Page 20 of The Fool

We look at one another for a moment before I crack a smile and we hug it out, effectively accepting his apology.

“So how was the night out anyway? See plenty of stripper action?” I tease.

“Ho-lee shit!” he says with bulging eyes. “There was so much pussy on display, even I blushed. I think it was my first and last time inside of a strip club; it just wasn’t what I thought it would be.”

“Finn, it’s a strip club, what the hell did you expect?” I laugh at him.

“I dunno! Perhaps…I don’t know. Besides, you need to be seriously loaded to last long in one of those places.”

“I bet Nathaniel is a seasoned pro!” I sneer before taking a huge gulp of wine.

“I couldn’t tell you,” he says, shrugging again. “He stayed for one drink, then left. He didn’t pay attention to one single girl in there. Instead, he asked me about how we knew one another. As soon as I told him the very scaled-back version, he said he had to go; something about a family emergency or some such excuse.”

“You didn’t tell him about therapy or anything else, did you?” I blurt out, my eyes now the size of saucers and my chest heaving with anxiety.

“Of course not,” he quickly replies, screwing up his face at me for even thinking such a thing. “I would never tell anyone about your personal business, babe.”

“Ok, good,” I sigh with relief, “that would be so humiliating. He’d no doubt use it to make my life even more miserable if he knew my background.”

“Hmm, maybe,” he murmurs, then turns to look at me. “Bea, is he really that bad to you? Cos I just don’t get it. He comes to our place a lot and is always so respectful of all the staff. He always tips, like incredibly well,” he explains, his eyes bulging over the thought. “And he is always the first person to put someone in their place if they act all high and mighty with the staff.”

“I don’t know, Finn,” I sigh, “perhaps I just rub him up the wrong way. It feels like I’m at high school all over again; he’s the school bully and I’m his victim. I can’t even begin to imagine what Ben would do if he managed to get his hands on him.”

“Maybe I should ask him what his problem is the next time he’s in,” he says, looking like a little boy who’s just come up with what he believes to be the greatest idea on the planet.

“No, no, no,” I rush out, gripping his arm tightly so he winces a little. “You can’t do that; he’ll know I bitch about him. Promise me, Finn,” I demand whilst pointing at him. “Promise me that when it comes to me, you keep schtum!”

“Ow, shit,” he says while rubbing at his arm. “Ok, I’ll pretend like I don’t even know you. Christ, who’s the bully now?”

“Sorry, but he makes me insane,” I huff as I throw myself back against the couch. “What am I going to do? I can’t carry on like this, it’s killing me!”

“But Bea, you deserve this promotion,” he argues, “don’t let some dick like Nathaniel Carter bring you down just because he’s got some weird hang-up about you. Drink wine and say, ‘fuck you’ to him.”

“Ok,” I laugh, then gulp back another mouthful. “Fuck you!”

At that moment, Ben walks through the door in his work uniform, obviously having just got back from a local flight; he only left this morning. No matter how many times I see him dressed in his pilot’s uniform, it always looks strange to see my big, goofy brother wearing something that looks so grown up and responsible. Even I can admit, Leah is a very lucky gal. Not only is Ben an attractive man, but he is also smart, loyal, and incredibly protective.

Though, having said that, I’m starting to think his feelings for her are waning. He’s so adamant about not moving out with her, and it can’t just be because of me. They’ve been together forever, so what else could possibly be stopping him from taking that next step?

“Hey, Finn, she’s forgiven you then?” he smirks at the same time as he ruffles my hair, completely snapping me out of my thoughts about how grown up he is. “Not cool, man. Who are we ‘fuck you-ing’ anyway?”

“Nathaniel Carter,” Finn and I both answer in unison.

“I’ll drink to that!” Ben grins as he pours himself a glass. “Fuck you, Nathaniel Carter, and pray I never get my hands on you.”

Chapter 8

Bea

When I eventually brave it to walk into the living room, Leah makes me feel even more self-conscious by emitting a loud wolf whistle. Ben, on the other hand, looks as though I’m about to go and serve myself up before a group of randy guys in a strip club. In the end, I had to borrow something from Leah which she had handpicked herself. Contrasting completely with what I would normally wear, I am now dressed in a short, fitted black dress, covered in sequins, coupled with a pair of ridiculously high, black stilettos. I can foresee me having to visit the Emergency Room tonight with injuries to my back and neck, obtained from falling spectacularly in front of a club full of beautiful people.

“I can’t let my little sister go out looking like that!” Ben gasps.

“Oh, shut up, she looks totally hot,” Leah whoops, whistles, then signals for me to turn. “Work it, Baby!”

“Oh, God, do I look like a complete slut?” I ask, blushing in front of my big brother. “This is really short; people are going to see my hoo-hah!”

“Hey, those are my clothes!” Leah cries, feigning insult before laughing at me.

---