by Gina Gordon
Although she was fully clothed, there was no mistaking that the woman standing in front of him was the woman in lingerie from a few nights earlier.
“Hello, Milton.” Her voice was soft but firm. She held out her hand. Her skin was just as soft as he imagined. She flicked her hair over one shoulder with a toss of her head, and he caught a whiff of her perfume, patchouli and something, something that reminded him of the old trendy markets his sister used to drag him to in order to find vintage clothing.
“Hello.” He wiggled his tongue around in his mouth, trying to produce some saliva. All of a sudden his mouth was as dry as a bone.
“Milton went to University with Rob and I,” Aleks said. “When we graduated he moved back to Vancouver to take over the family business.”
“I didn’t take over,” he corrected. “I–”
“You don’t live here?” a dark-haired woman that had settled beside him inquired.
“I’m only here for business.” Milton glanced at his blond angel. She had tilted her head to the side and continued to look at him with interest. Or maybe it was disgust. He couldn’t tell.
“All right,” Aleks said. “You work in the family business, but it’s just a matter of time before your old man hands you the keys to the kingdom.”
“What kind of business?” Amie asked.
“Oh yes, what kind of business are you in, Milton?” The brunette beside him flashed a perfect set of teeth. She was exactly the type of woman he attracted. Beautiful. Gold-digger.
“Real estate development. My family deals in large-scale commercial properties.”
“So you’re the ones responsible for all the malls,” Amie said with a sneer.
And there it was. She didn’t even know him and already she was drawing a conclusion that because he dealt in real estate he was the big bad wolf. Milton was used to the stereotype. Nobody saw past the big box stores and office buildings. No one noticed that his company didn’t make a dime from the condo development that had been built as a woman’s shelter for a non-profit organization. No one realized the thousands of dollars they spent every year during the holidays for the children’s hospital, buying them presents and giving them a Santa. No one cared that the residence beside the children’s hospital that parents stayed at for free was built and still maintained by the corporation. All endeavors taken on by his mother. All things that did not stop even when she passed. His sister was in charge of those things now. And she did the company proud.
But the women he slept with, they liked what the business had to offer–expensive restaurants, fancy cars, trips and–
Wait! What makes you think you’re going to sleep with this woman? You just met her, and she obviously wants nothing to do with you.
She eyed him warily, her stare running up and down his length.
“Yes, my company builds malls.”
“Do you know how many trees are cut down every year to make room for shopping facilities?
“Someone has to build the malls, Ames,” Aleks interjected. He looked over at Milton. “Sometimes our Amie can be a little abrupt. But it’s usually not with new people.” Aleks turned his stare back to Amie and glared.
“Then forget about the trees. How many people have you left homeless? Do you know how many people are left homeless because some douche decides to make some money and sell their property and force people out of their homes?”
“It’s my business to know the statistics.”
She was one hundred percent correct. But that’s why the company gave back. They took from one area but gave in another. Was it ethical? Moral? Who knew, but Milton was proud of his family’s accomplishments and the legacy they were going to leave behind.
“You just don’t care, is that it?”
Milton was stunned, and so were a few of the other ladies that belonged to the group. But Aleks rolled his eyes as if this was par for the course when it came to this woman. With only a few sentences out of her mouth Milton knew, an angel she was not.
“I deal with people like you all the time.”
“People like me?” she cried.
He’d hit a nerve. Not what he had intended but maybe, when not under the illumination of soft light and covered in lace, she was exactly the woman he tried to avoid.
“Yes, people like you. Tree huggers,” he said. Amie recoiled, as did a few others in the group. “High and mighty herbal remedy people who would tie themselves with chains around a tree to save it.”
Aleks chuckled. Was he right?
“I’ve never chained myself to a tree,” Amie yelled.
“Surprise, surprise.”
A few of the girls seemed to back away from the group. At first casually, but then they made a break for it when Amie yelled, “You’re pretty arrogant for having such a large stick up your ass.”
“I’m arrogant? You don’t even know me.”
“I know you. All business and money. You never smile. Never enjoy what life has to offer. That’s why you have no problem destroying the natural gifts of this world.”
“I destroy? I saw you with–”
“Okay children, let’s take our corners.” Aleks stepped in between them and held out his arms, bracing himself in case one of them made a move to attack the other.
Natural gifts. Milton could have sworn she was in that store window admiring leather. Isn’t leather a natural gift?
“Milt, why don’t you go and get yourself a drink. Find Rob. He’s around here somewhere.”
“Good idea.” Milton glared at Amie one last time before he turned and walked away. Indignation seethed through his body. How dare she? She had some nerve. He had some nerve believing, even for a second, that the woman in that store window was anything but exactly what he expected.
“Milton? Milton Campbell?”
Milton barely noticed the soft voice to his right. A familiar voice. The voice of a girl who was now a woman.
“Carrie?”
She smiled, a grin a mile wide spread across her face. The grin matched the rest of her. The woman before him glowed with happiness, and Milton wasn’t fool enough to think it was all because he’d shown up out of the blue.
She ran over to him and jumped in his arms. It was a natural reaction to spin her around a few times. “I can’t believe you’re here. It’s been too long.” She hugged him tight and Milton returned the love. He spent too many nights in the basement of this very house to not have fallen under the stubborn spell of Carrie Taylor.
“It’s good to see you, Carrie.”
She tightened her grip one last time and jumped out of his embrace.
“Look at you.” Milton gripped her arms and admired. “Beautiful…and successful from what I hear.”
Carrie cocked her head and gave him an annoyed stare. “Aleks?”
“Who else?” Milton shrugged.
“That man–” Carrie shook her head.
“Loves you, from what I can tell.” It only took the word ‘love’ to turn the annoyed look on her face into a soft blush.
Milton’s stare lifted from Carrie’s face only for a split second but it was long enough to notice the blond in the red sundress. She had joined another group of people, a group of older people, and the woman he saw in the store window magically appeared again. Maybe it was Milton that brought out her nasty side.
“Milton? Who are you looking at?”
“Huh? No one.” He quickly brought his attention back to Carrie, but she had already scanned the room for the person who had caught his eye. He would have gotten away with it if Amie hadn’t been doing the exact same thing he was–looking.
“Have you met Amie?” she asked.
“Oh yes. Amie and I have had the pleasure of meeting.” Milton had no idea how this woman managed to get under his skin in less than five minutes. But she did a great job. Like bamboo under his fingernails, she was painful to be around.
“What did she do?”
“Is it normal for her to attack strangers?” Milton shoved
his hands in his pants pockets.
“I’m sorry, Milton. Amie is the wild child of our little group. She makes no apologies and goes after what she wants, but she is the sweetest, kindest person in the world when you get to know her.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Milton couldn’t help the direction his eyes kept wandering–at the red sundress–and the next time he looked over at Carrie she had a sly grin on her face. A grin that couldn’t mean anything other than trouble.
“How long are you going to be in town, Milt?”
“Only a couple of weeks. But once the development is in full swing I’ll have more of an excuse to visit.” He liked that idea. He liked the idea of having real friends in his life. Not acquaintances he made through business. Friends that knew him during a time when he knew himself. Friends who knew Milton before he turned into a corporate drone. Lord, maybe Amie was right. He couldn’t remember the last time he just relaxed and had fun.
“I was so happy to hear you were coming into town and at the perfect time. You’re going to love Martina.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” Milton straightened out his suit jacket.
“Let’s make that happen. Come on. I think the happy couple is in the back yard.” Carrie tugged on the arm of his jacket, and they made their way outside. As he shut the sliding door behind him, Milton searched for his woman in the red sundress one last time–but she was gone.
After a few hours and a few drinks, maybe more than a few drinks, Milton felt at home. The bottle of beer that Rob dangled in front of his face was enticing. “I don’t think I should. I need to drive.”
“Nonsense. We have a room for you downstairs,” Dave Taylor said. Rob’s dad hadn’t changed much in the almost ten years since Milton had seen him last. Although his hair was now more silver than black, he was still happy-go-lucky and always one of the guys.
“Mr. Taylor, that’s very nice of you but–”
“No buts. You’re staying and enjoying yourself,” the old man insisted.
“Don’t argue with him, Milton. You won’t win,” Aleks said before he took a swig of his beer.
“All right then. Cheers.”
A round of “cheers” circled the group. Rob, Aleks and Dave drinking their bottles of beer and Martina drinking some kind of pink juice. He assumed non-alcoholic.
“How many more weeks until you’re parents?” Milton asked. He still couldn’t believe he was at the age where people started to get married and have babies. Where had the time gone? It went to building his father’s legacy, that’s where.
“About eight weeks for the baby and four weeks for the wedding.” Martina’s voice was sweet and subtle. She was beautiful and exactly the type of woman he would have pictured for his friend Rob.
“And did I hear that Aleks is performing the ceremony?” That would be a sight to see. Milton would pay money to be there for that.
“The one and only,” Aleks boasted. “It is going to be the best hand fasting ceremony ever performed.”
Milton couldn’t help but notice the nervous look that appeared on Martina’s face. It was understandable. A wedding ceremony was one of the most important events in a person’s life, and leaving it in the hands of Aleks Turko was a giant leap. But Milton knew she had nothing to worry about.
“Al, remember that time in University when you volunteered to organize The Fat?” The Fat was their University’s annual charity event. Or all of the money went to charity but the actual event catered to the debauched minds of twenty year olds who wanted to do nothing but drink and have sex. Right up Aleks’s alley.
“I do believe my event set a record for most money raised, and I was honored by the alumni.” He grinned with pride. Which was exactly the point Milton was trying to make.
“You can be quite capable when you want to be. I have no doubt you will rock the ceremony.” Milton glanced over at Martina and smiled. She had relaxed into her seat, and her shoulders had shrunk down to their normal angle. Her eyes sparkled with gratitude.
“Which is exactly why they picked me,” Aleks bragged.
Martina stood and headed toward Aleks. “There’s no one else for the job.” She leaned over Aleks and kissed him on the head. “I’m going to see what my ladies are doing.”
“No lifting anything,” Rob shouted. “Or carrying anything. Or moving anything. Just…don’t do anything.”
“Yes, future husband.” Martina waved him off as she walked away.
“She won’t listen,” Mr. Taylor said as he looked over at his son with a grin.
“Don’t I know it.” Rob shook his head in defeat.
Milton looked around the circle. He missed these faces. He hadn’t realized how much until this moment. Being with Aleks and Rob was like being transported back to the best time of his life.
He needed friends. He needed a life. But how exactly was he going to go about getting one after being distant for so long? He would worry about that when he got home. Until then, he would enjoy the short time he had pretending he belonged.
* * * *
Amie fiddled with the plates of food on the long table, condensing and rearranging. She looked around at the food and decorations. Having a baby out of wedlock wasn’t the only non-traditional thing about her friends. This was more of a house party than a baby shower. What baby shower ended at eleven at night and had bbq chicken and sausages?
Amie nibbled on a piece of cheese, then a grape and another piece of cheese. Most of the guests had cleared out, and she quickly got to work as the clean-up crew. With the baby shower now put to rest, the group could turn their attention to the upcoming wedding ceremony.
When Rob found out Martina was pregnant he’d hopped on the internet looking for a minister, priest, shaman priestess, anyone who could marry them right away. But Martina would have none of it. She didn’t want the fuss, or the oohing and ahhing. Deep down Amie believed it was because both her mother and her sister were gone. That a traditional baby shower brought back too many bad memories and empty futures.
Amie tried her best to socialize, but she couldn’t help but think about Maggie and her horrible situation. Not to mention the tiny pang of guilt she felt about snapping at that poor guy earlier. She saw him out there with her friends. Afraid to join the group. Although to them her behavior had been normal. Amie was always loud and obnoxious, and that’s why they loved her.
With a few empty platters in hand, Amie headed to the kitchen. Milton might be infuriating but he was the most handsome, infuriating man she had ever seen. She didn’t like suits, in fact, Amie preferred a man in jeans and a t-shirt, but this guy filled out a suit like nobody’s business. She didn’t get the same waft of pompousness that usually radiated off men like him. He was quiet, shy, somewhat uncomfortable in his own skin.
I bet he has beautiful skin.
Amie shook her head. He was ‘the man’.
But it’s not like you’ve never slept with anyone like him before.
Visions of her slowly removing that suit from his body clouded her brain. Her body tingled just like it had when she’d accused him of having a stick up his ass. But that had been another type of tingle. An angry tingle. Or had it been?
“We heard you managed to alienate an entire group of people, including an old friend.” Carrie’s voice drifted from behind.
When Amie turned, she was face to face with her, and Martina, both smiling from ear to ear.
“It’s a gift.” Amie sloughed off her actions, pretending it was no big deal, but even she knew she might have taken it one step too far. Okay, maybe two. “I didn’t alienate anyone. It’s not my fault people are sensitive.”
“I take it you aren’t a fan of Milton.” Martina giggled. “I don’t know how you couldn’t like him. He’s charming, educated and not to mention, looks pretty damn good in a suit.”
“You’re not supposed to be looking.” Amie pointed to Martina’s very large belly.
“I’m not looking, I’m admiring. Besides, this b
aby is pressing down on things and I’m finding it very hard to control a certain type of urge.”
“Does the conversation always have to drift to sex with my brother?” Carrie asked, her face looking like she’d just sucked on a lemon.
“Sorry, Care. Moving on.” Martina crossed her arms over her chest. “Milton? You liking?”
Amie huffed. “He’s a typical uptight businessman. And that name. Milton? It’s just as uptight as his personality.”
“It’s a family name.” Carrie shrugged. “His grandmother’s maiden name or something like that.”
“Whatever. He still kills trees and makes people homeless for a living.”
Both Carrie and Martina looked at Amie. Their smiles faded. Had they figured out what might have put the bee in her bonnet?
“Just because Milton is in real estate development doesn’t mean he’s involved in that kind of thing,” Carrie said.
“You had a bad experience a long time ago, but Milton shouldn’t pay for it. He’s a nice guy, and he didn’t ask his father to create this business. It was handed to him. You can’t expect him to walk away from…” Martina quickly stopped talking.
Ding! Ding! Ding! It seemed Amie’s friends had finally put together the pieces of the angry puzzle of her past. How it had taken years for her father to come to terms with her not taking over the family business. Right, because construction was exactly the life she wanted for herself.
“You’re right.” Amie almost giggled at the two faces that stared back at her. They looked…flabbergasted. That was the perfect word to describe them. It wasn’t often Amie admitted defeat. “I might have gotten a little carried away. It’s just that…” Amie hugged herself and leaned against the table. “I just heard a very sad story before I came here and I was already riled up.”
“I think maybe you should apologize to Milton,” Martina said. “He is our guest. And from what I can gather, he might be around for a few weeks and most likely coming back for the wedding.”
“I don’t know about apologizing but I can be civil.”
“That’s all we can ask of you, Amie.” Carrie wrapped her arm around her friend and pulled her in tight.