by Tasha Fawkes
"All right, let's do it," I said, my voice harsher than I intended. It wouldn't hurt to have a bit of fun anyway. I'd been working hard the last couple of months.
"Good to hear it, Brady. How about Johnny Bravos at seven o'clock?"
"I'll be there," I said, then disconnected the call.
Johnny Bravos was a well-known nightclub in the northeast section of Dallas. Raucous, but with a decent clientele. Not particularly known for a lot of drugs, but definitely a lot of beautiful women.
I called Dana to leave her a voicemail, just to let her know I wouldn't be showing up any time soon. Only after I dialed did I realize what I'd done. I almost hung up. I didn't owe her any explanations, no head's up. Just before I could, though, I heard her voice.
"Hey, Brady, what's up?"
She always sounded so cheerful. "Hey, just wanted to let you know that I'm going to hang out with Nick for a while tonight."
I was appalled by the fact that I said the words almost hesitantly, as if expecting her to complain. Why the hell should she? We weren't attached at the hip. We had a good time together, no denying it, but to date, neither one of us had placed any limitations on much of what we did in our personal time.
"That's nice," she said. "You haven't seen Nick in a while, have you?" She offered a soft laugh. "Try not to stay out all night, though, because I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?" I found myself grinning. "I'll tell you what. If it involves any kind of sexy lingerie, I can cancel with Nick."
She giggled, a surprisingly childish sound coming from such a put-together adult. I loved it when she giggled like that—exuberant, joyful. It made me feel happy.
"You go have fun with Nick," she said. "However, if you don't come home too late, the surprise could involve a tiny bit of lingerie."
"Just a tiny bit?" I laughed. I decided I wouldn't stay out too late with Nick. As I disconnected the call, I stared at the closed door of my office. That clinched it. That very moment, I came to the very somber realization that I would rather spend time with Dana than out partying, drinking, or even socializing with my best friend.
"What the hell is happening to you?" I asked the room at large. I got no answer.
I reflected on Nick's call. He had sounded somewhat vague and mysterious. While he was no stranger to partying with me, I hadn't heard too much from him in the past month or so. I figured he was just doing ‘Nick things’ but then again, why hadn't he been calling me, begging me to go out, his main reason being that I would foot the bill? Not that I minded that, not in the least. Nick was fun to hang out with.
At any rate, I finished up the day and was preparing to leave the office to go meet him at Johnny Bravos when I heard the knock on the door. I looked up as it opened. Dad's secretary popped in.
"Hey, Stella," I said. "How are you doing?" She seemed slightly taken aback by the question, but smiled pleasantly. Either that or she was truly surprised that I was still here.
“I'm fine, Brady, thank you. I just wanted to remind you about the meeting your father scheduled at the estate tonight.”
Before I could respond, she backed out the door and softly closed it behind her.
Shit. I had forgotten about it, on purpose, pushing it to the back of my mind. I didn't want to see my dad. Seeing him only reminded me of this deal I had gotten myself into with Dana. Actually, I had studiously avoided him as much as possible over the past few months, and when we were together, it felt… I felt an incredible surge of resentment toward him, that he had backed me into this corner. Seeing him only made me remember the ulterior motive I'd had for entering into this deal with Dana in the first place.
Not that I wasn't enjoying it. In fact, maybe it was time to confront my own feelings about it all. We hadn't known each other that long, but Dana was different from any other woman I had ever known, even Elise. But that had been so long ago. Teenage love, even if was a first love, couldn't compare with adult love—
It hit me all at once. I swallowed. I had allowed myself to fall in love with her. The acknowledgment prompted a surge of emotion to well up inside me. I had fallen in love with Dana. How did she feel about me? Karma was a bitch. So, I had fallen for her, but what if she hadn't fallen for me?
It was a strange feeling—a welcome one, no doubt about it—but with that realization came a ton of responsibility. Frederick had been right. This deal was not a game. It involved real people with real emotions, as well as the possibility of crushing disappointment. And while I acknowledge that I very much enjoyed spending time with Dana, I also resented the fact that this entire plan, this scam, was the drastic result of me trying to beat my father at his own game.
And the irony of it all. In pretending to settle down, I had.
I hadn't planned to fall in love with Dana, actually had no intention of doing so in the beginning, but it had happened gradually. I hadn't planned on coming to the office nearly every day nor to actually take my position in the company seriously. Oddly enough, I found it challenging in a way that partying, traveling around the world, and conquering women never could be.
No, I hadn't planned on falling in love, but now that I had and acknowledged it, I relished it and reveled in the moment. Whoa. I repeated my new mantra. What in the hell happened to you?
The thought of the meeting tonight with my dad spoiled my mood. When I thought of my dad, the origin of my affection for Dana was pushed to the forefront. Along with that knowledge came resentment. And to be completely honest with myself, I didn't want resentment or my original motivations for making this damned agreement with Dana to soil what we had managed to grow together.
Maybe that was something I needed to talk to Dana about. Maybe it was time for me to ascertain her feelings for me. Had this cosmic joke turned on its tail and affected both of us? I just—
I jolted back to awareness. I wasn't going to see my dad tonight. I didn't care how much I upset him. He deserved it. I would hang out with Nick for a while and then go home. Where my resentment disappeared. Where I felt good, and contentment overrode feelings of resentment against my father.
I stood and left the office, not caring in the least about my appointment with my dad and looked forward to a night out. Or was I just pretending? I felt curious. Would I change my mind the minute I walked into the club, heard the pounding music, saw the half-naked women flaunting themselves, and the free-flowing booze?
The club was packed, even in the middle of the week. Not long ago, I would've enjoyed to see so many beautiful bodies gyrating and jiggling on the dance floor, but tonight I just found the atmosphere stifling. I shook my head, amazed at how much I had changed over the past few months. The view of big-breasted women—even if most of those tits were fake—the steady throb of the party mix, and the Scotch in front of me did nothing to tickle the fancy of the 'old Brady'. I mourned his passing, but only for a while. The annoying and constant dialogue of the DJ interrupted the heavy bass thrum of the music pounding the shit out of the walls and making me grimace. The air in here was stifling, made worse by the heat of the flashing strobe lights and the aroma of alcohol. It gave me a headache. I almost laughed—almost—listing my complaints about the place that I had frequented in the past and thoroughly enjoyed.
"What the hell is the matter with you?" Nick shouted over the din.
I looked at him. "I've been asking myself that!" I shouted back. I sat across from him at a table against the side of the building. I gestured to the farthest corner of the room and stood. Maybe we could talk without shouting at each other over there, away from the center of the room.
Soon we settled in a slightly more private table, away from the large overhead speakers. I set my empty glass of Scotch down on the table. Nick still nursed a large mug of beer. I thought of asking for another but changed my mind. Nick was paying tonight.
"What's up?"
We had to speak loudly to be heard over the music, but at least I didn't have to shout. Nick's gaze repeatedly swept over the crowd, comment
ing on that one's ass, that one's tits, that one's hair. He finally turned to me.
"I'm moving, Brady."
At first I didn't understand. "You need my help? You got a new apartment? I hope it's bigger than that last crap hole you lived in."
"Hey! Not fair!" He laughed and shook his head. "Actually, I'm moving to Los Angeles."
That got my attention real fast. My problems and my love life forgotten, at least for the moment. Nick, moving? Why hadn't he said anything before now? Before I could even begin my barrage of questions, he launched into an explanation.
"I got a real job, Brady, a real job!"
He practically bounced up and down on the bench seat. I'd not seen him so animated in a long time. "What kind of job?"
"A promoter for a nightclub in L.A. I'll be in charge of booking bands."
"That's great, Nick!" I was happy for my friend. He was finally showing some initiative. Still, moving away? He'd been my best friend for years. My sidekick. My wing man. "When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me before now?"
Nick shook his head. "You've been a little busy, Brady. Playing husband and businessman."
"Nick, I—"
Nick raised a hand. "No worries, buddy. Honest."
"You need help with moving expenses or anything?"
He shook his head. "They're paying for my move, and I've already paid the security deposit and first month's rent on a place out in Studio City."
I was impressed.
"I figured that maybe it's time that I moved on too. Tried something new. Looked to see if the grass is really greener on the other side. It sounds like a fun job anyway, with lots of pussy potential."
I nodded, trying to be happy for my friend. Life was changing for both of us. Drastically. Nick, getting a real job, moving halfway across the country… that indicated he was taking it seriously.
And me. Settling down—or at least pretending to. It kind of made me sad. Not maudlin, but more like the end of an era. Maybe a bit dramatic, but it suited my emotions at the moment.
"Hey, look over there!"
I turned to find Nick pointing at two gorgeous women pressing their way through the dancing crowd toward the bar. Huge tits, dresses so short that I thought I saw part of the ass of one of them.
"Too bad you can't hit that anymore!" Nick guffawed.
I laughed and pulled my gaze away from the women, prepared to tell Nick that my life was a lot less complicated with only one woman in it. Besides, Dana didn't have to try so hard to be sexy or alluring. She—
By the time I turned around Nick had already left the table, heading for the two buxom women with a grin on his face, one hand rearranging his junk, the other sweeping back his hair. His traditional ‘I'm on the hunt’ modus operandi.
I shook my head and dipped my hand into my pocket, pulled out a twenty. I left the tip on the table and stood to leave. If I knew Nick, he wouldn't even realize that I was gone.
Nineteen
Dana
I nervously paced the penthouse suite, nibbling on the fingernail of my thumb, not really sure how I felt about all this. Not totally unexpected, since Brady and I had pretty much been going at it like rabbits, but I just hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. And that was so… odd in itself. He was irresistible. I couldn't deny his charm, his skill, his selflessness when we made love. He had quickly grown attuned to my body and knew how to give pleasure, and that was the understatement of the year. Despite my earlier feelings about it, I had to admit that I loved making love to Brady.
I knew he'd probably be out late. What Brady was doing, or who he was doing, which might be more appropriate. The thought elicited a surge of jealousy, which also surprised me. I think we needed to talk. Sooner rather than later. Despite my best intentions, despite my determination to just endure this deal for a year, I was failing, and failing miserably. The more time I spent with Brady, the more I liked being with him.
"Just admit it," I said to the empty room, pausing to stand in front of the plate glass windows that looked out over the city. Gorgeous view. The moon big and round in the sky, the sparkling lights of office buildings, the red and white headlights of cars moving swiftly along the interstate in the distance… everything around me a world away from where I had been just months ago.
As far as I knew, Charlie was staying out of trouble, or at least I hoped so. He called me every week or so to let me know that things were going okay and that he had found a part-time job working as a mechanic at a Jiffy Lube or something like that. Maybe his close call with Slim Pete had finally sunk in.
I felt relieved. Maybe he had turned a corner. He didn't ask too many questions about Brady, which suited me just fine. He had yet to visit me here at the penthouse, and to be honest, I felt hesitant to invite him here. I still felt uncomfortable surrounded by such opulence. I could only imagine what Charlie would think.
Money is great, don't get me wrong. It had helped get Charlie out of trouble and insured the continuance of my education, not to mention a nice nest egg that would serve me well in the future. But money didn't solve every problem. In fact, in some cases, money could cause problems. I didn't want to cause problems between Charlie and me.
As the hours passed, I grew increasingly tired and sleepy. I lounged on the couch, watching television, some comedy that I didn't find particularly funny. I turned down the sound and closed by eyes. All the lights were off except for the one next to the couch, but it was on low. The bluish television screen cast the room with a dull glow. Soon, my eyelids grew heavy, and I allowed myself to doze.
I was startled awake by the sound of a key sliding into the lock of the front door. Still half asleep, I lay still while Brady entered the suite, closing the door softly behind him. Would he smell of liquor or women, or both? I wasn't sure. He set his keys down on the kitchen counter and then moved toward the couch, leaning down over the back of it.
I opened my eyes and saw him hovering above me, silently staring at me. He wore an odd expression. Or was it just the dull lighting in the room? Still, it looked as if he were trying to solve an impossible math question; somewhere between confusion and curiosity. "Something wrong?" I finally asked.
He smiled and shook his head as he rounded the end of the couch and moved to sit down beside me. I bent my legs and slowly sat up, brushing the hair from my face. "I fell asleep."
"Sorry I'm so late."
"What time is it?"
"Around two o'clock."
To my surprise, he didn't smell of alcohol, perfume, or anything unusual. "Did you have fun?"
He offered a shrug. "Nick's moving to Los Angeles."
I knew that Nick and Brady were best friends and had been for years. I wasn't that sorry to hear the news. Nick had been the one to place the ad on Craigslist. While he wasn't one of my favorite people in the world, I kept that to myself, knowing that he and Brady had known each other for years.
"It's funny, really," Brady said, his voice soft, his tone reflective.
"What is?" I don't think I'd ever seen Brady in such a quiet mood before. Was he upset that his best friend was moving? When he looked at me I felt my heart skip a beat.
"Everything is changing," he shrugged. "Seemingly overnight."
"What do you mean?" He didn't hesitate an instant, but grasped my hand and looked at me, his gaze serious.
"I think I'm falling in love with you, Dana."
To say that I was stunned was not even close to adequately describing how those words made me feel. Still, I held back my emotions because I could tell he had more to say.
"You don't have to respond to that statement. I know we had a deal, and to be quite honest with you, I'm still exploring these… these feelings I have. I'm not even sure what they are, but I do want you to know that I feel… that I'm extremely fond of you." He offered a short-lived laugh. "I wasn't expecting this."
Well. That announcement kind of changed things, didn't it? But do I want this change? I knew that what I needed to tell him would
be a bit of a surprise for him, but maybe not, and it wasn't anything to be taken lightly. Not only that, but the news would potentially change both our lives forever. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. We both had some big decisions to make, but looking at Brady's face at this moment, I knew very well that our so-far-relatively-comfortable-living arrangement might end, here and now.
"You said you had a surprise for me," he said, a grin lifting his lips.
He glanced down at my T-shirt and gym shorts that I usually wore to bed, then back at my face. I nodded. "That I do." Now that the moment of reckoning had come, I was tongue-tied, my emotions all over the map. To be completely honest, I was scared, appalled, strangely excited, and shaken to the core.
"I was thinking of gift-wrapping it, but then it seemed kind of… of… considering the arrangement we had. I mean, it's not like we're..." I paused. I didn't know how to say it. Brady put his arm around my shoulder.
"What is it? Is it about your brother? School?"
"No," I sighed. Finally, I reached for my purse. It sat on the floor at the base of the end table beside the couch. I fumbled around in it for a moment and then extracted the white, oblong object no bigger than an ordinary tongue dispenser, narrow at one hand, wider on the other. I watched his face as I handed it to him. He knew immediately.
"I'm pregnant, Brady."
"You are?" He glanced down at the stick, saw the positive result, and then looked back up at me. Other than surprise, I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Did I want to know? What would happen to me… to us, now? Tears flooded my eyes. I tried to blink them back but was unsuccessful. I didn't know where it came from, but a silent sob caused my shoulders to heave. The next instant he pulled me into his embrace.
"It's going to be all right, Dana. Really."