gives the green light for us to go over the next day around ten. Wow, if I ever have a daughter, I will definitely teach her not to be so trusting.
“I’m going to talk to Elizabeth’s roommate in person. Do you want to come with, bro?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“Not right now. She wants to have us over at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow. Right now, I’m meeting Ken for tacos at his favorite place over in Wrigleyville. You want to join us?”
“No thanks, bro. I have a date for dinner later.”
“Well anyway, Ken and I need to catch up. I promised him dinner because he gave me a great deal on the Tesla, and he loves those tacos.”
We both say our farewells to Dad and reassure him that we’ll look for Elizabeth.
“Promise to keep me up to date on any news. It’s not like the police believe there’s any foul play involved. I hope Elizabeth’s just being her stubborn self and taking off without a word to anyone,” Dad says.
~~~
When I get to Wrigleyville and park, I see Ken as I approach the door. Once inside, we sit at a table and order mounds of tacos and our drinks. We catch up on each other’s lives while we eat. Then I sit back in my chair to digest the tasty tacos we just devoured.
“How’s the car? You like it?” he asks.
“I love it. Thanks for the great deal. I’ll definitely send some business your way.”
I feel that someone is staring at me, and I look around. My eyes are suddenly riveted to a pair of huge brown ones across the room. “Samantha.”
Chapter 7
Samantha Marconi
“We should get off at Addison, walk past the stadium, and turn left on that perpendicular street.” Jen says as we get on.
“I’m glad we took the train. With all the bars over here, there’s quite a bit of action and no parking.”
We finally get into the restaurant and find a seat so we can enjoy some drinks and tacos. The atmosphere is just a smidgen off compared to our usual hetero hangouts. Just as that thought crosses my mind, Jen states the obvious and explains my uneasiness.
“Seems a shame we both look so great and probably none of the men will look at us twice in this place.” Her mouth spreads to a thin line as she shrugs.
“That’s what’s weird. Not one guy has offered to buy us a drink yet.” With that, we both start giggling and decide to have a fun girls’ night.
The waiter takes our order, and a few minutes later, we receive the Coronaritas made famous by this bar where they drop a bottle of Corona upside down into the margarita.
“Well, I love margaritas, and I love Corona, so why not together?” I say.
Jen and I enjoy a few tacos each and then sit back to sip our drinks. Suddenly, he’s there with those sparkling blue eyes and pearly white smile. I can’t stop staring, and he must feel my blatant observation because he looks up and it’s as if no one else is in the room. My eyes rip from his gaze, and I quickly prevent Jen from turning around, so as not to cause any further embarrassment.
“Who do you see? The look on your face is burning with lust,” she says in a low voice.
“Oh my God, please do not tell me that. We are in a gay bar, and of course, here’s Samantha lusting after one of the patrons,” I say and point at myself with both my thumbs. “Nico is here with the guy from outside the salon. The one with the awesome Mercedes.”
“Well, I guess that answers that mystery.”
With a scowl on my face and an ache in my chest, I have to accept the fact that the man I’m interested in is gay. I can’t help but look over at Nico again and see both men getting up to leave. The handsome blond guy does the bro hug thing again with him, then pivots toward the door to leave. I straighten my spine and white knuckle the edge of the table when Nico turns and heads straight for us. His attractive stare holds me hostage, and he’s giving me a sexy smirk, dimples included. I unintentionally gasp, and Jen turns around this time just as he arrives at our table.
“Ladies, how are you enjoying your evening?” He greets us with a wide smile.
“Hello, Nico, we’re having a great time enjoying the tacos and the drinks,” I say way too quickly and then take a gulp of my drink.
He slides in the booth next to me, and the effect of his body against mine is visceral. I breathe deeply and try to calm myself, but his scent is all encompassing. It makes me want to crawl onto his lap and live there indefinitely. I’m rendered speechless for a moment. Thankfully, he and Jen continue the conversation comfortably without me. I don’t even catch what they’re saying until Nico puts his warm hand over mine on the table, snapping me out of my sex-starved coma. He turns toward me.
“It was great to run into you, Sam. I will see you tomorrow at the shop. It was a pleasure seeing you, Jennifer,” he says, but his stare never leaves me.
With that, he gets up from the booth, and I’m left feeling cold and missing his touch. Once again, that ache in my chest flares up while I watch him leave the bar.
Jennifer knocks me out of my reverie by flicking her fingers against my arm.
“Hey, earth to Samantha! Can you join me
back here in reality?” She giggles, and I focus on her as she continues.
“He is absolutely male model material. I can understand your tendency to flake out around him especially with the way he stared at you. I totally get your desire to jump him.”
“I know! I need to get a grip before tomorrow, girl!”
We both finish our beer margaritas, and Jen gets a text and has to leave. I need to focus on my internship starting early in the morning, so I go back to my place and crash, spending the night dreaming of a dark-haired, blue-eyed man.
Chapter 8
Nico Pope
The next morning, I pick up Jaxson at his place, and we drive toward Evanston to see Elizabeth’s roommate. The place where Elizabeth lives is a run-down, old, and drafty apartment building. The roommate buzzes us up, and we walk up to the third floor. As Jaxson and I step in, she introduces herself as Anna. She turns, smacking her gum, and with a flip of her long blond hair, she leads us into the apartment. When we reach the kitchen and she faces us once more, her brown eyes are emotional. She presses her petite pink lips together and waits for us to begin.
“I’m Nico, and this is my brother, Jaxson. We’re Elizabeth’s cousins.”
“Nice to meet you. Just to let you know your cousin calls herself Liz or Lizzie now.” Jax and I nod in acknowledgement.
“My cousin changed her name along with her appearance in her struggle to claim a new identity for herself after her trial. But you’ll have to excuse us if we sometimes still call her Elizabeth; it’s only natural because we grew up with her as close as a sister. One time, she even told me to keep using her full name because it was weird to have me call her Lizzie.”
“I really am worried about her. It’s not like her to stay away from home without letting me know for more than a day,” she says, chewing enthusiastically.
She motions for us to sit, and we each take a kitchen chair around a small wooden table.
“Would either of you like something to drink?”