Page 41 of The Curve
“Sounds like a plan. I might want to say it too. What should our word be?”
She thinks for a moment then a grin. “How about zoze?”
* * *
“The backyard’sas bad as the front,” I whisper walking out to the gaudy scene.
“It’s so bad I can’t look away,” she says.
This mess must have cost millions. Lots of poorly made statues, and all that amid a tropical setting of fake palm trees. The only redeeming feature is the resort-sized pool. I see a lazy river running around the perimeter and an awesome water slide. Five waterfalls can be seen from our angle alone.
“Hey, you two!” Brick’s voice comes from behind us and as I turn he hands me a tropical drink topped with a blue umbrella sticking out of a piece of pineapple. Charlotte gets one with a pink umbrella.
“Hi. What the hell’s this?” I say looking at the girly concoction.
He leans in and lowers his voice. “Just drink it. I had the bartender leave out the cherry rum. It’s Mr. Midas’s special mixture. Tastes like shit. Excuse my language, Mallory.”
“I don’t mind. Oh! There’s Paige. I’m gonna go see her.”
She takes off for the far end of the pool where her friend sits, legs in the water.
“You haven’t met the Midas son yet, or the wife. You’re in for a real treat,” Brick says.
“That bad?”
“The teenage boy’s an entitled ass wipe, and the wife’s a horny Spaniard about a hundred years younger than Midas.”
“Sounds like a great afternoon,” I say with a straight face.
“For fifteen million think you can pretend to have a good time?”
“I’m not sure,” I tease. “Let’s see, your ten percent buys themParty Brick, right?”
“Oh yeah.”
We smile at each other like we did when we were kids and had gotten away with something.
“Here come Barbie Barcelona and the son,” Brick says waving them over.
Before I can greet her, she calls to me. “Atticus! It’s so good to finally meet you!”
Arms encircle me and hold tight. The overwhelming scent of roses rises from her. I’m getting boob crushed. She leans in to my ear and whispers, “Aren’t you a sexy one.”
With absolutely no subtlety she attempts a different kind of connection beyond my business with her husband. But Brick has schooled me well over the last five years. You handle things quickly. Think of the big picture, don’t shit where you eat and avoid wives, girlfriends and daughters of anyone you do business with, letting them down with a “I can’t mix business with pleasure” line.
I do the next best thing. I ignore her and turn my attention to the boy.
“Hi. I’m Atticus. I didn’t get your name.” My hand extends and is quickly met with his.
“Hi! I’m Jeffrey. I’m a big fan. My friends and I go to every Maverick home game. Will you be back playing soon?”
Okay, I can work with this. It’ll be a good distraction from his mother.
“Thanks, man. I’ll be back by next month.”
“Great! Hey, can I introduce you to a few of my friends?”
“Jeffrey, don’t bother Mr. Swift, he…”
