“You know I can’t reveal my sources. So is it true?”
He snapped rudely, “Is what true?”
Pam sighed, her eyebrows lifted as she met his narrowed gaze. “Is it true that your brother is returning to Boulder to train here at Champs?”
“Is this off, or on, the record?”
She shrugged. “If I get my exclusive will it matter?”
He shook his head. “Here’s your exclusive and you can quote me. There is no way in hell Zachary Barrett will ever train in any gym I’m affiliated with.”
Pam cringed. “Ouch! That sounds like there’s some truth to there being problems between the two of you. Do you care to comment?”
He shrugged, his oceanic eyes cold. “Like I said, your source doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about. My brother has his own training facility in Thailand, so if you want an interview I suggest you hop on the first flight you can get. That’s the best I can do for you.”
Pam stood staring at him for a brief moment. She pressed her palm to his chest as she took a step toward him. “Why are you so angry? That’s not good for you. You really need to let that go. I don’t know what happened between you and your brother but forgiveness is good for the soul. Your soul!” There was a moment of pause. “So, do you want to share? Tell me what happened between you and Zachary?” The expression across her face was devious, mischief shimmering in her eyes.
Alexander shook his head. “Pam, you know I love you to death. You’ve been a good friend. But if we’re going to stay friends, we are not going to discuss my brother, or my soul. And we are definitely not going to have that conversation so you can claim some exclusivity over the story.”
Pam rolled her eyes as she snapped her fingers, feigning disappointment. “I almost had you!”
“You didn’t. Not even close.”
Pam nodded, lifting her hands as if in surrender. She gave him a slight shrug of her shoulders, then changed the subject. “So who are you dating these days?”
Taking a deep breath, Alexander forced a smile back to his face. “I’m a man on a mission. I’m building an empire. When do I have time to date?”
She laughed. “Well, plan on having dinner with us sometime soon. There’s an adorable new intern I want to fix you up with. Her name’s Cookie.”
“An intern named Cookie? Really?”
“Really. And she’s a sweet Southern girl. You’ll like her. You can’t stay single forever, good-looking!”
He laughed, his good mood slowly returning. “I can sure as hell try!” he said.
* * *
Minutes later Alexander waved his good-byes as Pam and her camera guy pulled out of the parking lot. A nice-size crowd was beginning to gather, early birds coming to witness the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The day was going to be the beginning of a new phase in the man’s life, and he was both excited and nervous, having achieved one of his biggest life goals. He was kicking his professional career into second gear, and in just a few short minutes they would cut the ribbons to mark the official opening of his new business. The hard work and dedication that had gotten him to this point were exemplified in the massive structure that bore his name, and Alexander Barrett could not have been prouder.
Inside the new health and fitness facility, Alexander stood on the second-floor mezzanine. He spied his parents in conversation with a team of his trainers. He didn’t need to hear the conversation to know that Westley and Lynn Barrett were bragging, sharing some story about something he had done back in the day. As he approached, he wasn’t surprised to hear his father exclaiming that he always knew Alexander would one day be the proud owner of his own business.
His stepmother pulled him into the conversation, rushing to wrap her thick arms around his waist. She was short, round, and squishy, like soft bread dough. “Here’s our man of the hour! How did the television interview go?”
Alexander nodded as he leaned to hug her back. “I think it went well. Pam went easy on me.”
“I always did like that young woman,” Lynn Barrett said as she nodded her head, her blond Halle Berry wig shaking slightly. “Yes, I did! Just all professional and about her business. I really do like to see that in these young women!”
Westley Barrett nodded in agreement. “She’s a sweet girl and she looks as good in person as she does on the television.” He winked an eye in his son’s direction.
Alexander smiled. He changed the subject. “I need to go check on a few things before the ceremony gets started. Are you two going to be all right?”
His father waved a dismissive hand. The patriarch stood as tall as Alexander, boasting the same burnt umber complexion. It was easy to see where his son had gotten his good looks—Alexander was his spitting image. Even with his snow-white curls and the beginnings of a beer belly, Westley Barrett still turned a few heads. “We’re just fine. Having a good time getting to know your staff. You have some good people here. They’re going to be good for business.”
Alexander nodded as his father patted him on his back. “We still have a few kinks to work out but I’m pretty pleased with how things are progressing thus far.”
“Well, your mother and I are very proud of you. You and Zachary have both made us very happy.”
At mention of his brother, Alexander rolled his eyes skyward.
Noting his son’s glare, Westley shook an index finger at him. “You and Zachary need to squash whatever is going on between you two. You boys are blood and you’re all each other has. He’s tried to reach out to you and you keep turning your back on him. That’s not right, Alex. You need to fix this mess!”
“Pop, I really don’t want to talk about your other son. Not today.”
“Well, you need to. Especially today. Besides, Zachary’s not even married to that woman anymore!”
Alexander eyed his father with a raised brow. “When did that happen?”
“See, if you had been talking with your brother you would have known that.”
Alexander shook his head, his eyes closed in frustration as he blew a heavy breath.
His father continued. “Well, today is as good as any other day to end this. In fact, you need to know . . .”
Mama Lynn suddenly rushed between them, her excitement explosive as she interrupted their conversation. “I just saw LeBron James headed toward the basketball court. I think I’m going to go down and see who else is there.” The matriarch clapped her hands excitedly. “LeBron James! Alex, do you know if Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson are coming, too? Or that cutie patootie, Stephen Curry?”
Alexander laughed. “No, ma’am. But if any of them are here, they’re probably down on the courts trying to get a pickup game going.”
“Come on, Westley! Let’s go introduce ourselves!” the older woman exclaimed as she pulled on her husband’s arm. “Can you believe all the celebrities? Even those Kardashian sisters are here!”
Watching his parents scamper away, Alex thought about his brother, his father’s comments resounding through his head. And then he thought about Pam and her tip about his twin planning to return to Boulder. The prospect suddenly had him on edge.
Alexander’s kinship to mixed martial artist Zachary “The Hammer” Barrett was well-known in their Boulder community and worldwide with sports enthusiasts. With three world-title belts to his name, Zachary was the poster child for product endorsements and, as the current world heavyweight champion, always in demand. The two were fraternal twins, Zachary older than Alexander by mere minutes. Despite their similar features, telling them apart had been easy, with Alexander’s eyes a vibrant shade of ocean blue, his brother’s steel gray. Since they’d been knee high, the two had both been highly competitive with each other. It hadn’t helped that their father had often pitted one against the other, believing their sibling rivalry was a good thing.
But rivalry had felt like betrayal when Zachary had married Felicia Wells. Felicia had been Alexander’s college sweetheart, the woman he had plann
ed to spend forever with. The two had been inseparable, until she met his brother, and then everything between them had changed.
Felicia had fallen for Zachary’s bad-boy personality. Zachary was more laid back and impetuous than his brother, trouble following him everywhere he turned. Alexander was the more conservative twin, rarely willing to take any unnecessary risk. His no-nonsense demeanor could be a touch rigid, and he second-guessed each step. Zachary would act on impulse, rarely considering the consequences of his actions. And he hadn’t been thinking when he seduced his brother’s girlfriend.
The announcement that Zachary and Felicia were engaged came right after graduation. Barely two weeks later the two had walked gleefully down the matrimonial aisle. No one had been more surprised by his brother marrying his girl than Alexander. He’d been devastated, his heart splintered beyond measure. The two brothers hadn’t had a full conversation since.
Months later, Zachary and his new bride had moved, with his pursuing the dreams that had eventually made him a household name in the sporting world. The distance between him and his family had only been rivaled by the miles from Colorado to Thailand. Too many years had passed since then. And now someone was saying Zachary was coming back, intent on thrusting himself into Alexander’s life.
Alexander shook the thoughts from his head as he focused his attention on the crowd that was beginning to gather in the mezzanine for the ceremony. Colorado’s elite, his former teammates, professional and amateur athletes across multiple sports fields, family and friends had all come to support him. The magnitude of that was overwhelming.
His eyes were suddenly drawn to a young Asian woman who stood alone, her hands folded pristinely in front of her. She was a beauty with a head of dark, lush waves that fell to her midback. Her complexion was a few shades warmer than French vanilla, and her cheeks were flushed a pale shade of summer peach. She was petite in stature, and he was suddenly reminded of the tiny Mothra fairies from the classic Godzilla movies. But she exuded an air of attitude that made him think what seemed like timidity actually belied her true strength. As if she sensed him staring, she suddenly lifted her eyes, their gazes connecting. She stared, appraising him from head to toe, and when it seemed as if he’d passed her approval, she smiled, the wealth of it shimmering in her dark stare. Alexander felt himself smiling back, his own grin running from ear to ear. Feeling slightly foolish and a tad offsides, he tossed a look over his shoulder and around the room to ensure no one had been watching, and when he did, she laughed.
His curiosity was further piqued when his human resources director moved to her side. There was just a brief moment before she pulled her gaze from his, allowing herself to be drawn into conversation. The two stood engaged for a good few minutes before she finally shook the man’s hand and moved off in the opposite direction. Before disappearing, she tossed Alexander one last look over her shoulder, that beautiful smile still lighting up her face.
Intrigued, Alexander took the stairs to the lower level, moving to Dan Winter’s side. Tall and buff with a sun-kissed complexion, Dan was a walking advertisement for high-end tanning products. Dan had been a point guard for the Denver Nuggets, and they’d played ball together, both their careers starting at the same time. The two men had been good friends for years. Dan had supported his business venture from the beginning, when Alexander had first voiced the idea.
Dan grinned, his smile spreading from ear to ear as the two bumped shoulders. “You ready to do this, big guy?”
Alexander nodded, his own bright smile filling his face. “I don’t think I’ve been this nervous since the NBA draft.”
Dan laughed. “Well, you’re in the driver’s seat this time. No waiting for a phone call to announce your future. This time you make all the calls.”
Alexander blew a heavy sigh as he nodded his head. He changed the subject. “Who was your friend?”
For a brief moment Dan looked confused, his eyes skating back and forth. “My friend?”
“The beautiful woman you were just talking to,” Alexander answered, his eyes shifting down the hallway, where she’d disappeared into the restroom.
Dan nodded, understanding washing over his expression. “Actually, she’s one of our new hires,” he said as he passed Alexander a copy of the woman’s résumé from the folder he held in his hand. “Her name’s Sarai Montri. Doctor Sarai Montri. She’s a former Miss Thailand with a doctorate in exercise physiology. She is also a licensed sports therapist and certified clinical nutritionist. She comes with impeccable references. In fact, she has serious managerial skills. I’d like to put her in the office but she wants to train and work with clients. I think she’ll be a great asset to the organization.”
Alexander scanned the document briefly before passing it back to his friend. “Damn!” he said, shaking his head.
Dan laughed. “She caught your eye, huh?”
Alexander laughed with him. “She did, but now that I know she’s an employee I can’t go there. Or at least I shouldn’t go there!” he said with a deep chuckle.
Dan shook his head. “No, you got it right the first time. You can’t go there. I would hate for it to get messy after you do a hit and run. First, there’s a charge of sexual harassment, then a lot of bad press that makes all us athletes look bad, and then we have to pay her off. And no telling what kind of impact that will have on that squeaky-clean reputation you like to think you have.”
A smirk crossed Alexander’s face. “Think? I know I have a squeaky-clean reputation. I don’t do those kinds of things.”
“That’s a lie!” Dan exclaimed. “I already know about you and the brunette working the food counter.”
Alexander’s eyes widened. “I did not hit that. I swear I didn’t!” he said, laughing heartily.
“Well, you did something.”
“It’s more like what she did to me!” Alexander laughed again. “And that was before she got hired. I’ve known her since her days at the Men’s Wearhouse. She fitted me for a few suits back in the day.”
Dan’s head was still waving from side to side as he chuckled under his breath. “Well, I know something happened the way she and the other women around here keep whispering every time you walk into a room.”
“Are you sure they’re not whispering about you? I didn’t do a Colgate commercial, Mr. Man with the Beautiful Smile!”
The two men snickered as only two good friends could do.
Alexander blew a soft sigh. “So, where did you find Dr. Montri?” he asked, curiosity still pulling at him.
“Your father put her in touch with me.”
“My father? How does my father know . . . ?”
A rumble of excitement vibrating through the room suddenly stalled Alexander’s question. The crowd was jumping with elation, a current of exhilaration sweeping through the space. Women and children screamed, and loud cheers and applause erupted. It started in the parking lot and was rushing with a vengeance into the building. Both men turned at the same time to see what all the commotion was about.
Shock registered on Alexander’s face as Zachary “The Hammer” Barrett stepped through the front doors, his arms outstretched as he high-fived the crowd of spectators. The consummate professional, Zachary looked every bit the high-profile athletic machine he professed to be. His shoulders and chest were broad, his hands massive. With his daunting height and size, it wasn’t hard to imagine the damage he could inflict on an opponent in the ring. His shoulder-length dreadlocks were pulled into a ponytail at the nape of his thick neck. He wore black denim jeans, a black silk T-shirt, and black Timberlands. His fashion sense was stealth mode with a boatload of GQ attitude. His gaze swept through the space until he caught sight of his brother. He pointed an index finger at his twin, then respectfully clapped his palms together in admiration.
As he locked gazes with his brother, Alexander felt himself tense, his fists clenched tightly to his body. His gaze narrowed. He struggled to maintain his welcoming expression, suddenly aware of every
one staring at him. This wasn’t how he’d ever imagined he and his brother reuniting. How he was feeling wasn’t the expression he wanted showing up in photographs in the blogosphere. Without his realizing, his father had suddenly returned to his side, slapping him against the back. Joy painted the old man’s expression, his own excitement palpable.
“Surprise, son!” Westley exclaimed. “Surprise!”
Alexander shot his father a look. “You knew about this?”
The old man grinned. “We wanted to surprise you. Your brother needs to get ready for his next fight and he needed to focus, so I told him to come home. I told him you would help him out.”
“You didn’t think that was something you needed to speak with me about first? What if I don’t want to help him?”
His father bristled. “Don’t start. That’s your brother,” Westley quipped.
His expression was stern, and Alexander suddenly felt like he was six years old again. He heaved a heavy sigh. His stepmother swept in before either man could comment further.
The matriarch jumped excitedly, grabbing both men by their arms. “Isn’t this wonderful!” she exclaimed. “All my boys together again. Ain’t God good!”
Perfect Pleasures Page 26
