“So like I texted, she needs to stay in the spare room for a bit,” Aiden says.
“Not while I’m here. I want no part of that shit.”
“Why? She’ll be there cooking, cleaning, and shopping anyway, what’s the big deal if she stays there, too?”
“Aid. Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“Uh, no, Auz. I’m not. What’s the prob?”
“The prob is that this chick is a walking disaster. She was throwing a party in your place last night with a whole shitload of druggies. There was a six-inch black tarantula in your bed. When I got here, one of the partiers fucking puked on me…”
Aiden laughs. “That doesn’t sound at all like Jada.”
Laughing right now? For real?
“Again, are you kidding me right now?”
“Auz. Lighten up, buddy."
“Did my brother just tell me to lighten up when I told him the chick that used to work for him was throwing a wild party in his apartment while he was out of the country?”
He’s riding the high of getting married. That must be it. He’s pussy-drunk.
As soon as I have that thought, I feel bad for it – I don’t think of Carly that way and I am happy for my brother, I’m just feeling incredibly foul right now.
“Yeah, man. It’s just one of those things. Girl got caught up in some bad stuff but believe me, Jada is a great employee. Never had a single problem with her while she worked for me. Girl works hard. Carly talked to her late last night and told her she can stay while she figures stuff out. You’re there the next three months, have her work for you, stay with you, that oughta give her the ability to figure that out. Listen, tell her the guy that stole the credit card got arrested. Not to worry. You gonna get Alice to send her a new CC company card so she can handle your stuff?”
“Did you not hear me? She’s not working for me. She hadn’t even gotten the call to work for me, Dad probably forgot to tell Alice.”
“He did forget. Carly called Alice. We already have her on the books. She’s on payroll now, Carly straightened things out this morning. We just need a couple quick details.”
I shake my head. “She’s not working for me, not staying with me. I can’t fucking believe this shit sandwich you’re serving me.”
“Shit sandwich? How’s that?”
“Man, are you serious? Your new wife is nicer than you are, or you know that this wouldn’t happen.”
“Back up. Fill me in Auz, I don’t know what you’re going on about with a shit sandwich.”
“That shit the day after your wedding? You didn’t return my call and now you’re all, help Jada out, and you haven’t even fucking addressed that other shit.”
“Oh, the other shit where I found you in bed naked with my also naked ex?”
“That shit,” I confirm.
He scoffs. “You get the lab results?”
“No. Not yet. But I tell you that bitch date-raped me and you storm out and don’t return my calls?”
He blows out a breath. “Listen, I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, Auz, but I got married two days ago and I’ve been kinda tryin’ to enjoy that.”
I roll my eyes. Now he’s being even more of a fucking dick.
“But you can imagine the shock it was finding you in bed with my ex when you’re supposed to be at a family brunch the day after I get married. I had to walk it off. You telling me you wouldn’t have reacted?”
“Imagine my shock, too, since I’m the one that woke up in bed with her with no fucking knowledge of how I got there!”
“I cooled off. Talked it out with Carly. I believe you.”
I grind my teeth and hold the phone.
“What, you want an apology from me? You grow a pair of tits or something, Austin?”
“Fuck you, Aiden. I had to face Meryl, worry about making sure Sienna didn’t ruin your wedding, deal with Roger there, try to keep it so nothing fucked with the vibe for you and Carly, got in a fist fight with Meryl’s fiancé and then that shit happens with your ex and you walk out on me; I think I have a right to be a bit put out about all that shit. The bitch drugged me, she had to have, and fucking climbed on my dick while I was half unconscious, man. I don’t need the shit of coming here, which I didn’t even wanna do. You know I hate this city, and I get here, exhausted from that scene with Meryl, from that fucking – whatever it was with Sienna, and I walk in and some bitch is squatting in your apartment without your permission and there’s a fucking giant spider running around your room, and people everywhere. I got into an accident on the way here and then got puked on by a junkie, and-”