Secrets, Lies & Imperfections

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Secrets, Lies & Imperfections Page 3

by Pamela L. Todd


  Blake chuckled. “So just to piss him off, you majored in pop culture?”

  “Hey, I might use it for something,” I said with a wide grin.

  “Right,” Blake said, still laughing quietly. “Look, man, I don’t get what you want from me here. If Dad wanted you back in Vegas, he meant with him.”

  I groaned. “I’ll die if I have to get a desk job. I’m not built to waste the sun by sitting in an office all day long.” I was so an outside guy. Fresh air and sunshine. It was all I needed.

  Blake blew out a breath. “Look, he’s not going to let you mooch around his house doing nothing. Face it. You’re in the real world now. And you can forget crashing with a friend. Just because you’re back in Vegas doesn’t mean he’s going to give you money to do the same thing you were doing in Europe.”

  “Yeah, but I had a thought,” I said, smiling widely. “That my awesome big brother just built himself a house with more than enough room for his waif of a sibling.”

  Blake roared with laughter. “Forget it! No way. Dad wouldn’t allow it, and I definitely won’t allow it.”

  I gasped and held a theatrical hand over my heart. “What? Why?”

  “You’d be like the roommate from hell—eating all the food and never replacing it. And I saw what your apartment on campus looked like. You think I’d let you do that to my house?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Come on, man. I’m better than that now. I’m housebroken. Honest.”

  Blake smirked and softened. “Look, even if this was some alternate reality and Dad agreed, it would be under the condition you got a job. And unless you have one before he finds out you’re back, it’s going to be a boring desk job in one of the hotels.”

  I sighed again and slouched farther down in my chair. “Then I’m screwed.”

  “What kind of job?” Marley piped up. We both looked at her. “What kind of job would it have to be?” she asked again.

  Blake shrugged. “So long as he was doing something, it might buy him some time with Dad. Why?”

  “I could talk to Henry.”

  “Who’s Henry?” I asked.

  “My boss at The Oasis,” Marley answered.

  Another hotel. Had she even been listening? Apparently not. “What did I just say about hotels?”

  Blake kicked my shin under the table. “Hey, she’s trying—more than can be said for you.”

  Marley gave me a steely look. “I don’t have a boring job, or anything like what Blake did. I’m in PR, and I work the doors of the in-house club.”

  Okay, that was different. As in, mildly interesting. “Yeah?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “I doubt Dad would be happy for him swapping one bar for another,” Blake said.

  “You said you managed a bar in Spain, right?” Marley asked me. When I nodded she turned to face Blake. “The manager just quit. Surely if it was a managerial job, your dad would be pacified for a while?”

  Blake nodded. “Yeah, probably.” He sat forward and angled himself toward Marley. “I don’t get it. You want this bum hanging around here?”

  She laughed. “Uh, no.”

  I gave her a pained look. “Hey.”

  “You slapped my ass and stole my beer. Why would that endear you to me?”

  “She’s got a point,” Blake agreed and I’m sure I looked suitably chastened. Blake snuck a look at Marley. “So why let him stay and help with the job situation?”

  She looked down. “I’m not saying your dad’s like a big ogre or whatever, but I know what it’s like living in someone else’s house when they want you to be something you’re not.”

  Blake reached for her hand and squeezed.

  Sounded as if there was a lot about this girl I didn’t know. But right now she was sort of on my side, and that was good in my book.

  “That,” she said, giving Blake a pointed look, “or I’m just a total pushover when it comes to Hamiltons.”

  Ha. I liked this chick.

  * * * *

  As the afternoon wore on, Blake started to relax. Marley had gone inside, leaving dear Big Bro and myself to catch up. He seemed genuinely interested when he asked about my trip and laughed along with me as I talked.

  Blake told me how good it felt to be doing his own thing. I knew he had, to a certain point at least, enjoyed working for Dad, but it was written all over his face how much he loved working for himself. As long as I could remember, Blake had been interested in buildings and structures and it had been no surprise to any of us when he got his degree in architecture.

  He even went so far as to tell me the whole story behind him and Marley. Gotta say, I didn’t think the guy had it in him. Maybe it was because I was his kid brother, or maybe because I had absolutely no plans whatsoever to limit myself to just one woman, but I’d never imagined Blake settled down and content…least of all with his former best friend’s girl.

  But I just had to look at them to know they were perfect together, despite whatever problems they might have right now.

  In the early evening, Blake lit the firepit and brought us a couple of beers. And, to keep him happy and, okay, show that I actually did appreciate that he was letting me crash indefinitely—though my idea of indefinitely was probably a hell of a lot longer than his—I offered to cook.

  Somewhere along my travels I’d picked up the talent for grilling. On my days off in Spain it had become routine that I’d grill for whoever happened to show up—off duty co-workers, friends I’d met or girls I’d invited off the street. We’d eat, drink and fucking enjoy the moment we were living in. I’ve got some pretty good memories of those times. Hard to believe it was only a few short days ago they weren’t memories, but everyday life.

  Marley’s eyes lit up when she saw the feast I’d prepared. Blake provided the swordfish steaks and I grilled them to perfection. Along with corn, salad and rice, I was so ready to face-plant into my food.

  It turned out to be an awesome night—relaxed, great weather, good food. Couldn’t ask for more. Later, when Blake showed me around the rest of his house and pointed out the bedroom that would be mine, I couldn’t help but grin at him.

  “Your girl a screamer, Blake?” Had to be the reason he’d put me as far away from his room as he could.

  Blake cuffed me across the back of my head. “Watch your mouth. I figured we both could use the privacy. I imagine you’ll want to bring girls back here?”

  I snorted a laugh. “Is that a joke?”

  “One a week. No more. If you want to get laid, go to their place.” And he did not look as if he were kidding.

  “You’re putting me on a sex schedule? Jesus Christ, Blake.”

  “Look, the last thing I need right now is a parade of naked women prancing around my house. If you don’t like the rules, I’m sure Dad will be more flexible.”

  “Now I know you’re joking,” I mumbled. “Fine, fine. No more than one a week.”

  Blake slapped me on the back. “Great. See you in the morning.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Morning my ass. Midday was more like it. Except I’d promised Marley I’d accidentally run into her when she was out for lunch with her boss and casually slip into the conversation I was looking for work.

  Right. Better get a good night’s sleep so my charm was at full power. Acting was so not my thing.

  Chapter Four

  Fuck, fuck, fuck. I’d totally underestimated the traffic, completely forgotten what an unforgiving bitch it could be, and I was way past seriously late to meet Marley. First chance to prove myself and I was fucking late.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck!

  Fifty-five minutes later than intended, the cabbie let me out in front of the bistro Marley would be at with her boss. I flung a wad of bills at the cabbie and sprinted inside, stopping short when I saw Marley sitting at a table in the garden area with an older guy. There was a pinch to her eyebrows that hadn’t been there yesterday and I could only guess how pissed she was.

  With a deep breath, I channeled my inner
actor and approached their table. “Marley? Hey, how’s it going?”

  Marley twisted around to see me fully and gave me a glare that succeeded in shrinking my balls before getting up to hug me. “Hey.”

  “How weird is it running into you like this? I haven’t seen you in forever.” Oh, Christ, give the guy an Oscar.

  “Yeah, really weird seeing you here. Now.” Okay, point taken. She turned back to her boss. “Henry, this is my friend, Seth. We haven’t seen each other in a while.”

  “Oh, well please, sit,” Henry said, gesturing to the empty chair at their table. “We were just going to order a drink. Will you join us?”

  “That would be great, thanks,” I said, smiling.

  Henry signaled a nearby waitress and ordered us a round of martinis.

  “I’m Seth Ha—”

  Marley stomped on my foot with all the strength of a fucking elephant. Jesus, it’s the quiet ones, I swear to God. But I didn’t miss her none-too-subtle hint. “Ha-how’s it going?”

  Henry looked between Marley and me, who smiled a fake, angelic smile at him. “Good.”

  “Seth just got back to Vegas. He’s been traveling all over Europe the last couple years,” Marley said, smoothing over the gaping crack in the conversation.

  “Really?” Henry asked, looking interested. “What were you doing?”

  “Taking in the culture, mostly,” I said, giving him my most serious of looks. “Expanding my horizons.”

  Henry sighed. “What I wouldn’t give for a vacation.”

  I grinned. “I definitely recommend Europe. There’s nothing like waking up in a little house on the coast of Greece, the smell of the ocean right at your door. And who couldn’t love Spain? Come on—a place that openly encourages afternoon naps? What’s not to love?”

  Henry laughed. “I hear you. So you just took in the sights for two years?”

  “No, my horizons didn’t expand that far,” I said, chuckling. “It was amazing to sightsee, but I’m a pretty active guy and it could get boring. I worked when I could, doing odd jobs here and there.”

  “What kind of jobs?” Henry asked, sipping his martini.

  “Waiting tables mainly. I worked in a few cafés in London, helped out at a college in Italy for people who wanted to learn English. The best job I had was running a bar in Spain.”

  Henry’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh yeah?”

  I nodded. “I loved it. I worked at the same place tending bar the summer before, and when I found myself back the next year, the owner took me on as manager. I’ve had bar tending jobs before—in college, you know—and definitely found my calling being the friendly, advice-giving alcohol server. But I felt managing the bar was more for me. I got responsibility every day dealing with orders, employee schedules, events and promotions—but at night I got to be behind the bar for a while too, interact with the customers at the door, that kind of thing.”

  Henry nodded, and I could practically see the cogs in his head turning. “Are you working now?”

  “No, I just got back stateside a few days ago.”

  He shifted in his seat. “I have an opening for a manager at the nightclub in my hotel. Would you be interested?”

  My eyes widened and I leaned forward, praying I looked both surprised and intrigued. “Yes, absolutely.”

  “I’m not offering you the job—far from it—just making you aware we’re hiring. I’d need you to fill in an application and I’d talk to my partner about it.” Henry sighed and leaned back in his chair. “This bar, where was it in Spain?”

  “Ibiza.”

  He nodded. “It would be different here. Longer, harder hours. Busier on a Monday night than it ever was on a Saturday in Spain.”

  “I understand, but I know I could handle it.” And he was about to see my trump card. “Before running the bar, I used to help out at Space.” A killer nightclub in Ibiza. Open crazy hours and absolutely fucking huge. Clubbing paradise.

  Henry chuckled. “Well, you’d be prepared. I’ll give you that.”

  I laughed. “Yeah. I also went to UNLV so I know Vegas really well—especially the nightlife. I know how the people here work and how it relies heavily on the tourist trade. I can charm anyone. Make a resident feel like it’s their local bar—make a visitor feel like it’s the best place they’ve ever seen. And I’m a damn hard worker. I wouldn’t let you down.”

  “Well, you’ve got gumption, kid.” He looked at Marley, who had sat quietly during our exchange. “Are you working tonight?”

  “Yup,” she answered.

  Henry looked back at me. “Would you come work tonight? You can start with Marley and I’ll show you around the club, get you to work behind the bar for a few hours.”

  I grinned. “Sounds great. I’ll be there.”

  He nodded. “I’ll have Marley get an application to you. Bring it back tonight filled in.”

  “Done.”

  “Great.” Henry drained his martini glass and sighed. “Back to the grind, Marley.”

  She nodded and rose with her boss.

  “Great meeting you, Seth. See you tonight,” Henry said, shaking my hand.

  “Looking forward to it,” I said. When his back was turned I winked at Marley, who rolled her eyes.

  Assuming tonight went well, I’d just found a job. And hopefully it was one to get Dad off my back.

  * * * *

  Back at Blake’s, I took a nice long nap and was rudely awoken by a brick being dropped on my groin. Jumping up and gripping my junk, I saw it wasn’t a brick, but an application form with the thickness of one.

  Standing over the couch was Marley, looking pissed. “Don’t be late again. You have three hours to complete that.”

  Three hours? I looked back at the application again. I’d need three fucking years.

  Blake let me use the study to fill in the damn thing, and aside from cramped fingers and wrist, I got it done. I wouldn’t be surprised if on my arrival I was asked for a blood and urine test. How fucking detailed does an application have to be, anyway?

  Marley drove us in the sweet red convertible Blake had bought her. She kept slapping my hand and telling me I was going to make her crash because I was such a distracting passenger. Not my fault her car came with nifty little features I wanted to play around with.

  When she parked in the employee lot at the club, she asked me for the application. Handing it to her, she shoved it in the glove box.

  “Won’t your boss go nuts if I don’t have that?”

  “Leave it to me,” Marley said, getting out of the car. “And for Chrissakes, don’t tell him your last name.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I said with a sigh. “Can’t have him playing favorites with the Hamiltons.”

  She led me into the office suites of the hotel and into Henry’s spacious office. “Henry? I brought Seth,” Marley said after gently tapping on the door.

  Henry looked away from his computer. “Right, of course. Are you ready for the tour?”

  “Absolutely,” I said.

  “Great, let’s get going. Did you bring the application?”

  Marley gasped and her hand flew to her mouth. “Crap! Oh, Henry, I’m really sorry. I was supposed to pick it up when we left the car.”

  Henry smiled. “No problem. Drop it in here before you take off, okay?”

  “Sure thing. Okay, I’ll see you guys later.” Marley gave us a little wave before leaving.

  “Shall we?” Henry said, gesturing to the door.

  “Of course.”

  I’m a pretty confident guy. It takes more than a new job or a hotel owner to rattle my nerves. But as Henry gave me the brief tour of the offices and the rest of the hotel before guiding us to the club, he started a constant steam of data relating to the job. The number of club employees, the usual cash figures, how many promotional nights they do, the volume of alcohol that has to be ordered, how many bodies went through the doors on any given night.

  The numbers were high.

  I was start
ing to freak out.

  Marley was working the doors with two other girls, a blonde and a brunette who looked very interested in the new guy. But one look from Marley screamed for me to dare try to seduce her co-workers. I winked at them as Henry led me inside.

  He showed me the manager’s office, a decent-sized room up the hall from the stockroom and employee lounge, big enough for a desk, a few filing cabinets, water cooler, fridge, microwave and couch. It looked well lived in.

  Henry went over the employee schedule, the stock and ordering system. “Don’t worry about remembering all this. I know it’s a lot to take in. That being said, I need you to be aware how much work is involved.”

  Understatement. What a fucking understatement. “I can see that. But it’s not something I can’t handle.”

  “Good. Let’s get you behind the bar and see how well you gel with the other guys.”

  At last, something I knew I could kick ass at. I’m great at gelling. A real pro.

  Being behind the bar was where I belonged. I loved it. I flirted with the customers, helped out the staff to both earn their respect and make sure they talked me up to Henry. My movements were sure and confident, and I knew it showed. Flipping bottles and swirling them in my hands were parlor tricks but damn effective, and the tip jar at the back—that I knew would earn me favors when I told the other guys to split it all between them at the end of the night—was filling up fast.

  I had no idea what time it was when Marley appeared at the bar, but the approval in her eyes said she’d caught a little of the Seth Hamilton show. “Hey!” I said with a grin. “You done working already?”

  She laughed. “I wish! Just taking my break.”

  “Do you want a drink?”

  “Just a water, thanks.”

  I grabbed two bottles from the fridge behind me and told the girl beside me I was taking a break. She nodded and smiled and I knew I was golden. Hopping over the bar, I tossed Marley a bottle and headed for an empty booth. I wiped the sweat from my brow and let out a breath. “Man, I forgot how much fun this town can be.”

  “Enjoying being back behind the bar?” Marley asked with a smile.

 

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