Page 5 of The Physical Attraction Seminar
“If you weren’t so caught up in your frat boy charades, you’d know what’s going on in my life.” The jab was subtle yet intentional. “Dad told me you haven’t accepted the offer yet?”
“Going right for the hard-hitting questions, huh?”
As I approach a street corner, the walk sign illuminates, and my footsteps fall into pace with the crowd.
“As surprising as it might sound, running a multi-billion-dollar company and overseeing the acquisitions department is quite taxing. Meanwhile, you’re out in Los Angeles doing fuck all with god knows who,” I scold. “Even Dad has crawled out of retirement to help while I’vebeen handling the Solus deal.”
Harrison hums on the other end of the line, which is the telltale sign he’s tuning out everything I’m saying.
“Since you haven’t accepted the job offer yet, that means you’re going to give me your inheritance as a consolation, right?” I ask to test his alertness.
“Exactly.”
Of course, he wasn’t listening.
“Let me make sure I’ve got this straight… you’re completely fine giving upbillionsof dollars and giving them to me instead?”
“Sure,” he draws, feigning attentiveness, but his bullshit is clear as glass.
“Harrison,” I grit between my teeth.
“Sorry, B. I’m a bit… preoccupied at the moment. My good friend… what’s your name, sweetheart?” His voice grows distant, like he’s pulling the phone away, before coming back at full volume in my ear. “My good friend, Amanda, is releasing some of the tension in my neck.”
“Harrison. Who are you talking to?” The faint voice of another woman’s distant voice comes from his end of the line.
“How many women are in your room right now?”
“Let’s see… one, two, three.” He rattles off the numbers like he’s counting cars passing on the street. “Three, wait, make that four.”
“Tell me you’re joking.”
“What can I say? I’m a man who enjoys the simple pleasures of life.”
“You consider an orgy with four women asimple pleasure?” There’s no hiding the bewilderment coating my tone.
“Anything less would be modest for my taste.”
I hum into the speaker, silently contemplating the configurations of five bodies in one bed. Did they even use a bed? The living area felt like a more dynamic option—couches, chairs, coffee tables. More room to play. And ample space for side quests.
I brush off the thought with a quick shake of my head.
You see, my brother has led a somewhat… heedless lifestyle since my mother’s affair imploded our family.
Our other triplet, Reid, and I concealed our bitterness by throwing ourselves head-first into work. For years, we’ve been gearing up to take over the family business from our father and uncle. We have such tight knots in our necks that it would require masseurs weeks to alleviate them, whereas Harrison is being happily pampered with massages by numerous women.
The only problem with his grieving process, you ask? Well, Harrison has a hard time keeping his extracurricular activities out of the press. Meaning he repeatedly brings shame to the Banks name with every front-page spread on Page Six.
It’s not every day you wake up to a photo of your brother’s blurred ass on the landing page of every major media outlet. Or an accompanying article dissecting every detail of his hour-long sex tape.
My brother’s recent termination from his job can be attributed to the morning talk show hosts’ commentsabout his stamina in bed. And it’s also why his reign as Los Angeles’ premiere playboy is coming to an end.
I don’t envy his lifestyle, but there is a pang of jealousy that courses through me every time I’m reminded of his ability to throw caution to the wind and live without constraints.
Occasionally, late at night, I’ll sit on the edge of my desk and look out at the New York skyline, observing unlit office buildings and lights flickering off in apartments as people retire to bed. Every time, there is a nagging pull in my chest that makes me question whether or not devoting the last five years of my life to continuing the family legacy has been worth it.
I rarely allow myself to admit it, but there is a part of me that desires to have a partner that makes mewantto go to the office late and rush home at the end of the day or hear kids squealing and footsteps padding against the hardwood when I open the door.
I let the image roll through my mind, and I can practically hear my grandmother’s frail voice saying, “There’s more to life than growing this business, boys.”
