by Rayne, Piper
“About fucking time,” Dom groans. Seriously, could the man be happy for once?
“Then let’s do dinner instead of lunch. I am a real estate broker.”
My older brother places his fork down and wipes his mouth, his tie swung over his shoulder in case he spills. He’s my brother and all, but he looks like a dick.
“He finally made it.” Enzo eyes Dom across the table and winks, downing a big gulp of water.
“Um… not to be mean, you don’t have shit to do except get your girlfriend off.”
“I just snagged a big client today,” Enzo says. “Annie and I are going to celebrate tonight.”
“Cool. Maybe she’ll give you a hand job under the table.”
Dom high-fives me. He’s about as sick as I am by how much those two go at it. When will the dry spell happen so I can make fun of him?
“Jealousy looks like shit on you,” Enzo says.
Our usual server, Kate, interrupts us, and Enzo should be thanking his balls. “Usual, Carm?”
Her hair is down and curled instead of being in a ponytail, and her full face of makeup looks ready to slip off her face. Must be hot in the kitchen, or she’s been busy this lunch hour.
“That’d be great. Thanks.”
She smiles, and I turn back to my brothers, who are looking at me with expectant eyes.
“What?” I ask.
“She likes you,” Enzo says, cutting up his goat cheese pizza.
“And?”
“Are you going to ask her out?” Dom asks.
“No.”
“Why not?” Enzo pries.
“Maybe because I’m not you and I like variety.”
He shakes his head, biting into his pizza. Dom puts a fork into his pasta, surprisingly laxer than he usually is at lunch.
“What about you? How’s the whole fuck buddy thing going?” I ask Dom. Other than my news about scoring a meeting with a powerful developer next week, I don’t want their attention on me because I’ll only rant about the she-devil. Even I’m sick of listening to myself complain about her.
He smiles. “Perfect.”
Enzo and I exchange a look. We’ve seen it before. Dom gets bored easily.
“Still?” I probe.
He piles another forkful of pasta into his mouth and nods.
“I’m impressed.” Enzo smiles.
“You’re about to end up in his boat.” I flip my thumb in Enzo’s direction.
Dom mocks offense. “You have no idea how great my life is.”
I roll my eyes, and thankfully Kate comes over with a Stella but has no time to give me her flirtatious looks. I know she likes me, but anyone can tell she’s one of those girls you go on a date with and then she’s waiting by the phone. We’d have to find a new place to lunch every Thursday, and I don’t want to listen to my brothers’ bitching.
“Other than the twenty-four seven sex you’re having, which we all know will eventually die a sudden death, why do you actually enjoy being in a relationship?” Dom asks.
I quirk my brow at Dom. “You fell for your fuck buddy?”
He shakes his head and gives me an expression that says, “shut the fuck up, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Enzo puts down his piece of pizza and wipes his mouth. “It’s hard to explain. I mean, the sex is crazy good. The more she figures out what makes me tick and I figure out what drives her crazy, the pleasure just increases. But it’s not just that. It’s her. The way her body slides into my side on the couch, her cute pink toes running along the top of my feet under the blanket, the way she’s never afraid to speak her mind—”
“Okay, we get it.” I yawn from boredom.
Enzo buries his head back in his pizza. I could razz him about pink toes and snuggle time, but he doesn’t care. I get no reaction out of him anymore, so what fun is that?
“Did you hear Mauro and his fiancée are coming to New York?” Dom asks.
“We were on the same group text,” I say.
“He said dinner on Friday, I think?” Enzo rehashes.
Now I’m worried about my brothers’ memories. We were all on the same thread.
“Who’s making the reservations?” Dom asks.
We each put down our silverware and put our fists on our open palms.
“One. Two. Three.”
Dom shoots paper.
I shoot scissors.
Enzo shoots paper.
I click my tongue on the roof of my mouth, thankful I’m out. Even though we all know Enzo will lose. He always does.
They stare at one another.
“Annie’s not here to save you,” Dom eggs him.
“One. Two. Three,” Enzo says.
Dom shoots rock.
Enzo shoots scissors. He shakes his head, and we laugh.
Told you. The guy can’t win to save his life.
He eyes us. “Fine, but no complaints on what I book.”
“I don’t care where we go. Maybe Annie should take Maddie and go somewhere girly,” I say.
Enzo crinkles his forehead.
“Oh, I forgot you can’t go an hour without her.” I take a sip from my Stella.
“No, it’s just we barely know Maddie. Wouldn’t it be nice to get to know her? If you dipshits had girlfriends, it’d make this a lot easier.”
Here we go. I expected this type of lecturing if Dom was the one to fall first, but Enzo? Well, I guess I thought he’d be the last to fall in love.
I groan. “A couples’ dinner?”
Kate places my salad in front of me. “Here you go, Carm.”
“Thanks, Kate.”
She nods and heads off to one of her other tables.
“It’s not like I’m asking you to bring someone, but don’t try to kick the girls out and have a guys’ night.”
Dom turns toward me, and we exchange a look of boredom.
I clap once because any more relationship talk and I’m going to throw up all over my chef salad. “I have a meeting next week with a huge developer.”
“That’s cool,” Enzo says.
His lack of excitement annoys me. “I’m talking huge. Greg Throttle, guys. I mean, he reached out to me. How crazy is that? I swore Justin was fucking with me when he came into my office.”
“Great news,” Dom says.
“Especially since evil she-devil is stealing my clients on the elevator.”
Dom’s phone chimes and he pulls it out of his pocket. I see now my life is of no importance to either of them.
“Shit, I better go.” Dom takes out his wallet and throws some bills on the table, standing in the process. He pats my shoulder. “Way to go, little brother.”
Enzo says goodbye and Dom’s gone.
“I celebrate your shit!” I call after him and stab my lettuce with a fork.
“Don’t pout, we’re just busy. It’s great, and if you hook him, we’ll celebrate with Mauro.” Enzo seems genuine. “Oh, by the way, Annie’s talking about wanting to rent a house in the Hamptons this summer. Can you find me something?”
‘Tis the season in New York, but they’re a few months late.
“Memorial Day is in three weeks.”
He chews his pizza.
“You’re willing to give up all your weekends?”
“I’m not giving them up. I’ll be there with Annie.” He sips his water. “Can you please stop acting like some childish douche about me and monogamy?”
I ignore him and stay on the topic of properties. “I’ll look when I get back to the office, but it’s gonna cost you, and since you left your job for Annie—”
“I didn’t leave my job for her.” The bite in his tone says he’s a minute away from grabbing me by my shirt. “I’m my own boss. You of all people should understand how great that is.”
I nod. He seems touchy, so I figure it’s better to leave that topic where it is. “Like I said, I’ll look when I get back. I need to know how much you want to spend and where you want to be. Does it have to be beachf
ront? Are you opposed to sharing with others? That’s what most people do, since it’s so expensive.”
His face twists into a grimace. “We’re not staying with anyone else.”
“Well yeah, how else would you two spend the weekend naked?”
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you,” he says again, his cocky smirk on display.
I pull out my phone. “Find something original. Jealous? Never. I’m happy.”
“Are you?” he asks.
“You’re hanging around too much estrogen. We’re not going to sit here and talk about our feelings.” I search my phone for the few contacts I have in the Hamptons.
I’m a little jealous that he’ll be doing the Hamptons. It’s something I’ve always wanted to experience but building a real estate company doesn’t afford you the weekends off. That’d be career suicide. The few times I’ve gone out for a party there, I envied my friends who drove out to the beach every Friday.
Enzo leans back in his chair. “Humor me, will you? Why are you so against a relationship? I had my own reasons, but what are yours?”
I blow out a breath and stare at him. Do we really want to do this now? “I’m twenty-nine. There’s no rush.”
“But one day?”
“Who are you—Ma? Just because you jumped off the bachelor plane and nosedived right onto the soon-to-be-married landing pad, don’t expect me to.”
He laughs, digs his wallet out of the pocket of his suit jacket, and tosses down cash. “I’ll talk to Annie and get the answers to your questions. Let me know about the place as soon as possible.”
I refrain from rolling my eyes at this new brother Annie has constructed with her magic pussy that gets him to do anything she commands. “You know we’re in the same building? We can share a cab.”
“Annie’s down the road having lunch with Mae. We’re cutting out early to head to Central Park for a walk.”
“You two are growing a new company, remember?”
He’s already standing and sliding his chair back in. “Sometimes you have to stop and enjoy what life is offering you.”
“Seriously, does she have a spell over you? What the hell?” I ask, pushing away my salad. My brother is someone I barely recognize these days.
He laughs and leaves the restaurant.
Kate grabs his plate and his cup. “Do you mind closing your tab? I’m leaving early today. Or I could have one of the other servers handle it when you’re ready.”
I take Enzo and Dom’s cash and hand her my card.
“We could share a cab?” she asks, my credit card between her two fingers, right by her breasts.
I lean back in my seat. Her invitation is obviously more than just to share a cab given that she has no idea where I’m headed next. It’d be so easy to go somewhere with her. But even I have a conscience. I’m game when the woman involved knows the score, but Kate? She’d want a boyfriend, and that’s not a name I intend to go by.
“Sorry, I have to get back to work.”
Her lips dip, and she walks to the hallway.
Guess I’ll add her to the list of women I’ve pissed off today. And just think, it’s only lunch.
Chapter Five
Bella
I’m in my office when Max peeks her head in. Her messy bob with blue ombre looks gorgeous on her. I envy her for the self-esteem to do it. Makes me want to give myself a makeover.
“There’s a girl named Annie Stewart here for you,” she says.
“Dark hair? Cute smile?”
She nods.
“Send her in.”
Max opens my door all the way and Annie waves from the other side of Max’s desk. “Sorry for interrupting, this won’t take long.” She smiles at Max.
Annie is girl-next-door gorgeous. She has a face that makes you feel as though you can trust her with your darkest secrets. I’ve yet to meet the other Mancini in this office building, but I can see why he nailed her down when he got the chance.
Max is about to shut the door, but Annie stops her. “You might be interested in this too.”
Max exchanges a look with me and leans her shoulder on the doorframe. Annie positions herself between us.
“So the building is kind of small as far as office buildings go. I come from working in a huge high-rise where you might never see the same person twice. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to organize a get-together?” She hands me a flyer for duckpin bowling then passes one to Max. “They’re these little pins and small balls. I rented it out for the night. There’ll be appetizers. It’s a way for all of us to get to know one another.”
“Why?” Max asks like the true New York City native she is.
It’s one thing I love about her, but I’m from a small town in Florida, so I get what Annie’s trying to do. It’d be nice to get to know the people we ride up and down the elevator with every day, rather than suffer through awkward silence.
Annie stares at Max as though she’s the snarky high school girl who wears black every day. “Just for friendship and to make it more pleasant around here.”
Max hands back the flyer. “I’m out.”
Annie’s smile turns down as she casts her gaze on me.
“Sorry, she’s not into meeting new people.” I shrug.
“Will you come?”
I read the date. Tomorrow. I don’t even have the excuse of visiting clients at night or showing property anymore. That was always my go-to. Annie doesn’t know me though. I could lie about a significant other or even a dentist appointment. But seeing how deflated she seemed when Max shut her down, I find myself not wanting to let her down further.
“Sure, I’ll go.”
“Really?” Her eyes light up.
“Am I the only one accepting this invitation?” I ask.
“No! Most of the people from the accounting firm on the fourth floor are coming, and same with the architectural firm on the second.” I wonder who else might be coming and I guess she reads my face because she says, “Carm isn’t coming. He has a meeting or something. The guy has no social life.”
I find the tension that was building inside me dissipate. “Great. I’ll see you then.”
“It’s going to be so much fun.” She turns on her heels and heads to my door but whips around one more time. “And you get to meet Enzo. No worries, he’s nothing like Carm.”
I smile. “I look forward to it.”
Annie and her giddy excitement walk out of my office, past Max, and out the door.
Max twirls around in her chair. “Why would you go to that thing?”
I shrug. “Because we should be friendly.”
She stares at me with an expression of boredom, tipping her glasses down to the tip of her nose. “This isn’t some sitcom where we all get together and join a bowling league.” She bends her arm and swings it back and forth.
“It’s a meet-and-greet and who knows? Maybe I’ll pick up a few clients.”
She takes that into consideration by tilting her head in an I-guess-you-have-a-point gesture. “True. Maybe I’ll go with you.”
“Really?” I ask, resembling Annie moments ago.
“Calm down there, Strawberry Shortcake. I said maybe.” She swivels back around, pushing up her dark glasses.
I sit at my desk, second-guessing my decision and realizing there’s a reason Annie works at an ad agency. She can probably sell anyone on anything.
* * *
The next day, my phone vibrates on my desk and my friend Evie’s name flashes on the screen.
“Hey,” I say, swiveling my chair to stare out my window at the dismal view of a brick wall.
“What’s up, cupcake?”
“You’re chipper.”
“I got laid last night,” she says.
I nod. “Good to know.”
“You should try it sometime. It’s fun.” She’s mumbling over food.
“Is that the point of your call? To harass me about my non-existent sex life?”
Evie is a freelance graphic designer
who works out of her house. She’s probably in her pajamas on the couch, eating leftover Thai food right now.
“I want out of Manhattan for the summer.”
“Okay, and that has what to do with me?” I cross my legs and trace a pattern through the mortar with my eyes.
“If I have to spell it out, I’m afraid this whole FSBO thing isn’t for you.” She munches in my ear again. Now I hear a mouse click, which means she’s working as she talks to me. Which also means I’ll be hanging up frustrated after repeating myself ten times.
“You’re late. All the good properties are taken.” I swivel my chair to do a search because I know she won’t take my word for it. “Not to mention, are you talking about sharing or going solo? Solo will cost you.”
“I was hoping to round up you and maybe Max. Who else could we ask?”
I laugh. “We know no one. I just started a company and you work from home.”
“Ask Max. I’m sure she’s got friends. Half the fun is getting to know your roommates, then we can all become lifelong friends.”
“Hmm, I think I’ve heard of this before. Oh yeah, Summer Rental on Bravo.”
She laughs. “I might’ve binge-watched last season, but come on. It looks like so much fun. Parties. Hook-ups. Like when we were in college! You do remember what it was like to get laid, don’t you?”
I roll my eyes. “Even if I could find a place, every weekend is a lot of time for me to take off and—”
“Live a little, will you? A pool, the sun, the beach, the guys. What is there not to like?”
I stare at the ceiling. She’s not going to let this go. Evie has tenacity similar to a bulldog. “I have a mortgage to pay. Customers to service.”
“Keep listing your excuses.” Her annoyance rings through the line. “One day, you’re going to have to put yourself out there.”
I blow out a breath. “I’ll look into it for you. I have some connections.”
“I’d really love to experience it with my best friend, I’m just saying,” she says through another mouthful of food.
I want to scream at the top of my lungs that her best friend has to survive first. That leaving my steady income job wasn’t exactly my first choice, but I did what I had to and now she needs to let me get comfortable in my new role. But that’s not Evie. The girl was born wild. I love that about her. Hell, I would never have pulled my head out of my book if it wasn’t for her.
