We’re mostly quiet on the ride home, Turner and I exchanging brief small talk about the party in case Elise is listening. When Turner brings up Kaylee, Elise lifts her head. “That bitch thinks she’s better than me.” That might be true. Or maybe she just doesn’t like Elise by default—she’s with me, she’s a former model, and she’s loaded.
I make her drink some water in the limo and by the time we get her into the house, she’s doing better.
“Nice place you have here, Elise,” Turner says as we enter the open space of the living area, which features high ceilings, cream furniture with dark wood accents, and dark wood flooring with patches of lush cream carpeting. Elise goes straight to her gourmet kitchen as Turner spins in a circle, taking it all in. I’m sure I seem like an ass, but I’ll probably miss the house more than I’ll miss Elise.
“Thank you… I’m sorry, Tiger?” Elise says, leaning against the counter.
“Geez, Elise, it’s Turner,” I say. I’ve only talked to her about him a million times over the whole time we’ve been dating. She just hasn’t met him yet because he’s been out of the country.
“Oh, Turner, right.” She runs a hand through her hair, which was up in pins when we started the night, then goes to the stainless steel fridge for her usual after party diet soda.
“No worries,” he says.
I stand awkwardly with my hands on my hips. “You want to hang here some or have the car take you home? Or we could go out. It’s still early…” Turner has only been back in LA a couple weeks so we haven’t had a lot of time to hang out.
Turner opens his mouth to answer, but Elise comes back over to us, holding her soda. She kisses me on the cheek. “Thanks for tonight, love. Even if I did hardly see you.” She lifts her brows and I pull my lips under my teeth. She turns to Turner. “Nice to finally meet you, Turner.” She puts a hand on his shoulder. “Too bad it wasn’t sooner so we could have gotten to know each other.”
She strides toward the hallway and throws over her shoulder, “Night, boys. Lock up if you leave.”
I watch her until she’s gone, then head to the kitchen. “Beer?”
Turner comes up behind me. “Uh, yeah, I guess.”
I turn to him. “What? You wanted to go out?”
“Naw, I’m…good.” Turner’s brows knit together. “It’s just… What was that all about?”
I reach into the fridge and pull out two beers. I pop one open for Turner and hand it to him, shaking my head and wondering why this makes me feel like a failure. “Elise and I are done.” I pop mine open and take a drink.
“Oh, shit.” He visibly cringes, then taps a fist on my shoulder. “Sorry, man, what happened?”
I give him a plastic grin. “Come on, T. You knew it wasn’t going to last.”
“But tonight—”
“Was a favor to Elise. She didn’t want to go alone.”
He takes a long pull from his beer, and I take the opportunity to change the subject. “So tell me about Europe.”
He chuckles. “No way. I sent you pictures of every place I went. You’re just avoiding.”
“Avoiding what? I just told you we’re done. End of story.”
“I leave and you’re with Stacey, and I come back and you’re with Elise. Well not anymore.”
“What do you want me to say?” I take a drink and walk around him to sit at the bar. “Better yet…what are you trying to say?” Stacey and Elise are both in their late thirties and loaded, and I’m twenty-four, so if he’s hinting at what I think he’s hinting at…we’re going to have a big problem. Two is a coincidence, not a pattern.
“Hey, don’t get your panties all twisted up. I just know this isn’t you, J. It isn’t what you want.”
“How do you know what I want?”
“Because I know you better than anyone. You run through women like you used to run through the defensive line, looking for someone to get you all starry eyed.” He snaps his fingers. “Like Ari.”
“Hey, that was different. We were just friends.”
“Seemed like you had it bad for her…until she became your sister-in-law.”
“No dummy. Ari and I had a great relationship. We still do. But she’s too far to hang with and she’s…”
“About to pop any minute, right?
“Yeah, the baby is due pretty soon. What I’m trying to say is when I was home that summer and Ari and I were hanging out, I really enjoyed spending time with her. We had such a cool connection, and I feel like everything I have with women I date is superficial. Ari really showed me the kind of woman I’m looking for. Someone real.”
“Like Kaylee.”
Her name alone does something to me, but I’m not ready to acknowledge it to Turner. “I don’t know. I just know I want something like a friendship, but you know, with sex and stuff.”
“Well you’re not going to get it like this.” He gestures around the room as if we’re in a brothel. “We all make our choices in life…but you haven’t been happy for a long time.” He puts his hands up. “I know…I haven’t either, but going to Europe was good for me. I had time…to come to terms with who I am. See what I want. I’m ready to find my happy.”
I grin, a genuine and big smile, because I’m truly happy for my best friend. He’s been through hell the last couple years, mostly because of how his dad treated him when he came out. “That’s awesome.” I raise my brows and give him a side glance. “So, does that mean you met someone?”
“No…” He averts his eyes and drinks. “Okay, yeah, I might have had a few nights… But that was just—” He shakes his head. “We’re talking about you, not me.”
“Yeah, well, I’m tired of my ass.” I push the bottle of beer away unfinished and stand.
“So what’s the plan?”
“For tonight? You can crash here, man.” I go to the other side of the counter and face him.
“I meant for you? Do you have a place lined up?”
My residential situation has been unsteady, at best, the last few years. After multiple injuries jacked up my shot at football, I left college before graduating. I know…stupid. Then, I went back home for a while, then a friend got me into modeling and I moved to LA, had a great place, and jumped right into that life. When I started trashing the good thing I had, I lost my place and started bumming around with friends, people in the industry.
“Yeah, I was looking at a place in Bell Gardens. It’s affordable and keeps me close to my clients.”
“That could be good.” He shrugs and then stares at me, squinting.
“What?”
“How about we get you out of here tonight?”
“What do you mean? I haven’t even signed a lease.” I glance to the side, thinking about my arrangement with Elise. She said I could stay as long as I needed to. But as long as I was here, we were “together” in all ways. Yeah, I know what that makes me. It’s not like she hired me off the streets. We were dating for Christ’s sake.
“My new place has plenty of room.” His smile tells me he’s not just being polite; he’s excited about the prospect.
“I don’t know, man. We’ve never really been roommates…”
“Whatever. We’ve spent tons of time crashing at each other’s pads. I practically lived at your house in high school. And how about that week I stayed in your dorm room…”
“My roommate was so pissed at you.” I chuckle at the memory.
“He was an ass.”
“You’re right.” I rub the back of my neck as I look at him and consider the idea. But there’s more than us living together that I’m uneasy about. “Have you even thought about how much you’d want for rent?” I pay nothing living with Elise so I have some money saved—not much after digging myself out of the hole I put myself in.
“Yeah, I have. How about you pay whatever the hell you want until you get a full client load? I’ll even throw in the first two month’s free.”
Ever since I signed on as Curtis’s personal trainer, it’s brou
ght me some new clients with plenty of money to spend, mostly models and others in the fashion and movie industries. Too many of them are not dedicated, though, so work is still spotty—slightly keeping up with the turnover rate, but building. “T… I’m not taking advantage of you, man.”
“Hey, don’t insult me. We’re friends, right?”
“Yeah. Hell yeah.”
“Best friends?” He eyes me like he’s talking about more than his house.
“Man, you’ve been my one and only best friend my whole damn life.”
“You got pretty close with Curtis while I was gone. Left me hanging at the bar for him…”
“You saw me talking to him? How’d you know it was—” I point at him with a smirk. “You looked him up, didn’t you?”
“When my pretty boy best friend hangs out with another pretty boy, you start to wonder if you’re getting replaced. You guys had the same career, traveled together, shit, you talk about him all the time.”
“Yeah, and I talk about you to him all the time. You act like you’re fucking jealous or something.” I don’t know what’s with this insecurity, especially since he came back from Europe feeling great. Maybe it was that absence. “Yeah Curtis and I became friends because of work. You and I are friends because of life, man. I got three other brothers, but you’re still my bro, T.”
“Better watch out, you might make me swoon.”
“Screw you.” I take a towel off the counter and throw it at him.
“Well, there’s one thing you and Curtis don’t have in common…” He lifts his eyebrows.
“A second ago you were jealous of him and now you’re interested?”
“Maybe. I think I’m ready.” He gets up from his stool and comes around the counter to stand next to me.
I turn to him. “Well I think you’re not!”
His eyes go wide. “What are you, my wet nurse?”
“Man, Curtis is…experienced, maybe even a player. Who knows because he talks so much shit. You know on that Murder and Mayhem game we used to play? He’s like expert marauder and you’re…mewling maiden.”
“I’ll consider myself warned. But I at least have to meet this dude, right?”
“I guess.”
“I mean, if he’s doing this charity thing he must be a good guy.”
“He is. Don’t get me wrong. Maybe better than me.”
“Hey, just because Kaylee squashed you like a bug, don’t get down on yourself. You’re working toward a better life, you quit modeling and are building this incredible business from the ground up.”
“Maybe. And I do have Curtis to thank for a lot of the clients I’ve taken on.”
Turner loops his arm around my neck. “See. Things are looking up for all of us. Now, let’s get you packed and out of this dump.”
Chapter 3
Kaylee
The door to Curtis’s house opens, but it’s not Curtis standing there. “Oh, hey,” I say to Justice, trying to act unaffected.
“You forgot I was going to be here,” he says, opening the door wider. It’s a statement—one in which he sounds offended.
“No…hoped, maybe.” The words fly out before I can stop them. There’s never been a more beautiful man I couldn’t stand being around, and I grew up ensconced in the modeling industry.
“That’s cold, Kay.”
I step past him, my new shadow following me, and narrow my eyes at him for using the nickname only he calls me. “I don’t give you permission to call me that.”
“Hi, I’m Justice,” he says, offering his hand to Koko, who is hiding halfway behind me. She’s barely left my side since my mother made me take her in and become her unofficial chaperone.
She does a little bow and then shakes his hand. “I’m Kyoko. You may call me Koko.”
“So nice to meet you, Koko,” he says annoyingly sweet. Even more grating, she does a little giggle. Is no woman—except me, of course—immune to his charms?
Curtis appears in the foyer, rescuing me from the cringe-worthy scene. He’s shirtless, his dark taut pecs obviously puffed from a recent workout with Justice. Koko’s eyes widen as they zero in on the goods.
“Koko! I’ve heard a lot about you…and seen some of your shots.” He approaches her and takes one of her hands in both of his. “Girl, you’re fierce.”
She blushes. “Thank you, Mr. Curtis. You as well.”
“Oh, you’re adorable. As much as I love the sound of Mr. Curtis, you go ahead and call me Curtis.”
She nods and then turns to me, looking expectant.
“Oh, here you go,” I say, handing her the keys. “Check in with me in one hour?”
“Yes. I fill up the tank.”
“No, Koko, you don’t need to fill up the tank. Just have fun with your friend.”
She nods her head and grins. “I use the car. Fill up the tank.”
I plaster on a smile and lead her to the door. “We’ll worry about it later. Now, be careful.”
When the door closes behind her, I sigh. Let’s hope she can stay out of trouble. I don’t need another lecture from my mother about how I’ve let her down.
“Come on,” Curtis says, gesturing toward the living room. “Let’s talk in here. Can I get you anything to drink?”
“I’m good, thanks.” I follow him without looking at Justice, though I can feel his eyes giving me the once-over. This would have been so much more relaxing if he weren’t here. The man is maddening and a walking contradiction.
I shake him from my active thinking and focus on my surroundings. Bright bold colors on the walls and furniture, modern art, and lush white carpet as a contrasting backdrop. “Love your place, Curtis,” I say, trying to make the best of things. “It’s so…you.” I laugh, nodding at the row of blown-up shots of Curtis’s various modeling campaigns, including one with Justice in it. He and Curtis were “Bonjour Men” for an uber popular cologne.
“I know,” he says, grabbing his T-shirt from a chair and pulling it on.
I laugh and take a seat on the blue velvet loveseat Curtis gestures at, positioning myself directly across from both of them as they sit on the matching couch. If I’m being honest, I don’t want Justice to see he’s got me rattled just by his presence. He would enjoy it too much, and he doesn’t deserve it. Justice has treated me like his annoying little sis since the day we met. It doesn’t help that he and I are just different people. But what I don’t understand is why it seemed I was the only model he didn’t put the moves on. I mean, did he find me that hideous?
I cross my legs and shift my body so I’m focused more on Curtis than Justice. I see his head tilt in my periphery, and I let a little grin escape. I pull my phone out and hold it up to him. “This okay?” I ask before I set it to record.
“Of course,” Curtis says. “You know me, girl. I’m an open book. Shit, I’ll tuck you in and read it to you at bedtime if you want.”
I laugh and feel calmed all at once. Interviewing is not as easy as people might think. Getting anything interesting can be stressful and scary, depending on who you are talking to. But I’d take that any day over modeling. I love writing, telling stories, and learning interesting things about people. Finding whatever it is that makes them unique or special.
Being the professional I am, I glance at Justice and lift my brows, indicating the question about recording was for both of them.
“Sure. Fine with me too,” he says quietly.
I almost feel guilty for pushing him into a mood, but I press forward. “Great. So first let’s talk a bit about your beginnings with Hen’s House. That’s where your passion started, correct?”
Curtis folds one leg over his knee and holds it. “Yeah. I know some might think my desire to do this comes from personal experience, but my family was a typical middle class one. My aunt worked at Hen’s House, and my mama sent me with her on weekends to keep me out of trouble.” He laughs. “Probably good too.”
“And how did that experience change you?”
&nbs
p; “Gave me a lot of perspective, that’s for sure. Not only that, but it changed me here.” He pounds his fist on his chest over his heart. “I can’t be a person who just lives, works, makes money. My heart needs to help.” He pauses, staring intently at me, and I wonder if he’s expecting a response. But then he turns to Justice, snakes an arm around his neck. “I see the same thing in this dude. I think it’s why like him so much.”
Justice lifts a crooked grin, and I actually feel a warmth pour over me. Not just because of Justice’s reaction to the compliment but also because the man had no hesitation whatsoever to receiving physical love from a gay male. No judgement here, but I’ve seen it from men before. Both in the industry and out. I allow myself a smile, then respond to his statement. “Is that so? Tell me more.”
“First of all, just in general, he’s solid. Trustworthy and caring.”
I lift a skeptical brow.
Curtis releases Justice and rests his elbows on his knees. “Come on, Kaylee. You’ve seen him at the agency, working, he’s always the first to help someone out.”
I shrug.
“Kaylee’s made of stone. Her heart can’t detect human kindness,” Justice says.
Curtis shakes his head. “If you two took two seconds to see each other for who you really are, you might like what you see.”
I reach for the phone, contemplating tapping the pause button. “When did this turn into an episode of The Bachelor?” Maybe there’s some truth to what he says, but Justice has made it impossible for me to like him. I will admit, he intimidated me the first time I caught site of his beauty at an open call and he spoke to me. But even if I could overlook how he treats me, I don’t like who he aligns himself with.
Curtis holds up his hands. “Okay, so in regards to Hen’s House. I took Justice there right before it closed up for good. He worked with some of the kids, even participated in a fundraiser my aunt held.”
Beautiful Bridges (Bridges Brothers Book 3) Page 2