TUCKER
Ican’t believe I’m a home-owner. Me? The good for nothing surfer who prefers partying to paperwork.
I don’t think anyone thought this would happen.
Especially my oldest brother, Ryan. Dude thinks I can’t do anything.
He’s never believed in me. Maybe that’s ‘cause I don’t fit neatly into his visions for the future, and the Braddock Empire, like our other brothers do.
The guy is jumped up and full of himself just because he’s the owner of the most lucrative vacation resort in East Hampton, something he inherited from our parents when they were killed in a car accident five years ago, I might add. It’s not like he built the whole thing from scratch.
Then there’s my second oldest brother, Antony. He followed Ryan into the family business and is the head chef for one of the resort’s two restaurants, where Ryan’s partner Alicia is the head chef for the other restaurant.
After those two, there’s Sebastian and Joshua.
These guys are way more laid back than Ryan and Antony, and they’re closer to my age.
But, unlike me, they had no trouble assimilating into the family business, either.
Sebastian owns a ranch that offers resort patrons horse riding lessons, and other equestrian activities, while Joshua owns the resort gym.
Then there’s me, the ‘black sheep’ of the family, who had to Google what ‘equestrian’ means.
I’m not just about drinking, drugs, and getting laid - though they are some of my top pastimes.
My biggest love in this world, my passion, is for surfing, even though that doesn’t benefit the resort in any way, and even though our parents supported me following my dream of becoming a professional surfer.
But since their deaths, Ryan hasn’t been as accommodating, and is always insisting I should get a ‘real’ job, even though he knows full well I’d look ridiculous in a uniform following other people’s orders.
Me? The good for nothing surfer who prefers partying to paperwork.
In a suit and tie. Urgh. I can’t think of anything more alien. I’d look so extra they’d call me E.T.
Plus, like, Ryan has never ever had to work for anything in his life. He got handed a successful business. Handed! And yet here I am one of the best surfers in the country and I’ve had to fight every step of the way.
Still, soon, I’m going to prove Ryan -- and everyone else who ever doubted me -- wrong.
There’s a big contest coming up in California, and if I do well, I will get the attention of national agents, who’ll be able to take my career to the next level.
Who knows, soon I might be able to enter international-contests and see the world, just like I always dreamed.
But that’s all in the future, and like I say, you gotta be in the present first and foremost. So before I head out to California, I have a new house to ‘break in.’
Until recently, I’ve been living with Josh, my older brother by two years.
I’d been staying with him since I graduated university a few months ago.
Although the primary reason for living with Josh was so I didn’t have to move back in with Ryan or something (who keeps insisting he’s my ‘legal guardian’ even though I’m twenty-one now).
That and because, honestly, the idea of owning my own home scared the crap out of me.
I don’t need all that responsibility at twenty-one.
But, well, things change. Namely, Josh is soon going to become a father, after he and his long-term crush, Caitlyn, finally got together.
I don’t want to crowd the happy couple -- plus having a baby around when I bring chicks home is only gonna cramp my style.
Imagine trying to get it on and then a baby starts screaming! Eesh.
So, I’ve bought a beach-front home, that’s just a short stretch away from the water. Perfect for surfing. And of course, spotting all the hot women in their bikinis. What can I say, I love a home with a view.
And every new home deserves a house-warming party. I mean, it would be rude not to, right?
But, as expected, Ryan is dead against it.
“Do you really think a house-warming party is a good idea after the last one?” he says, his nostrils flaring.
I try my best not to roll my eyes. Does Ryan even know what fun is?
Ryan has got a stick up his ass because a few weeks ago -- while Josh and Caitlyn were on a weekend getaway at a spa -- I threw a house party at Josh’s place, and well … things got a little out of hand. Only a little, though. I ended up being arrested for possession of cannabis.
It all turned out fine in the end. I wasn’t charged as it was my first offense.
The police only gave me a warning and fined me $1000.
Still, Ryan thinks it’s a sign I’m on the slippery slope to becoming a drug-baron-cartel-leader or something.
I swear, it’s like my older brother has forgotten what it’s like to be young and have fun.
Since getting with Alicia -- and the two of them moving into a huge townhouse, along with Alicia’s siblings who she has custody of -- it’s like he’s become the perfect picture of responsibility, and conveniently forgotten what he was before he met Alicia.
His womanizing reputation was worse than mine.
“If it bothers you so much, you don’t have to come,” I bite back.
“Oh, I’ll be here. To make sure things don’t get out of hand.”
I heave out a sigh, feeling a vein throbbing in my temple. If Ryan comes to the party, it will turn into a pensioner’s convention. We’ll have to serve gin and lemonade and make sure everyone leaves at 10 PM so they can get a full night’s sleep.
I know the perfect response to get under his skin.
“Oh, if you and Alicia are coming, you should bring Jackie, too.”
Jackie is Alicia’s younger sister, and she also works at the resort. She’s twenty-five, and pretty hot, so of course, Ryan thinks I wanna get her into bed. I don’t, she’s not my type, but knowing it annoys Ryan, I bring it up as often as possible.
“I told you, Jackie is off limits,” Ryan grinds out.
“Yeah yeah.” I wave him off dismissively.
Ryan’s lips press together in a thin line, but he doesn’t say anything, and I know he’s desperately trying to avoid an argument.
I simply smirk, and say, “Well, I best get ready to entertain my guests. I’ll see you later.”
Ryan stalks out of the house, and I’m left in blissful solitude.
I head into the kitchen to make sure everything is ready -- the fridge is full of alcohol, and mixers for the spirits, and I’ve hired a local caterer to provide a buffet. I have an hour before the caterer is due to arrive, so I head to my room to shower and get ready.
An hour later, I’m setting up a playlist for the party, when the bell rings in the harshest screech possible. I absolutely need to change that bell.
Expecting the caterer, I answer it, and am greeted by an attractive young woman, with long, blonde hair. Upon seeing me, her eyes widen, and a blush covers her cheeks.
I smirk. “Can I help you?”
“Erm … you are Mr. Braddock?”
“I am, but please, call me Tucker. And you are?”
“Chloe Turner, I’m the daughter of Bob Turner--”
“The caterer I hired?” I say, connecting the names.
Chloe smiles. “That’s right. My father sends his apologies, but he realized at the last minute he was double booked. However, he sent me with your delivery instead.”
It makes no difference to me who sets up the buffet, as long as the food is good. And, well, Chloe is cute. Perhaps I can convince her to stick around for the party.
“Please, come in. I’ve set up tables in the dining room, and the kitchen is all ready to. Set everything out where you think best.”
“Perfect. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Chloe jogs down the driveway to her car and starts unloading coolers and food storage boxes. Soon, she’s setting up a feast of hot and cold foods from many different cuisines, as well as plenty of desserts. And just in time too, as the doorbell rings, announcing the arrival of my first guests.
I open the front door to see Joshua and Caitlyn waiting on the threshold. I had hoped Caitlyn might bring her friend, Amber, but I don’t mention it now, as I don’t want to make my brother and his partner suspicious.
A few weeks ago, during the house party at Josh’s, Caitlyn’s best friend and business partner Amber turned up with some mutual friends.
One thing led to another, and she ended up in my bed.
I barely gave her a second thought until she called me a few weeks later.
Well, that’s not entirely true. She was very, very good in the sack.
The kind of woman who leaves a lasting impression.
I’m used to women I’ve slept with calling me a few weeks later, begging me to take them on another date or see them again.
I was expecting much the same from Amber.
But, instead, she’d only called me because Caitlyn was in danger, and needed my help telling Joshua what was going on.
In fact, she’d made it perfectly clear she wasn’t interested in sleeping with me again, which was wild to me.
You could count the number of chicks who’ve turned me down on one hand. No, one finger. Actually, zero fingers.
She wasn’t like any of the other women I’d slept with -- she wasn’t going to chase after me, and for some bizarre reason that made her all the more desirable in my mind.
As I show Josh and Caitlyn inside, and make drinks for them, an image of Amber appears in my mind.
She’s ‘classically’ beautiful, with platinum blonde hair, blue eyes, a sexy figure and breasts so large you could fall asleep on.
In another lifetime, she could have been a model or actress, but for whatever reason, Amber has devoted her life to the care of animals.
Along with Caitlyn, she owns a successful dog breeding business, which has recently expanded into offering dog grooming and other similar services.
“So, how are things?” I ask, trying to keep my tone casual.