Naughty or Nice

Chapter 9

Brian

I glance down at my phone when it vibrates on the small table I’m sitting at in the coffee shop. I hope it’s Steve getting back to me. I told him I wanted everything he could get on Slate and Claudia’s brother, Mark, as quick as he could get it to me. Her little comment about not trusting a man because he has a sister was stuck in my head since those words left the sweet mouth of hers. My own sister’s number comes up again for the third time in the last ten minutes. I know if I don’t answer she’s just going to keep calling over and over again. I might as well get this over with before she loops my mom and they both are calling me. Besides, I owe her with how good she was to my girl this morning, making her feel right at home, but Sage has always been like that. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. Her new man has enough for both of them.

“Hey,” I say in greeting. She lets out an annoyed huff before she’s off and running to poke for answers.

“She’s so pretty,” she breathes out in excitement. I can tell she’s trying to play it cool but is failing.

“Stop wiggling,” I hear grunted in the background, followed by a giggle from my sister. I have to remind myself that I’m okay with her being with my best friend Jensen. It’s weird seeing her with someone after spending years trying to keep everything and everyone away from her. It’s a habit I’d picked up after some psycho tried to kill her in his crazy obsession for her. Jensen is a little crazy, too, when it comes to my sister, but I know he’d lay down his own life before anyone harmed a hair on her head.

I thought it was nuts when I saw the change in the man I would have once called unemotional. Everything was about work and order. Not so much lately. He doesn’t want to travel or work as much as he once did. I understand it now, having cancelled a work trip I was supposed to take this morning.

“She is,” I agree. Though I want to say other things because pretty doesn’t begin to cover what Claudia is, but my sister doesn’t want to hear that as much as I don’t want to hear about what she thinks of Jensen.

“Think she’ll come for Christmas? I was going to get these stockings that light up with everyone’s name and well—”

I cut her off because she might be getting these stockings, but more than anything she wants to know if this is serious.

“You ever seen me with a woman?” I ask lazily, picking up my coffee and taking a drink.

“Do I count the ones that follow you around like lost puppies?” she smarts back at me.

God, am I glad that shit will be over. “Don’t start with that shit,” I sigh. I always hated that crap. It drove me nuts. They weren’t after me. They were after my last name and money. I also think they enjoyed the chase because I never gave in. They wanted to be the one that snagged me.

She laughs before the line goes quiet for a moment. “I already ordered one for her,” she tells me, and I can hear the smile in her voice. “I’m happy for you. She’ll be good for you. Maybe you’ll stop working so much and enjoy life a little more.”

For the first time in my life that thought sounds good. More than good. “I think you’re right,” I agree. Still, all those long days at the office feel worth it. I have the means to kick my feet back now if I want.

“I always am,” she chirps. “Can’t wait to get to know her better,” she adds before telling me she loves me and hanging up. I set the phone down smiling. I’m actually looking forward to Christmas. Thanksgiving was miserable when all I could think of was having Claudia but she wouldn’t answer my calls.

I’d come up with all kinds of fucked up things in my head that she could be up to. She could be married with a family. Hell, my mind had been so messed with so many ideas I hadn’t even noticed my best friend and sister falling in love right in front of my face. Instead I’d left Thanksgiving dinner and drove my car over to the same place I’d first met her. I sat there all night like she’d show up at an empty lot. I hadn’t cared. It was the closest thing at that moment I could think to do to be close to her. Like now, working in a coffee shop next to where she is, looking as crazy as Jensen. I have no plans of fighting it either. I’m actually enjoying the feeling.