by Mia Ford
“Isn’t that what we’re supposed to want? We’re only twenty-two,” Brandon told me as I shrugged.
“Are we? It doesn’t feel like that.” I said as I shook my head. “There will be more balance after this week. Maybe Jane will work out.”
“That’s a sweet name,” Brandon said as I laughed. “Who is she friends with?”
“Breanne. She’s Logan’s assistant,” I replied as he looked thoughtfully out of the window.
“Redhead. She’s cute,” Brandon snapped his fingers as I stared at him.
“Don’t get any fucking ideas,” I warned him as he shrugged. “We’ve fucked off enough here.”
We were done with lunch and ready for Jane when three rolled around, sitting behind our desks as we waited. There was a soft knock at our door and I told the person to come in, seeing a girl with dark curls walk in as she looked around the office with wide bright green eyes. She was wearing a conservative green dress that brought their color out and she cleared her throat as she looked at us. “Are you twins?”
“I am Brent Moyen and this is Brandon, my twin brother. We took over the company this year after our father passed,” I offered as sympathy crossed her pretty face.
“I’m so sorry,” Jane said as she eased herself forward and glanced at the chair.
“Have a seat. Tell us about yourself,” Brandon offered as she slipped into the seat and pressed her hands into her lap. Jane was about our age and looked like the girl next door with her innocent face. She was beautiful in a subdued kind of way and I watched her as she smiled at us.
“My name is Jane Drury and I am twenty-two years old. I worked for Ames Shipping for seven years until they closed and my friend Breanne mentioned this place.” She swallowed thickly as I stared at her. “It’s so much bigger than Ames. They used to read about you guys all of the time.”
“I am familiar with them. They started in the south, right?” I asked as she nodded. “It’s hard to bring a business here sometimes. Are you from New York originally?”
“No, sir. I am from Nashville and moved with the company. I have a cute little place in Brooklyn and New York has grown on me. I’d like to try and stay here for a time.” She smiled and I looked at Brandon. “I have a resume if you’d like to look at it.” She passed a pink folder across the desk and I looked at it, finding it impressive before I passed it to my brother to look over. She was young but had a good work history. Jane clearly knew the shipping business and I expected that she could start with little training. “Breanne said y’all are busy right now with the holidays?”
“Very. We’ve all been putting in a lot of hours,” Brandon said as he slid the folder back to me. He gave me a look telling me that he approved of the resume and I nodded as I looked at her. “Do you travel for the holidays?”
Jane shook her head. “It’s just Mama and I and she’s coming here. I was anticipating being busy at work, so I didn’t schedule time off.”
“I think we’d like to offer you the job, at least to catch us up. We can sit down after the rush is over and decide on a regular schedule for you, but as far as I’m concerned, you’re hired.” I said as she clapped her hands and smiled happily. “I think we can send a message to HR and get you there today to get the necessary paperwork filled out. You’ll earn twenty-two dollars an hour and we have a benefits package that you’ll find out more about in HR.”
“That sounds great,” Jane told us as she beamed at us. Fuck, she was cute. “Will I be starting tomorrow then?”
“Eight o clock.” Brandon directed her to HR at the far right of the building and she was off as he looked at me. Jane thanked us several times and was close to hugging us, but we stayed behind our desks. “She’s different.”
“She’s a country girl,” I replied as I looked at him. “She didn’t even look like she was our age.”
“I wonder if she’s a virgin,” Brandon mused as I rolled my eyes. “Can you imagine? It’s been a while.”
“Stop it. We’re not going there, Bran. Her and Breanne are friends and they’re the same kind of girl. That can’t happen so enjoy your memories and keep it in your pants.” I shot him a warning glance as an email came through from Logan. He said the he already heard the news and was happy that it worked out for us. I thanked him for the reference and got back to work as HR told me that everything was set with Jane before we left for the night.
We ate with Mom and told her about the new developments, making her instantly want to invite Jane and her mother over so they wouldn’t be alone. I smiled at her kindness and watched Ashley tell her to simmer down since we’d have a houseful already.
CHAPTER 18
Jane
I got up early the following day and pulled out my burgundy wrap around dress with some black Mary Jane shoes. I let my hair dry in its usual soft curls and put on a little make up to present myself well to my new coworkers. I thought I was plain compared to some of the girls there and thankful that I had Breanna to talk to.
My new brother bosses were hot, though. I looked them up and found out that they were my age, but we lived very different lives. They were rich and their Daddy built the company from the ground up, becoming one of the biggest shipping companies in the world. He died in a car accident and they must have taken over right after that. I couldn’t even imagine that. I only moved here four years ago, to work in the New York division of the company for a change and when they closed their doors, I was sure I’d be moving back home. Mama wouldn’t mind that but I liked city living. It was busy and there was always something to look at. I seemed to fade into the background as well, something that was quite different from growing up in a small town. I wasn’t from Nashville but I said that for reference purposes since most people didn’t need to know the details.
I made some coffee in my tiny kitchen and poured it into the Starbucks cup that Breanna gave me for my birthday. I was taking the bus to work and I grabbed my things and rushed out to the bus stop and found a seat as I sighed in relief. I left my car in Tennessee, since driving here didn’t interest me. I asked Breanna to show me the public transport in the area and got to know it well over the years.
I arrived at the building about fifteen minutes early and made my way inside with a lot of other people. There were four elevators and group after group poured into them, making me wonder if I shouldn’t get here earlier tomorrow. This was a madhouse.
I got to my desk outside of their office just at eight and swallowed nervously before tapping on the door. “Good morning,” one of them said as he opened it for me, welcoming me inside. I paid attention yesterday and I thought that it was Brent. They were exact twins but he had some dimples in his face when he smiled that Brandon was missing.
“Good morning,” I replied as I smiled. “I trust this is my desk?”
“The tour. You haven’t had it yet,” Brandon said from across the room as I shook my head.
“I’ll tend to that. Get started and I’ll be back in a bit.” Brent stepped out and assured me that this was my desk and that he’d show me the gadgets when he’d shown me around the floor. There was a large break room that offered a few coffee makers as well as some vending machines, with three refrigerators for employees to store food in. It was spacious and even with the people in here, I didn’t feel too overwhelmed. Okay, some of the girls were intimidating but I just told myself that I was not here to make friends. I was here to work.
He showed me the employee restrooms but told me that there was one in their office as well. I’d be working in there so it was more convenient and I blushed at the idea of having to pee in there with them so close. These boys were so cute and charming and I noticed the way that some of the girls looked at him as we passed them. He explained that there were several places to eat nearby as well as coffee places, so I had a lot of options. Breanna already invited me to eat with her today. I nodded and we went back to the desk where he showed me a little about the computer and tablet, explaining their uses for the company as I
tapped at the keyboard of the fancy Apple desktop. “There is also a laptop in our office for you to work on. If you want to do that today and kind of learn everything, that would be good. We can order in for lunch.”
“I am going out with Bre to celebrate the first day,” I explained with a small smile as he nodded.
“Of course,” Brent said as he looked at the open door. “Want to work in here?”
“Sure,” I agreed. I would likely be up and down asking them questions, so I grabbed my cup and walked inside. I got set up at the small but comfortable desk as Brent leaned over me to show me what to do, making me blush as his brother looked on. This was going to be hard but I was just a shy girl from Tennessee, nothing they would be interested in. Besides, they were my bosses and that was against the rules.
I did an order with him watching me, telling me that I seemed to get it so far. Brent told me to ask if I had any questions at all and I nodded as he made his way back to his space. I went through the next one slowly but successfully with a small smile as I hit send. The guys turned on some music at a low volume and I liked how it seemed to lighten the air in here, since I could sense that they were both stressed out.
I looked around here and there, noticing some pictures on the shelves. I wondered if they had girlfriends and then remembered what Google told me about them. They were players, well-known on the party scene. At least, they were before they took over the company. That had to be a shock for these guys after what I’d read. Brent looked to be the more responsible one while Brandon had an air of mischief about him.
“How long have you been in New York?” Brandon asked as I licked my lips and looked up at him.
“Four years. I started with Ames back home and decided to try something new when they expanded. It’s a shame they closed but I was lucky to hear about this.” Brent nodded and gave me a look across the office. I would be bringing home about eighteen dollars an hour and since my place was rent controlled, I’d make it just fine. I couldn’t go crazy or anything but I’d live just fine. I was used to simple, growing up in Franklin.
“It’s good that you stayed. A lot of people don’t find it to their liking and go back home.” Brent nodded as I shrugged.
“It’s so different here that I love it. Mama worries, but I am used to that.” I smiled at the mention of my sweet mother, excited to see her.
“If you don’t mind me asking, where is the rest of your family?” Brent asked, seeming to be the one that talked the most.
“Oh, Daddy died in a warehouse accident ten years ago, and their parents were both older and passed before that. I have an aunt and an uncle, but they left Tennessee to raise families. People get busy.” I said as I looked at the computer. “I’m sorry about your father. It’s sad what happened.”
“It was a shock,” Brandon said as I pressed my lips together.
“We are trying to figure this place out and take care of our mother and sister. It’s pretty crazy,” Brent offered as I smiled sympathetically at him. “Sometimes, I don’t know what he was thinking.”
“He trusted you boys. He was aware that you could handle it and from the looks of things, he left you a successful company. I understand it must be hard being so young and stepping into his shoes, though,” I told them as I sent another order after reading it. I didn’t mention that I’d done a search for them on Google and found out about their wild past. I wasn’t one to judge too much, though I knew that I was not their kind of girl. I’d seen pictures.
We worked through the morning, and soon Breanna was texting me about lunch. I told the twins that I’d see them in an hour and grabbed my purse to leave. Lord, they were hot. I needed some fresh air.
Breanna took me to a deli and asked me all about the job after buying me lunch. I told her what I could and looked at her. “The guys seem nice.”
“They have a rep but I think overall they are. Their dad was a good man.” She looked sad for a moment. “They look a lot like him.” She smiled at me. “They are gorgeous and there is two of them!” She giggled sweetly, too much like me to say much more than that. Breanna had a boyfriend of two years and was devoted to him. I dated a boy back in school but it wasn’t serious and I’d never slept with him. Moving here overwhelmed me so I hadn’t dated at all, even though there had been some interest from men. They found my accent cute.
My new bosses were city boys through and through, and though they might be charming, I’d never let my thoughts about them out of my mind.
CHAPTER 19
Brandon
I looked at Brent as the door closed and let out my breath. “That girl is so sweet and innocent.”
“That she is,” he agreed and glanced at the clock. “Want to go to lunch after I take care of these emails?”
“Sure,” I agreed as he read the screen and typed something. I knew that he was going to hold back from this even though that little drawl of Jane’s turned me on. She was nothing like the others but that was part of the appeal to me. In about fifteen minutes, he got up and I followed him to the elevator to hit our favorite deli. I crossed the street and looked over to see Jane and her friend walking back to work
The dress hugged her curves well as she walked, laughing at something the other girl said. Jane wasn’t skinny but she was not overweight either. She was only about five foot six and she reminded me of one of the pin up girls you see at places. I didn’t like a woman too skinny anyway, since I liked to have something to grab or smack. The idea of smacking Jane’s ass made me harden a little and I looked away.
“That is not Tracy and Veronica,” Brent said beside me as I nodded. I looked away every time I saw Tracy in the building, knowing too much about her. I didn’t make it obvious after what Veronica told us but I tried not to be overly friendly to everyone to begin with. I was still trying to figure out my role here completely and I tended to follow Brent’s lead at the office.
He was polite but not too friendly. He did things for the staff on more of a low-key level, excluding our assistants. I knew that he struggled with that though. We entered the deli, running into some friends that we ate with. They were still living our old lives and we caught up with them before excusing ourselves to get back to work.
I felt some resentment towards everything that happened as we walked back. I missed Dad, my former life, and the relaxation that I used to have even when he was pushing us. Now we were learning how to run his company and trying to take care of our family with the little time that we had during the day. I fucked off more than my brother and knew that, not listening when Dad suggested college to both of us. I think that Brent was considering it before Dad died and he still could, but with what time? Now that we were both working so much, I didn’t see time for too much unless my brother wanted to study online late at night.
I knew that things might calm down after the holidays, but this as one of the most successful shipping companies in the world. We had many regular clients and the office was rarely dead, no matter what time of year it was. I remembered the hours that Dad spent at the office even when it was established, though somehow, he managed to work time in with both his family and his wife. “It’s hard to believe that Trevor and the guys are still doing the same thing, isn’t it?” Brent asked as I glanced at him.
“In some ways. They are just twenty-two as we are.” I shrugged as he took a slow breath. “Do you miss it?”
“Of course, I do. We were living that life up until the night he died and it was a great one. I have to wonder if we’d have done it forever, though,” Brent glanced at me as we walked into the building. “It would have gotten boring eventually, right? We’d settle down like Dad did: get married, have a family, or whatever.”
“That sounds like the future, not now. I am having trouble wrapping my mind around this sometimes,” I muttered in a soft voice as we walked across the lobby to the elevators. Brent smirked at me with a weary gaze in his eyes as we leaned against the back wall of the car and took the ride up.
Jane
was sitting at her desk and working at her computer as we walked up and I took in those big eyes of hers. They begged for me to touch her, take her like I had the girls before her. I wanted to fuck the innocence right out of her, making those eyes beg for more as I blinked. She looked up as she sipped from her cup, smiling at us as she set it down.
“You found the good deli,” Brent told her as she glanced at the cup and laughed.
“Yeah, thanks to Bre. I don’t know this side of town too well, but I reckon I will soon enough.” She glanced at the office door and then back at us.
“Did you want me to keep working out here?” Jane asked as Brent looked at me.
“How confident do you feel on the orders?” His question was kind, and Jane blushed a bit.
“I think I’m fine. Maybe leave the door open?” She suggested with a sweet smile as my brother laughed.
“Done.” Brent replied as we walked inside and left it wide open. We took our places and started working, playing a station on Pandora low so we could hear if Jane needed us. I kept from talking about her as we worked, keeping it to general business as I grinned behind my desk. He looked at me a few times, shaking his head as he noticed the look in my eyes. “Stop it,” he spoke softly as I laughed and glanced at the door.
The day ended at five, and we walked out with her, offering Jane a ride to her place as she grinned and waved her hand. “I’ll catch the bus, but thank you. I’m expecting my mama to be there with supper ready.”