Buying Love

I close my laptop in shock and chuckle, “I’ve got to see this.”

“Fuck off.” He takes a swig of the beer and then adds, “Besides, it’s yours. I stole it from your closet.”

There went my smile. I knew the bastard stole something from my place. He came to drop off the forms I had him fill out, but I was at the gym. Fucker. “At least I know it’s a great suit. Although, you better not fuck it up or it’s your ass.”

“Chill. If I mess it up, I’ll buy you two.” He shrugs it off like it’s no big deal, and it really isn’t because I have over two dozen suits.

“I’m holding your ass to that,” I press my point, taking a drink of my water. It’s refreshing. It’s almost summer, and it feels like it. I sit up and take off my suit jacket.

“It’s not like we can’t afford it.” Yes, that’s one hell of a good thing. Finally, our lives have gotten easier. We’re so far in the black that we’re millionaires, and our stock is still rising. It’s been a long time since we had to eat Ramen on a daily basis.

“Damn right. Now that’s something to celebrate,” I cheer.

“You celebrate. Does that mean visiting one of those Vegas shows with a soda instead of water?” He likes to tease me about my stuffed shirt attitude, but my father messed with my head so bad that I don’t party at all—unlike Jack.

I’d been more affected by my father’s death because I saw him die naked in bed with another woman. While my mother was working to put food on the table, he was bringing women into our home and their bed. I’ve never forgotten his betrayal to my mom and the shock when she came home to another woman talking to the police.

The fact that we couldn’t make ends meet after all his debt and had to live in shelters and broken-down apartments influenced me to be the man I am.

It’s probably why I’m still a virgin.

“Don’t be a dick,” I mutter, ignoring that his words hit their target.

“Can’t help myself. So sue me.” He sticks his tongue out at me like he’s five instead of twenty-one, so I flip him off. “Now, excuse me because I have to get some work done.”

“What are you working on?” he asks, leaning toward me. With his beer in one hand and his other on his knee.

“I need to find a new assistant.” As my partner, he should be the first to know anyway.

He takes another gulp then says, “I thought you liked Melissa.”

“She’s been acting too weird for my tastes,” I confess, typing up the ad, I’ll be placing with the recruiting company I use. Although after three assistants in two years, they might not find someone who wants to work with me. I can be a dick.

He chuckles and sits back, polishing off his bottle. “Ah, so you’ve finally caught on. I was wondering if you’d notice she was a total cunt.”

“Don’t say I told you so,” I warn him. I’m not above beating his ass. It’s been a long time especially since he’s a cocky son of a bitch.

“Well, I did. Fine. Can I finally dig into her background deeper?”

It’s my turn to be surprised. “I supposed you already did that.”

“Nah, bro. You asked me to quit my shit, so I did. It’s shocking, I know, but you’re so involved in your work, you can miss everything around you.”

“Well, you don’t miss out on anything.” The guy who regularly comes into work wearing the same shit he wore the day before.

“Ha, I miss out on a lot, but I’m not the fuck up you think I am. I just don’t wear a suit, and I work for as long as I need to. I’ve had days where I don’t sleep.”

“Yeah because you’re out partying.”

“Bro, whatever. Get to work, you stuffed shirt.” He leans back and presses the button for another drink. I ignore him and get to work. There’s a lot to do in the next few hours before my weekend is swallowed up by

Just as I finish drafting some documents, I look up to find Jack sleeping with his feet up on the reclining seats. The plane is really luxurious. I do the same because I could learn to lighten up. I hit the button for the stewardess and ask for a whiskey neat.

I’ve finished my drink just as they inform us we’re landing. It took me the whole flight, but I have to admit it was good.

I kick my brother’s foot, waking his lazy ass up. “We’re landing.” He grabs his beer and finishes it, handing it to the stewardess who takes my glass as well.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Harrison,” she smiles proudly like she won me over before leaving us alone. Maybe I’m just such a grumpy asshole.