Were All Animals

by Mima

  He was met instead by intense, dark eyes staring down at him. The man wasn’t very tall, he was guessing probably around 5’7” but what he didn’t have in his physical statue, was definitely made up for in presence, as his brutal glare and deep, brooding expression sent a chill through the room, specifically through Chase. Although his eyes challenged the stranger’s, there was an uneasy feeling that rose the hairs on the back of his neck and made his heart race. Expecting some kind of trouble, he immediately jumped up from his chair, abruptly closing the laptop and sitting it on Jolene’s desk.

  “Can I help you?”

  The stranger showed no emotion but continued to study him, his eyes roaming over Chase as if to assess his strengths and weaknesses.

  “Diego, come on!” Jolene stood up from her desk, one hand on her hip. “Is that any way to be? You don’t come here ever, and now here you are, barging in like some kind of crazy man.”

  Ignoring Jolene, he continued to stare at Chase. “If you want coffee, go get it yourself while I talk to my sister.” His comment was sharp but yet his voice much weaker than expected, almost jovially, as if he were enjoying the moment. “And get me an Americano while you’re there.”

  “Diego!” Jolene snapped as she leaned over her desk. “No no, you do not come in here and order my assistant around, you do not do that!”

  “I pay him, so technically, he’s my assistant,” Diego’s eyes fluttered toward Jolene and back to Chase as he raised one eyebrow.

  Chase was stunned. This was Jolene’s brother? Other than being Columbian, there was no resemblance. Although he still had a slight accent, his English was almost flawless, as he stood a good inch or two below her with her heels. His skin was lighter than his sisters, while his eyes and hair much darker. He was cleaned shaved, wearing a suit that even Chase could tell was quite expensive. If he had anything in common with his sister, it was that Diego was quite stylish and approximately the same age. Had he been asked to picture Jolene’s brother, he couldn’t have had it any more wrong.

  Hesitating for a moment, Jolene shook her head. “Chase, would you mind getting us all a coffee?” she returned her attention to Diego. “Even though he’s not a personal slave that I order to run my errands.”

  Diego sucked in his cheeks and with shining eyes, his lips pursed into an odd smile, as he glanced at Chase, giving a quick eyebrow flash.

  “You like to push my buttons,” Jolene stabbed her nails on the desk.

  It was clear by Diego’s face, that was definitely the case.

  Chase nodded to Jolene and headed toward the door. On his way out, he heard Diego say, “I expected more of a guero but I’m almost whiter than him.”

  “Diego!” She snapped at him as Chase closed the door and headed out of the building toward the coffee shop.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  If things seemed tense when Chase left, they were anything but when he returned. The laughter could be heard from the hallway, as he juggled the tray of coffees while opening the door. Inside, he found Diego sitting in his own chair, leaning back comfortably, unaware that Jolene’s assistant had returned. A completely different version of himself, he was laughing joyfully at something his sister was saying in Spanish, slapped his own leg and tilted his head back.

  “Ah Chase, thank you!” Jolene said as he made his way toward the desk. For some reason, he found his eyes suspiciously glancing toward Diego, as if expecting him to trip him or something juvenile in nature, however he was instead met by the same black eyes and a quick brow flash. Turning his attention back to Jolene, he shrugged and gave her a small, awkward smile, as he sat the coffee on her desk. Taking his own, he reached for his laptop and commented that he would do some research on the other side of the room while the two of them had a chance to catch up.

  “No no, not just yet,” Jolene gestured toward a spare chair on the other side of the room and without saying a word, Chase replaced the laptop on her desk and went to grab the chair. After moving beside Diego’s, he sat down and started to drink his coffee. “Since my brother, he does not understand how to be polite, I will properly introduce you. Chase, this is Diego.”

  Switching the coffee to his other hand, he awkwardly leaned forward and shook Diego’s hand and nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

  Diego’s face twisted into a smirk and he nodded back, his eyes continuing to analyze Chase’s face as he strongly grasped his hand. There was something unsettling about Diego’s gaze he chose to ignore, instead turning his attention back to Jolene and drinking his coffee a little faster than normal, unsure of what was about to take place.

  “Diego is in town a couple of days. A surprise visit, as you say,” she twisted her own burgundy painted lips into the same expression as her brother, almost as if mimicking him, while her eyes studied his face. “Which is quite unusual since he never comes here ever.”

  “Not ever! Come on,” Diego defended himself as he stood up and reached for his coffee and Jolene did the same. “You exaggerate!”

  “It’s been a long time. Since I don’t know,” She took a quick drink of coffee and made a face. “Bitter.”

  “I think you have mine,” Diego replied after taking a drink of his own. “This has too much sugar for me.”

  He stood up and traded. Chase got a whiff of his subtle cologne as he leaned forward.

  “How could you not know?” she accused, pointing at the cup. “There it is, a giant ‘J’. Does Diego start with J? No, it does not.”

  He grinned as he returned to his chair and didn’t respond.

  “It starts with whatever I tell you it starts with.”

  “See what I mean,” Jolene commented toward Chase as if she had already had a conversation with him about her brother. “He is like a child, no? Ah Ah Ah!” She shook her head and took a deep breath. “So what brings you here to us today?”

  “What brings you here today?” He corrected her English, causing Jolene’s face to scrunch into a glare but she remained quiet. “I’m here to say hello to my sister, of course, and to see how things are going in my Canadian office.”

  “Things are going well,” She seemed to choose her words carefully. “I do not need any help if that is what you are suggesting.”

  “Not suggesting a thing,” he spoke calmly, focusing his attention on Jolene, almost as if Chase weren’t in the room; not that he minded. Drinking his coffee, he felt awkward and was doing a mental checklist of all the things he had to do that morning rather than witnessing this strange conversation. “Maybe I just wanted to say hello to my sister. Did you ever consider that?”

  She didn’t reply but watched him carefully.

  “So tell me, Chase,” his attention shifted and tension filled the room. “Do you like your job here?”

  Showing no emotion, Chase slowly turned and met eyes with Jolene’s brother. Nodding, he was hoping that this would be the only question asked but it quickly became clear that Diego was waiting for him to go on. “Yes, I enjoy it. Jolene,” he gestured toward his boss. “She’s great. I think we work well together.”

  “I see, I see,” Diego nodded and glanced back to Jolene. “So Chase, I hear you recently helped us with an awkward situation. A girl who Oded and you took her to the emergency.”

  “Which was the right thing to do,” Jolene immediately spoke up, her tone was assertive as she sat up straighter in her chair.

  “Hey,” Diego shrugged, innocence crept in his eyes. “Did I say it wasn’t? Obviously, we don’t want someone dying. Am I right, Chase?”

  Feeling as if he were being tested, Chase simply nodded and ignored Diego’s probing eyes.

  “Jolene, you worry too much,” Diego intercepted and turned back toward Chase. “She always did. This one, she’s a worrier. Whereas me, I live in the moment and what happens, happens.”

  Chase grinned. He could only imagine how many stories were behind tha
t statement. He pictured orgies, drugs, and guns; chances were good there were many sketchy things in Diego’s past. He sensed it. He sensed a strange, unspoken vibe between the brother and sister. He knew Jolene knew a lot that she would never reveal. Fortunately, Chase didn’t want to know either.

  “It’s my motto if you will,” he titled his head down, his eyes looking up at Chase, continuing to study his face. There was an element of mystery to him and he suspected that this combined with Diego’s good looks, he wouldn’t have a problem going anywhere and picking up pretty much any woman he wanted. It was amazing how some men just had it; that thing that women wanted, that most men didn’t truly understand.

  “That motto has not always served you well,” Jolene spoke up, her eyes glancing at the nearby laptop screen. “You will have to excuse me, Diego, I have some work I must attend to. A party needs some final details.”

  “That’s fine,” Diego shifted in his chair and stood up. “I must go and attend to a few things.”

  “I am not even going to ask.” Jolene said under her breath as if there was a knowledge between the two of them what those ‘things’ were; Chase remained quiet and continued to drink his coffee. Rubbing a hand over his face, he could feel Diego’s eyes on him. Looking up, he watched his finger point at him, shiny rings caught the light and it was clear they were expensive, even though he knew nothing of jewelry.

  “You, Chase, what are you doing right now?”

  “He’s helping me,” Jolene commented as she typed furiously into her laptop. “We are busy today, Diego.”

  “It’s almost lunchtime,” Diego gestured toward a nearby clock and Jolene immediately stopped typing and twisted her face in the same expression from earlier; the expression Chase had never seen on her face before that morning. “Once in a while, Jolene, you need to let your employees out for some fresh air and sunshine.”

  She raised her eyebrow. “He gets plenty of fresh air and sunshine, Diego. We need to work.”

  “I will just take him for a short time. I promise I will return him after lunch.”

  She didn’t say anything and Chase oddly felt like a child fought over by two parents. It was ironic considering his recent circumstance with Audrey and for a brief second, he wondered if this would be how his kids would feel if he were to return; pulled in two directions and not wanting to upset either party. Oddly, an unexpected lightness flowed through him. He glanced up at Diego then Jolene, unsure of what the to do.

  “Go with him,” Jolene appeared irritated as she started typing again. “And Diego? I’m watching the clock!”

  “I know, I know, you worry too much.”

  “Me pregunto porque.”

  “I promise,” Diego called out as he rushed toward the door and Chase reluctantly rose from his chair and did the same.

  “Jolene, I-

  “Go!” She waved her hand in the air. “Do not worry.”

  Unfortunately, he did.

  Stiffly walking toward the door, coffee still in hand, he followed Diego out and discovered a whole other man waiting for him on the other side. Where he had been intimidating and antagonizing with his sister, Diego now appeared light, practically skipping out of the building, he pulled on a pair of Ray-bans and pointed toward the mountains.

  “I cannot get over the mountains!” he sounded like an excited child, an unexpected smile lit up his face and Chase merely nodded. “There,” he pointed to the end of the street. “There’s a restaurant. Let’s go.”

  It was more a sport’s bar. The kind that only hired female servers, all of which were beautiful, resembling models more than the person delivering food to your table. He assumed that’s why Diego chose this particular place and sure enough, they weren’t there very long, that he was flirting with the girls; complimenting their beauty, asking one if the super high heels were hard to walk on every day as if he was concerned over her possible discomfort. The waitress shrugged and insisted she was ‘fine’ but Chase somehow doubted that to be true.

  After taking their order - pasta for Diego and a chicken for him - the girl rushed away to get their drinks.

  “Only water, Chase? Why not join me in a beer? A glass of wine?” Diego appeared quite comfortable on his side of the booth, sliding toward the center, closer to Chase, where he appeared to have a better look at everyone else in the restaurant. He seemed curious, intrigued by his surroundings but swiftly returned his attention to Chase. “No drink?”

  “I don’t really drink.”

  Diego’s lips formed a grin, a mischievous glint in his eye but he didn’t respond, instead turning his attention to their surroundings. “You know Chase, something I never get used to here in America is how people dress for dinner. I know I’m in Canada, but to me, it’s the same, you know? To me, you dress nicely for dinner, not sloppy in your yoga pants and jeans. You know?”

  Chase shrugged. “I guess…”

  “Maybe it’s me,” He made a face and stared, in a really obvious way, at a young, heavy-set woman wearing black yoga pants and a loose top that barely covered her stomach. She saw him and nervously looked away. “Your country is very different in many ways.”

  “Is that good or bad?” Chase was curious.

  “Sometimes good, sometimes bad,” he replied and sat back, his expression turned serious.

  The waitress returned with their drinks. A glass of red wine was placed in front of Diego and water with a sliver of lemon for Chase.

  “Chase, you should have a drink, this meal, it’s on me, order whatever you want,” Diego gestured toward the liquor menu, while the waitress waited, her full attention on Chase.

  “I, ah…”

  “He will have a beer? Wine? What is it you would like? Same as me?” Chase started to nod, unsure of what to say. “The same as me,” Diego picked up his own glass and took a drink.

  “Be right back,” The waitress nodded and rushed away.

  “Relax and enjoy yourself,” Diego sat sideways in the booth, facing Chase, his arm on the back of the seat, he appeared relaxed, as if they were old friends. “Celebrate the small moments in life.”

  Chase didn’t know what to say.

  “So, Jolene, she seems to really like you,” Diego began to talk almost right away as he took another drink of wine. “She says nothing but good things about you and believe me, my sister does not say all good things about many people. That’s a huge compliment.”

  “That’s good.” Chase found himself starting to lighten up.

  “She’s a picky one,” Diego glanced up at the waitress returning with Chases’ wine. Both of them thanked her and without missing a beat, Diego continued. “But that is good. I feel better knowing she has someone she can count on.”

  “I like working for Jolene.”

  “She’s a good girl at times, not a saint by any means but she’s efficient as a business lady.” Diego’s dark eyes stared at Chase and barely blinked. “Her English is improving but it’s not there yet. Of course, she won’t listen to me and get help with it.”

  “Get help?”

  “Yes, when I moved to the America, I had some help from a coach who helped me with my English and accent. That is why you barely hear it now,” he nodded. “Unfortunately, with the US, they like the Columbia look, a bit of accent but they want everyone’s English to be perfect.” He grinned and his eyebrows shot up as he reached for the glass of wine again. “I believe it’s called the melting pot and well, I guess I melted.”

  Chase smiled and thought for a moment. “Was it hard to move to the US from Columbia?”

  “No, I wanted to work for myself and I saw an opportunity there that I would not find in Columbia.” He replied. “I was a young man looking for an adventure.”

  “Did you find it?”

  “I found many.” He spoke suggestively. “And you, Chase? Have you found many adventures?”

 
; “A few too many,” he let out a laugh. “A few I could’ve done without.”

  “Nonsense,” Diego shook his head. “It’s not what you do in life that worries us on our death bed but what we haven’t.”

  “I suppose.

  “I’ve done a lot of things, Chase.” He spoke honestly, almost seductively. “A lot.”

  Chase felt some jealousy by his cavalier attitude and wondered if he would’ve been the same if he hadn’t married so young, not had kids. Would he roam the world, getting into all kind of exciting adventures; adventures that somehow no longer seemed possible, even though he wasn’t with his family.

  Perhaps it was the wine but Chase began to relax. Diego seemed like a pretty normal guy, not as intimidating as he had appeared earlier, as he spoke honestly about his childhood in Columbia, his life as a ‘thug’ on the streets, to distinguished business man. Their lunch stretched beyond two hours, with more wine, more talk and it was finally a text from that Jolene that alerted him.

  “Oh shit, I gotta get back,” he pointed toward his phone and Diego, slightly drunk at this point shrugged.

  “The world will not come to an end Jolene,” he spoke in the direction of Chase’s phone. “But we should get back, shouldn’t we? We’ll go back, she can reprimand me for not returning you to her sooner and that will be that.”

  That will be that.

  Except, it wasn’t.

  He didn’t see it coming.

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  Jolene was not surprisingly, irritated by Diego’s extended lunch break and didn’t hide her frustration upon their return. Shooting off a bunch of words in Spanish, Chase meekly moved out of the line of fire even though deep down, he felt as though he was probably the one she should’ve been yelling at; after all, it was him that was late. It was his responsibility to keep an eye on the clock and leave at the appropriate time.