Chapter Six
Robbie
Why in the fuck did it never occur to you that Stefan might’ve had a brother? A twin brother, no less?
No clue.
Somehow doppelg?nger and ghost had felt more probable than an actual brother—let alone a twin.
Jesus, he must think I’m an idiot.
Yet he didn’t appear to feel that way. In fact, he made easy conversation with both me and Julie.
While I would’ve been legitimately okay with him focusing on Julie—she was the star and the one who’d had the traumatic evening—he kept drawing me into the conversation.
He didn’t mention Stefan again, for which I was grateful, but he managed to wheedle out of me that I was twenty-six, had left my oppressive and homophobic family Chilliwack for Vancouver at eighteen, and had struggled to get all the courses for my dental receptionist certificate while working full-time.
And that I loved my job, hated my three-hundred-and-fifty-square-foot apartment, and wanted a dog.
Especially one as cute as Minnie the mastiff.
Brody admitted some of the challenges with having a big dog and his relief that she wasn’t as big as her father or even most of her siblings. Runt of the litter.
Jesus. One hundred pounds was a runt?
While we were on the topic of pets, Julie admitted she really wanted one. A little pocket dog she could sneak into her dressing room every day. Something that would fit into her backpack or gym bag.
Brody offered to build her a little doggie enclosure.
Both agreed Val would likely have a conniption fit and that, even though Julie was a big star, pissing off the executive producer wasn’t a good idea.
Val…the guy paying for the nachos and our drinks? Yeah, I wouldn’t want to piss him off either. Especially if he had the ear of Hallstein.
A bell rang out.
Julie tapped the screen on her phone which had remained dark all night. “Damn, last call. How the fuck did that happen?”
Brody laughed. “You arrived after midnight, and we’ve talked up a storm? They’re open extra late just for tonight. Normally we’d have been booted by now.”
Julie pouted. “I got all dressed up, and no one even saw me.”
“Hey.” He gave her a look of outrage. Clearly faked. “I’m not no one. Robbie is definitely not no one.” He met my gaze and winked.
Heat raced to my cheeks.
Julie again blushed nearly the color of her ruby-red silk blouse. “I’m just sticking my foot in my mouth over and over tonight.” She pressed a hand to mine. “First you rescue me with Polly, and then I insult you—”
“No insult. I promise.” I squeezed her hand. “And I do believe I would forgive you just about anything.”
“Bless your dear Canadian heart.”
I cocked my head.
“Oh, I’m a dual citizen now. But when I first came here years ago, to work on VJ, I was American. Well, I’m still American, obviously. But now I’m Canadian as well. Not by birth, but definitely by love. And I love Oregon, but it’s not really home anymore.”
I hadn’t even registered she was American. She didn’t have any trace of an accent. Whether that was because Oregonians didn’t have one or because she’d had it trained out of her, I couldn’t guess.
Oregonians? Was that right? “Oh, okay.”
Polly swung around to collect our plates and glasses. “You want anything else? Kitchen’s closed, but I could swing one more drink.”
Julie held up her hand. “That was the perfect amount of food, drink, and revelry. Thanks so much, Polly. We had a great time.”
I didn’t even mind her including me in the we because I had truly enjoyed myself.
“Well, get home safe.” Polly headed off.
“Oh.” Julie checked her phone. “I need to order a ride.”
“I’d offer, but you’d have to walk twelve blocks to get a ride back and over seven.” Brody stared up at the ceiling. “Did I get that right?”
Julie laughed. “Something like.” She gave me a smile. “I live in Yaletown.”
“We could walk you home.” I hoped I wasn’t overstepping or that she might think I was weird.
She blinked. “Really.” She glanced down at her feet. “At least I remembered to wear sturdy boots. The weather forecaster called for snow.”
Brody eyed me. “Don’t you live in the west end?”
“Coal Harbor? Yeah.”
“Oh, so do I. Which is probably why I saw you down there earlier tonight.” He turned to Julie. “We can walk you home. Then Robbie and I can hop a bus home. They’re free tonight.”
I would’ve paid, but his words triggered a memory about free rides on New Year’s Eve.
Then we did just that. With Julie holding our hands, we walked her to her Yaletown condo. She’d put her beret on, and with only the light from the streetlamps, she wasn’t recognizable. Just a woman holding two men’s hands. Nothing weird about that in Vancouver.
Once she was safely settled—with Brody and me declining an offer for a nightcap—we headed out. Just a few blocks north to West Georgia Street.
“You really want to take a bus?” I caught sight of the massive line in front of The Georgian Hotel. Most of those people would be taking the bus right over the Lion’s Gate Bridge to West and North Vancouver, respectively. If we took spots, others might not get on.
Brody eyed me. “I’m up for a good walk. And we can talk.”
Even as he said the words, though, a cab pulled up in front of us, and two people stumbled out.
He caught the door and ducked his head inside. “Two guys to Coal Harbor.”
“Hop in.”
He held the door for me.
I slid in and over to the far side.
He joined me, closed the door, and grinned.
“Where to?” The cabbie pressed the meter.
“Oh.” He met my gaze. “Presumptuous of me, but you said you’ve got a studio. I have a two-bedroom.”
“That’s decadence.” I had no idea of his intentions, but I assumed if Hallstein had my photo that he likely would vouch that Brody wasn’t a serial killer.
As the cabbie pulled out into the thin traffic, I nudged my companion.
“Don’t forget to call Hallstein tomorrow.
Or is that today? I don’t want cops showing up on my doorstep. ”
He grinned just as we passed under a light.
“Oh, trust me. Still…” He fished out his phone, typed something with impressive dexterity, and hit the final press with a flourish.
“Hallstein now knows you’re coming home with me.
” He was about to put the phone away when it buzzed. He grinned and turned it to face me.
—FFS. Have I taught you nothing? Myles says have fun. I say don’t get dead.—
I burst out laughing. “Hallstein says for fuck’s sake?”
Brody chuckled as he re-pocketed his phone. “Uh, not usually. I would say this is a first.”
“Noted.”
The cabbie pulled up in front of Brody’s condo and shut off the meter.
I was in the process of pulling out my card when Brody grabbed the reader. He entered a generous tip, tapped his card, and handed the reader back to the driver.
“You gents have a nice evening.” The cabbie made a show of checking the time. “Well, whatever’s left of it.”
“Oh, plenty of time before sunup.” Brody opened the door, snagged my hand, and gently pulled me out of the cab.
As he slammed the door, I caught the cabbie laughing. He pulled away and moments later, we were alone.
Well, except for the woman at the concierge desk who had an excellent view of the two of us.
He still held my hand. “You coming up?”
“To talk?” I eyed him.
“And…other things?”
“I like other things.”
“Then let’s go.”