Cardinal

by Sara Mack

  “True. But I can be mad at you for telling Carter my nickname.” I stick my tongue out at him. “I’d be careful while you sleep.”

  “Your nickname is cute,” Carter chimes in. Then, he looks at Pete. “Frances though…” He makes a face.

  Pete rolls his eyes, then asks for a draft. Gwen gets it for him. As I sip my water, I look around the room. Everyone looks so comfortable; no one is rushing to go home. People joke with each another; the valets talk with the waitstaff who hangs out with the kitchen crew. No one appears excluded. I always wondered why my brother never considered another line of work. Now I know. Even though I’m an outsider, it feels like a big family here at Torque.

  Half an hour later, when Pete finishes his beer, he asks, “You ready to go?”

  “Yeah.” It’s late. Standing still for the first time in hours has allowed exhaustion to creep in. “Let me get my bag.”

  I walk over to where I stashed it beneath the register, and Gwen finds me for a hug. “Thank you so much for helping tonight. There’s no way I could have done it without you.”

  “You’re welcome,” I say into her shoulder. “I had fun.”

  “Me too!” she exclaims.

  Pete and I say our goodbyes to Carter and Felix, and I duck under the bar to join my brother on the other side. We start to leave when he gets distracted by another coworker who wants to say goodnight. I decide to keep walking until, about half the distance from me to the door, Latson steps into my path. He sets his feet and crosses his arms, like there’s a problem. My walk slows. He notices and smirks, then crooks his finger for me to come here.

  My knees go weak. How can he make that gesture look hot?

  Putting on a confident mask, I make my way over to him. He cocks an eyebrow. “Were you going to leave without talking to me?”

  “Nope,” I lie.

  “Huh. It sure looked that way.”

  “I was just about to find you,” I fib. “What is it you wanted?”

  He tips his head and eyes me skeptically. He knows I’m lying. I hold his gaze because I don’t want him to see me sweat, which turns out to be a bad idea. Those eyes are criminal.

  Seconds pass before he finally says, “I want you.”

  I think my heart stops. “What did you say?”

  “I want you,” he says again and steps toward me. “I want to hire you. I know the best when I see it and I need your skills here at Torque.”

  “Jesus.” I let out an exaggerated breath.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” I’m quick to recover. The last thing I need is for him to know I misunderstood his words. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not looking for work.”

  He frowns. “Why not? Pete told me about your job and the apartment.”

  He did? “Then you know I’m only in the city for a little while. As soon as I can go back home I’m leaving.”

  “But, you don’t know when that will be,” Latson says. “I think you could do well here. Pete said you need to replace your things.”

  I can’t help my twisted expression. “My brother has a big mouth, doesn’t he?”

  Latson ignores my question. “I’m not talking about a full time job. We’re closed Mondays and Tuesdays as it is. After watching you tonight I thought –”

  “You thought what?” Pete walks up behind us.

  “I’m trying to give your sister a job and she’s being difficult.”

  “You what?” Pete scowls at Latson. “No way.”

  I stare at my brother in confusion. Why would he care? “Excuse me? You’re the one who told him about my personal life.”

  “Only to explain why you’re here and why he’s never met you before.” He looks at his boss. “Jen can’t work here.”

  “Why not?” Latson and I ask in unison.

  Pete turns to me. “For the same reason I told you earlier. This was a one-time thing. I don’t need anyone messing with you.”

  I didn’t plan on getting a job while in Chicago, but having my brother deny me the opportunity is annoying. “Like I said before, I can hold my own. Who says I’m going to get messed with?”

  Just as I utter those words, Carter playfully pulls my ponytail as he walks by. “See you around, Little J.”

  The three of us look at him as he sends a smile in my direction.

  “See?” Pete complains.

  Latson looks lost. “What’s the big deal?”

  “I don’t want her to get hurt,” Pete says.

  “Who would do that?”

  My brother pins Latson with a stare, as if he knows something I don’t. Then, he elaborates, “Jen needs a break. On top of the fire and her job, she just broke up with her prick of a married boyfriend.”

  Gah! How embarrassing! “Shut up!” I whisper-yell at Pete.

  My reaction doesn’t faze him. Instead, he keeps talking. “She shouldn’t work here.” He turns to me. “If you want a job maybe Jules can help you find one.”

  “I never said I wanted a –”

  “Is it true?” Latson cuts me off.

  “Is what true?”

  “Your boyfriend was married?”

  I let out an exasperated sigh. “Unfortunately, yes. Can we not talk about it? I’m trying to forget.” I narrow my eyes at my brother. “Thanks for bringing it up.”

  “Sorry,” Pete mumbles, although he doesn’t sound apologetic.

  Latson’s expression morphs into one of concern. Whether it’s true empathy or a farce, I can’t tell.

  “You need a distraction,” he says.

  “Well, yeah,” I concede. “That’s why I left home.”

  He takes a step, then another and another, until he closes the distance between us. If he moves again, we’ll be breathing the same air. He stares down at me, and I feel myself getting lost. Is this his idea of a distraction?

  Because it’s working.

  “You’re not the kind of girl who is easily swayed,” he says. “You’re going to do what you want to do.”

  I nod. He’s right.

  “You just admitted you need something to take your mind off things,” he continues.

  “I did.”

  “You want a distraction.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “Something to keep you busy.”

  “Yes.”

  “To forget about him.”

  “Right.”

  “So, you’ll work for me.”

  “Okay.”

  Wait. What did I just say?

  Latson’s face lights up. “Excellent.”

  My eyes grow wide. “Hang on. I –”

  “Dude. What the hell?” My brother steps between us.

  “You heard the lady,” Latson says. “I’m trying to help. She accepted my offer.”

  My brother faces me. “You honestly want to work here?”

  Do I? I mean, I just agreed out of the blue. My eyes jump between Latson and Pete. My brother looks stressed while his boss looks satisfied. It’s too early in the morning to deal with these two.

  “You know what? I’m tired. I’m leaving.” I start to walk away and Pete follows.

  “Jen.”

  I turn around at the sound of Latson’s voice.

  “I’d like an answer.”

  The confident way he looks at me tells me he knows the answer. He’s certain I can’t refuse. The responsible part of my brain I’ve been trying to repress while I “do me” is fighting to take over. The part that says I’d be an idiot to turn down a good paying job. My reason for saying no was because my time in the city is limited. If Latson knows that and doesn’t care …

  I meet his eyes. “When do I start?”

  ~~~~

  For the last few minutes, I have been mesmerized by jellyfish.

  I didn’t plan to spend my day this way, but I can’t say that I regret it. Hundreds of delicate, deadly creatures float in front of me, and I am in awe. They look fragile, but they’re not. They are transparent, yet complex. They have survive
d for more than 500 million years without brains or bones or blood.

  At least that’s what the sign at the Shedd Aquarium says.

  When I woke up this morning, I decided to get out and be a tourist. I had no idea where to go, other than away from Pete’s apartment. Since I accepted Latson’s job offer my lazy days are numbered. I start work in forty-eight hours. I should have known my personality couldn’t handle an undetermined amount of worry-free time.

  As I continue along the glass wall that separates the sea life from myself, I’m thankful for the advertisement that brought me here. I never considered visiting an aquarium before, until I saw the sign on the side of a passing bus. The illusion that I am underwater with these creatures is relaxing and just plain cool.

  “Um, excuse me?”

  A small voice and a tug on the back of my shirt make me turn around. A little boy with a faux hawk and an Iron Man t-shirt stares up at me.

  “I can’t find my uncle,” he says.

  I glance around the area. “Where did you see him last?”

  He points over his shoulder. “Back there.”

  I scan the exhibit space, expecting to see a frantic adult. Instead, I find relaxed people enjoying the display. His uncle must have gone to find security. At least, that’s what I would do.

  “I’ll tell you what.” I crouch down to the little boy’s level. “Let’s walk and find a nice security guard. I bet they can help us. Sound like a plan?”

  He hesitates, then nods.

  I don’t want him to be scared, so I hold out my hand to introduce myself. “My name’s Jen. What’s yours?”

  His fingers wrap around the tips of mine. “Oliver.”

  “Nice to meet you, Oliver.” I smile and shake his hand. “I like your name.”

  He looks shy at my compliment before I stand to begin our search. There are exits at both ends of the exhibit, but I’m not sure which one will bring us closer to the main lobby. I decide to head in the direction Oliver pointed. Maybe we’ll run into his uncle along the way.

  “So, how old are you, Oliver?” I ask as we start to walk.

  “Seven.”

  “Have you been to the aquarium before?”

  He looks up at me. “Uncle Gunnar brings me every week.”

  Impressive, I think. “You two must really like fish.”

  “Yeah. The sharks are my favorite. Do you have a favorite?”

  I think for a second. “I like the jellyfish. Oh! And the glow-in-the-dark seahorses.”

  Oliver crinkles his nose. “The sharks should be your favorite.”

  I smile. “Why?”

  “They’re like the superheroes of the ocean,” he says. “There’s good guys and bad guys, but mostly good.” He looks serious when he gives me his reason.

  “You’re very persuasive,” I say. “Maybe I’ll change my mind when I see the sharks.”

  “You haven’t seen them?”

  “Nope. This is my first time here.”

  Oliver’s soft brown eyes consume his face. He can’t believe it. “You have to see them! I’ll take you after we find my uncle. I can tell you about all the sharks, even the Great White. They don’t have any Great White’s here, but I know all about them. They’re just like the one in Jaws.”

  The kid knows his predators. “You’ve seen that movie? Wasn’t it scary?”

  “Nah.” He shakes his head. “All the blood was fake.”

  Alright, then. The music alone creeps me out.

  We make it to the exhibit exit and head up the stairs to the next level of the aquarium. When we reach the top, I immediately spot two security guards having a discussion and point at them. “Let’s go ask for some help.”

  Oliver walks with me over to the guards. When we get close, he grabs my hand, almost like he’s nervous. I squeeze his fingers to let him know everything will be okay.

  “Hi,” I interrupt the men. “This little boy is lost. He can’t find his uncle.”

  One of the guards leans down to look at Oliver. “I bet we were just talking about you. Is your name Oliver?”

  “Yes,” Oliver says.

  The security guard smiles and then speaks into the radio on his shoulder. “Tell Mr. Latson we’ve located his nephew.”

  Wait…what?

  A woman radios back. “What’s your location?”

  “Abbott Oceanarium North. At the stairs.”

  She responds. “He’s on his way.”

  “Your uncle will be here soon,” the other security guard tells Oliver. “Can you do me a favor, though, buddy?”

  Oliver steps closer to my side.

  “The next time you’re anywhere with a crowd, make sure you stick by your uncle or your parents, okay? Not all people are as nice as this lady here.” The security guard looks at me. “Thank you for your help.”

  “Of course,” I say.

  While we wait, Oliver starts to look around. He tugs on my hand. “Those seahorses you like are over there.”

  I turn around. “They sure are.”

  “Can we go see them?”

  I look at the security guards. “Is that okay?”

  They agree since we’ll be in their line of sight. Oliver leads me over to the display and just as we get into a conversation about which color seahorse is the best, I hear a voice call out “O.”

  This is crazy, I think.

  Oliver lets go of my hand and takes off. He runs toward Latson, who scoops him up and holds him tight.

  “I told you never to wander away from me,” Latson says against the top of his head.

  “I know,” I hear Oliver say, “but I was bored at the river stuff.”

  Latson closes his eyes and hugs his nephew. Tension leaves his body and relief takes its place. As I watch the two of them, my heart melts. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so sweet.

  When Latson opens his eyes, his brow furrows. He sets Oliver on the ground and crouches in front of him. “You scared me, O. You have to tell me when you want to see something else. If you run off again we’re not coming back. Understand?”

  Oliver looks at his shoes. “Yes.”

  Latson waits for his admonishment to sink in, then holds his fist out to Oliver. “Hey,” he says.

  Oliver looks up. He bumps his uncle’s fist with his own, and all seems right again.

  When Latson stands, he notices me. He does a double take and smiles. “Who’s your friend?” he asks his nephew.

  “That’s Jen. She helped me. I told her I would take her to see the sharks. She has to like them better than everything else.”

  “She does?”

  “Yes!”

  “The kid is adamant when it comes to his favorite,” I say.

  Latson takes Oliver’s hand and walks over to where I’m standing. “It sounds like you have a date with my nephew.”

  I smile. “I guess I do.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “He’s passionate about sharks. Besides, who could say no to that face?”

  He chuckles. “I meant, how did he find you?”

  I shrug. “Coincidence?”

  “She looked nice,” Oliver says. “That’s why I picked her.”

  Latson tips his head and studies me. Then, he confers with Oliver. “I agree. She looks very nice. Not like a kidnapper at all.”

  I roll my eyes.

  Latson steps toward me and asks, “Are you here alone?”

  “Yeah. I figured I should see the city. You know, before I start my new job.”

  He gives me half a smile. “You’d better not be late.”

  Oliver pulls on his uncle’s hand. “Can we go now?”

  “Sure.” Latson looks at me. “You ready?”

  “Yep. I’m ready to be scared by Jaws.”

  The two of them lead the way and I follow. As I walk behind them, I can’t help but notice how similar they look. They have the same hair color, almost the same style, and they hold themselves in the same way. Their family genes are strong. An image of
the kid’s room I accidentally found at the party least week flashes in my mind. They obviously spend a lot of time together.

  Latson looks over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”

  “Absolutely.” I catch up and ruffle Oliver’s hair. “I don’t make a habit of letting handsome men down.”

  “Really?” Latson grins. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  I shoot him an annoyed look. “I was referring to Oliver.”

  He covers his heart with his free hand. “That hurts.”

  Oliver laughs.

  We make it to a set of elevator doors and stop walking. Oliver pushes the down button, and while we wait, Latson takes the opportunity to lean close to me. “Am I not handsome enough for you?” he whispers.

  His breath warms my ear, and I try not to react. I refuse to swoon over his voice, his body, or his scent … which happens to be amazing. It’s crisp and woodsy, with a little citrus thrown in. What cologne is that?

  Focus, Jen.

  “You know you’re covered in the looks department,” I admit.

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  He can’t be serious. “Does the name Heidi ring a bell?”

  “Yes,” Oliver pipes up. “She’s Uncle Gunnar’s friend.”

  Whoops. Apparently I said that a little too loud.

  “Thank you, Oliver,” I say, satisfied. “Uncle Gunnar seems to have forgotten.” It dawns on me that I now know Latson’s first name.

  More people join us to wait for the elevator, and Latson moves Oliver closer to us. He leans over again and says, “Why do you keep bringing up Heidi?”

  I glance at him. “Because you’re together.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “No one. I saw the proof at your party.”

  Latson’s confusion turns into a cocky grin. “I’m not with Heidi.” He steps closer and brushes my arm with his fingertips. “Never have been, never will be.”

  Holy shit. It’s hard to concentrate. I clear my throat. “Well, still.” I look forward. “I’m your employee now, so … ”

  The elevator door opens and we wait for the riders to file out. When we step inside, Oliver pushes the button for the lower level. More people enter the small space, and the three of us move over to make room. By the time the door closes, we’re squashed in the corner. My back ends up pressed against Latson’s chest while Oliver stands in front of me. I set my hands on the little boy’s shoulders in an attempt to distract myself from the feeling of his uncle’s hard muscles against my back.