Gigolo All the Way

by JN Welsh

  To her right Elle saw Holly screaming her head off. Karen shrieked, and Elle thought maybe this wasn’t a good idea. She held Karen tight to her body as they continued to fly down. Karen started laughing and she heard Holly and Donny giggling as the big hill flattened, and they teetered to a stop.

  Elle was breathless and invigorated. She felt lighter, not nearly as wound up as she was moments before. She, Karen, Holly, and Donny laughed and rolled in the snow, throwing snowballs at each other. They chugged up the big hill, the kids getting up to the top faster than she and Holly.

  “We did it, bitch!” Elle exclaimed when the kids were out of earshot. “That was so scary.”

  “That was hilarious as fuck.” Holly screeched as they neared the top. “Do you remember that sledding scene in Christmas Vacation? Oh my God. Your face.” Holly laughed.

  “You were hollering your head off. All that kept flashing through my head was Clark Griswold after he buffed the sled with the kitchen lubricant all slick and shiny.” Elle doubled over in laughter until both she and Holly rolled on the floor in uncontrollable laughter.

  “And then…and then he took off like a rocket….bhahahahaha.” Holly’s ear-piercing cackles rang out in all directions.

  “I thought you were going to start spinning around in circles and end up in town at the Super-Mart.”

  It was like none of their family was there, just the two of them. They couldn’t stop laughing.

  “Cole, don’t pay any attention to these two hyenas.” Her mother swiped her hands at them. “Stop before you choke,” Shandra admonished.

  “Come, Shan. Let’s leave these fools to it.” Her father guided her mother away by the hip.

  “Mom, Dad…” Elle rolled with laughter. “I can’t.”

  “Aunt Shan?” Holly tried to say, but could barely breathe.

  The kids joined Elle on the floor. “Stop laughing, Auntie,” and “You’re so silly Mom.” Elle’s sides hurt, but waves of hilarity kept emerging.

  She spotted Cole and his shoulders vibrated from her and Holly’s contagious laughter. Soon, everyone around them was laughing.

  “Oh-oh my God! I can’t breathe.” Elle coughed. She was sloppy and wet from sledding and playing in the snow.

  “Get up Auntie Noelle.” One of the twins offered her a hand.

  Scarlett, Jasper’s girlfriend, sauntered over from wherever she was and planted herself close to Cole. The attention Scarlett gave Cole gained Elle’s attention and she sobered. Elle wouldn’t have thought it to be a concern until Cole tastefully distanced himself from Scarlett.

  “What’s all this?” Scarlett straggled over to Jasper.

  “Christmas Vacation sled reference,” Cole explained.

  “Man, these jokers are going to have the giggles for the rest of the night.” Jasper crossed his arms.

  “I’m done,” Holly repeated over and over.

  Cole offered Elle a hand. Even though they wore gloves, his large hand enveloped hers and she felt his energy through the padded barrier.

  “Thanks.” Elle kissed his cheek.

  Cole wrapped his arm around her. “Let’s get you kids back to the house to warm up.”

  Elle nudged him and as they walked arm in arm, she looked back to find Scarlett’s gaze plastered on Cole.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The days’ activities were coming to an end and as family members returned to the house and changed into dry clothes, they were greeted with hot chocolate garnished with candy cane sticks.

  “No, mon. Not dat one, dis one.” Her Aunt Rachel winked at her and Cole.

  “She nipped it with Wray & Nephew Jamaican white rum,” Elle whispered to Cole, but he stared at her aunt.

  “You okay?” Elle asked.

  “I was just surprised by her accent. I didn’t expect it.” Cole was fascinated by the Jamaican accent coming out of her white Aunt’s mouth.

  “Oh.” Elle understood.

  “You’re uncle Desi’s wife, right?”

  “Yes. Auntie Rachel is my mom’s sister in law and Anil’s mom. There are Jamaicans and Caribbean people of all flavors. Caucasian, Indian, Chinese, you name it.” Elle referenced the cup. “Smell it.”

  Cole inhaled the light steam coming from the cup. “Whoa.”

  “Yeah. Auntie Rachel doesn’t play. It’ll knock you on your rump.”

  They warmed up with their hot drinks and relaxed by the fireplace.

  During dinner, her family told Christmas stories she’d heard many times before, but were new to Cole and Scarlett.

  Her father was in the middle of telling a story about Elle getting lost at Rockefeller Center during the tree lighting and how she climbed to the top of a gold statue to find them.

  Elle rolled her eyes in embarrassment. “I don’t remember doing any of this, mind you.”

  “How did she get up there?” Though Cole questioned her father, he regarded her.

  “She climbed up. I don’t know how no one grabbed her.” After all these years, her mother still sounded appalled.

  “The police couldn’t even get her down. My son, Anil had to go up and bring her down. It was the scariest thing. Shan was a basket-case,” her Uncle Desi delivered the ending with a loud, not so comedic punch line.

  Elle loved her Uncle Desi. He had married Rachel, his Jamaican high school sweetheart, in his teens. Almost fifty years later, they were still a romantic couple. He was always so much fun and a favorite among the kids because of his obsession for mangos, which he grew on his Florida property. Growing up, he would sing the Mango Time song to her, Holly, Anil, and Jasper. It was how she knew that Number Eleven was a mango variety. The song still made her laugh to this day.

  “Jasper was worse. Anil and Holly were no walk in the park either. I think I was the easiest.” Elle rattled off some stories of her own.

  “I covered for everyone. You may have been the easiest, Elle, but I was the most responsible.” Her cousin Anil gloated as he sat next to his fiancée, Harper. The two had their son, Donny, five years ago and after a brief separation had returned to each other. Their upcoming spring wedding was long overdue.

  “Total liar. Anil was the one who got us into the most trouble because we were younger and gullible,” Elle objected. “Remember when you stole Uncle Desi’s car and took us with you to go to see some girl?”

  Anil glanced quickly at Harper. “I plead the fifth.”

  “Convenient.” Elle loved this banter with her family and she was happy to be here with them. Even though she was deceiving them, it was the first time in a long time she was able to enjoy them without anyone reverting to her relationship status every five minutes.

  To the chagrin of her family, Elle had to get some work done. She had told her family it was a client from her firm. Deadline was New Year’s. The statement was kind of true. She had to work on Cole’s business. As she did in her day job, she made the appropriate assumptions based on the kind of start up Cole needed. She set him up as a limited liability company in minutes. He could always change it later but the last thing he needed was a disgruntled client from his former agency coming back to sue him should he mention something on Dr. Ginger’s show.

  She evaluated his paperwork and one thing he was missing was insurance, which for a consultant doing anything with psychology, was a good thing for him to have. His business prospectus was streamlined. He had written out all his ideas and even had something that resembled a five-year plan, but his documents needed serious organization.

  She also scoured his contract with Dr. Ginger and highlighted a few lines she had questions about. She was not a lawyer, but one thing she learned from her clients was that “other rights” in any contract would need to be read with great detail.

  “I thought he had a lawyer? Why would any lawyer working for him tell him to just sign this?” She flipped papers and highlighted another paragraph. “He’s a mess.”

  Cole was an intelligent man and by his bank records, financially abundant. The work he was t
ransitioning to with Dr. Ginger was going to help people with everything from sex education and therapy to entertainment, both on radio and television, with the Dr. Ginger Show. However, he really didn’t have a knack for business on the paperwork side. She was going to make sure she shared every important business aspect with him so he didn’t fall into the abyss of hopeful business owners without a lucrative plan.

  She’d go back and re-evaluate her work once she researched his market and cross-referenced it for alignment through his paperwork. She desired a more fun and creative outlet and decided to design Cole’s business cards and letterhead. Truth was she missed graphic design. She did business development all day, every day. Even when she was tired, she stayed up late to work on bringing her clients’ ideas to life. Having spent time with Cole, she designed a style she hoped he’d like. It was a sophisticated script that reminded her of a tuxedo, not a last-minute snag at a thrift shop type tuxedo, but rather a Zegna perfect for a philanthropic gala event. Red and black lettering on stitched white background. His car revealed he appreciated those colors. “Cole P,” artistically decorated the page. She knew what she would surprise him with on Christmas day.

  A knock sounded on the door before Cole entered.

  “Why are you knocking?”

  “I didn’t want to interrupt, but everyone is asking for you. You almost done?”

  “Yeah.” Elle scratched her head. “I have a couple questions for you about this contract. Did you have a lawyer review this?”

  “Yeah, my friend Harvey gave me a lawyer to hit up when I was ready.”

  “Do you trust him?”

  “The lawyer or Harvey?”

  “Harvey.”

  Cole crossed his arms and shifted into a defensive stance. “Yeah, I trust him.”

  Elle tilted her head. “There is doubt in your voice.”

  “Well, I work at the agency for him. I wouldn’t put it past him if he sent me to someone who might sabotage me to keep me working for him.” Cole scoffed.

  “And this is your friend?”

  “He’s not a bad guy, just not thrilled to be losing his best escort.” Cole sat next to her. “What’d you find?”

  She held his chin in her palm. His heavenly eyes sparkled at her and she bit the inside of her lip so the pain could bring her back to the point she wanted to make. “Whenever something says other rights, I don’t care if you have to spend hours thinking about it or spend a lot of money, get someone who has your best interest in mind to scour it with a fine-tooth comb.”

  “Okay.” Cole’s lids drooped like they weighed heavy. He may have been thinking but Elle was no longer sure it was about the contract.

  “I’m serious, Cole. This is important. Many a famous consultant, author, and artist have lost big by signing these rights away.”

  “Okay, Elle. I got it.”

  “I know this wasn’t part of the deal, but I started on some branding items for you. I guess I missed designing since I’ve been getting used to divvying my time up between the firm and NR Graphics.” She showed him what she did for him.

  “You’re very talented.” He continued to evaluate the logo. “This is great. I like it.”

  “Thanks.” Elle snuck a peek at him. When he had met her family, the daily agenda got busy for them very quick. They already had several meals, had gone sledding, and both she and Cole had fielded an onslaught of questions. Elle hadn’t even really had the time to digest what happened with them at the inn, but her body remembered and craved more of him, which was a problem. She had to focus on making sure her emotions didn’t get away from her, yet still give as honest a performance as possible.

  “How are you doing so far? I know we’ve been nonstop since we arrived,” she asked.

  “They’re very energetic, loud, and happy to be together to celebrate the holidays. They’re a normal family.” Cole nudged her shoulder.

  She accepted the answer and took a few minutes to show him some of the information that would be in his tutorial. “I created a video capture of what I did so you can see how to access it, but I will also explain it to you. This is just for reference.”

  “And you did all this in just over the hour and a half you’ve been up here?”

  “Yes, but I'm not done.” She circled the mouse around on her computer. “Remember, this is what I do for clients, so the process is the same. It takes longer based on the complexity of the business. Your business is not overly complicated. What you need to keep in mind is what I already mentioned to you several times. And that is…” she prompted him to respond.

  “Contracts, other rights.”

  “Well done.” She gathered some papers and wrapped up what she was doing.

  “Explain something to me, Elle. You’re artistic, business savvy, and you have a great family. You’re beautiful and you have personality, so why are you electing to be single?”

  “Electing? I think you meant a different word.”

  “I have a very good command of English. Like the British kind.” He referenced his high school years when his family lived in England.

  “I’m not electing to be single. It’s just not happening for me.” She was uncomfortable with the change of subject.

  “Men must want you.”

  “I’ve had my fair share, but nothing that’s lasted. You seem to be knowledgeable. You’re going to be on The Dr. Ginger show. You tell me.”

  Elle was annoyed. Though he was making assumptions, he was observant enough to deduce her dating dynamics in their short time together. She had read his business plan and the consulting he would do with Dr. Ginger, focusing on behavioral analysis and therapeutic touch. Elle was surprised to learn he was certified in both. He was good at it too, as she recalled their first time at the inn. But the last thing she wanted to be was a case study.

  “You don’t want to hear my take on it.” Cole rested his forearms on his thighs.

  She twisted in her seat and crossed her arms in defense. “Oh please, don’t back track now. You’ve obviously been using me as a case study to sharpen your skills.”

  “Case study? No, case studies are normally complicated and challenging. Your Achilles heel is easy to identify.” He kept a leveled voice in response to her agitation.

  “Do go on.” Elle wasn’t sure she could take what he was about to tell her, but despite her best efforts, her feelings for Cole grew and she preferred to know what he really thought about her.

  “I think you’re so desperate to not be the brunt of every joke from your family that you’re seeking a partner to satisfy them rather than satisfy you. You’re scared because though it may make them happy, it will probably make you miserable.”

  “You’re so wrong. I want a relationship with someone.”

  “What does that look like—this relationship you want with someone?”

  She stared at him not sure how to respond.

  “When you think about your future with this man, do you think about the qualities he has and how that’ll make you feel? How he’ll complement your life? Or, do you think about how content your parents and family will be that you’re finally married?”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Elle hated that he had identified what crippled her relationship quest.

  “That sour puss on your face tells me something different, sweetness.”

  It was as if he had read a journal of her innermost thoughts and spewed it back to her in front of a stadium of people.

  “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make my family happy. You’ve met them and spent a little time with them. They’re great. Is it so terrible to want that?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that, if it’s not to the detriment of your own emotional well-being. Are you content, joyous even, the rest of the year when you’re doing your graphic design, being with your friends, relaxing in your apartment, working on watches?”

  “Yes.” She was. Of course, like everyone, she wanted to be with someone, but it wasn’t like
she was miserable and only focused on sex and dating. She was fulfilled in other ways. She often thought about the idea of welcoming someone to share her life but whenever her family was involved, she felt unfocused in her search. She wanted to find someone that could satisfy her family, allowing her final admittance into the Rudolph-Berry tradition of finding a mate, marrying young, and following it up with babies.

  Cole continued. “Does it feel like something is missing?”

  “No.” An unsaid but hung in the air. “That’s what our family does. We marry and have children and when I see that, I do want it for myself. I want to fit in. I just wish I didn’t have the pressure to do it now. Why now? Right now. Now!” She felt the anger and the heat rise in her. “I just want to live without this stress of feeling like I’m disappointing them all the time.”

  “I get it but the fact that you’re happy without it is meaningful. You’re full, abundant. Everything else is icing on the cake.”

  “Thanks, Buddha. Tell that to my family.”

  “Not me.” Cole shook his head, feigning fear.

  “You know, Cole, you’re one to talk. For someone who doesn’t want to be judged you are passing quite a few my way. You escort women for a living.”

  “And you don’t think that takes any skill? Perhaps you’re just upset at the fact that it allows me insight into your behavior and what you need more than you want to admit.”

  “Fancy parties, bars, and consensual sex give you plenty of insight, I’m sure.”

  It was Cole’s turn to get angry. “I had a client who needed me when her father was dying. All she wanted was someone there for her—a person that wasn’t part of her family whom she didn’t have to be strong for or support. Someone to get coffee from the hospital food mart, to rub her shoulders and back when they were sore from bending over a motionless figure in a hospital bed. Someone who took her home and lay with her until she cried so much she had no more tears left. Trust me, Elle, when I tell you I wanted nothing more than to fuck the grief out of her when her father died. But that wasn’t what she needed. So yeah, it takes insight and intuitiveness to provide my clients with what they need.”