“Have I ever told you that you’re my favorite brother?”
“Only every time I buy you Chinese food.”
“Good. Because it’s true.”
“Until Preston buys you Chinese food.”
“Well, you can’t always be the favorite! There’s enough of me to go around!”
We ate the rest of our meal in silence. There was barely enough time to breathe, let alone speak. Parker took a break from inhaling dinner just long enough to replenish our Capri Suns. He immediately returned to his gigantic helping of orange chicken.
When the last grain of rice had been chased out of the last container we both leaned back against the couch and sighed, content.
“I’m a little bit sad every time I eat Chinese food. I know I’ll just be hungry again in twenty minutes. But holy shit that was delicious.” I sucked up the last of my juice and tossed the pouch on top of the pile of empty cardboard containers.
Parker’s head rested against the back of the couch and he was staring absently at the ceiling, worrying his bottom lip.
“That was a poop joke, Parker. You didn’t laugh. What’s on your mind?”
“I talked to Preston today. He’s still pissed and not nearly as optimistic as you are. It was a little rough is all. I’m still trying to figure out how I’m gonna make things right with him.”
“Shit.” Preston was notorious for holding wicked grudges. “I’m pretty sure he’s still pissed at me for the time I let him take the fall for my bong. He didn’t talk to me for a month after that.”
“This is a little bit bigger than us leaving your bong in his room, Porter.”
“I know that, Parker. I was trying to empathize. How do you want me to handle this? Do you want me to tell you that the best thing you can do is leave him be until he gets over it? Is that the truth you want to hear? Sadly, it’ll be torture on you the entire time. If you want to make amends, you have to wait until he’s receptive. If you try to go at him for forgiveness right now, he’ll throw it in your face and spew whatever venom he has toward you without feeling bad for it. If you wanna stay on the wagon, I don’t recommend putting yourself through that.”
“I know. I only got the tip of the iceberg today. I’ve fucked up in some big ways over the years and I didn’t expect him to just forgive and forget over night. Hell, I didn’t expect you to be so cool about it. You’ve spent years beating yourself up over my mistakes and I let you do it. No more, Porter. You hear me? If I fuck up again, it’s my mistake, not yours. I’m an adult, capable of making my own choices and dealing with the consequences.”
Who the hell was this guy and where had he come from? Since he was old enough to talk, Parker had always been one to point the finger at everyone but himself. Accepting that his actions affected other people wasn’t something I’d ever seen him do.
“After he finished telling me how it was only a matter of time before I slipped up, he did give me an interesting bit of information about you though,” he smiled again, one of the toothy, genuine smiles our family was known for.
“Oh, God. That worries me.”
“I’m told you have a lady friend! That bombshell from the premier party? What was her name?”
“Holly,” I muttered as I got up to get a beer, “and I wouldn’t call her a friend.”
“Holly. That’s right. Holly Nash, the casting director. Preston says she really did a number on you. Got you all tied up in knots over what she thinks and shit.”
“She’s a meal ticket, Park. Nothing more. I care what she thinks about me because she is one of the biggest names in her industry and I want to get the hell out of porn.”
“Does she know she’s just a meal ticket? Have you told her this?”
“Of course not!” I yelled from the fridge, “You know how it is. You’ve gotta play the game if you wanna get a foot up anywhere. Especially coming from the porn industry. I’m a PR nightmare. It’s going to be hell to get anyone to take me on and give me any kind of serious role because half the planet has seen me with my dick buried in some floozie.”
“Preston said he went and saw her today.”
I set my beer down on the counter and stepped around the half wall that separated the kitchen from the living room.
“What?”
“Yeah. He had just gotten home from her office when I called him. Wouldn’t give me any details, but he was there with your lady friend.”
“Hmm,” I mused, “I knew they were friends before the party, but I didn’t think they were the kind of friends that dropped in on each other at work.”
I left my beer sitting on the counter and rejoined him on the couch.
“You should tell her what you’re after, Porter. What’s the worst that can happen? If you don’t care about this woman, she can say no and you can move on to trying to catch your break like the rest of this state.”
“You know I don’t handle rejection well. I’ve done everything I can to ensure that nobody says no to me. I spend fourteen hours a week at the gym, I get my teeth whitened once a month, I play it safe when it comes to close relationships, and I always surround myself with people who I know support me in anything I want to do. Nobody has the power to make or break my career that way except me.”
“Don’t you think we’re a little old to be playing it safe, Porter?”
When did my little brothers become fonts of wisdom?
“Honestly?” I sighed, “I don’t know. And that’s what scares me. Since Dad died, I feel like I’ve just fucked up at every turn. As the man of the house, I should’ve made sure you guys stayed in school. I was making plenty of money to make sure you guys were taken care of long enough to graduate. I shouldn’t have let you get pulled into this shit. If we hadn’t have followed in his footsteps, you probably wouldn’t be—“
“I told you no-fucking-more of that shit, Porter. The choices I made and the life I lead are my problems. Not yours. They always have been. You made the choice to follow Dad down this path, and so did we. You didn’t force us into anything. Whatever has or hasn’t happened as a result of our choices is on our shoulders, not yours.” He had pushed himself off the couch and was pacing back and forth across my living room.
“I still should’ve been a better role model for you guys.”
“No, Porter, if anyone should’ve been a better role model, it’s Dad. But it’s in the past and not something we can change. It’s something we can live with and move the fuck on. If you want something more for yourself, now’s the time to go after it. You’re not responsible for Preston and me anymore. We’re both a little bit fucked up, but we’re big boys. We can handle it. You’re not as perfect as you’d like the world to believe either. Tell her, Porter. Make her see that you’re worth the risk.”
I knew arguing with him wouldn’t get me anywhere, so I let my head fall back against the couch and tried my best not to grumble under my breath.
“I don’t even know where to start, Park.”
“I can’t help you there,” he ran a hand through his dirty blond hair and dropped onto the couch next to me, “I can tell you that lying to women is a bad idea. She’ll sniff out your bullshit. If you piss her off, she’ll find your weakness, and she’ll stick her well-manicured finger in it. Be honest with her and get it over with. You’re the biggest porn star on the planet at the moment. What the hell do you have to be worried about?”
“Thanks, Park.” I clapped a hand on his back, “I’ll think about it. This shit is a mess. You got some time for some mindless xBox?”
“Actually,” he glanced down at his watch, “I’ve gotta be to a meeting across town in twenty. I’ve gotta bounce.”
He stood up and I rose to walk him out.
Parker pulled me into a hug and slapped my back. I was stunned. It felt like someone had pulled all the muscles out of my arms and I couldn’t move. He hadn’t shown me that kind of affection since we were kids.
I finally convinced one of my hands to pat his back in a halfhearted h
ug and he let me go with a smile.
Before he closed the door behind him, he winked at me and said, “Tell her you like her, Porter. Everyone knows except the two of you. Take the risk. Give yourself the chance to be happy. You’ve earned it.”
The door closed and left me standing in the middle of my living room wondering what the fuck was happening to my life. Both of my younger brothers had called me out and given me life advice. Good life advice at that.
Preston and I needed to have a talk.
I fished my cell out of the couch cushions where it had fallen and booted up the screen.
I froze when I saw that I had a single text message. From Holly Nash.
“Could this day possibly get any more fucking weird?”
I swiped the screen and read the message. My palms instantly started to sweat.
We need to talk. Noon tomorrow. 101 Coffee on Franklin.
“It’s just business, Holly. Calm down.”
I had been repeating those words to myself since the moment my feet hit the floor that morning. I was practically vibrating with excitement. If this meeting with Porter went well, I’d not only have a new client, but I’d have the chance to work with him more often so I could secretly feed the demands of my infatuation.
“Holly?” Mitch poked his head into my office as I was gathering up my purse.
“What’s up?” I asked as I dropped my cell inside the miniature tote bag.
“Oh! Are you taking off already?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a meeting at noon. I’ll probably be out of the office the rest of the day, but you can call me if you need anything.”
“I didn’t see anything on your schedule for today.” He was suspicious.
“This one’s being kept on the down low. If it goes well, the agency stands to make a lot of money. I just don’t want any potential problems to arise before I’ve had a chance to really feel it out myself.”
I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. The idea of feeling Porter for any reason shot straight through me like a red-hot poker. I didn’t need to get any more myself worked up before I even saw him. That would end in disaster for my poor sex drive. Hell, I’d probably just burst into flames.
“Alright,” he stepped to the side as I walked into the hall, “let me know how your date with Porter goes then!”
I spun to face him, “How did you know?”
He flashed me a wicked grin, “I didn’t.”
“Ugh,” I rolled my eyes and continued to the front doors, “You’re such an ass. Don’t say anything to anyone. Preston dropped off a cryptic package when he was in here yesterday and I just want to get a feel for how serious this is before I say anything official.”
“Mum’s the word, love,” he returned to his chair behind his desk and propped his chin on his palms like a little cherub, “But if you end up sleeping with him and don’t tell me, I will quit. I’m serious this time, Holly.”
I waved a dismissive hand at him in acknowledgment and pushed my way through the double doors and into the parking lot.
Lunch hour traffic was bound to be a bitch and I chastised myself for not leaving a little bit earlier. I’d look like a total bitch if he beat me there.
I nosed out into the street and gunned it, narrowly avoiding a few bumpers and completely ignoring the blaring horns.
I cranked up the volume on my stereo and did my best to sing along with the top forty pop that blared out of the speakers.
It was a clear, sunny day, not all that unusual for southern California, and I crawled along with the rest of traffic with my windows down. I didn’t have a lot of time to spend on the beach working on my tan, so every chance I got to hang an arm out the window while I drove was one I couldn’t pass up.
By the time I pulled into the tiny lot behind the coffee shop, I was five minutes late. I glanced around for Porter’s Land Rover and did an internal happy dance when I didn’t see the monstrosity among the cars in the lot.
My small celebration ended abruptly as I stepped out of the sweltering heat into the cool air-conditioned building. Porter was seated at the counter on one of the art-deco stools.
He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of the bell over the door and his eyes lit up when he saw me.
At least, that’s what I told myself.
“Sorry I’m late,” I apologized as I set my purse on the counter next to him, “I hate traffic in this city.”
“No worries,” he assured me, “I was almost late myself. I had to drive like a maniac to get here on time.”
“You drove? I didn’t see the Rover in the lot out back. Is there some secret underground parking garage I don’t know about?”
He laughed and I had to fight the urge to faint as a giddy thrill raced through my body at the sound. His brilliant blue eyes sparkled when he laughed.
“No. I left the Rover at home today. I wanted to get out on the bike while the weather was so nice.”
That explained the leather jacket.
“You ride?”
He nodded his head and spun around on his stool to point through one of the windows.
“Holy shit, Porter.” I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the most beautiful piece of machinery I had ever seen.
“She’s pretty, isn’t she?” He said the words like he was talking about a child.
“Is that a Panhead? Forty-eight, I think.” I rushed over to the window and pressed my face against the glass like a kid in a candy store.
“Holly Nash, you are full of surprises.”
His voice was dangerously close. I could feel his breath on my ear and it sent a shudder down my spine.
I took a wide step to the side and reluctantly tore my eyes away from the classic Harley to face him.
“My mom had a thing for bikers after my dad died. I’ve seen a lot of pretty bikes in my life, but I’ve only ever seen one other bike like this in my life. It had been ridden well though. Yours is pristine!”
He smiled again, sending another jolt of need through my body.
“I’ve had a lot of work done on her. She’s my baby.”
“I’d say…”
The frame and body were in mint condition. The massive whitewall tires complimented the powder blue paint and white pin stripes to perfection. The massive leather seat sat on top of two brand new springs and the chrome pipes glinted brightly in the sunlight.
“You’ve gotta let me ride it,” I begged.
“Woah now!” he took a few steps backwards and held up his hands, “Don’t get crazy on me! Nobody rides my bike. Nobody even sits on my bike. That’s part of the reason I bought it! There’s no way to put a bitch seat on the back of that thing, so I don’t have to let anyone else near her.”
“Porter,” I leveled my gaze on him, “I grew up on motorcycles. That bike is not just any bike. It’s a fucking legend. You can’t tell me no. Please don’t tell me no.”
“I’m telling you no.” The expression on his face told me it was the end of the conversation—for the time being.
I promised myself then and there that I would ride that bike someday.
“Fine,” I said, casting one last longing glance through the window, “Let’s get down to business then.”
We returned to our seats at the counter and placed our drink orders with the barista.
“Your brother came to see me at work yesterday,” I said casually.
“So I’ve heard.”
“So he told you about our little visit then?” My heart rate spiked at the possibility that Preston had spilled the beans about my crush.
“Not exactly,” he folded his arms over his chest causing his biceps to strain against the cotton of his tee shirt, “He told Parker that he was at your office and Parker told me.”
Oh thank God.
“Well,” I tried for my best business voice, “Your resume is impressive. You know as well as I do that your current line of employment leaves a lot to be desired as far as PR goes, but I think if you can land a few
good roles and keep your nose clean for a couple years, we could build you a pretty solid career in mainstream film. Now, I want to focus mostly on your musical theatre days,” I fished the manila envelope out of my purse and retrieved his résumé, “There are some pretty major roles on this list, Porter. I was more than a little impressed, to be honest. Do you know of any critical reviews that you could dig up for me?”
I glanced over at him at that point and was surprised to see his mouth hanging open. He was staring at the piece of paper in my hand like it might catch on fire and explode at any moment.
It dawned on me that he had no idea why Preston had been in my office.
“You didn’t know he was dropping this off?”
He slowly shook his head from side to side, still not saying anything.
“I see,” I returned the sheet of paper to the envelope and held it out to him, “I apologize for the confusion. I assumed you had asked him to drop it off on your behalf. It’s impossible to get into our agency without a solid referral from an agent or someone with a foot in the door. I thought I understood that you wanted to be one of our clients.”
Something I said seemed to snap him out of his stupor.
“Absolutely!” he cranked up the charm with another dazzling smile, “I just… I had no idea that this is what was coming! I thought this was your way of paying me back for our botched dinner date! I wasn’t expecting a business meeting!”
I lowered the envelope into my lap, “So you are interested?”
“Hell yes I’m interested!” He drummed his hands on the counter and barely managed to contain the excitement I could see buzzing through him.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Good,” I smiled as the barista set our coffees on the counter, “I’ll get the ball rolling then. You’ll have to come in and meet with the rest of the casting directors and of course we’ll have to get approval to take you on as a client, but I don’t see it being too much of an issue. There are bound to be some bumps, but nothing I can’t handle.”
I held up my coffee in toast, “To new business ventures.”
He touched his own cup to mine and we sipped.
Porter (Dick Dynasty #1) Page 11
