Chapter Seven Ivy League
Fate
Yeah, Liberty’s comment pissed me off. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe I didn’t like it that he got an eyeful of her too. I shook my head. Like I had any right to feel proprietary about it. I was mad at myself actually. I stared like a teen boy at his first sighting of a pair of tits. Oh, yeah…I admit it, I had been staring at her because I just couldn't help it. The woman was gorgeous and she didn't even seem to know it.
“Ok, ok,” Liberty said as he wiped water from his face. “Let’s see if we can wash more than just one vehicle.”
“Wow, that's right.” Belle nodded as she tossed him a towel to dry his face off with. “We only washed one.”
“And we never even rinsed it or dried it off,” Briget said as she tied her towel around her chest, toga style. “I suppose we should step it up and show Talon we aren't just useless children .” She grinned while repeating the description he’d used.
“Aww hell, I admit it,” Liberty said. “I am a child and I like being a child.”
I chuckled. “It's about time you finally admitted it.”
“Ok well, get over it, baby boy !” Belle exclaimed as she tisked at him. “Time to grow up and get to work.” With a grin on her face, she used the hose and rinsed the SUV off.
We all got to work and dried it down, buffing it. We moved to the next vehicle which was a truck, and then a third, a smaller car. After another two hours, we’d done seven vehicles altogether.
Finally, we all headed over to the lawn chairs under the big oak and I passed drinks out. I made a point to personally hand Briget a Dr. Pepper.
Smiling, she took it and felt the bottle. “And it’s cold!” she said.
I nodded. “Not difficult. I had it in a cooler.”
Raising it up in a toast, she said, “You are a true gentleman.”
I sat down next to her and shook my head as I raised my Dr. Pepper up, tipping her battle with mine. “Nope. Not a gentleman. I stared at your wet t-shirt like I was mesmerized.” Yeah, I just admitted to it outright.
She was in mid-drink and then choked on her soda.
Concerned, I reached over to pat her on the back. “Are you okay?”
She swiped at her lip and shook her head. “Yeah, sorry about that.
“Well, I just wanted to apologize for staring like I did.” Best way to be was upfront and honest. My brother Justice was always saying that. Stay out of trouble by constantly telling it true. Now, I wasn’t sure if this pertained to dealing with women, but it probably would be the safest route to take.
“Hey,” she said with a nervous laugh. “It wasn’t your fault that I wore a damned t-shirt.” Looking over at a smiling Belle, she stuck her tongue out at her. “Yeah, yeah. I know you tried to warn me.” Briget rolled her eyes. “And there I thought a bikini top was too sexy. I learned my lesson though, didn’t I?”
“I hope so,” Belle replied as she cracked up laughing.
Well, I secretly hoped not. Yeah, honesty was best but I sure as hell didn’t voice this thought as I kept trying to get those sweet looking pink nipples of hers out of my head. I couldn’t seem to do it and I already knew they would plague me for the rest of the day then into the deep of night. Sure, before we came here to Louisiana, I had my pick of women. I never lacked for female company as they say in the South. The women I’d dated before were mostly professional types. Most of them I’d met through being an architect. Mostly though, they were never my type, if I had a type. Sure, they were usually beautifully dressed to the nines with perfect makeup and hair. While that was nice, it wasn’t real. Wasn’t natural.
Briget wasn’t anything like them. Casual dresser, ponytails or braids, light makeup if any. Funny and outspoken. She also didn’t seem to care about her looks all the time, like checking her lipstick, looking into a compact mirror every ten minutes and such. I also felt sure that she didn’t own any female formal power suits. Just something about this girl. I don’t know. I'd been thrown all the way back to an insecure teen version of myself.
“Hello?” Briget called attention to my silence and my spacey stare.
Blinking my eyes, I looked over at her.
She chuckled. “You seemed lost in thought or something?”
Again, I was brutally honest as I openly admitted, “I was wondering why I am so damned attracted to you.”
Staring at me with wide eyes, she shook her head. “Maybe it’s just the circumstances.”
I cocked my head at her and asked, “What?”
“Well, you've been stuck with the Louisiana Walkers for a couple of months now, right?”
I nodded though I knew where she was headed with this line of thinking.
“That’s probably it,” she explained. “You haven't been around any single women like you were back home. So now, you might be a little desperate and are willing to trade down to a girl like me.”
I stared at her and felt confused. “Trade down?”
Nodding, she took a swig of her Dr. Pepper then said, “Sure, I mean I am the only available female on this property…” She paused and added, “Besides your little sister, that is.”
I raised my hand up and said, “No, that’s not what I asked. You said I was desperate so I was looking to trade down?”
Nodding, she looked away as she replied, “Sure…You cannot tell me that back home, you dated anyone like me.”
“Oh, I agree with that part. I’ve never met anyone like you.” Unique and naturally beautiful with no need to flaunt her looks.
“Yeah, see.” She nodded. “Back home, you wouldn’t have looked at me twice.”
I furrowed my brows at this statement. “And why not?”
“Look, we both know I am not your…type.”
I shook my head at her and said, “Maybe not? But that is because I have never met anyone like you before. I’m not sure I have a type though.”
“Oh, I imagine that you do.” She rolled her eyes.
I was super curious now to hear her description of ‘my’ type. “Oh, yeah? And just what would be my type?”
Shrugging, she turned her head to look at me again. “Ivy league. Silver spoon. Like a career woman trying to become CEO of the company. Rich parents. Cheerleader in high school and honor roll in college. Perfect features, flawless expensive dresser, possibly tan, long legs, fake boobs and probably a blonde.”
I stared at her in disbelief then laughed. Ok, so her descriptions hit some markers, but then again those were the type of women I never pursued for very long. “Well, some of that,” I told her. “But not all of it. Like I am partial to blondes, but fake boobs, not so much. So, I still don’t get what you're saying.” Briget in fact, had curly blonde hair and big blue eyes… a petite girl. What was it that Belle had said? She looked like a pixie but acted like a prize fighter.
“What I am saying is…I am from the poor side of town. Mom was a housekeeper, Dad did construction, when he could find a job at all. I am a waitress and have worked in retail. Oh, and I was a fast food worker at sixteen. McDonalds actually. I am not in your league.”
I kept staring at her as her words sunk in. “My league?” I asked in surprise.
“Yeah, like the Ivy League. I mean you are hot, I gotta admit and you’re funny too. But I have to have someone that well, I can maybe have a real relationship with. You know, like not a one nighter.”
I kept staring at her but now, my jaw had dropped. This woman thought I was looking for an easy fuck and no strings. I shook my head. “Who says I’m not looking for that exact same thing? A solid relationship.”
Shrugging, Briget replied, “Maye you are but not with me.” She scoffed as she laughed like the whole concept was ridiculous.
I just stared at her. “I don’t understand.”
She shook her head and looked sympathetic. “Look, you are a nice guy. I’m not putting you down. It’s just that we are not compatible.”
“Damn,” I retorted. “How can you know that when we do not even know each other?”
“What’s to know?” She shrugged again. “You are well off and well educated. While I am not. I am the server you tip when you take out an educated career woman or some rich girl to dinner. You would just be slumming it with me.”
“Slumming…it,” I repeated dumbly.
“Yes and look, I mean no disrespect.” Briget gave me a polite smile. “I’m just being realistic. Plus, I’m not out to be someone’s playtime or a good time until they go back home to their high life.”
All I could do was gawk at her. Maybe gape would be a better word. I felt stunned. She truly thought I outclassed her and therefore just wanted to get into her panties and not her life. “Wow,” was all I could seem to get out.
Nodding, Briget stood from the lawn chair. “So, you can just relax now. There will be no hanky panky between us. No need to waste anymore time pursuing me either or pretending that I am someone you want to date seriously. We both get it. And thanks for the Dr. Pepper, it was awesome.” She then turned to walk away.
“Oh, no,” I said. “You are not just dropping that kind of bomb, then leaving.” I felt angry about her negative assumptions. “You’re making claims about me without even knowing me. How fair is that?”
Turning back, she slowly shook her head and took a step closer to me. “In the game between male and females there is no fairness. But I’ve known guys like you. Bored, wanting to try something new, maybe go to the slummy neighbourhoods or the not so nice clubs. Hit up on some trailer trash girls, see how that goes. Have some fun on the wild side. You know, play around some more before you finally do have to settle down with the perfect trophy wife and 2.2 kids. Nice million dollar home and golf on the weekends. And just like I said before, you will be tipping that trailer trash girl when you take your perfect wife out.”
This time, I couldn’t even say wow. The girl had her mind made up about this so-called classes thing. I simply stared at her and asked, “Who hurt you like that?”
Tucking her head back at the loaded question, she rolled her eyes. “That’s just the way it is. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Of course, you don’t see it from your five star hotel, french balcony world. But the blue collars and the white collars being in entirely separate existences is actually a thing, Mr. Walker. A real fact that most people are highly aware of. And yeah, sometimes, trailer trash girls like me learn it pretty damn young in life.”
“I’m not rich,” I told her. “Nor do I care what people think. Or where they are from. A person should never be judged on money or education. Why would I do that?”
“Yeah, why would you?” she agreed too quickly. “You never had to deal with being poor. Never had to worry about where your next meal would come from or if you could pay your rent.” She plunked her pointer finger into my chest. “Tell me if you ever have worried about making it day to day. Paycheck to paycheck. I bet you never had to wonder about whether you would make it through the day or the whole week with no cash to your name.”
I paused at this. I knew I’d never had to worry about those things. Mostly due to my dad always being resourceful and great at making money.
“See?” She waved her hand at me when I had no answer. “So, yeah. There is great distance between us. We are in different classes, Fate. I just don't care to be some toy you play with then throw away when you get bored.” Briget turned away again and made her way to the Connor House entrance.
I sucked in a deep breath at this accusation. I don’t think I’d ever been judged so harshly before in my life and certainly not by a woman I felt attracted to. I stood there without a word to say. This stung like a sonofabitch, it sure did. Was I looking to just fuck her? No. I knew that in an instant. Would I like to be with her skin to skin? Yes. But to be insulted by facts such as she just laid out, when she didn’t even know me? Well, she was right about the way I was raised. Not having to worry about surviving day to day but I sure as hell hoped she wasn’t right about her prediction of my future. Golf? And 2.2 children?
Sitting in the lawn chairs close by, Belle and Liberty had apparently heard the entire discussion. They both looked troubled and wore no smiles now as they too watched her walk to the house and go inside.
I looked over at them and asked in shock, “What the everloving hell was that?” I stared at Belle.
She bit at her lip and shook her head.
“What happened to her to make her believe that crap?” I asked her.
“It’s her story to tell,” Belle stated sadly. “I’m sorry she said all of that.” Shrugging, she added, “Well, no. I’m not sorry. I mean, I don't want her to get hurt like that.”
I raised my arms up in disgust. “I haven't done anything to earn these suspicions. I mean forgive me for liking her. Forgive me for thinking she’s the most beautiful woman I have ever met! Damn, just castrate me already for being interested in her.”
Liberty smirked and opened his mouth to make some sarcastic retort.
Belle covered his mouth with her hand and stared at me. “You think she's the most beautiful girl you have ever met?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I do. The funniest as well. I mean I can’t stop thinking about her and it gets worse every day.”
“So, does this mean you are just gonna walk away from it?” Belle asked.
Liberty pulled her hand away from his mouth and said, “Yeah, she slung some pretty harsh shit at ya, baby brother. You think she’s worth the trouble?”
Belle gasped and elbowed him.
Chuckling, he defended, “Hey now, he really needs to believe from the get go that fighting that humongous wall of privilege prejudice is worth it. I mean you heard her, she just told him he was a stuck up, rich boy, hound dog with no morals or scruples.”
“In other words, she was describing the way you were before I changed you.” Belle stared at him then at the horrified look on his face, she burst into laughter.
I shook my head as I ignored them both now. Liberty was right for once. If anyone had ever insulted me down to the bare bones, Briget had just done it.