Hidden Hollywood

Jake: I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon. Dibs on the bed.

Josh: FU. My place, my bed. Not running a hotel.

Jake chuckled. Josh had a one-bedroom apartment. He could get a hotel, but he’d take the sofa just to hang with Josh. As kids, even in the chaos of their large extended family, they’d always made sure to have twin time, just the two of them. “Twin refuel” they’d called it. They’d even had an elaborate high-five, low-five routine that ended with a revving engine of twin fuel. Corny, but true. Hell, they’d shared a womb—the ultrasound showed them hugging each other—shared a room growing up, even gone into the army at the same time, though different units. Jake had come out of the military driven to work with global technology that could open access to online education and opportunities in poor areas (and also caught on very lucratively in places that could well afford it). Josh came out of the army shell-shocked with what he’d seen and been through as a paratrooper dropped from a plane into enemy territory, where hand-to-hand combat was often required. He’d had a long recovery, but was doing better now.

Jake: Time for a twin refuel.

Josh: Not in my bed, freak. Bring that $$$$ scotch. He wanted the rare Macallan scotch. Jake had some vintage bottles.

Still feeling nostalgic for things back home, he texted, How’s Mad? His little sister, Madison, was the baby and the only girl. He and his brothers looked out for her. Josh, more than any of them, made sure she was okay, even bringing her on part-time as bartender where he worked in Clover Park while she went to community college. School had been at Josh’s insistence because he was tired of worrying about her bartending in a seedy part of New York City. Mad must’ve been tired of it too because she went for Josh’s plan, and Mad didn’t do anything she didn’t want to do.

Josh: Mad’s Mad.

Jake: Kicking ass and taking names.

Josh: Yup.

Jake: How’s Dad?

Josh: 2 tired for 20 questions. See u later.

Jake sent a smiley face emoticon with sunglasses just to annoy his brother, who believed emoticons were for teenaged girls. Probably because Mad used to emoticon the hell out of them in some hieroglyphic way that Jake suspected was code and Josh suspected was for her own amusement. He headed to the bedroom and started packing, the empty ache in his chest easing for the first time all night.

~ ~ ~

Twenty-four hours later, Jake leaned an elbow on the dark cherry bar at Garner’s Sports Bar & Grill, where Josh worked, and took a long swallow of beer. It was Saturday night and the place was filling up fast. His brother was jovial, working the bar and the customers, especially the ladies, with equal ease. Some of the women slid him a napkin with a phone number scribbled on it. Josh tucked those numbers behind the bar with a smile like they were something special, but Jake knew he’d toss them in the nightly cleanup. Not that Josh didn’t like hooking up with the ladies. He’d gotten plenty of action, but lately he’d been slacking. Even Jake couldn’t get the reason out of him.

“What was wrong with that one?” Jake asked, referring to the curvy brunette that had just left with some friends. She’d gifted Josh a hefty tip and her number while leaning forward to give him a peek down her low-cut shirt.

Josh just shook his head, a small smile playing over his lips. He moved on to the next customer.

Damn. Was Josh holding out for something more…serious? Looking to settle down? Was that what was going on in twin Campbell land? If his twin was ready, that meant maybe he was too. Their lives often paralleled each other. Like when they’d both dropped out of the same college two years in, feeling restless and needing adventure. Josh thought college was a waste of time, nothing held his interest, and the minute he said so to Jake, he admitted he’d been feeling the same way. He was a self-taught computer guy and knew more than his professors. Jake came up with the idea to enlist in the army since their dad was a veteran. Josh said why the hell not and went along for the ride. Jake still felt guilty over the way Josh’s life had taken a bad turn after the army. He tried to console himself with the fact that Josh was damn happy with his life now.

Were they done with the bachelor scene? The idea of either of them settling down was so far-fetched. But it nagged at him, hovering over his head like a damn fly.

A beautiful redheaded woman appeared at his side. Her hair was long, a light reddish blonde, her pale blue eyes fixed on his brother. She wore a dark green dress that hugged a perfect hourglass figure and black strappy heels. Designer stuff from head to toe if he knew women. And he did.