Dax
Chapter Two
The lawn is finished and I need a beer.
There’s so much stuff I need to remember right now that concentrating on getting the stripes in the lawn done perfectly felt like taking a break. But now I’m done, the ramifications of screwing up the Magnus Huckle deal float over to rest over the top of my head like a cartoon storm cloud.
My brother Zac has the refrigerator open and is staring inside. He’s a cop who works unsociable hours so our paths don’t cross too often unless he does a day shift.
“Want a beer?” He asks the question before I can open my mouth. That’s the thing about older brothers, they like to get in their first.
“Sure.” I wash my hands, which are tinged green from the grass and sit down at the kitchen table. He hands me a cold beer and takes the seat opposite me.
“What’s up bro? You’ve got that head-in-the-clouds expression which means you’re deliberating about something.” Zac takes a long pull on his beer.
“Ah, I got this big deal party coming up. For that superstar architect Magnus Huckle. Dress to impress kind of thing. I want him to partner with our construction firm - he does really interesting stuff.”
“Oh, like Peppermint Lodge?” Zac looks impressed.
“That’s the one.” Magnus Huckle must be a big deal if even my brother remembers his name. He’s not the architecture type. Cage fighting and rock climbing are more his deal.
“You’ll be fine Dax. You have so many projects under your belt. Leo will put in a good word for you and he’s a big shot. Also, you can be sort of charming when you put your mind to it.” He punches my shoulder, being careful not to spill his beer.
“That’s not what I’m worried about. I know how to razzle dazzle a client. Leo called me last week to give me some insider tips and said that Mr. Huckle was very old-fashioned. He only signs up with providers who he thinks are trustworthy…”
“You're pretty reliable. And I’m a cop, I can vouch for you.” Zac interrupts.
“Thanks bro. But it’s not like that. Mr. Huckle has some rules for the people he partners with.
And the number one rule is that he wants people my age to have a serious partner.
Something about men at 30 are only reliable with a good woman to come home to.
Now, that’s not me.” I shrug and take a sip of beer.
“Yeah, you’re not exactly marriage material.” Zac raises his eyebrows and it’s my turn to punch his arm.
“Leo told me to get a date for the party. He said it would be even better to give the impression that me and the date were either married or engaged. I thought he was joking at first but he was completely serious. Said that Mr. Huckle wouldn’t trust me otherwise.
So now I’m in the position of having to find a girl to be my fiancée with two days to go, and to act like we’re going to get married in order to seal the deal.
” I lower my head to rest on my forearms on the table.
I’ve been thinking about ways around this for a while and all my ideas are getting more and more ridiculous. I should be concentrating on what I’m going to say to get Mr. Huckle excited about our potential partnership and instead I’m having to magic up a fake fiancée at the last minute.
Zac nudges me with the beer bottle and I raise my head. “Dude. Don’t sweat it. There’s a whole houseful of girls next door. Gorgeous ones too. Ask one of them.”
“Zac you’re probably too busy being a supercop to notice they’re all coupled up now. And no one's at home until Independence Day. Apart from Alexis, but she’s my friend. It would be stupid.”
“Alexis is smokin’ hot. That architect will be too busy staring at her to worry about your relationship. Just tell her to wear a dress and not sports stuff.”
“What makes you think she’d be interested in going to some stuffy party on a holiday where we usually all relax and eat chicken in the yard?” I fold my arms and stare at him. He’s annoying but he does have a point.
“She’s your friend right? She’d do this for you.
Wasn’t she trying to get you to help out with her class or something?
You can trade favors.” He smirks and waggles his eyebrows.
Zac is always teasing me about Alex because he’s a When Harry Met Sally fan who thinks it’s impossible for a guy to just be friends with a girl.
As irritating as it is for me to admit that he’s right, his plan might work.
I’m not sure why I didn't consider it myself. I guess because whenever I start to appreciate how pretty Alex’s face is or how stunning her curves are, I automatically censor myself.
Our friendship has to be more important than my libido. And she’s right next door, like family.
But we do know each other well enough to fake it for one afternoon. Maybe.
It might even be kind of fun.
Now I just have to come up with a way of getting her to agree.