by T L Dasha
He started to board then looked back at me.
“Have you ever taken a bus before?” He grinned. I could tell he was enjoying my discomfort.
“I haven’t. But, as my guide, I’m trusting you to not get me killed.”
“No promises. Going on a Conner tour means you signed the waiver.” I definitely didn’t sign a waiver. Is it too late to call a driver? He lead me onto the bus, scanned some kind of card, and took a seat.
I fumbled for change to pay my fare, only to realize I had just used up all my cash on Sidney. Goddamn it.
“Do you take card?” My expression flattened as I looked at a very disgruntled bus driver. He didn’t seem particularly interested in answering what I was quickly gathering was a stupid questions.
“Err, here, I’ll get you.” Jake moved back up to the front of the bus and paid in a handful of coins. I followed him back to a seat, feeling fairly emasculated. “Well, it’s not every day I get to feel like I’ve got more money than a billionaire.” He laughed.
His mood seemed to be quickly improving. I guess screwing up the little things wasn’t so bad if it made him smile right now. The bus dropped us off in a dirty, old neighborhood, and he lead me into a small taco shop on the corner. We approached a table of unfinished wood, covered in the names of past customers that had been scratched into the surface with various utensils. It felt a little bit adventurous just sitting down.
“Raoul! We’ll take three pollo, three carne asada, and two carnitas.” He used his fingers for each number for emphasis. “You’re going to love this place. It was the first place I ate when I moved to Oakland.” His grin had no pretense or fakeness to it. He had already cast off ‘Jake the desk clerk,’ and now he was simply Jake Conner, the guy with the broken heart who loves tacos.
“Where are you from originally? I just realized I never asked you that.” I asked once the waiter stepped away.
“I’m from San Francisco. But my whole family lives in Las Vegas. My sister had the wedding there because that’s where she lives.”
“Why did you stay in the bay area then?”
“You’ll think it’s dumb.” He looked away.
“Well, I moved from San Francisco to Vegas just to get some freedom, while still working for my own father, so I’m not sure it could be dumber than that.”
“Good point.”
“Hey now, you’re not supposed to agree with me.” I threw up my hands and shook my head.
He paused our conversation long enough to receive a plate of eight small tacos with an array of vegetables and sauces to dress them up with. He took a deep breath before he addressed me again.
“I wanted to open a coffee shop.” He looked down at his plate, failing to hide the flush in his cheeks.
“So you got a job with… my brother?” I’m not sure I’m following his logic here.
“I thought I could learn a thing or two about running a business if I worked under him long enough.” His eyes remained fixated on the table. “I didn’t really expect to work under him in… the capacity that I did.” He was quickly losing his smile again.
“He told me you…” I took a count to breath. “Do you love him?” I tried to keep a lightness to the tone in my voice.
“Ah.” Jake’s eyes sank even further, forcing her focus on the cabbage she was sprinkling on her chicken. “I didn’t know you guys liked each other enough to talk about those kinds of things.”
“We have our moments. I don’t really hate Aaron, for the record. I enjoy ruffling his feathers, and there’s a certain satisfaction in getting him to break his precious ‘appearances,’ but there’s no honest animosity there. I’m not sure he’s forgiven me though.”
“For what?” He spoke through a mouth full of taco, pausing only long enough to swallow. “I was too worried to ask before, but I feel like I’ve got nothing else to lose at this point. What was the big final straw for the mighty Craig brothers?”
“You probably won’t be surprised to learn it was all over a girl.”
#
I met her for the first time six years ago at the annual Craig Hotel banquet, an event that punctuated each year’s shareholder week.
“Katie Eliot. Pleased to meet you.” She had the smile of an angel. Her eyes were bright and blue, her hair was a soft brown that fell carelessly around her face, and even with her tall heels and slim and sensual red dress, she still barely came up to my shoulder. My brother stood beside her, glowing as she held his arm. I shook her free hand.
“Trevor Craig, obviously. So I gather you’re dating my baby brother?” Why did that sound like such an alien concept? How did he manage to score a woman like this?
“Yes! We met in the hotel lobby of all places. My assistant failed to book my room for the week, and Aaron was quick to help me out. Who would have thought I would go from struggling to find a room to staying in the owner’s private penthouse every night.” She laughed.
“Fate works in mysterious ways.” Aaron had a playfulness in his eyes as he turned to his date. “My brother used to get us in endless trouble as children. He was a master of getting away with it himself, but he never seemed to get me out of it. Be careful around him.”
“Hey now, you were just as much at fault for never saying no to anything I suggested.” I chuckled. “That’s no way to help me leave a good first impression!”
“The mastermind and the enabler. Well, a little trouble never hurt anyone.” Katie grinned. “Any family of Aaron is family of mine. I look forward to getting to know you!”
Aaron was busy with clients that night, so she asked me to dance while she waited for him. I hadn’t expected such a bold request, and I had even less expected her bold style. I thought the ballroom dancing classes Aaron and I had to take were the lamest shit as a kid, but now I was glad I could keep up with her sizzling hot salsa. Though I almost felt dirty knowing this sexy little minx was my brother’s. She was a powerhouse in a tiny frame, and she would move against me like we were the only people in the room.
I’m not interested in women, and I never have been. I’ve tried a few over the years out of sheer curiosity, but I wasn’t about to fall for her tactics. Though I’ll admit she was a particularly breathtaking example.
Still, I started seeing her around quite a lot. I was still living in San Francisco at the time, as dad was still teaching us the ins and outs of the business, and she had moved in with my brother within a month of dating. Double dates, family outings, business luncheons-- Katie was always there, and Aaron was always doting on her. He’d spoil her with lavish gifts, and she’d show them off to anyone who would give her the time of day. Which was most people. Well, most men anyways.
A year after we had met, at the following banquet, I watched, along with our entire auditorium of shareholders, as Aaron Craig got down on one knee and asked her to spend their lives together. It was probably incredibly sweet, but I never could subscribe to that shit. I stepped out during the barrage of crying and clapping. Of course she said yes. I was happy for him, I guess. I never would have imagined Aaron softening on someone, but here we were-- my twenty three year old little brother, all grown up and getting married. While at twenty five, I hadn’t even considered settling down.
Three months into their engagement, we all ended up at our family cabin outside Denver for a family vacation. It was myself, Aaron, Katie, Dad, and some side piece Dad had been fucking. I don’t even remember her name.
Aaron and Dad went out into the woods, doing whatever the hell it is outdoorsy people do on a family vacation, side-piece was out back tanning, as side pieces typically did on our family vacations, and I stayed at the cabin with Katie and whats-her-face and did what I generally do on family vacations-- I got fucking shit-face drunk.
#
“That’s basically what I do on family vacations, too” Jake nodded in agreement before shoving another impressively well-packed taco into his mouth.
“What would we do without family.” I smirked, rolling my e
yes.
“We’d probably be halfway functional people.” He grabbed a spoonful of something labeled with images of ghost peppers, which I didn’t have the balls to even consider putting on anything I was going to eat. He slathered it generously on some carne asada. “Well, I might have been functional. I think you were screwed the second they wrote ‘Craig Hotel and Resorts’ on your birth certificate.”
“I don’t think they put that on your birth certificate.”
“Close enough.” Jake shrugged. His level of comfort as he spoke to me still surprised me, but I liked it. This wasn’t a story I had ever looked forward to rehashing, yet I didn’t feel like I was being judged as I told it, which made this just a little bit easier.
“I guess it was close enough.”
#
“Is it still called happy hour if you’re drinking all day?” Katie met me on the deck, then sat beside me at the picnic table with some concoction of lemonade and…
“Is that whiskey in there?”
“Honey whiskey and lemonade.” She sniffed the drink like she was about to sample a fine wine. “Would you like some?”
“I didn’t know you drank.”
“I try not to around Aaron. He says it’s un-lady-like to slur your words.” She smiled her delicate smile. Her hair was pulled back in a large clip, falling messily behind her head, and her flowery sundress matched the blue of her eyes. Her dress was short and it was light, and it seemed to hug her body more provocatively than any sundress should.
“He’ll probably be back in a few hours. Try not to get too blasted.” I gave her a sideways grin. “I don’t want to get blamed for being a bad influence. Again.”
“A few hours is more than enough time to stretch out a little.” There was an edge to her voice that I couldn’t quite read. She sat down across from me and traded me her fruity cocktail for my glass of bourbon. We both took a sip. Her shit tasted like candy. But she winced sampling mine.
“Is there any booze in this?”
“Enough.” She grinned, trading back our glasses. “Finish that, and I’ll mix you one.”
We each finished our drinks, then she headed into the kitchen for another round, returning with a whiskey lemonade for both of us this time. This one was much stronger.
“It’s good isn’t it?” She smiled, taking a sip of her own drink. The color was a bit lighter than mine, but I wouldn’t expect her to handle a drink as stiff as I did.
“I still have my doubts that this isn’t just straight lemonade.”
Though the alcohol hit harder than I expected. Maybe it was from mixing liquors, or maybe it was that combination of citrus and sugar and whiskey-- I’m not sure-- but I was practically stumbling after that cocktail. My head fogged, and my vision grew dark. I stood up and massaged my temples, trying to get my eyes to see straight.
“Are you okay, Trevor? Maybe we should go inside so you can lay down.” Katie lead me into the cabin, and pulled me into my room, helping me to my bed. My world was still spinning as I sat down.
“I swear I’m not a lightweight.” I laughed, hoping to save a little face. “You mix a strong drink.”
“I like it strong.” She pushed me with just enough force to put me on my back, though that didn’t take much with the state I was in, and she climbed on top of me, straddling me in her blue dress. It was a compromising position. I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around what she was doing, until she ran a hand up my shirt, unbuttoning each button as she went. “Do you like me, Trevor?”
“Of course. I mean, not like that-- You’re my brother’s girlfriend.” I turned my head away, not wanting to look at her. I wasn’t going to do this.
She slid the strap of her dress down her shoulder, letting the cloth slip slowly off her breast.
“I’ve seen the way you look at me. Did you know he’s never touched me? I’ve been dying to have a man really touch me.” Her eyes were devious as she slid down the other strap.
“Katie. We shouldn’t. I’m not interested in--” My protests were barely audible even in my own ears.
“Not interested in what?” She grabbed my hand and placed it on her breast. I wasn’t fighting her. But I wanted to. I should have been. But nothing seemed to be working. “I need some help, and you’re just giving me a hand. Isn’t that what a good brother-in-law would do?”
“I’m not a good brother in law.” I hated myself for my own arousal, but it was hard to say no with the way she was rubbing against me. I knew I had to stop, but the way she unzipped my pants and gave me a mischievous grin was messing with my head in all the wrong ways.
“He won’t find out, I promise.”
#
“That’s date rape, you know.” Jake frowned.
“What-- no, clearly I just had a lapse in judgement. She was smoking hot.”
“… And she drugged you and seduced you and didn’t take no for an answer.”
“No she… it was the whiskey. I couldn’t… That’s not--”
He raised an eyebrow.
“How did you feel after?” his tone was clearly fishing for a particular response, but I’m not sure what it was.
“Well, I felt like a piece of shit for fucking my brother’s fiancé, obviously. But I still did it. It was still my fault.”
“Dude.” Jake stared at me as if I was a complete idiot. “Whatever makes you feel better. But if I told you this identical story, you would tell me the same thing.”
I paused for a moment, shaking my head.
“Anyways, that’s not the point. The point was that he walked in on us, and he refused to speak to me for months. The engagement was still on, and they tried really hard to work it out until… well… a few months later she found out she was pregnant.”
“Holy shit. How is Mr. Craig so worried about finding an heir when you guys are shooting one hundred.”
He sprinkled some cabbage on a chicken taco, and made an exploding motion with his hand. I burst out laughing. It wasn’t a comical situation, but he had a way with words. Goddammit, Jake.
“Well, funny thing about that-- the pregnancy was the final straw for them. Aaron dumped her, then she came to me, demanding I take care of ‘our’ baby.” I made sure to use finger quotes for emphasis. He passed me a fully dressed taco. Though I don’t think I had the iron constitution required to actually eat it.
“So you have a kid?”
“I’m sterile, Jake. I got a vasectomy when I was twenty three.”
His eyes widened.
“Your father was okay with that?”
“Despite all of his self-important posturing, he doesn’t get a say in what I do with my dick. I had no intention of bringing kids into this fucked up dynasty.” I scoffed. He would control everything I did if I let him. Leaving this all behind is still the right choice.
Jake’s expression was so agreeable that I was almost offended.
“Then it was Aaron’s after all?” Jake cocked his head to the side.
“She claimed he never touched her. And he corroborated the story. If he did, I know he would have been excruciatingly careful. There wasn’t even the slightest doubt in his mind that it couldn’t be his.”
“Then whose kid was it? How many dudes was this chick juggling.”
“That I know of, just the Craigs.”
His mouth fell agape as he came to the realization.
“… Was it Alan Craig?”
“Bingo!” I ran a hand through my hair, and leaned back in my chair. He’s as sharp as I thought. “It turned out that the only reason she was with Aaron at all was to get to our father. And well, dad’s not exactly the type to turn down a perfectly good lay, no matter what the circumstances. I never told Aaron that though. He still thinks I knocked up his otherwise faithful fiancé, ruining his one chance at happiness.”
“Why didn’t you tell him the truth?”
“I doubt he would have believed me. Plus, this job is his life, Jake. If I told him father dearest had been fucking her on the down low
since day one, he would never forgive him. He’d probably quit the business and have a nervous breakdown. It was easier to just let him hate me for a while. He’s a reasonable guy. I knew eventually he’d get passed it. I’m way too fun to hate forever.” It felt surprisingly relieving to finally get to confess that to someone.
“You definitely have charm in that ‘I sort of want to punch you in the face, but I might not say no if you want to cuddle after’ kind of way.” He nodded. I think that was a compliment?
“I had a feeling you might like the rough type.”
“I mean, I’ve worked at a Craig hotel for the last four years. Obviously I’m at least a little bit of masochist.” He said matter-of-factly.
Fuck, I enjoy this man. I tried to fight the upturn of my lips. He downed some water then returned his attention to me.
“So what happened to Katie after that? Does that mean there’s a third heir out there somewhere?”
“Dad payed her off. The kid was aborted. None of us ever heard from her again. That was that.” I must have looked more grave than I thought, because I could sense the flash of fear in his face.
“Is that what’s going to happen to me?” Jake frowned, those big eyes boring into me. I hadn’t quite expected that question. It wasn’t something I had even considered. Was it? No, I wouldn’t let that happen. Dad didn’t need to know about any of this. I shook my head.
“Do you want to never see any of us again?”
“I don’t know yet.” His eyes fell to the table. “I’m still figuring out what this all means. And what Aaron means…”
I hated how his name sounded on his lips, and I hated how his light dimmed as he said it. But I knew it was complicated. Real or not and drunk or not, I would be a fool to believe their marriage had no honest feeling behind it. I snapped myself away from the thought.
“Either way you’ll be alright. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
We finished our meal, and Jake had to spot me again, since this hole in the wall also didn’t take card. This may have been the most embarrassing attempt at saving the damsel in distress that I’ve ever participated in. I might have gotten a little over eager with bribing Sidney.
