“Tess!”
I whine, “What?”
“Are you doing a”—his voice drops to a whisper— “nude?”
I viciously shrug and gasp out a harsh breath.
“You know what? I don’t want to know the details of this project.”
“Good.” I tell him.
“Should I let you get to work? Or do you have a few minutes to catch up with your brother?”
I walk over to my little desk and I put my sketches down. Face down.
“Of course! It feels like forever since we talked.” It’s true; ever since I got together with Ben things have been busy. I feel bad about not talking to James as much as we normally do, but then again, he hasn’t been trying to call either.
“So what have you been up to?” I ask.
“Work mostly. I landed a big contract, so it’s taking up a lot of my time in the past couple of weeks. That’s why I haven’t called or texted in a while.”
I nod. “I understand that, I have been quite busy myself.”
“Right. Ben Mitchell.” He looks sickened. This is the one topic and one area of my life he doesn’t fully support.
“Yes, Ben Mitchell, so what?”
James runs a hand through his super short dirty blonde hair. “What do you see in the guy, Tess? He’s a womanizer.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Was.”
James rolls his eyes. “What do you mean, was? You can’t change a guy like that. He is the kind of guy who sleeps with random women and can’t hold a relationship or chooses not to. I don’t want to see you get yanked around by the British douche.”
“Well, I am sorry you see him that way. Ben—” I enunciate his name— “has made it clear that he is no longer seeing any other women. We are together.”
Shaking his head, “I don’t trust him, sis. I am sorry.”
“You can’t treat me like some porcelain and virginal object! I’m not perfect and I know Ben isn’t either and I’m not ready to write him off yet. Can’t you at least meet him before making such harsh judgment on the guy? For me?”
“Why?”
“Because you’re my big brother. Aren’t you guys supposed to want to meet their baby sister’s boyfriend, to threaten if they were to hurt them, then they will sick Johnny Concrete Boots on his ass?”
He laughs, “Fine. But only to threaten his Brit ass.”
I throw my arms up, “Knock off the Brit stuff, will ya! It’s not a bad thing you know… in fact it’s pretty hot.”
James sticks his fingers in his ears and la-la-la’s at me. “I don’t want to know!”
Now I am laughing really hard at seeing my bear of a brother in discomfort. “Well if that’s the case you better get out of here, so I can work on my project, which is also his birthday present.”
Making gagging noises, he jumps to his feet. In the doorway, he holds out his arms, waiting for his hug. I walk over and smack his chest before wrapping my arms around his torso.
“Love you Tessy.”
“Love you too.”
After James leaves I have to think about the last time I got together with Erin and about the crappy topic at hand… damn shithead Mark. I wonder what she has been up to. Obviously not looking for pity. That’s not Erin’s style… not one bit.
I text her, already having a good idea of where she is.
While I wait for her response I grab my sketchbook and look over what I’ve already done. Am I really going to do this? Well, why not kill two birds with one stone? I carry that and a pencil to my sofa, sit cross-legged and tap my pencil on the paper.
My cell buzzes with an incoming text. Chatz, why don’t you come down and see your buddy? You’re not going to believe the hotness in this place tonight! Oh lordy! Great, she’s already buzzed. Well I see she wasted no time rebounding. I guess I better go make sure she is OK… damn it.
The lot is full tonight at Chatz, which seems odd for midweek. As I am walking in the door I notice a chalkboard sign that reads KARAOKE NITE. Oh crap. As soon as I open the door I am hit in the face of drunken signing.
I skip the bar, but manage a polite wave to my familiar burly bartender in plaid, who nods and smiles while pouring a drink. I round the corner to the lounge and start my hide and seek game with Erin, then I look up at the stage and I see her… singing… badly. I can’t help but just stop and stare.
“Tess! Tess, come up and sing with me!” She stumbles over the microphone stand.
I put my hands up and shake my head. Everyone is looking at me. This is not happening; she needs to get her drunken butt off that stage before she falls off. I wave my hand for her to come to me, but she instead finishes the song she is singing and blurts out “Since you’ve been gone!” and throws the mic to the floor and stomps off stage acting like a pissed-off ranty girl.
Geez. She gets to me and hugs me tightly and I can smell the tequila on her breath. Damn, how many margaritas has she had tonight already? “I missed you, Tess, but I have been keeping busy.” She winks at me.
“That’s OK, Erin, but I think it’s time to get you home.” I try to pull her along with me, but a guy with longish brown hair grabs her other elbow.
“Oh, she’s not going anywhere,” he says.
I straighten my body, ready to verbally assault this asshat. “No, I think it’s time to take my friend home.”
“Sorry, hoodrat, but she promised to go home with me tonight. I have the message to prove that.”
I roll my eyes, “Seriously, you’re going to hold a drunken text as a standing argument to take advantage of a woman who is obviously not in the right mind to consent?” Ha! The look on his face!
“What?” he asks, obviously a little too tipsy himself.
Getting annoyed, seeing as Erin is starting to push up her cleavage, enticing the asshat even more, I push on. “Look, sorry, but she is coming home with me.”
Asshat has a giant smile on his face. “Home with you? Can I watch?” He loosens his tie.
Ew.
“No you cannot, but you may as well go home and dream about that, because you are obviously a sleaze and shouldn’t be with any decent woman, so go home and fuck yourself.”
I pull Erin even harder now and the asshat finally lets go. I assume he is too shocked that he just got told off by a girl.
I somehow manage to wrestle Erin into my Honda. “God, how much have you had to drink?”
She smacks her crimson lips. “Hmmm… five margaritas.” She attempts, badly, to say margaritas in a Spanish accent.
“And…?”
“And some drinks from a few guys…”
“Mhmmm. That’s what I thought. Let’s get you home.”
As I get her into her bed she starts to mumble. All I catch is, “I really like you, but…” And then she is out.
Huh, I wonder who she “really” likes? Hopefully not that asshat.
As I am walking out of her bedroom room she rambles off one more thing…
“No, no, Tess can’t find out I slept with Ben…”
What the hell was Tess doing at Chatz? When Charles the bartender called to let me know I was surprised. He didn’t tell me much, just that she was there for a few minutes, and when he went to go look for her on his break she was gone.
I log in to the chatroom to look for any trace of her being there and I find nothing. I don’t think she was there to pick someone up. I mean, yeah I was busy tonight, but that doesn’t mean she would go screw another guy. Right?
What are you up to?
I don’t get an instant response so I wait… and wait like a teen girl waiting for her boy crush to call her. Finally I get something back, Hey, sorry took me so long, I was at Chatz. Well, at least she is honest.
What were you doing there? Tired of me already?
Nah, never. I was picking up Erin actually. Saving her from herself.
Did you succeed?
Mission accomplished. She is home and in bed.
Nice…What are you doing?
Thinking about you…
Fuck.
Good thoughts I hope. A few minutes pass. Where’d my Punky go?
Then I get a picture message. Fuck me. It’s half a body shot of her torso, hip and upper thigh. She is leaning against her easel. I bite down on my lip to stop a groan. I am now extremely fucking hard. How can she do this to me? Fine, two can play at this game. I remove my boxers and I set a timer app that I have on my phone so I can step away. I step over to the coffeemaker and stand sideways so nothing is in view, but make it look like I am drinking her coffee.
Not only will this hopefully turn her on, but make her jealous that I am drinking the coffee without her. The timer goes off and the photo is taken. I write Coffee? and hit send.
No fair! she replies.
How is my pic not fair? You sent me a fucking hot pic and make me nearly come in my shorts. I can’t help but laugh; I can just see her face right now! I bet her mouth is gaped open and smiling.
Oh fine. Look I have to do an assignment for class…I can’t wait for the show tomorrow!
Me too baby. Have a good night and get your rest. I will see you tomorrow. I love you.
“I love you too. Night X.
Just as I am about to set my phone on the counter, I get one more text. What can’t stop thinking about me?
Then I look at the screen. Shit.
By the time I got home I had, had enough of Ben’s pasts popping up, but to hear it from Erin? Are you kidding me? The one person I thought that I could trust the most. When? When, did this happen? Why couldn’t she tell me? Shit, I guess if I was her I wouldn’t tell me either. I decide to ride this out.
I took a couple shots of rum and played it cool with Ben last night.
I wake up with excitement and dread about the show tonight with Ben. This is it. This is where I get to prove it to myself that I can do this myself and that I can kick ass.
Normally I drag my ass to my coffee maker, but this morning I practically skip to it. Before I can get it started, my phone rings. It’s Erin.
I answer. “Hello Tipsy McStagger, how are you this morning?”
I hear a grumble come from the other end, “Please tell me that you are the one who brought me home?”
“Who else would you think?” Wasn’t Ben…
“Well, you should know me by now; any guy could have brought me home, took advantage and snuck out. But considering my hoo-ha isn’t sore from a night full of drunken poundings I can only assume ‘twas you.”
Damn right it was me. And apparently you and him have quite a bit in common.
“Yes, it was me, and you are welcome. There was this total asshat trying to take you home, telling me you promised him last night that you were going to leave with him and have sex. I ended up telling him off and dragged you out of there, which by the way you should not sing publicly.” I joke at the end.
“Well first of all, I typically do leave with a guy every time I hit up Chatz, I told you that from day one. But I guess I was seriously hammered and I am thankful you came to my rescue. Second, I was drunk. When I am drunk I am a fabulous singer, you have no idea what you are talking about.”
We get a good laugh out as we talk about the show tonight. I make coffee and sit on my bed oozing about my excitement. Erin, being the best friend she is supposed to be, gives me a total ego boost on how awesome I am going to be. I hope she is right.
“So are you busy this afternoon?” I ask.
“Yeah, I have a class. What about you? Don’t you have an art class today?”
“Nope. Maybe I will call James and see if he wants to go out for lunch.”
“You know I would love to meet this bear of a brother you have. He sounds hot.” Really? You need to get in the pants of another guy in my life?
I make a gagging noise. “OK, ew! But yeah we will all have to get together sometime soon.”
“OK, chica, have a good day and I can’t wait to hear the details of your night, love ya!”
“Will do, love ya too.”
Moments later, I call James and we agree to meet on his lunch break.
“So, how is work going?” I ask James.
“Great, gaining new clients and working on some new projects for local restaurants and condos. How about you, Tessy?”
Just as I am about to answer, the waitress at our favorite dive diner presents me with the mother of all milkshakes and I can feel my eyes dilate with excitement.
James waits till I take a large sip. “Your show is tonight isn’t it?”
I bounce in my seat. “Yes sir.”
“Yeah, you don’t seem excited at all,” he says sarcastically.
I take a greedy bite out of my burger as soon as the waitress sets it down. I barely notice the thirty-something waitress lingering her double Ds against my brother’s shoulder as she set down his food. My eyes meet James; his look of horror shifts to amusement. When she finally walks away she looks back at my brother and winks.
We burst out laughing. Hell, I even put my food down to wipe the tears streaming down my eyes. James is rubbing his face with his large hands; he takes in a large breath attempting to calm his laughter.
“Yikes.” I push out through another fit of giggles. “Does that happen all the time?”
“Yes and no. Normally they are a little younger, but this, this was a new one.” He pinches his eyes and looks over his shoulder to find the busty waitress staring at him. He quickly turns around and takes big bite out of his Philly steak.
“So speaking of girls, seeing anyone special?”
Shrugging, he sets down his strawberry milkshake, “I don’t know. I mean I hardly have time to really date, but I have hooked up once or twice with this one girl.”
Raising my eyebrows, “You just messing around? That doesn’t seem your style.”
“Well, like I said I hardly have the time to build anything meaningful right now. But I am hoping this girl can understand that, because she is hot as hell and has a smart mouth on her and I am loving it.” He has stars in his eyes talking about her.
He wipes his mouth. “Yeah, she is pretty freaking sweet. Her name is…” and the flirtatious waitress saunters over and lays the bill down and runs her ridiculously long red nail up his arm. He cringes; I burst out laughing. She gives me the look of death.
“Something wrong, pink?” she spits.
Just as James is about to speak I beat him to it. “Look, hunny. First of all, I am his girlfriend, what gives you the right to assume that you can touch him? What, a girl like me couldn’t get a guy like him? Huh? At least I don’t go around prowling younger men. Cougar.”
She scoffs and storms off, clacking her heels on the stained linoleum.
“Ready to go, girlfriend?” James tries to keep from laughing.
I put my arm in his and we walk out the door, laughing our asses off.
Battery charged, lens cleaned, extra media cards and battery, and I am set by the time Ben picks me up. He greets with a hug and a kiss and maybe a little more, but we don’t have time for that, and so I distract him by asking about the band we’re covering tonight.
“Oh, a little band called Sick Puppies.”
And I think I just peed my pants. “I get to meet the Sick Puppies and be up front taking their photos on stage?”
“Yes ma’am.”
That’s all it takes for me to scream! I love this band more than pretty much any other in the world. Well, them along with Shinedown and Maroon 5. “Oh, please tell me they are performing a set list with their new album tracks!”
He just nods and I grab my camera bag and jacket.
Things went down at the show like they did at the Maroon 5 concert. I got to be in the room with Ben while he interviewed the band. I loved photographing them and they are total sweethearts, true human beings.
I was lining up a shot during the end of the interview and I caught Ben winking at me. I couldn’t help but let out a little giggle and Emma noticed. She smiled at me and I think I just
fan-girled over my one and only girl crush. I haven’t swung that way, nor do I ever have intentions of doing so, but damn she has it all.
When the group exited the room, Ben wrapped his arms around me. “So what was that little giggle about?”
“I caught you winking at me on the camera.”
Nuzzling my neck, “You did, did you?”
“I did and it went unnoticed too.”
“Who caught you blushing?”
“Emma.” I answer blushing once again.
He is amused now. “Why would she make you blush?”
“Because she is amazing and I totally love her. She is the one girl who can make me melt.” I totally gush.
“Are you telling me you like Emma? Like, like like her?”
Damn it!
Covering my face I shake my head attempting to deny it, I start to laugh instead.
“You do!” he shouts and I launch at him, covering his mouth.
“Shut up!” I squeal out at him.
“Oh, come on! I know you don’t like girls, Tess, but fuck, that’s kinda hot! And you have good taste, I see.”
I smack him on his shoulder. “Oh, so you were looking too?”
“I wasn’t looking, I… I… Hey! You are the one who admitted that you liked her.”
“Uh huh.” I cross my arms.
Groaning, he tries to recover. “I love you,” he says, kissing my nose.
“I love you too… creep.”
He jumps when his phone rings. I watch him check the screen, he rolls his eyes and purses his lips, then turns it off.
“Who was that?” I ask, maybe this time he’ll tell me.
“No one important.”
“That’s what you said last time too. Maybe you should change your number.” I state.
“Maybe.”
By the time the show was over, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. This is exactly what I needed, to be able to let go of the the concern, confusion and mixed feelings over everything… even if it was just for a couple of hours.
Private Show (The Private Series) Page 10
