Page 4 of Accidental Fire
A buzz sounded, and the black-and-gold gates with the largeAemblem on each side slid open. I drove through and glanced at Pop. The grimace on his face was priceless.
“What’s that face mean? It’s no secret he’s loaded. Hell, he was well on his way when you and Mom got together. Don’t go hatin’,” I teased Pop. It was as though he’d forgotten that Mom and Nate grew up in the lap of luxury.
Their father had been a fine-art dealer in the sixties, and their mother was from a wealthy oil family in Texas. Hell, even I had a trust fund that I rarely touched. It was how I’d bought my truck and a small cottage near Dockweiler State Beach.
I pulled around the circular drive and parked in front of the detached garage next to the pool house. I hurriedly grabbed our bags from the back seat of my double-cab GMC Sierra. “Now, Pop, don’t rag on Nate the way you always did when he came to visit while Mom was alive. Make nice, okay?”
Pop sighed as the front door opened and Nate came out onto the large porch. “Fine. I’ll do my best unless he starts some shit, then I make no promises.”
That was the best I could hope for. My father was a complicated man.
“Nate, thanks for the invite. How’ve you been?” I dropped our bags and hugged the shorter man. Nate pulled a lot of tail for a guy so short and skinny.
“Ah, Big Leif! It’s good to see you, brother.”
Pop actually hugged Nate, which was a surprise. The last time they were in the same room, it was after Mom died, and Nate was trying to shove legal documents at Pop for him to accept the inheritance Mom had rejected. That didn’t end well.
“Thanks for having us, Nate. How’s business?” The two of them walked ahead of me, so I grabbed our bags and followedthem into the main house, which was white and grandiose. Not my taste, but for Nate, it was perfect.
We went inside, and Nate pointed me toward the stairs. “Pick any room.” He and Pop went through the fancy dining room into the kitchen.
I jogged up the curved staircase and took the room I’d stayed in before, putting Pop into the room across the hall. It was set to be an interesting stay.
Nate’s housekeeper and cook, Chanice, was an incredible woman. She’d worked for him through his three marriages and was probably one of the only women who could tolerate Nate’s womanizing ways. Most of the time, she laughed at his ridiculous attempts at flirting and went about her business.
I admired the hell out of her, as had my mother. The two women had been the same age and had a lot of respect for each other. Mom had always said only a saint could tolerate her spoiled brother, and it was easy to see Chanice fit the saintly bill perfectly.
When I walked into the kitchen after unpacking my clothes, Chanice was putting the finishing touches on lunch. “Hi, Chanice.”
She turned from the stove and offered a beautiful smile. “Aw, Kit, it’s been far too long.” She hurried over and gave me a hug.
“What’s for lunch? It smells delicious.” My stomach growled loudly to punctuate my words as I poured a glass of tea from the pitcher on the counter.
“Prime rib sandwiches and potato wedges. Do you want a salad?” Chanice offered me a small slice of prime rib, which I gladly took, chewing the beef before I held my fingers to my lips in a “chef’s kiss” gesture.
The woman was probably the only long-term relationship Nate had ever had with anyone near his own age. He only dated—and married—much younger women, discounting everyoneelse who might be better suited for him. I would never make that mistake if the right woman were to come along.
Thirty minutes later, we sat down for lunch out by the pool. I could tell Pop and Nate had already had a few beers, and it was nice to see Pop let go for once. Mom had been gone for five years, and I’d been worried about him.
For the first two years, Pop became a recluse, only meeting with clients when it was absolutely necessary. He’d kept Mom’s clothes and the things she loved for that entire time until I insisted on donating the things from their life that Pop would let me pack up. It was hard for him to approve, but finally, he’d agreed it was time to move forward.
That’s when the ladies started swooping in. It was almost like they’d had a sixth sense that he was ready.
Chanice brought out a tray with sandwiches and sides, which looked pretty damn great. She set the table and grinned. “Anything else, gentlemen?”
I couldn’t imagine what else we might need. There was every kind of condiment anyone could imagine. “I think we’re good,” Nate answered. Chanice grinned and went back into the house.
“Nate, what’s this job you’re trying to suck me into?” I asked after we’d been eating for a few minutes with no one talking. The food was good. What could I say?
Nate wiped his mouth with a turquoise napkin and took a sip of his beer before he scooted his empty plate away. “I’ve got a new band on the label. We just released a five-song EP on streaming. They’re writing songs to finish their first album, and I want to get them into the studio during the tour since the schedule gives them a week between shows.”
He turned and aimed the remote control toward a sound system stationed under an awning by the house. The music swelled, and I smiled. It was a new band I liked.
“I’ll Find You”
(chorus)
I’ll find you (yeah, I’ll find you)
