Sometimes I wish Saint Patty’s Day was every day!
Kenner and Jack came back with several boxes of glasses. They didn’t quite match what I already had in the bar, but they were close enough. After a quick washing and stacking, we were back in business. They bought enough not only to replace the glasses Kenner broke, but a few dozen more, which is exactly what I could use.
By this time, the bar had become completely packed and it was getting harder and harder to move across the room. Fernando ran out of pesto for his Shamrock Burgers and had to switch to green ketchup. It wouldn’t taste the same, but at least it would look the same.
The guys were helping as best they could, but since they weren’t in uniforms, they had to keep explaining to customers who they were. Since it had gotten so loud in the bar, it became a longer and longer process. Brax was just constantly pouring. I mean, he literally would just from one glass or pitcher to the next.
Tina and my part time waitress really were just scooping all the tips, even the ones the guys earned. Fortunately, none of them really cared about the tips. The music didn’t help. I was shouting orders to Fernando and the guys.
On nights like this, orders got messed up. With a room this packed, customers really couldn’t complain. Are you really going to send back a sandwich it took you forty minutes to get? Not a chance. The key was to keep the beer flowing, which I did. We were unloading the taps so fast, I had to keep running back to the cooler to hook up fresh kegs.
“Claire!” shouted Jax over the noise. “We have to go!”
“Okay, babe!” I yelled back. “Thanks for all your help again!”
“You sure you can handle this?!”
“It’s fine! Go! I’ll see you later!”
“I’m not sure we’ll get back here tonight! We have to go to club for the auction!”
“What?!” I shouted.
I couldn’t hear Jax over the noise. He finally just waved it off and left with the guys. I was on my own, but in my element.
Chapter 16
Brax
After leaving the cacophony at the bar, we headed to the club for the auction. In the past, I had normally looked forward to this event. This time, I thought that it would be nothing but tedium. The bar was so exciting! Plus Claire was there. Who would be here?
Typically, the club girls were human versions of puffed up show dogs, if you’ll forgive the analogy. They were pampered and good looking to be sure, but of little substance. They talked endlessly about where they wanted to travel, how they enjoyed their designer clothes and their friends, who were just as feckless as them.
We were all expected to contribute, even if we didn’t “buy a date”. I had come to the conclusion that Travis was right. The entire enterprise of the club was a bloated waste of money and extravagance.
“God, I hate this place now,” said Travis. “Back at the bar, I felt it was a real place, ya know? Real people and a real event. This is just a joke to me now.”
“You used to love coming up here,” said Jax. “What did you love about it?”
“It’s full of rich suckers. Great chance to network,” admitted Travis. “Now that I’m rich, I feel like the sucker.”
“Jax and I come from a long line of those suckers, sir,” I reminded him. “But I do see you point now.”
“I mean, what is this? It’s like a meat market for women? This is 2018! The club has got to do something better, bro,” said Travis.
“Indeed. Hold them to a higher standard,” I agreed. “Perhaps we can bring this up at the next membership meeting. I would champion your cause.”
“Yeah, okay,” agreed Travis. “Maybe we could change things.”
We acquired our usual VIP table near the stage. The gorgeous bottle service girls were waiting for us and were pouring. At minimum, this was costing me five thousand dollars. It wasn’t the money, it was the principle of the thing. Really, what was all this for? Fundraising for an overpriced club? Just didn’t make any sense. They could simple raise their prices. It wasn’t like anyone here couldn’t afford it if they did.
“Gentlemen, welcome to the bachelorette auction!” said the announcer. “Our first lady is Teresa from Winnipeg!”
Teresa was a long legged Canuck with sparkling eyes and a smile, but despite her beauty she didn’t speak to me. There was something forced about her expression, as if her jaw was clenched. Perhaps she was merely tolerating this entire event. Like Travis said, maybe it was all just for networking. I had been born into the elite, but everyone was trying to get here.
I looked over at Travis. He had struggle and fought his way to rise to the top. I started there. He spent his entire life trying to get here and now he realizes it just wasn’t worth it. It was hollow. How did I not see it all these years? Was I that blind?
“Gentlemen, thank you for your bids! Please welcome to the stage, Delilah from East Brunswick!”
Delilah was a beautiful blonde girl with perfect teeth and a perfect body. I could see the teeth clench again. My God, how did I not see it before? All this time I thought people wanted to be around me, but that wasn’t true. They were just networking to become like me. And while Travis maintained a somewhat decent air of humility, I knew that there were many more that would get to this level and never look back. They would spit upon those they considered “beneath them”.
“Gentlemen! Thank you again! Please welcome to the stage, the beautiful Li from Los Angeles!”
Li was a lithe Asian goddess. She was striking, but again, the clench. I felt like I was waking up from a bad dream. Here I was, standing in judgment of these women. Bidding on them like--- Slaves at an auction or something. It was barbaric! How could I have been so blind?!
“All right! Gentlemen, put your hands together for Sheri from Chicago!”
Sheri was a red head with enormous breasts. The bids skyrocketed, but I just felt sick.
“Are you okay?” asked Kenner, concerned.
“I’m rethinking many things today,” I explained. “Travis may have a point.”
“Oh, I think he’s making too big a deal,” dismissed Kenner. “At least it’s something different for the club to do. How many times can you listen to techno music and get drunk?”
“That isn’t the point,” I said as the announcer introduced more women. “These women are like Travis. They’re trying to gain entry into high society. They weren’t born into it, they’ve had to work at it.”
“Because they weren’t born with money, you’re saying.”
“Precisely. That makes us elitist.”
“So what? We’re not hurting anyone, are we?”
“Well, not a physical hurt, per se. More of a mental one. People are fighting and struggling just to have what we have, but this--- This is an empty experience. Do you see?”
“I guess,” agreed Kenner, not really understanding. “Does that mean you’re going to quit the club?”
“I think some changes are in order,” I proposed. “I mean, compare this room to the room at the bar. The people at that bar were having fun. I mean, really having fun. Everyone here is working.”
“Yeah, I can see what you’re saying now,” agreed Kenner. “I think it will be tough to change things.”
“No change is ever easy, my friend,” I smiled.
“Gentlemen! Please welcome to the stage, Claire McCoin, from right here in the city!”
My jaw dropped. Claire had somehow managed to get ready, look absolutely gorgeous and leave the bar behind. I had to win this bid.
“Fifty thousand dollars!” I bid.
The room went silent. I may have overdone it a bit.
Chapter 17
Jax
I don’t know what shocked me more, Claire’s white dress or my brother’s bid. I knew one thing, I didn’t like the other guys in the room leering at my girl. Screw it. It was only money.
“Seventy-five thousand dollars!” I bid.
Brax gave me a look. Oh, he thinks just because he’s my brother
I should stand here and let him get the date? This was my one chance to get Claire alone. Don’t get me wrong, I honestly didn’t mind sharing her with the guys, but I wanted to win this. I had to have Claire first. It was only right. It was my idea to go to the Bad Penny in the first place!
“One hundred thousand dollars,” countered my brother.
I can’t believe he started so high and now look where we are. Normally, Brax had more business sense, but he lost it when it came to Claire. Claire looked at us from the stage. She smiled and turned her head to the side trying to figure out why the Hell we were bidding against each other.
She may have had brothers, but she didn’t understand how it was to be one.
“One hundred twenty-five thousand dollars,” I countered.
“A couple of more bids like this,” joked my brother. “And we might start spending some real money.”
At this point, we were almost past the entire amount the club had ever taken in for an auction. Up until now, the highest bid had been somewhere in the mid-20 thousands. At this rate, they’d be able to burn down the club and buy a new one.
Call me competitive if you want, but I was going to win. My brother lorded over me most of my life. He may have pulled me into a lucrative deal with Candance, but he also pulled me away from art and music. Now look at me. I’m just another rich asshole bidding on a woman. I thought I wasn’t like these people or like my brother, but I am. I’m just like them and I’m going to win this bid.
“One hundred fifty thousand!” I called out.
Travis and Kenner were looking back and forth at us. No one else in the room even have the balls to jump into this bidding war. The most impressive person in the room was, as always, Claire. She looked as if she spent all day getting ready for this auction and I know for a fact that probably less than an hour ago she was schlepping beers across a crowded room.
Brax started to look from side to side. Was that a bead of sweat I was detecting? Maybe he was rethinking this. Maybe he finally realized I was determined to win this bid. That’s it big brother, step back. Your time is past. Let me show you how Jax takes charge!
Chapter 18
Travis
What the Hell were these too idiots doing? We already agreed to share Claire and they’re in a bidding war? I guess it was their way of handing her some extra cash so she wouldn’t call it charity, but it was an expensive was of doing things!
Damn, Claire looked hot! How does she do it? Work all day and look like that? I think she must work out in her own way. Maybe she just works so much she stays in shape? That low cut white dress is just amazing and look at her legs! I didn’t realize--- My God! She has like perfect legs!
“Never in the history of our club,” said the announcer. “Have we had such a bidding war! Gentlemen! I won’t stop you! Would anyone outside that couch in the VIP section like to bid as well? Hahaha!”
They’d better not bid. The last thing we need is some outsider getting together with Claire. Holy shit. It’s a good think Brax is here. No way he gets out bid, even in this room. If he or Jax wins, Claire would be safe.
But wait a minute, if that’s true why are they in this bidding war. Do they want to do something in private the other doesn’t want them to hear? Oh, shit, bro! They want to make a move outside the group! That has to be it! Whoever wins the bid is going to take Claire aside and make a move. What the Hell?! Not on my watch!
“Two hundred thousand dollars!” I bid.
“Have you lost all your senses?!” objected Brax. “Why the Hell did you just bid?”
“You know why, Brax! You know why!” I said.
Jax threw up his hands. He couldn’t believe I just bid.
“We’re in this together, remember?” he reminded.
“Yeah, then why did you bid?” I demanded.
“It’s a brother thing,” he insisted.
“It is?” said Brax astonished.
“Yes!” insisted Jax. “Something you and I only understand.”
“But I don’t understand,” said Brax.
“Yes, you do! Don’t pretend!” said Jax. “I’m winning this thing!”
“No, you’re not! Two hundred fifty thousand!”
“We are smashing all records at tonight’s auction, gentlemen!” said the announcer. “We now have three angry bidders, all on the same couch. Where is the ceiling on this thing? I don’t think I wanna find out! Haha!”
“Oh, you think I won’t go, bro?!” I shouted. “You don’t think I can win this?!”
“I think you’re a muscle-bound idiot!” shouted Brax. “Will you stop bidding?!”
“No! Three hundred thousand dollars!” I shouted. “Eat it, Brax!”
“I’ve created a monster,” Brax said to himself. “Two monsters actually.”
“You didn’t create me,” insisted Jax. “I’m your brother. I’m my own person!”
“I never said you weren’t,” said Brax. “Is this no longer about the bid?”
“It’s totally about the bid, bro!” shouted Travis. “Four hundred thousand dollars!”
“Will you stop bidding?” asked Brax.
“You stop bidding! It was my idea to go to the bar!” insisted Jax.
“Stop saying that, bro!” I snapped. “No one cares!”
Chapter 19
Kenner
The bidding was really stressing me out. I mean, I was already unsure of the etiquette when I got here. Don’t get me wrong, I had been here before, but never when I was into someone. Technically, we weren’t official with Claire, so I was worried that if I bid on anyone, she’d see it as some kind of rival or cheating on my part. With Sasha, it had been cool because we were already officially together.
Brax and Jax clearly had some brotherly rivalry going on. I’m not sure how far back it went, but it definitely predated me meeting them in college. They always sort of did their own thing--- I mean for most of the time I knew them anyway. But after Jax joined the company, things changed.
Jax seemed to defer to his brother a lot. It was okay, he was the boss of the company, but it wasn’t just about the job. Jax had deferred to him in life. I guess he was finally chaffing under that. Claire had change that.
Man, that woman changed everything for everyone!
For me, it was about getting over Sasha. Honestly, I’m still not, but the healing is finally beginning for me. I can move on. I guess for Travis, it’s some kind of connection to his past, ya know? His mom ran a dive bar and Claire does. They say you go for women like your mother, so I guess it doesn’t get any more obvious than that.
It’s like, the longer we’re with Claire, the more we start figuring out stuff about ourselves. It’s like we see ourselves in a new light or something. It’s not even that Claire is like our therapist or anything, she’s just being herself. I don’t know. Maybe it’s her perspective? It is a little different. Maybe it’s just that we all love her.
The guys were arguing and bidding each other up. In a weird way, I understood the natural compulsion to compete. We were all guys. We all wanted to win. Some part of me wanted to stand up and show up the other guys, but what would I really gain? When I got backstage with Claire, the first thing she would probably say to me was, “Why did you guys even bid?”
“Five hundred thousand dollars!” called out Brax. “There, you gym-addled cretin! Is that a number you can remember?!”
“The only cretin is you if you think I’m gonna let you win!” insisted Travis.
“This isn’t about either one of you!” insisted Jax. “Claire is going to be my date tonight and there’s nothing you two can do to stop it!”
“Fellas,” I said, trying to calm them down. “Have you guys forgotten yourselves? We all promised to share her, right? What the Hell are we doing?”
“Don’t talk to me, Kenner,” insisted Jax. “Talk to my brother. He’s probably drunk again!”
“Oh, why don’t you go back to that seedy artist loft I pulled you out of!” snapped Brax. �
��You can go back to having sex with college art students and women you pick up at a Chili’s!”
“I don’t even know what the Hell you guys are arguing about anymore!” insisted Travis. “Can we all just get a grip please?!”
“I think I have a solution for this,” I offered.
“Just settle down, Kenner,” said Brax dismissively. “We’ll sort things out and let you know.”
“Hey!” I suddenly shouted to the room. “Six hundred and forty thousand dollars! This is a group bid from all four of us!”
The room went silent. I really didn’t see the problem. I mean, it was a lot of money. Made sense that we could pool our money to win. Besides, what did the club care. For that amount, they’d be able to remodel the entire interior and restock the bar ten times.
“Gentlemen!” said the announcer. “We have a record smashing bid at six hundred and forty K! This is one special lady up here! Hey Claire, any thoughts on why the bidding has gotten so high for you?”
The announcer leaned the microphone towards Claire.
“Only because I’m so worth it,” she quipped.
“Group bid,” said Brax. “Well done, Kenner.”
“Brilliant move, bro.”
“Okay, you got me,” Jax said, relenting.
If we were actually going to have a group relationship with this woman, things had to be worked out. Maybe I wasn’t the strongest or riches or most handsome--- But this I could do. All it required was a little trust and a little communication. Sure, sometimes you had to yell to be heard, but what family doesn’t have a little yelling. I don’t know. Maybe Mormons?
These guys were like family to me. As much as I wanted Claire, I wasn’t going to spoil our relationship to be with her. It wouldn’t be right and it wouldn’t be fair to Claire.
“Bid going once,” said the announcer, sensing it was over. “Bidding going twice. Sold to the four gentlemen! Thank you, sirs! The club is forever in your debt!”
Four Billionaires for St. Patrick's Day Page 11