Eight Brothers Fiancee (Love by Numbers 7)

“Ooh, that sounds like a story I want to hear. Meet at IHOP?”

“Absolutely! I’ll see you there in ten minutes.”

“See you soon. Love ya.”

“Love you too, bye.”

I hung up my phone and sprung to life getting dressed, leaving my apartment, and rushing to the IHOP about five minutes from my apartment. My brother and I met there for breakfast often. We were both cheesecake fiends, and they had a New York Cheesecake Pancake that was to die for.

As I approached the restaurant, I saw Axel sitting on one of the benches outside with his nose stuffed into a rather large tome of a book. I was certain it was some sort of history book; Axel had a particular interest in history. He was currently working as a teacher’s aide in the World History department at a university in Austin, his chosen field when he wasn’t actively serving as a marine. I walked up to where he was sitting and sat down next to him.

“Wow, that looks boring.”

Axel closed the book and looked over at me. “It’s actually really interesting.”

I shook my head. “I knew you’d say that.”

He hugged me and as he pulled away he rustled my hair in annoying, big brother fashion. We were inside the IHOP, seated, and had placed our order before he said anything else.

“So, why are you interesting?” he asked finally. I raised an eyebrow as I pulled out my phone. I navigated to my email from Garrett and handed my phone over to Axel. He took the phone and read over it carefully. “Whoa!” He looked up at me. “Is this serious?”

“Yeah.” I took a sip of my lemonade. “I don’t know what to do.”

Axel’s jaw dropped. “Uh, how do you not know what to do? Why would you ever turn down a job like this?”

“Because it’s for the Foxxes. Those asshole twins I went to college with,” I explained.

Axel’s eyes widened. “That was them? I didn’t realize that you went to school with famous guys.”

I rolled my eyes. “For famous guys they sure are assholes.” I thought back to Garrett singing their praises and shook my head. I knew them. They weren’t good guys.

“That was, what, eight years ago?” Axel asked, handing me my phone back. “And weren’t they only there during your freshman year?”

I didn’t like having logic forced on my argument. “That was an entire year of them making my life hell. Being arrogant, chasing me around, attempting to treat me the same way they treated the rest of those hollow shells they called lovers. Besides, it isn’t like they disappeared after they graduated. Their father had bought their way into the university, so they still hung around all the time. The Famous Foxxes of A&T.”

Axel rolled his eyes with a shrug. “Look, for this kind of money, work it for a year, build up your savings and then quit. You can put this on your resume. I mean are you that fragile that you can’t deal with a few annoying guys for a year to get all of these benefits?” He drank some of his coffee. “Men are simple creatures, just flip their attitude back on them. Whatever game they try to play with you, one up them. You’ve always loved the thrill of competition.”

* * *

I stood outside the wood panel door that led into Huxley’s office. I looked down at my outfit to make sure it looked okay. I didn’t want to send the false impression that I was interested in either man by dressing in a way that was too provocative, but I knew all too well what sold in our industry. A timberwolf pencil skirt and matching jacket, with a magenta blouse underneath and a pair of stiletto heels were what I was hoping landed squarely in the ‘perfect-combo’ square on the ‘dressed to impress/dressed to seduce’ work matrix.

I lifted my hand to knock on the door, but it opened before I made contact. Harley appeared, dressed to the nines in a black, Italian cut, 3-piece suit complete with a sly smile. Over his shoulder, I could see Huxley standing, wearing a cerulean dress-shirt, with the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of navy blue slacks and a matching grin. Arrogant or not, the Foxx twins were perfect 10s.

Harley stepped to the side and I walked into the office. I had my portfolio clung to my chest. I didn’t need to prove myself to Harley and Huxley, they already wanted me for the job, but it made me feel better to behave as if I was in a formal interview. I sat down in one of the leather armchairs in front of Huxley’s desk and Harley walked around and stood next to Huxley on the other side.

“Are you two going to stand the whole time?” I asked.