“You should definitely take your sister to meet Brad,” Trinity said and I swore she winked at me. I wondered if she was hinting at a possible match between them. It seemed completely improbable to me, but what did I know. I never thought my sister would sleep with my fiancé.
“Okay, we’re off to Brad’s office then,” I said.
I knocked on Brad’s door and was not surprised to hear a brisk, “What do you want?” from inside.
I opened his door a crack and peered in. “If it’s okay, I’d like to introduce you to my sister. She just moved to town. She’s interested in doing some volunteer work for the agency.”
“I’ve got like one spare minute,” he said coldly.
“I promise not to take up too much of your time,” I assured him.
I opened Brad’s door wider and dragged my sister into his office. When Brad glanced up at us, I was surprised to see his face completely brighten. He couldn’t take his eyes off of my sister.
Brad slowly rose from his chair, and with his eyes still locked on my sister, he moved to the front of his desk to join us. My jaw nearly dropped to the ground when he grabbed my sister’s hand then placed his other hand on top, in a two-handed shake.
“I’m so pleased to meet you,” he said with both of his hands still firmly grasping my sister’s.
“I’m pleased to meet you, too,” replied Hannah a little too sweetly.
The two stared at each other as if there was no one else in the room. I guess my question about Brad’s orientation was answered. He was definitely attracted to Hannah.
“Lunch,” he said. “You have to join me for lunch. If you don’t have other plans, I mean.”
Hannah glanced over at me. Then Brad looked at me as if he just remembered I was in the office with them.
“I’d love for you to join us, too, Lexie,” Brad said.
Never in a million years did I think I would be going to lunch with Brad and definitely not with Brad and my sister. My world got more interesting by the hour.
“That would be great,” I said. I looked over at Hannah and she gave me a huge smile.
“Great,” Brad replied. “I’ll see you at 11:45.”
As we headed toward Tom’s office, I quickly texted Daniel.
ME: I won’t be able to meet you for lunch today. Sorry.
DANIEL: Is everything okay?
ME: Long story. Tell you later. I’m having lunch with Brad and my sister.
DANIEL: The therapist Brad? And your slutty sister?
ME: I told you it was a long story.
DANIEL: Okay. See you tonight?
ME: Let’s go for a walk on the beach.
DANIEL: Sounds good.
***
I introduced my sister to Tom. “Hannah is interested in doing some volunteer work,” I said.
“We can always use more volunteers,” Tom said. “Do you have any special skills you’d like to share?”
Hannah glanced at the floor and I shook my head at Tom.
“That’s okay,” Tom said. “We can use someone in the office to help with photocopies, filing, stuffing envelopes for mailers. How does that sound?”
Hannah glanced back up at him. “Okay,” she said softly.
“Do you want to start today? I can have Lily at the front desk train you.”
Hannah nodded.
Tom glanced at me. “Why don’t you leave Hannah with me and I’ll introduce her to Lily? I’ll also have her fill out some paperwork so we can get her into the system.”
I rose. “Thanks so much, Tom.”
He gave me a knowing smile. “No problem. Leave Hannah to me and worry about your clients.”
***
At 11:45 on the nose, Brad came to my office to pick Hannah and me up for lunch.
“Where’s your sister?” he asked anxiously.
“I believe she’s in the reception area helping Lily stuff envelopes for the fund development drive,” I said.
“Does she still want to join me for lunch?” he asked, his tension level rising.
“I’m sure she does,” I said as calmly as I could. “She seemed really excited about it.”
“Okay,” Brad said, but I could tell he wasn’t convinced. He began pacing the small space between my desk and my door.
A few minutes later, my sister arrived and Brad breathed a sigh of relief.
“Are you ready for lunch?” Hannah asked Brad. She literally batted her eyelashes at him. My sister was a walking cliché.
Brad returned the gesture with a huge smile. “I’m ready if you are.”
The two were so enamored with each other’s presence, it was like I was invisible to both of them. “Where are we going for lunch?” I asked, hoping to break the spell between them.
“I have something very special planned,” Brad answered.
***
Fifteen minutes later, we were standing in front of the most expensive restaurants in town. Definitely not a place I would ever see myself at for lunch, or even dinner for that matter. When I glanced over at my sister, she looked awestruck. The exterior of the lavish place was ornate with beautiful palm trees and flowers everywhere.
Not surprising that every car in the parking lot was a luxury vehicle. Even Brad’s car was a Lexus, which surprised me. I wondered how he afforded such an expensive vehicle on a therapist’s salary. I knew he was a little older than me, so he was probably higher up the pay scale, but could it be that much higher? I could barely make the payments on a Kia Soul after paying for my dump of an apartment.
As we entered the restaurant, I noticed my sister’s eyes went wide. The place was stunning and certainly inspired awe. The grand entrance had a beautiful fountain that was glistening with blue and gold underwater. There were small sparkle lights all over the ceiling that twinkled like stars. I suddenly felt a wave a nausea as I thought about how much the meals at a place like this would cost.
Maybe Brad could see my expression had changed, because he leaned over to Hannah and me and whispered, “I’m sure it goes without saying, but lunch is on me.”
“This place is amazing,” muttered my sister as she stared at the twinkle lights above her.
“This is one of my favorite places,” Brad said.
My sister’s face fell, but she quickly recovered. “So, you come here often?” The way she asked it insinuated that she didn’t want to be one of many women.
Brad’s face went white. “I do,” he said cautiously. “But not on dates. I don’t go on many dates. I just don’t like to cook, so I go out a lot.”
“I can cook for you,” Hannah blurted, then looked at Brad hopefully.
When Brad returned my sister’s gaze, I could see a sparkle in his eyes that I had never seen before. “You would do that for me?”
“Of course,” she said. Then, as if remembering she was living in my house, she turned to me and said, “If it’s okay with Lexie.”
Far be it from me to stand in the way of a budding romance. “No problem,” I said and gave my sister a reassuring little smile. Now she was the one with a sparkle in her eyes; it was a sparkle I had never seen there before either.
A host came and took us to our seats. I was surprised that he addressed Brad as Mr. Collins. He said he came here a lot, but enough for them to know him by name?
We had a lovely view of the water, which didn’t surprise me. What did surprise me, was how many people filled the restaurant during the lunch hour.
“This place is always packed,” Brad told us. “But I know the owner, so I can usually get a table.”
Just as I suspected, the prices were way out of my league. This was one of those places that I might go to for a very special occasion. I wondered how Brad could afford to eat here on a regular basis. Maybe knowing the owner qualified him for some kind of discount.
When I looked at my sister, I saw she was glancing at the menu, but also peering over it every few seconds and eye flirting with Brad. He was certainly returning the gesture. I suddenly felt v
ery much like the cliché’ third wheel.
“What’s good?” I asked, hoping Brad would respond. I didn’t want to interrupt the lovebirds in action, but I didn’t have a clue what to order.
Brad glanced in my direction. “Everything is good, but I would recommend the salmon or the ahi tuna salad. They’re both excellent.”
I closed my menu. “The ahi tuna salad it is.”
“I guess I’ll try the salmon then,” Hannah said, shutting her menu.
“Good choices,” Brad said, but he was clearing addressing my sister.
When the waiter came to take our orders, he also addressed Brad as Mr. Collins. Brad ordered for the three of us and the waiter took our menus and exited.
It may have been rude, but I was overcome with curiosity. “It seems like everyone who works here knows you pretty well.”
Brad gulped. He was clearly embarrassed and I regretted mentioning it. Finally, Brad said, “My parents own the restaurant.”
His eyes immediately went to Hannah to gauge her reaction.
“It’s a beautiful place,” Hannah said thoughtfully.
That seemed to calm Brad a bit. Then he continued. “They own several restaurants in town and some other businesses.”
I should have guessed that Brad came from a wealthy family. He had that air about him. It explained a lot.
Brad looked down at his napkin. “I’m an only child and my parent’s really wanted me to take over running the small business empire they built, but I just couldn’t. It’s not me. I’m too introverted and I don’t have the right personality or aptitude to be successful in that arena. So, my parent’s will probably sell everything in a few years when they retire. I’m enjoying the restaurants while I still can.”
I could see there was a bit of sadness in Brad’s eyes. I wondered if he felt like he let his parent’s down in some way. Maybe he felt as though he couldn’t live up to their expectations. Even though many people found him a bit off-putting and quirky, I appreciated him a bit more.
My sister, never one to hold back, said, “Don’t feel bad. I’ve never made my parent’s happy, either.”
When I glanced at Brad, he was actually smiling at my sister. They were certainly kindred spirits in a way I never imagined. I always found it interesting what deep needs and hidden traits actually drew people together, often unconsciously.
“Thank you for joining me for lunch,” Brad said to Hannah. “It really means a lot to me.”
“Thank you for inviting us,” Hannah replied.
The two couldn’t take their eyes off of each other for the rest of the meal.
***
Later that evening, Daniel took me for a long walk on the beach. The night air was warm and damp, but there was just enough gulf breeze to insure we wouldn’t get too hot. I was starting to love the fresh smell of ocean air and the sounds of the gulls as they passed by. I wondered how I had ever lived anywhere but near the sea.
“How was lunch with Brad?” Daniel asked stifling a laugh.
“It was actually really nice,” I said. “He took us to The Pier.”
Daniel stopped and gaped at me. “He took both of you to The Pier for lunch?” he repeated as if he hadn’t heard me correctly.
I nodded.
“Do they pay therapists that much more than intake counselors?” he asked in disbelief.
I laughed. “No, not at all. I certainly couldn’t afford to eat there. Brad does all the time.”
I knew I was teasing Daniel but then I felt badly because his expression turned grim. “I’m sorry I can’t afford to take you to a place that nice. Now I feel like a shit taking you to the cafeteria for lunch.”
I placed my hands on Daniel’s chest. “You don’t have to take me anywhere that fancy. It’s not my style anyway. As long as it means spending time with you, you could pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and take me to the park and I would be just as happy.”
Daniel looked into my eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I assured him.
He leaned down and gave me a soft kiss.
“Brad’s parents own the restaurant,” I admitted.
Daniel went wide-eyed. “You’re kidding.”
I shook my head. “I guess they own several restaurants and shops.”
Daniel thought about this for a minute. “You know I’ll probably never be wealthy,” he said finally.
“And?” I said.
Daniel gulped. He put his hand to my face and looked deeply into my eyes. “I know you can do a lot better than me.”
“I didn’t know there was anything better than the best.”
Daniel pulled me close and wrapped me in a tight embrace. “I think I’m the one who got the better end of this deal.”
I guess we both felt lucky to have found each other.
We walked quietly for a while, then Daniel asked, “Are you going to introduce me to your sister?”
I gulped. “I’d like to avoid it as long as possible.”
Daniel stopped walking and turned to me. He cupped my face in his hands. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m not your ex-fiancé. I would never do what he did. Ever.”
I could feel a tear slide down my cheek. Daniel brushed it away with his thumb then placed a gentle kiss in its place. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I know you were hurt. I know how that feels. I was hurt, too. I know how difficult it is to trust again.”
Then he placed a soft kiss on my lips.
***
Hannah followed me around the apartment like a puppy as I packed my stuff. “Is it just you and Daniel going?” she asked as I placed my bikini into my overnight bag.
“No,” I said vaguely.
“Who else is going?” she asked in a casual tone that was anything but casual. She was pumping me for information. She could pump all she wanted; she was still not going with us.
I looked her in the eyes. “Does it matter who else is going if you’re not?”
She shrugged.
I grabbed my cosmetics case and headed into the bathroom. My sister followed me. She watched as I packed my toiletries.
“How many other people are going?” she asked.
I placed my toothbrush and toothpaste into my case. “I’m going with four guys. Are you happy?”
Hannah went wide-eyed. “You’re going camping with four guys? No other girls are going to be there? Just you and four guys? Is that safe?”
It never even occurred to me to question whether it was unsafe. “Daniel is a very big guy. He’s extremely protective of me. He won’t let anything bad happen to me. Honestly, I don’t think he’ll even let me out of his sight.”
I didn’t want to admit that Daniel was so ‘protective’ that he modified his entire work schedule to keep his roommate away from me. Not that he didn’t have good reason.
“I’m just worried about you,” she said.
That got me thinking. I wondered if something had happened to Hannah at some point and that’s why she was worried. I thought about all of the times she had gone out with groups of guys and the possible things that they could have done to her. It made my stomach clench. Here I was thinking that Hannah wanted to tag along for her own benefit, but now I had the feeling she wanted to tag along so I would be protected.
“Is there another reason you’re worried? Maybe something that happened to you?”
Hannah glanced down and didn’t respond for a few moments. Then she slowly nodded.
“Is this something you want to talk about now?”
She shook her head.
“Maybe we can talk about it another time?” I asked.
She nodded.
“Okay,” I said. I took her in my arms and gave her a hug.
TEN
Locked In
“This has to go, too,” I said, as I handed Joey-G my toiletry case.
He inspected the back of his Ford Excursion for an empty space. The case was small but ample trunk space was already packed to capacity with ten
ts, camping gear and luggage to accommodate five people. Not to mention all of their kite surfing equipment.
“Maybe you can put this on the floor by your feet?” Joey-G suggested as he handed the bag back to me.
Daniel took it from my hands. “I’ll put it next to me. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “You need more leg room than I do.”
Daniel kissed my cheek. “Let’s get in the car.”
Joey-G hopped into the driver’s seat and Ricky rode shotgun. That left Eddie, Daniel and me for the back seat. I had a feeling the next few hours were going to be a bit uncomfortable.
Eddie took the left passenger side, behind Joey-G and I slid into the center “hump” seat. Daniel sat to my right, behind Ricky. Both Eddie and Daniel were tall and muscular guys, so it was tight.
Once we were on the road, Eddie made a point of stretching out so his right leg was touching my left. He glanced over at me and gave me a dimpled grin. My breath caught reflexively and I immediately hated my body for responding to him.
I glanced at Daniel and he was scowling. He put his left arm around my shoulder and pulled me in as close as he could. It was just enough so that my leg was no longer touching Eddie’s.
“You can lay your head on my shoulder if you get tired,” Daniel said quietly.
Apparently it was not quiet enough, because Ricky yelled back, “Whose shoulder can I lay my head on? Joey-G is driving and I don’t want him to run off the road.”
The guys all chucked at Daniel’s expense, but he didn’t seem to mind. He placed a gentle kiss on the top of my head.
I could see Joey-G looking at us in the rearview mirror. “No making out in my car,” he yelled back to us. “I’m the only one allowed to score in this vehicle.”
Daniel flipped him the bird.
“I saw that,” Joey-G said.
“You’re just jealous,” Daniel said. 8Y
“Hell, yeah,” Joey-G said. “Lexie’s hot.”
I could feel my face getting warm with embarrassment. Daniel pulled me even closer to him, which I didn’t think was possible in such a confined space. If I was any closer, I would have been in his lap.
The rest of the trip the guys talked about kites and wind and waves. I could feel myself getting tired. As I lay my head on Daniel’s shoulder, I could feel his breath catch. As I snuggled in even closer and placed my hand on his muscular chest, his heartbeat quickened. Daniel felt so warm and I felt so secure in his strong arms, it didn’t take long for me to drift into a peaceful sleep.
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