Secrets, Lies & Imperfections

by Pamela L. Todd

  “Definitely.”

  She took a drink of water. “You know, you won’t be able to work the bar all night if you get the job.”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, I know. I’ve actually only been there about an hour. Henry was showing me the office and all that stuff.”

  Marley leaned an elbow on the table and cupped her chin in her hand. “What has Henry said?”

  “He wants me to finish up tonight and meet him tomorrow morning.”

  Marley grinned and asked with a laugh, “Oh yeah? What time?”

  “Nine,” I answered, wondering where I’d missed the punch line. “What’s so funny?”

  She cleared her throat. “Okay, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but it’s sort of a test.”

  I laughed. “What?”

  “Yeah, he does it with everyone he hires who’s going to be working nights and days—makes them work all night then schedules an early morning meeting the next day. He just wants to see how you can handle the lack of sleep, whether you can actually function or not.”

  Sounds like a typical Vegas boss. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

  Marley nodded. “How late are you staying anyway?”

  I shrugged. Henry had told me just to work what I could and let someone know when I was taking off. “When do you finish?”

  “Two-thirty. I usually leave by three.”

  I nodded. “I might just stick around till then. Going to let me drive home?”

  “Uh, no.”

  I shot her a pained look. “Why not?”

  She glared back. “Because since you told me how much it cost even I don’t trust me to drive it.”

  Wasn’t my fault Big Bro neglected to tell the girl how much that ride was worth. “I can one day though, right?”

  Marley laughed. “Yeah, maybe someday, Seth. Maybe someday.”

  Chapter Five

  Okay, so I was a little nervous about my meeting with Henry. I went to bed the night—morning, technically—before, confident the job was mine. But when I woke up to the incessant beeping of the alarm mere hours later, my confidence had all but disappeared in my sleep.

  There were a million reasons why I wouldn’t get the job. Not enough experience. Not old enough, not wise enough. Marley had dropped my application on his desk before we left the night before and hell, now that he knew who my family was, Henry could very well decide it was too big a risk to take me on. Couldn’t imagine dear old Dad would be happy a guy he sold a hotel to had fired his son.

  Getting lost trying to find my way through the maze of offices and hallways did nothing to calm my nerves. But eventually things started to look familiar and I got where I needed to be. The two girls Marley worked the doors with the night before were at desks in the outer office, and the blonde buzzed Henry to let him know I was there. And before I even had a chance to flirt, Henry appeared in his doorway and motioned for me to go in.

  He closed the door behind me and gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Have a seat, Mr. Hamilton.”

  I paused with my ass halfway into the chair. I’d been expecting the soft, apologetic, tone. Maybe even the excited, congratulations tone. Not this. This was an angry, you-little-shit tone. “Sir.”

  Henry took his chair, leaning back in it and looking every bit the man in charge. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind that this guy would make it in this city. “Is there a reason you decided not to be honest with me?”

  I opened my mouth to tell him Marley had threatened me within an inch of my life not to tell him my last name, but it occurred to me at the very last second that this girl had done nothing but try to help me. I couldn’t sell her out, even if it cost me the job and meant I was doomed to move back to Dad’s. “All my life I’ve caught breaks because of my Dad. I knew I could do this job, and do it well. Really, I just wanted to earn it off my own merit and not because of my last name. I talked Marley into it. She wanted to tell you. I wouldn’t let her.”

  Henry’s face was stern and immovable until one corner of his lips twitched. “You know, it’s a funny thing. She came in here and said pretty much the same thing except it was her idea, not yours. You guys are loyal. I’ll give you that.”

  I shrugged. “Family, you know?”

  “Yeah,” Henry said, his face relaxing. “I do know.”

  “My word might not mean much with you, but I can promise that I’ll never lie to you again.”

  Henry reached into one of his desk drawers and pulled out some papers. “I believe you. Have a look over this contract. If you like what you see, sign it and get it back to me ASAP. I think you’d be a good fit here.”

  I couldn’t stop the broad grin that stretched across my face. Jumping out of the seat, I grabbed Henry’s hand and shook it little harder than I’d intended. “Thank you, seriously. You won’t regret this.”

  “Make sure that I don’t,” Henry said, smiling. He handed me the contract and told me again to get it back soon.

  I left The Oasis walking on air. Things were coming together. Sure, my dad may have ordered me back to Vegas, but I was reclaiming my life on my own terms.

  It was about time I faced him. He wouldn’t appreciate hearing I was finally back in town from someone else and I was sure he’d be happy that I’d landed a decent job within days of arriving.

  But then again, knowing Dad, it still wouldn’t be good enough.

  Which was why I should celebrate now, before my happy feeling was decimated by shame and resentment.

  * * * *

  If it were later in the day, I would call my boys and meet them at a bar. But it wouldn’t be a good idea to show up at Dad’s hammered, especially at ten in the morning, so coffee would have to be my celebration. There was a quirky independent place not too far from The Oasis that I’d spent many hung-over mornings—or afternoons—in. And thank Christ it was still open. Too many of my favorite places had closed during my two years of debauchery around Europe.

  The smell of coffee beans and steamed milk hit me as I walked in, the noise of the coffee machines and chatter of people a mix of familiar sounds. The girl before me in line turned around to check me out. Which she did, slowly and thoroughly. By the time she made it back to my face I was grinning…and hard.

  A faint blush stained her cheeks and she turned back around. Jesus, if you can check out a guy that blatantly, at least have the balls to follow through.

  I leaned forward, intending on helping her out. “Nice day today,” I said in a low voice.

  “I have a boyfriend,” she rushed, not bothering to face me when she said it.

  I chuckled, unable to tell if she was serious or not. Fictional or not, I couldn’t help but tease her about it. “Maybe you should check him out then.”

  The girl was saved from answering by the barista who called for her order. She scurried off as though I had been the aggressor. Which, okay, maybe I had been. But she’d started it.

  Speaking of, the barista was pretty cute. Tall with rockabilly-style hair and clothes. She appreciated my none-too-subtle once-over as I gave her my order—simple large filter coffee. Pouring it herself, she grabbed a napkin, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that her number would be scrawled on it.

  Today was shaping up to be a great one.

  Until my foot caught the leg of a chair on my way out and I nearly sprawled head first into someone’s lap. Thankfully, somehow, my coffee stayed inside the takeout cup.

  “Jesus, what the hell are you doing?” a female voice asked as I righted myself.

  “Making an exit,” I said, shaking out my foot, which was smarting from the collision. “You know, like instead of an entrance, it’s an exit?”

  “Yeah. Great joke. Fantastic. How about you take it to go?”

  I frowned. What the hell was her deal? Finally swiveling to see whose crotch I’d almost face-planted in… And, oh, fuck me.

  Not only was she hot as hell, but with tits like those, I’d bet my left nut sack she’d had issues with guys leering
since puberty, which was why I promptly lifted my gaze to her seriously pissed-off face. Pale, icy-blue eyes narrowed, flawless skin pulled into a frown and plump, pink lips pursed in annoyance.

  My dick twitched.

  “Are you done?” she asked, lifting her eyebrows.

  I grinned. Couldn’t help it. “Not in the least.”

  She rolled those piercing eyes and tapped the pen loosely clasped in her fingers against the open textbook in front of her. “Original. Way to go.”

  Jerking out the chair out I’d just tripped over, I dropped into it before she could question my action. “Sweetheart, I’m the only original. Want me to prove it?”

  “Not in the least,” she purred, throwing my own words at me and flipping long, caramel-blonde hair over her shoulder. “You can leave now.”

  Laughing, I settled farther down in my chair. “Not a chance, this is way too much fun.”

  She threw her head back and groaned. “What the hell is your problem? I’ve asked you—politely I might add—to disappear, and you’re just plain disrespecting me.”

  I snorted. “That was polite?”

  The hot girl glared at me for a beat or two before letting out a breath. She dropped her gaze to her textbook.

  No way. She wasn’t brushing me off this easily. “What are you reading?”

  “Nothing you could understand.”

  This chick was a piece of work, and damn if I didn’t like it. “Try me.”

  She looked up and gave me a sickly sweet smile. “Well, you seem to not understand a simple request to talk a walk, so I’m pretty sure this would be way too advanced for you.”

  “Ouch,” I said, rubbing my heart. “Seriously, what are you reading?”

  “Seriously, just leave me alone.” She slammed her book shut. “I saw you come in here, you know.”

  I grinned. “Oh yeah?”

  Her scowl didn’t smooth out. “Yeah. I saw you tease that poor girl, who was probably barely pushing eighteen, by the way, and embarrass her for no reason.”

  “She was checking me out!”

  “So? Guys check girls out all the time! But a woman dares to appreciate a good-looking guy means they’re subject to ridicule?”

  Okay, that wasn’t fair. “I didn’t ridicule her. If anything, I was surprised. She gave off the impression she was into me—bold enough to check me out but not enough to start a conversation. I teased her to break the ice. It backfired. Sue me.”

  She blinked. “Okay. Whatever. Then there was the barista.”

  I frowned. “What about her?”

  “Do you have your napkin?”

  Well, I walked right into that one, didn’t I? I handed it over.

  She unfolded it, her lips twisting into a sneer before smoothing out and reading what was written. “Classy. Call me for a good time. That one’s a keeper.”

  “I didn’t ask her to write that,” I pointed out.

  “No, but you did flirt with her.”

  I shook my head, wondering how the hell this conversation had veered off a fucking cliff. “Is there a point to any of this?”

  She laughed, a soft, musical noise. “My point is that you’ve been in here ten minutes and have hit on three different girls—and I don’t appreciate being noticed last.”

  A chuckle rose in my throat. “So that’s it? You’re not pissed because of the other girls, you’re pissed because I didn’t hit on you first?”

  Her eyes tightened and she didn’t reply. I’d bet she hadn’t meant to give that much away.

  With another laugh, I stood. I extended my hand for her. “Come on.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “Come on,” I repeated, wiggling my fingers.

  She scoffed. “I am so not leaving here with you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “We’re not leaving. Just come over here a sec.”

  With a sigh, she got up but didn’t take my hand.

  I led her to roughly the place I’d first joined the line. “Can you see your seat from here?”

  It took a moment for her to speak. “No,” she said, as if it damn near killed her to admit it.

  I walked near the cash register and turned around. “How about from here?”

  She huffed out a breath. “Fine. I get it.”

  Two strategically placed signs had hidden this girl from my sight at both points when it could have been possible. “I’d have seen you. And I’d have done something about it. Trust me.”

  She smiled, but it didn’t look steady. “I still don’t care.”

  “I think you’re lying.”

  Her eyes narrowed again and whatever ground I’d made was lost. “What does it matter to you? I’m going back to my table now. I’d advise you not to follow me.”

  I heaved out a sigh. “Fine. Consider the battle won.”

  She laughed. “Oh, I do.”

  Before she could move out of reach I darted a kiss to her cheek. “If I see you again, there will be a rematch.” I left before she could say another word and decimate my ego any more than she already had.

  * * * *

  When Dad didn’t answer any of his many, many numbers, I finally hit up his PA, who told me the old man had taken up golfing in my absence and was enjoying knocking some balls around at the country club. I took a cab, using the last of my money until either Dad refilled my bank account or my first paycheck was in hand.

  Trying to see Dad was a pain in the ass. Apparently I didn’t look like club material…or Hamilton material, for that matter. But eventually someone must have told him I was there and an uptight waiter in white shorts and a polo showed me into the lounge.

  He was sitting at a table, coffee and a paper in front of him. He didn’t look up as I approached.

  Dick.

  “Hey, Dad, how’s tricks?”

  Slowly, Dad rose from his chair and turned to face me, his gaze raking me up and down, not unlike the angry coffee-place girl, but with a hell of a lot more disappointment. “Seth. I expected you weeks ago.”

  I grinned. “You know I like to keep you on your toes. Can I get food here? I’m fucking starving.”

  A vein throbbed in Dad’s forehead but eventually he gestured to an empty chair and sat back down.

  Note to self—he’s less likely to call me on my behavior in a place he wants to uphold his image. “Loving the look, Dad. Golfing fashion really does it for you,” I said, dropping into a chair.

  He shook out his newspaper and folded it. “Just because you choose to wear rags doesn’t mean the rest of us do. Besides, this place has a dress code.”

  I snorted a laugh. “No offense, but the dress code sucks. Is the food as pretentious as the members?”

  Dad sighed and gestured for a waiter. “Bring my son and I each a club sandwich. He’ll also have a sparkling water.”

  When the waiter left, I rolled my eyes. “A sparkling water? Seriously?”

  Dad’s eyes lit up with humor, the old jackass. “If you can’t beat them, join them.”

  I laughed again. “Nice.”

  He blew out a breath. “So. Do I even want to know where you’ve been shacked up since you got back?”

  “I only got back a few nights ago. And when it comes to my choice of residence, I have to say even you will be both pleased and impressed.”

  Dad lifted his eyebrows. “Okay, I’m intrigued. Where have you been staying?”

  “Blake’s.”

  There was a pause. “Blake’s. You’ve been staying with Blake?”

  “I have indeed. Nice shack he’s got, huh?” I asked, grinning.

  “Yeah, it’s a nice shack, Seth. And I hope you’ve enjoyed it because as soon as you leave here I want you packed and home within the hour.”

  And…there it was. The old Anthony Hamilton iron fist. “Why?”

  “Why?” Dad laughed. “You’re asking why? Fine, here’s a reason—because I refuse to fund your lifestyle, whether here or in Europe, while you sit around and watch everyone else do the hard work.”
/>
  With a low chuckle, I laced my fingers behind my head and rocked the chair back on its legs. “You know, you could have asked me what I’ve done in the days I’ve been home. If you had, I could have told you that, yeah, I showed up on my brother’s doorstep and begged and pleaded for a place to stay that was out from underneath the Anthony Hamilton dictatorship. He had conditions too, you know. And I’ve met them. I cook for them. I clean up after myself. I keep out of their way. And I got a job.”

  Dad blinked. “You got a job. Where?”

  “The club at The Oasis. Marley introduced me to her boss.”

  A slow, makes-me-want-to-dick-punch-him smile settled over his lips. “Another bartending gig. Way to aim high, Seth. You make us all proud.”

  “Good. I’m the new manager. And Blake was happy for me. So was Marley. Nice girl, isn’t she? Really friendly and…you know, non-judgmental. So, no, it’s not another bartending gig. I happen to like the club scene, Dad. It’s what I’m good at. I refuse to waste the best years of my life doing something I hate and putting myself in an early grave over it. I’m doing what I love right now. I don’t plan to do it forever. I’m doing it until I know what I want to do forever.”

  Dad took a slow sip of his coffee. It felt like a lifetime before he placed it back down and settled his gaze on me. “All right then.”

  I blinked. “What?”

  “All right then.”

  “All right then?”

  “All right then.”

  “Dad, what the hell?” I asked, louder than I intended.

  He smiled, a genuine one this time. “Seth, all I’ve ever wanted from you was some kind of drive. Today you showed me that. Congratulations on the job. I’m sure you’ll do extremely well.”

  The waiter appeared with our food then. He set our plates in front of us, and my water on a coaster. Dad caught my eye and his lips twitched.

  “Thank you. Now, bring my son a beer, please. Whatever you have on tap is fine.”

  Chapter Six

  That next week the world saw a totally different Seth Hamilton. After leaving Dad, and asking for some cash to get a cab back to Blake’s, he had chuckled and said he’d put all my money back immediately. I had detoured to the grocery store, stocking up so much food that if the apocalypse hit, we’d be good for a few months at least. I walked Bob. I kept out of their way. I even vacuumed.