Haught & Bothered

by Leela Lou Dahlin

  “I told him he was full of shit and I was tired of it.” True tried to recall all of the venom that she’d spurted to the answering machine. “I was upset that he spent so much time talking and smiling at Maryse but couldn’t bother to spend any time with me without looking for an argument. I told him that we all had been drinking and Maryse had asked about him several times.” She stopped not really wanting to go further now that she’d heard the words out loud.

  “There is no fucking way you’re going to stop there. I don’t care if we have to shake you upside down you’re going to tell us what got his ass up out of bed and over to you.”

  True took a deep breath. “I told him I had gotten the two of you together and I’d won the bet we had. I got to choose what I wanted to be my prize and I told him it was that I no longer wanted anything from him. I was happy to help his brothers find love and Maryse would probably be a good match for him.” She picked up her glass of wine and took a few big sips. “Then I hung up and cried like a baby.”

  True finally took a look at the couple sitting across from her. Karessa looked like she was going to say aww at any minute, but Beau looked pissed. “I hope this story gets better I don’t like the thought of my brother making you cry.”

  “Well, he didn’t really. I made myself cry. He wasn’t even on the phone.”

  “I don’t accept that. He knew he was being a prick not just that day, but every day since you met him. There were major sparks between you two from the start and not just on your end. He’s too smart not to have sensed that.”

  Karessa patted his hand. “Let’s wait for the whole story before you fly off the hinges.”

  “Alright. Not another word from me.” Beau zipped his lips with an invisible zipper and nodded, but True didn’t really believe that would be the last peep out of him. The man went to bat for those he loves and True knew she was counted in that group.

  “When I hung up I finished crying, took a long shower and planned to go to bed. There was a lot to do in the next few days and I wasn’t going to be full of mopes the whole time.” She picked up her wine and drained the glass. Just telling this story was like reliving it. “Is there any more wine?”

  “Oh my god, True. You are killing me. Just finish the story and I’ll get you your own damn bottle.” Beau got up and walked to the bar looking for a new bottle she guessed.

  “Are you always this impatient?” True asked as she watched him look for something else. “Wait I know the answer to that…yes you are.”

  Beau had been looking for the wine opener apparently because that is what he had in his hand. “I brought it all over. Keep talking and I’ll open it.”

  “Are you holding the bottle hostage?” True smiled and enjoyed the fact Beau was so into this story.

  “If that’s what it takes.”

  “Okay, well. He was standing at my door when I came back to my room from the shower. Just standing there in the dim lights.”

  “So you’re ready to match me now?” Alec asked from the door.

  “Yes, and you’ve passed the woman I thought would be good for you. Last I saw she was having a nightcap and watching television.” She was fresh from the shower, but the heat this man created in her made her sweat like a cold water on a hot day.

  He pushed himself off the wall and stood there. “Maryse? Yes, she’s still out there. As a matter of fact, she opened the door for me. You think she’s my type?”

  “You have such eclectic tastes. I think a few of your girlfriends in school were tall, thin and blond. Others were tall, thin with brown hair. Your fiancé was a tall, thin raven haired beauty.” True put her hand on her chin like she needed a lot of thought to conjure up the images of each and every woman she knew he’d dated. I’m sure there were others, but I just can’t recall them.

  “They were all tall and thin is where I’m thinking you were going with that. Maryse isn’t tall or thin, so why did you pick her for me?” Alec looked as if he were playing cat and mouse with her but little did he know this mouse didn’t play.

  True wanted to slap him just for standing there looking like a whole buffet and acting like this was a normal 2:42 AM conversation. “You seem interested and she’s something different. So that’s my analysis. Look, it’s late and I’m tired. Maryse will probably still be where you left her if you leave now. Close the door behind you, okay.”

  Alec stood there and didn’t move. It was like he was going to say something, but the words were stuck.

  “You’re not going to ask me where I was?” Alec took a step closer to True.

  “No, I’m not. It isn’t my business.”

  “It isn’t your business.” Alec said the words like he was rolling them around in his mouth tasting them and they were bitter. He moved a few slow steps closer to her. “And when has that stopped you before.”

  True just shrugged because he’d gotten too close to her and it was like it had always been. The smell of his skin and whatever other fragrances he had mixed in made her so damn hungry. She wanted to lick it off of him and she wanted to keep that smell in her underwear drawer so every time she opened it the butterflies in her stomach would just flutter with arousal.

  “You don’t want to try me yourself before you offer me up to others? You can’t tell me you’ve never thought of the two of us together.”

  He stood 6’3 to her 5’11 but for some reason she felt so very small around him. She looked up and tried like hell not to lift up on her tippy toes to get his mouth closer to hers. He must be holding his lips tight because the scar was practically white compared to the skin around it. She realized that he was waiting for an answer, but the butterflies were stronger now. All she could do was lift her shoulders a little.

  “You’ve got to do better than that.” He walked around to True’s back and spoke into her left ear from behind. “All full of piss and vinegar on the phone, but I’m here and you’ve nothing to say.”

  True cleared her throat, trying to even remember what the fuck she was so mad about. “Where were you before you got here?”

  “Since I’m full of shit why would you even believe what I tell you.”

  “Are you here because I said you were full of shit? Really Alec? I swear I’ve said worse to you since I’ve met you.” True walked over to her dresser and picked up her lotion. It was snatched out of her hand. “Hey!”

  “I’m here because you sounded jealous and I wanted to see what that looked like in person.” Alec opened the lotion and stared at True in the mirror. “Feel free to tell me that I’m wrong, because unlike me, you are always honest.”

  “I have to put my lotion on while I’m damp to get the best effect.” True was telling the truth about that. She was serious about her lotion usage because being dry and ashy took away all ability to have a pleasant personality and converse with people.

  “Allow me.” His deep voice brought goose bumps to her flesh, making her want to undo this towel just to see what he’d say to that.

  “If I say no are you going to leave?” True had no idea why she was questioning him since he was one of the most honest and forthright people she knew. If he wasn’t going to tell you something, then he wasn’t, but even wrapped in a small towel she didn’t feel threatened or intimidated.

  He handed her back the lotion and turned around. “Have a good night, True.”

  “Wait,” she said, catching a piece of his shirt in her hands. “I’m sorry I asked that. I’m nervous.”

  He turned around and looked at her. This would have been a perfect time for his grins that hit her like a lightning bolt because they were so few and far between but when he hit her with one it was just as electric and it filled her with all kinds of pleasurable sensations. He didn’t crack a smile. Not even a one corner of his mouth lifted up into a smirk. Bringing his mouth down slowly he focused his gaze on her lips until he was almost there, then he looked up at her for a second. It was like he was asking for permission. “Maybe, I am too.”

  She was lik
e a bug on a stick. True wanted to move, encourage, beg for that kiss if she had too. Opening up her mouth, she wasn’t sure what would come out, but a wobbly, “Alec”, was all that she uttered.

  It must have been enough because he nuzzled her lips with his before he opened slightly and tasted her full bottom lip. She wrapped her arms around his neck to get more, but he pulled away.

  “I want to help you put your lotion on.”

  “Is that why you came over here at this time of night? I thought you had the thing on your phone so it didn’t disturb you in the night.” True was speaking so quietly. There was no way she wanted to mess up whatever they had going on. Maybe it was a drunk dream…or maybe she fell in the shower. Whatever it was she didn’t want to risk waking up right now because she would have a damn fit.

  “I told you why I came over. I saw that you called, I have family and friends on my hot list and it rings whenever they call.”

  She picked up the lotion and handed it to him. “I’m on the list?”

  “Of course you’re on the list.”

  “But I rarely call you.” True heard the lotion cap pop off and the noise of Alec squeezing the bottle to get the contents.

  “Which is why when your ringtone sang out I was surprised. It took me a few minutes to get to my phone and by then you were leaving a message.”

  “What ringtone is mine?” True wanted to know the answer to that question so bad if she had her phone she’d have called him.

  Alec took the phone out of his pocket and turned off the ringer. “None of your business.”

  “I’m going to find out what it is.” She watched the man rub his big hands together like there was a special way to do this task. True refused to ask him if he knew what he was doing, but the way he was stalling she had her doubts. “Now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t think I’ve ever heard your phone ring.”

  “I typically keep it on vibrate when I’m not alone. The bar is so loud I’d never hear it anyway.” Alec placed his hands on her back and the warm lotion soothed her skin just like this man soothed her soul. It was going to be the start of something special. She just knew it.

  “We talked for a bit, played for a bit and the rest is history.” True didn’t want to share all that had happened that night because it was so personal and she was happy that she had a memory that only they could share.

  Beau looked at her and then at Karessa. “I feel like we got robbed of a good story, but I guess that’s okay. I don’t really want to think about you and my brother doing the old in and out.”

  “Oh have mercy. Do you have a million ways to say sex too? How did I never notice that?” True chuckled, thinking about all the names Alec had come up with.

  “Nah. I was just channeling my big brother. That’s his thing. It always made Cam and me laugh because I’m not sure he’s ever repeated one.” Beau looked up at the ceiling like he was cataloging the names his brother had for sex. “Well, that answers one question.”

  Karessa nodded as she finished her who knew how many glasses of wine they’d both had this evening.

  “Now I want to know where are you guys going from here.”

  “Unfortunately, we’re still working that part out.”

  Beau sat up a bit. “What do you mean you’re still working that part out? He can’t just play with your heart.”

  “There will be no talk of this and you won’t tell him I told you about it. If he comes to you then fine but I don’t want him harassed about whatever we have going on. I’m a big girl and I knew what I was getting into. Hell, I’ve wanted to be with Alec before my body actually knew why. This is on me and I won’t have him bothered about it.” True put on her fiercest look. “Do you understand?”

  Beau didn’t look like he was going to be paying attention to what she said but he nodded.

  “Hand on your heart.” True called to Beau.

  “What the hell? Are we 5?”

  “The look on your face doesn’t give me confidence that you aren’t going to run over there right now and demand he marry me to save my honor.” True studied Beau’s face, waited until he nodded and was finally satisfied that the man wouldn’t do anything too stupid.

  He put his hand on his heart. “Are you happy now?”

  “Yes, but I remember how sneaky you were when we were kids. There better not be any I crossed my fingers, toes or anything else that would nullify your promise.”

  Beau pulled his hand from the cushion where True hadn’t been looking. “Damn it. You got me.”

  Chapter 8

  “Fancy meeting you here,” Gemmi came around the corner and wrapped her arm around his.

  “I guess it would seem odd to see me coming out of my apartment that is on the top floor of The Haught Spot.” Alec smiled down at Gemmi. He could tell that she was nervous around him like most people were before they knew him…sometimes even after they knew him. “Is there a reason you’re looking for me?”

  “Actually, there is a reason I wanted to talk to you.” She turned to face him and he looked down at her and her huge belly.

  “Should we sit down?” He steered them both back to his apartment.

  “No,” Gemmi whispered. “I don’t have a lot of time. Camden is waiting for me downstairs and I want you to talk to him.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “I’m being held prisoner.” She smiled when she said it, but Alec was still a bit worried.

  “Explain.” His voice got terse when he was upset and he could see he was scaring her.

  “I was joking about being held prisoner…well, kind of. I’ll be on modified bed rest so I’m supposed to take it easy, but I don’t have to be in bed. He follows me around constantly and don’t think I haven’t figured out that he has you guys watching me too.” She looked miserable and he didn’t know if that’s just how you look when it appears you’re about to topple over or if this was normal. He hadn’t been around any pregnant women so he was at a loss.

  “Gemmi, Camden never met our mother because she died giving birth to him. For a good long while it appeared that he didn’t think he deserved to be happy with a wife because he’d taken one from our father. I know he planned to get prepared to have a baby, but I don’t think he ever would have been.” Alec took a deep breath and looked into the face of the woman his brother loved so much. “I’m trying to understand it from your perspective and I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be as heavily guarded as you feel you are.”

  The smile she gave him was huge and he felt good that he was able to give her something to smile about.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I want you to tell him that I’m going to be okay and he doesn’t have to watch over me so closely.” She latched on to his arm and moved toward the steps but he guided her to the freight elevator.

  The elevator came fairly quickly and they both stepped on. “Here’s the thing. I don’t know if you’re going to be okay. I wouldn’t feel comfortable telling him that. I hope you and my nieces or nephews are good, but I can’t promise they will be.”

  “Okay then can you tell him that if he doesn’t lay off then I may need to move home for a while?” The look on her face was about a woman on the brink of a breakdown. That isn’t what anyone wanted.

  “I’ll talk to him.”

  Gemmi sighed deeply and her belly stuck out even more. “Thank you.

  *****

  “Hey there, Brother.” Camden was looking at something on his phone while sitting at the bar.

  “Hey, yourself. What are you up too?”

  “Just waiting for the babies. We’ve got about 12 weeks left. Can you believe it?” Camden had a smile on his face but it was brittle.

  “How do you really feel, Cam?” Alec pulled his chair out so he could sit next to his brother on the stool.

  Camden put down his phone and turned to his brother. “Why do you ask?”

  “Well, I know you and you’re wound up pretty tight, but your wife accosting
me in the hallway to say she is feeling a bit like a prisoner is what put it in perspective.”

  Cam put his head down on the bar and spoke so Alec had to strain to hear him. In the end it didn’t work.

  “Put your head up, Buddy, I can’t hear a word you’re saying.”

  Camden picked up his heads. “There was a time when I knew what I was doing. I helped women. They came to me with issues…I helped them…they left. That was how it went and I was okay with it. I wasn’t ever supposed to have a family of my own.”

  “Sometimes the way your life goes isn’t the way you thought it would go. There are times you promise yourself something wouldn’t happen to you, but just because you made a dumb promise the Universe turns it around on you and that’s what you get.” Alec didn’t think he’d ever seen Camden so down. “But you got something great. You and Gemmi are like magic together and you’ve got Haught Twins right out the gate.”

  “It’s a good thing because I don’t want to have any more.” Camden grabbed hold of his stomach. “This time is killing me, I can’t imagine doing this again. I’m going to get a vasectomy.”

  “Whoa there…does your wife know this?”

  “If everything goes well with this pregnancy and she has two babies, she said she’ll be happy with that.” Camden looked like he was going to put his head down again. “You just don’t know how it feels to feel like life just gave you something so it can snatch it away. I pray that my wife makes through this pregnancy. I love her so much. Since I was young and found out I was the cause of death to our mother, I’ve always wondered if that same karma would happen to me if I had a child.”

  Seeing his brother hurting so bad broke his heart. He wasn’t sure if it was because the man’s despair was palpable or because he felt the same damn way. Sharing wasn’t Alec’s strong point, but he almost felt compelled to tell Camden why he was so miserable. If he thought about it too hard it wasn’t going to happen. He was just going to have to cut open a vein quickly and bleed so his brother didn’t feel like he was alone.