Chapter 31 Talbot
TALBOT
“Wynter is coming!” my brothers whoop as they pile into my basement apartment.
“There’s that game face!” Anderson kneads my shoulders.
“Is Austen finally going down tonight?”
“Uhh…”
“Dude, seriously?” Jake flops on my bed.
“Hudson,” Anderson complains.
“Why are you all in my house?” I snarl at them.
“Your house?” Hudson scoffs. “You mean the basement of my building that you live in and are supposed to be doing maintenance work for?”
“I don’t want to live anywhere he’s doing electrical work.” Lawrence crosses his arms.
“I can do the sparkies.”
“Aaaand I’m moving out,” Anderson says, “before you light this place up like a Christmas tree and the whole building goes down in flames.”
I slick pomade in my hair, making the black sleek and shiny.
Jake picks up my freshly ironed and starched dress shirt. “This is what you’re wearing?”
“This is a nice shirt.”
“I thought you liked that girl.” Jake wrinkles his nose.
“He’s not supposed to like her. She’s a client,” Hudson thunders.
“She’s cute,” I say.
“She likes him,” Anderson says flatly.
“Yeah, that’s the point,” Lawrence argues with him.
“He’s making her fall in love with him so she will give the go-ahead to kill Austen, and we can close the contract out.”
“Final one of the year.” Jake pumps his fist.
“Look at these photos.” Elsa is flipping through one of Misty’s family members’ social media profiles. “She is in lurve! I bet she gets him a real fancy Christmas present.” Elsa wiggles her chest at me.
“I really think we need to start seeing a therapist. We are way too close.” Anderson sighs.
“Fuck you, Elsa. She’s probably just going to make me a sweater.”
“A sweater?” Jake wrinkles his nose. “Sounds like you’re failing at this whole fake relationship thing if she’s knitting you a lousy sweater for Christmas.”
I’m suddenly irrationally angry at him. “She crochets.” I shove Jake hard off the bed, and he lands in a heap, rubbing his sides.
“Ow. Hudson!”
“If that’s your plan, you gotta wear a tux. Make her think that she’s changed you,” Anderson tells me, opening up my closet.
“Yeah.”
“Make her think the wolf’s got himself a leash and a cozy little Christmas sweater.”
“Wine-and-dine her. Make her fall in love with you, then bang. Ride off into the sunset.” Jake sifts through my ties.
Hudson nods slowly, tapping his knuckles against the top of the walnut dresser.
“He can’t just do that. He still needs to take a romantic vacation afterward then slowly ghost her because otherwise,” Lawrence argues, “otherwise she’ll go all jilted lover on him and blow up our company, which is what we’re trying to avoid.”
I try to remind myself that this was the plan all along, that I can’t actually love Misty. Except part of me knows it’s too late.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror as I fasten the bow tie around my neck. There’s only a shadow of myself in there.
“Now, remember, don’t pick your nose. The mini forks are for shellfish, not actual fish. You have to use the fish knife for actual fish.” Jake smirks and hands me my polished dress shoes.
“I can wear a suit and blend in with a high-end party.” I snatch them from him.
“In the meantime, should we do a stakeout on Austen, let you know when he’s alone?” Lawrence asks.
“We don’t have stakeout money on this job. Talbot’s already blown through the budget,” Hudson states.
“Austen needs to be gone. As soon as possible. We are not running a charity, and we’re not paying for you to party and fuck your way to Christmas.”