I’m reviewing a client’s proposal to acquire a company before it went into bankruptcy. “Hello, brother dear. How was Holly this morning?”
“She was fine. So, I financed your spending spree for her?” The card is mine and Amelia has full access to it, as none of her cards has an unlimited limit.
“I figured since it was your fault she was crying, it should be you who put a smile on her face. And please, it was a pittance, she can be very stubborn. Just think of it as a new suit. It’s not as if you can’t afford it.” Not a trace of guilt, she’s right.
“Fine, I bought a new suit yesterday. I had the meeting with the partners, you are officially untouchable to me without bad marks. Good luck.”
“Ethan, spit out why I’m really here.” Her eyes bore into mine.
Sighing, I look right back without flinching. “Don’t encourage Holly about me. For her, I’m asking you not to do it.”
Her face softens, she’s sad. I wish I could take it away but I can’t. She doesn’t say anything, only nods then leaves.
****
The time in the corner of my laptop is taunting me. It’s eight, time for me to go home. Instead, I pick up the phone. Her name is Mina, I’m sure it was once Martha or something else as bland. She was one of the blondes at the party who had slipped me her number. She sounds annoyed I’m calling at the last minute. It doesn’t stop her from accepting my invitation to dinner tonight. I tell her I’ll be there in an hour and she agrees.
Ricky goes up for her, I’m not interested enough to get out of the car. She gets in with a smile. I’m guessing that between the caps and whitening, her smile cost her around seven grand, almost as much as her tits. Fuck, I didn’t remember she had fake tits. I hate fake tits, I’d rather have an A cup than fake tits. Now I’m even more uninterested.
“I’m glad you called. You were one of the few people at the party that night who wasn’t a complete bore.” She’s leans into me. Her perfume is cloying, making me nauseous
“Do you like Italian?”
Her gasp is overdone. “Italian is my favorite. I adore risotto. Where are we going?”
“We’re here actually, Gorgio’s.”
Clinging to me as we go up the stairs, she teeters on six inch heels. I bet myself five bucks if she has more than one glass of wine she’ll trip. Dinner is as bad as I thought it would be. She’s chattering about a photo shoot. The salad with dressing on the side is pushed around until it’s wilted. It’s time to go, I signal for the check. She says something about powdering her nose before standing. I’m more interested in signing the check. Seconds later, there’s a crash and people murmur. Looking up, I see Mina on the floor. I don’t bother getting out of my chair; a waiter is helping her up.
She makes it back to the table without falling. I don’t get near her as we leave, her perfume is awful. Thankfully, she gets the hint. Probably thinks it’s about her fall, I don’t explain myself. When Ricky gets to her place, she invites me up. Without looking at her, I shake my head. I have an early morning meeting, is my excuse. Her eyes glisten with tears as she gets out.
It’s a little after ten thirty, the cloying perfume covers me. I’m loose from the three glasses of wine I allowed myself at the restaurant. I tell Ricky to take me to the cigar bar, then he can go home. I’ll catch a taxi home. A client I’ve had for years is there and we chat for well over an hour. When we say our goodbyes, we promise each other to make a plan to meet up. I get home a little after one in the morning.
Letting myself into the condo, I see all the lights are off except the recessed foyer light. Turning it off, I make my way down the hallway. The light is off in Holly’s room. Yet, as I pause outside for a second, I know she’s not asleep. In my room, I dump the suit, knowing the scent will still be on it when she cleans.
Chapter Eleven
Ethan is Fletcher, think of him as Fletcher. Fletcher is my older brother; only eighteen months separate us. We love each other deeply but we are each other’s weakest link. We also make each other absolutely nuts in seconds flat. It’s the only way I make it through the next two weeks.
Although Ethan and I have traded a few insults, none of them are as bad as it was in the first few days. I have strictly forbidden myself to think of him as anyone other than Fletcher. I always make sure to be in bed and asleep no later than ten o’clock. There have only been two nights when he was home before then.
“I didn’t realize I was paying for you to daydream. Maybe I should get cameras in here to take a look at just how much you actually work.”
“Now that would be a bad idea. I’m sure I could take your ass to court and win this condo out from under you, with your horrific employment practices caught on tape. The jury wouldn’t need to even deliberate.”
Shaking his head, he puts his plate on the countertop, “The dreams of the uneducated in law. Wouldn’t happen, we would never make it to court. I don’t do court, because when lawyers think of meeting me in a courtroom they do embarrassing things, like sweat or wet themselves.”
“You think you are so the shit.” I’m astounded by his ego.
“I don’t think, I know. This tattoo,” Despite him wearing his suit I vividly remember the knife with blood dripping off it. “When I came out of law school, the rule was if you take me on be ready to bleed for it. I’ll make sure of it in front of the client, the judge, and the jury, you won’t walk away until I’ve drawn blood.”
“Is that how you think of women? Don’t tangle with you unless you’re ready to bleed for it?” Shit, where the question comes from I have no idea.
He goes still and eyes me. “No. I don’t set out to make a woman cry or bleed over me. I make no promises, ever. They know from the beginning all I want is their body.”
“How lucky for them. They have the rainmaker of Chicago all to themselves for a few hours, better make the most of it while they can.”
“I do.” As parting words go, they make me want to punch him.