Mr. Big Shot

by S. E. Lund

  "He said he was so dead set against marriage," I said, remembering his comments from earlier.

  "Well, the truth is our adoptive father cheated on our adoptive mother. There was this huge secret in our family while we were growing up. They put on happy faces but we found out later that he was a hound dog. I guess Luke finds it hard to trust. He decided to take a chance after he saw how happy Eric and I are and became engaged to Jenna and of course, the rest is history,” she said and left the stall. "I keep hoping he'll find someone and fall in love. Get over his hurt, but it's probably too soon. Maybe with you, but I'm a big romantic and just want to see him happy like I am."

  I cringed inwardly at her confidence in her marriage. How hard must it be for poor Luke to listen to her talk about her own happiness and how great things are for her, while knowing her husband has been cheating? It must drive him crazy, feeling like he can't tell her the truth.

  I finished and left the stall, standing beside her at the mirror while I washed my hands and she checked her makeup. I couldn't help but feel an immense sense of sympathy for her, so happy, so positive and so wrong about her cheating bastard of a husband.

  "I hope you and he work out," she said and looked me over, smiling. "I like you. You’re beautiful and you seem really nice."

  "Thank you," I said, my cheeks heating. "We're not serious. We're just convenient, I guess."

  "That’s too bad. The fact he brought you here made me think you two were more serious than that, but I guess it's still too soon for him. Oh, well." She shrugged and smiled. "You never know about these things."

  Then she squeezed my arm and together, we left the washroom. "It was nice to meet you," she said when she got a few feet away. "Don't give up on Luke, even if he is a bit stuffy at times. He's a good guy. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his sister. He really is one of the good ones."

  I smiled and went the other way, a sick feeling in my gut that she had no idea her husband had been one of the bad ones, and had been cheating on her while she was pregnant.

  What a horrible truth to learn. I could see why Luke didn’t want to tell her.

  * * *

  I arrived back at the bar where Luke and John were standing. Luke turned to me and put his hand on my arm. I saw him now with completely different eyes. Everything he'd said and done was now filled with a different meaning.

  "Hey, we've spent enough time here," he said and smiled. "How about we go out and find a place that's less stuffy."

  John laughed. "You mean with fewer of your family present?"

  "Exactly. We could go to Gibson's down the street. They have music all night. Good dance music." He looked in my eyes. "Feel like dancing? I'm all energized and can’t imagine sticking around this place."

  I was torn. I really should go home early, but the prospect of dancing sounded like a good way to top off the evening of tension between Luke and his wacky family. I felt so sorry for him now, after learning about his broken engagement and betrayal. The truth was that I admired him for taking the blame.

  "You're trying to escape before Felicia arrives?" John commented.

  "You read my mind, wise Sir," Luke said. "The sooner we ditch, the better. Alexa?" He held out his arm. "Come with me and dance a bit, salvage some of this awful night?"

  "I really should go home. I'm no longer of any use to you, as far as teaching your brother-in-law a lesson so…"

  "No, please, don't feel that way. You were a good sport, and were acting out of charity. I owe you a good time."

  "I don't know…"

  "Please," he said and took my hand, squeezing it. "Just come out for one drink, dance a bit. I'll have my driver take you home whenever you want. Besides, I really do want you to come to the family weekend at the beach house. If you don't mind being my excuse not to get shoved together with Felicia…"

  "You really want me to come?"

  "I really do."

  I finally relented. "I guess it won't hurt to stay for another half an hour or so…"

  "Thank you," he said, his voice soft, his eyes soft as well. "Being around my family usually ruins my night. This will at least make it somewhat better."

  I placed my arm in his, and John offered his arm and so the three of us walked across the ball room to the front entrance. We were just about there, when of course, we were stopped.

  "Great," Luke said under his breath when he saw the two women who approached us. I heard him take in a deep breath and then he met my eyes. "Be prepared for a second inquisition."

  "That bad?" I whispered.

  "Worse," he said.

  "Who is it?"

  "The woman who wants to be my future mother-in-law and her daughter."

  Chapter 8

  Luke

  * * *

  I stopped in the entry way because there was no way I could escape Mrs. Blake and Felicia.

  It was ridiculous that I couldn't avoid her, given I was a full-fledged adult with my own business startup that was going to make me and my partner a cool billion each if the deal went through.

  I had to be nice — as nice as possible without being rude — because everyone and everything in Manhattan was tied in some way to the Blakes. They practically ran Wall Street through their influence. They had tentacles into banking and investment. Harrison was one of the execs of the investment firm that wanted to buy Chatter.

  It would be hard, but I'd have to finesse my way with Mrs. B if I didn’t want to risk the deal.

  When Felicia saw me with someone, her face fell. It wasn't that Felicia was unattractive or unpleasant. She'd be a good catch for someone who wanted to get married but I was no longer the marrying type and she was just not my type anyway. I knew men who would be very pleased to be matched up with her. But she was everything that Alexa was not. Her dress was ostentatious. Something that looked like it belonged on a bridesmaid instead of at a family function. She was lean while Alexa was petite and curvaceous. She was quiet and shy, while Alexa was smart and witty, even sarcastic.

  Felicia was sweet but she wasn't for me.

  I couldn't resist sarcastic for some reason, perhaps because it felt truthful and I was through with nice if deceitful.

  As for Mrs. Blake, she wore a suit, looking every inch the matron of the family. She and my mother were tight, and probably planned on marrying me to Felicia after things fell through with Jenna. I told my mother to stop with the matchmaking, but Felicia seemed passive in the face of our parental machinations.

  "Lucas," Mrs. Blake called out when she saw us. "There you are. Felicia and I are sorry we're so late."

  She scowled when she saw me pull Alexa closer and plant a quick kiss on her lips. Luckily, Alexa was just fast enough that she got my intent and smiled at me when I pulled away, wiping lipstick off my lips like we were an old familiar couple.

  "You're a tease," she whispered, winking at me very surreptitiously.

  "Thanks for playing along," I whispered back.

  Mrs. Blake reached us, and gave Alexa the once over.

  "Who's this?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

  "Mrs. Blake, may I introduce my girlfriend Alexa Dixon."

  "What?" Mrs. Blake gave Alexa the twice-over, her face shocked. "We never heard that you had a girlfriend, and especially so soon after, well," she said and her eyes widened. "After. When did you get a girlfriend?"

  "She's a friend from Columbia. We've been seeing each other for a while."

  She made a sour face. "Your mother never said anything…"

  "Mother didn't know," I said. "But I was able to introduce Alexa to her a few moments ago." I turned to Felicia. "Nice to see you again, Felicia."

  "Nice to see you as well, Luke."

  Felicia looked shy and awkward, as usual.

  I turned back to Mrs. Blake. "Sorry to run, but we've got other plans."

  "Going so soon?" Mrs. Blake said, glancing at John like she was already thinking he might be a good second-choice for Felicia. "We haven't even had a chance to tal
k to you. This must be John."

  "Yes," I said and turned to him. "This is John, my partner and CTO at Chatter."

  "Nice to meet you," John said and smiled winningly at Felicia.

  "Nice to meet you as well. It's good to see you again, Luke." Felicia smiled politely but she looked as if she felt completely awkward. "I hear good things about Chatter's future. Good luck with the deal."

  "Thanks," I said and then pulled Alexa with me. "We really have to go…"

  Felicia nodded, and I could see in her face that she was mortified as usual with her mother's behavior.

  The three of us left and I felt incredible relief.

  "If you need me to take her off your hands, you can encourage her mother to try to marry me off," John said, turning around and walking backwards so he could catch another glimpse of Felicia. "Her family's the Blake family of the Blake Fortune. I could get into marrying money."

  "You're going to be money, bro. You don't need to marry it."

  "Then we'd both be money, and she wouldn't be after me for mine."

  "Well, whatever. My adoptive mother's been itching to get us together and was really excited when we started dating. She must be crushed that I'm with someone else."

  John laughed. "You'd think we were back in Victorian times."

  I didn't blame Felicia for her mother's and my adoptive mother's follies. She was probably expecting to find me alone at the event and would spend time with me – maybe to satisfy her mother – maybe because she really did hope we ended up together, although I never gave her the idea I'd go along with it.

  Sure, I humored my adoptive mother, and although I had taken Felicia out to a few events, I had never once given Felicia any idea that I was interested beyond being polite in social situations and going out a couple of times for dinner and to see a movie.

  Only a few weeks ago, Felicia pulled me aside and apologized for her mother's behavior.

  "I'm sorry," she'd said, looking really mortified at how gleeful her mother had been at the prospect of us eating our dinner side by side. "She's a bit delusional and doesn't understand that you were really hurt by what happened. It's not like you want to just jump right up in the saddle again."

  "It's okay," I said, glad that Felicia wasn't going along with the whole plan to get us married in place of Jenna. "I just don't want to give anyone the wrong impression. You should tell your mother I plan on being a permanent bachelor and living in sin my entire life."

  She smiled at that, and it endeared her a bit to me, but only because it meant I didn’t have to worry about her getting the wrong idea. She understood how I felt and was just going along with her mother to avoid conflict. Mrs. Blake had a very big personality to match her stature and size.

  That night, I imagined Felicia merely felt even more mortified than usual because I had an actual date with me, which was something I never did – not since Jenna and I split. I hadn't brought along a date to these functions since we broke up.

  So, when I watched Felicia walk away with her mother, I felt sure that Mrs. Blake would finally get a clue that I wasn't into her daughter and leave the poor girl – and me – alone for once.

  I held out hope that my own meddling adoptive mother would get the same clue, but she'd shown no evidence of it and even now, I felt her eyes on me and Alexa, no doubt watching as I turned down yet another attempt to match make me with Felicia.

  * * *

  The three of us left Cipriani's and made our way down the street to the venue, glad to be free of my family with its craziness.

  The club was crowded and the electronic dance music was at full blast. All the tables were taken so we found a spot at the bar and ordered drinks.

  "Come on, have something," I said to Alexa, who ordered a soda. "Live a little. It's Sunday tomorrow. Can't you take Sunday off?"

  "No rest for the wicked," she said and shook her head sadly. "I have to meet my friends for brunch and then it's time to hit the books."

  "All work and no play makes for a dull girl," John said and held up his beer.

  "All play and no work will keep me from getting my scholarship renewed and that would mean no Columbia for me," Alexa replied and held up her bottle of soda.

  The three of us clinked bottles once more and I took a long draw on mine. Then, I turned to the dance floor and watched the people move. I was glad to have left Cipriani's and felt like having fun, and pretty, vivacious Alexa was just the right company. I turned to her.

  "Care to dance?"

  She made a face. "Usually, I'd say yes, but I'm wearing these. They're like stilts. I'm not used to heels so high. I usually wear high tops or Blundstones."

  "Take them off," I said. "I promise I won't step on your toes."

  She watched the dance floor for a moment and then shrugged. "Oh, what the heck. If you promise to catch me if I fall, I'll give these a try. I don’t really want to walk on that floor in bare feet."

  "I'm your man. Promise to catch you before you hit the floor." I grinned and took her hand.

  "Later, bro," I said to John, who nodded and held up his beer graciously. It wouldn't take him long to find some pretty thing and ask her to dance.

  The music blared and people danced around us on the small dance floor to the left of the bar as we crossed it and found a place in the middle of all the writhing bodies. We started to dance and I saw right away that she was uncomfortable in the heels, but she still looked sexy, moving her hips in a gentle sway that send my mind imagining what it would be like to have those hips riding me.

  "I haven't been dancing in ages, " Alexa said. "Do you come here often?"

  I couldn't help but smile at her lame line. "Do you always use that pick-up?"

  She grimaced and then laughed. "Oh, God, I've been so focused on my comp, I think I've forgotten how to talk to people. I should ask you something else, more personal. Like, what the heck is going on in your family? So much intrigue…"

  "Don't ask," I replied, making a face of disgust. "Suffice to say that my family is not really my family. My real parents died when my sister and I were very small. So, technically, we're orphans and they're our adoptive parents. They adopted us, because they were business partners with my parents. We don't like either of them."

  "You don't like your adoptive parents? Either of them?"

  "Nope." I shook my head. "Unfortunately, he's a blowhard cheater and she’s a meddler."

  "I'm sorry to hear that. It must be really tense at family gatherings."

  "It is. My sister and I tend to avoid them as much as possible. So, you can see why I wanted to send my brother-in-law a message about using an escort service. It's just my adoptive father all over again. I don’t want Dana to go through a divorce, especially with a baby on the way."

  "You couldn’t just talk to Eric?”

  I shook my head. "I'd be afraid I'd punch his lights out."

  Alexa didn’t say anything for a moment, and the two of us danced for a while in silence. She couldn’t move much on those heels, but when she did, she was very sexy, wiggling her hips more than she could do many complicated steps. I glanced over her from head to toes. She was so damn sexy. Of course, my man brain wanted to take her home with me and try her on for size. I figured she’d be a great fit and I remembered her joking texts when I was trying to sound all alpha and mentioned bronc riding. She had a great sense of humor, which I highly valued.

  "We should sit down," I said and pointed to her heels. "Your ankles look like they could collapse at any time and I don't want to be responsible for any long-term injuries."

  She wiped her brow dramatically. "Whew," she said and smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. These heels are killing my feet."

  I took her arm and led her off the dance floor to the bar where John was busy talking up a pretty young thing. "We're going to find a table," I shouted to him over the blaring music.

  "You go ahead," he said and gestured to the young woman beside him. "Mia and I are going to dance."

  I n
odded and then Alexa and I grabbed our drinks. I took Alexa’s hand and scanned the tables for a place to sit. I found one off in the corner that was a bit out of the way and then led her there. I pulled out her chair and then sat next to her, moving my chair closer so I could hear her speak.

  "So, tell me about Alexa. I know your father was in the Air Force and that you're a military brat. You're a poli science MA student, and you're from the great state of Oregon. What else should I know?"

  She shrugged. "I don't know… I have an older brother, John, who's also in the Air Force and is training to be a fighter pilot. My parents live in Oregon, in a bedroom community outside Portland. My father teaches at a local flight school. That's it, really."

  "Your family sounds great. Sounds like a real family."

  "It is. They are.”

  I watched her face. "No boyfriend?"

  She shook her head. "Not recently, no. I've," she said and lifted her shoulder. "I've been focusing on school instead of a social life, I guess."

  "Any past serious relationships?"

  She frowned. "Why do you ask?"

  "I just wondered why you're single. You're hot. You're smart."

  "Why are you single?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

  "I was almost married," I said finally. I didn’t really want to talk about my failed engagement but she should know. "Things didn’t work out."

  "I'm sorry," she said and gave me a sympathetic look.

  "Plus, I saw a bad marriage close up with my adoptive parents. Now with my sister's marriage to that slimy bastard of an Eric being in question, I've decided that relationships are not my thing. I like to have fun, but I have no plans for anything long-term."

  She looked at me for a moment and shook her head. "It's sad that you've given up on a meaningful relationship. I think they're what really makes people happy. Not money or fame. Close personal relationships."

  "If they make people happy, I haven’t seen it." I shrugged, not wanting to get into a big debate about it. "Maybe someday. You say you’ve been focused on school? I’ve been focused on building my business. Now that our deal looks like it'll go through, I'm planning a year off so I can sail around the world."