Kiss Me Again: a Stepbrother Romance (Second Chances) Read online

  But I still knew I couldn’t go back. I wasn’t ready to deal with all that yet. It was still so raw. Not just our parents, but the shame that a guy I had wanted so badly to be my boyfriend had seen me day in and day out in that last year, wandering in and out of the bathroom before I’d done my hair, or my face; in my pajamas and the highly embarrassing moments when we’d both burst in on each other in the shower.

  But Apollo made me feel the same way he had, safe and cared for, with none of the icky embarrassment stuff. It was nice, and I knew I should give in to his requests to meet but I was just too scared. I didn’t even know what he looked like after all. I suddenly had a thought. It might be a way around it all, a way to break the ice and have some fun if he took it well. I grabbed my phone and quickly tapped out the text before I lost my nerve.

  Thanks, I hope to be in the mood for celebrating once today is done. If you still want to meet up I think it might be kind of fun, but I have one condition…

  What is that one commandment my Lady? Your wish is my command!

  I want to see a picture of you. I know you are a little shy, so no trying to send me a stock pic from the net somewhere. I want the picture to show you are standing by either the Elk Monument, or the Roger Williams one. AND I want you to be holding a single red dahlia.

  Peculiar request but consider it done! I’ll get it over to you by the end of the day. Then maybe we can agree to a time and place at last? :)

  We shall see, Mister Apollo, we shall see, I thought as I tucked my phone back into my jeans pocket. A new start, a new guy… a fresh start. Ali had been right. Just the idea of a date with a guy I really liked was definitely improving my mood. I was nervous, sure, but I couldn’t wait to meet him in person at last. I just prayed I’d like what I saw in his picture…

  7

  Cole

  “Fuck! What the hell am I going to do, Callie? She wants a picture of me. If she sees a photo of me that’s it. If I can at least get her to meet with me I have a hope of convincing her to give me a chance, but if I can’t get that far this whole thing is dead on the water!”

  I stopped by the Glitch office in the recess for lunch from court. I needed help and Callie was the only person I could think of who might come up with a solution.

  “Take a breath. She is a smart cookie your Lucy isn’t she? I love the demands of what to include!”

  I glared at her. Now was not the time to be amused by my predicament, or to admire how clever Lucy could be.

  “Do I need to remind you that you weren’t doing so well in your love life before I gave you a nudge? You owe me, MacAllister!” She tried to pull her face into a serious look, but she couldn’t keep the smile from her eyes.

  “Calm down and don’t get your knickers in a twist!”

  “Where did that one come from?” Callie had a whole raft of odd expressions.

  “Oh, a British aunt. But that’s beside the point. The Elk Monument is just around the corner. It is usually a pretty quiet spot. You have any problems whipping your shirt off in public Kent?” I could see where she was going, and I had to admit it was genius.

  “No, I don’t think so…” I said cautiously. But if it got me out of this predicament, I thought, I’d probably do anything. “I think my body still holds up to photographic scrutiny. But what about the dahlia? What the hell is a dahlia anyway?”

  “It is a type of flower you ignoramus. The good thing is there are so many different types of them we are bound to find one somewhere in the city. I’m texting our florist now.” Her fingers flew over her phone screen.

  “Fuck, you have a florist? For a place you haven’t even painted the walls of yet?”

  “I know, the irony. But we have just been too busy to even think about décor, but I have to have my flowers.”

  “Hey, you are a genius as always. I think I can help you out there. Lucy is an interior designer. She’s doing her postgrad at the School of Design, and is just about to finish today in fact. She needs clients. She is awesome – well she always used to be when we were kids anyway, I can only imagine how much better she is now she’s had five years of formal training too. Could you maybe give her a room or two to work on here? She is playing it down, but I think she’s struggling a bit to get clients lined up.”

  “Hell, she can do the entire building if she’s good enough. That should keep her in work for a year or two at least! Aren’t you worried she’ll find out you pulled strings?”

  “There are so many things I am scared shitless about around Lucy, but I can’t bear to think of her being short on cash when there is something I can do to help out. Anyway, I’m not going to ask you to definitely give her the job, just invite her to offer a suggestion or something. If you don’t like her ideas don’t use her, but I can give her a chance at least.”

  “Done Kent. I’ll be subtle.”

  Her phone rang out with the tones of Eminem and Dido’s “Stan.”

  “We are in luck. Gabby has in fact put red pom-pom dahlias in our foyer display today. Shows what I notice when I come in to work! Let’s get out of here, and get this picture taken before you get reamed out by the judge for being back late.”

  Grabbing the bright red dahlia as we tore through the hallway, Callie pulling me by the hand, we almost knocked Jake over as he came back in from a trip to the bakery down the block.

  “Hey, watch the baked goods!” he said. A brief look of concern came over his face as he saw our hands. “You’d better not be stealing my girl, Cole,” he said, only half-joking.

  “No worries there buddy, she is too damn bossy for me! I’ll give her back in ten minutes, she’ll tell you all about it then!” Callie kissed him quickly and then carried on dragging me out the door and down the street.

  The Elk Monument is exactly what it sounds like: a giant elk on a plinth.

  “Okay Kent, shirt off and drape yourself over that,” Callie said with a wink.

  I looked at her and wondered if I was starting to go mad. Here I was, a year from finishing law school, working for the DA and about to drape myself half-naked over an elk. If it had been for anyone other than Lucy I would have said forget it, it wasn’t worth it. But I knew it was.

  I pulled off my tie, stripped out of my shirt and climbed up to lean against the giant beast.

  “Well, you kept those well hidden all these years!” Callie said eyeing up my washboard abs. “If I had known about them, Jake wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

  She winked. I knew she didn’t mean a word of it. Jake had won her heart because of who he was, not because he had a hot body, that was for certain.

  “Nah, I can’t compete with the ten donut a day habit that has built Jake’s fine physique. I know I will always only ever be second best,” I teased. “Now, how do you want me?” She tossed the dahlia to me.

  “With a body like that Kent, it doesn’t matter what you do with it really, but undo the button on your fly, tuck a hand down just a little and hold the flower between your nipples. Perfect,” she exclaimed as I did exactly as she asked. She quickly took a few images on my phone, and then let me get down and get dressed.

  She pulled up the viewer and I had to admit she had done a masterful job. The elk was there, the dahlia clear, my abs – even with my ever-increasing love handles – looked fantastic, and there was no way on earth Lucy would know it was me, not even my throat was visible. I dropped a kiss on Callie’s forehead.

  “You are an absolute star MacAllister.”

  “Let’s just say we’re even now shall we? Now get back to work before you lose your job and let me know how things go!”

  I ran back to work, getting back in time to quickly choke down a sandwich and send Lucy the picture. I just hoped she still had enough of her fantastic sense of humor left to take it well and that it hadn’t become a casualty of her troubles. She had always been one of those people who could find the best in any situation until her mom had died. I hoped that change had been temporary for her sake.

  I stru
ggled through the rest of the day, anxious as to what her reaction would be, making all kinds of mistakes. I handed over the wrong documents at crucial moments, and had to fumble around in piles to find the right ones, and an embarrassing flush seemed to be on my cheeks all through the afternoon session. I breathed a sigh of relief as the judge recessed for the day. I couldn’t wait to get home and hear how Lucy had made out with her assessment.

  “Cole, everything okay?” Henry Cable the Assistant DA asked me kindly as I was about to head out of the courtroom. “You seem a little on edge today. It isn’t like you, you’re normally so organized and focused. If there is anything I can help you with?”

  My boss was a good man, unusual in an elected official, but this wasn’t something I wanted to confide in him: that I was all over the place because of a girl.

  “I’m okay sir, just one of those days. I’m a bit tired. This has been a long process.” It wasn’t an outright lie, I was tired and the case was tough.

  “I keep forgetting you’re only an intern Cole. You do your job better than many experienced and fully qualified attorneys. When you graduate next year, don’t hesitate to give me a call. If you want a job here you have one, if you want help getting one elsewhere, then if I can pull strings for you I will. You deserve to go far. Anyway, get a good night’s rest, I need you sharp tomorrow. Final day can always be tough. But, at least this thing is nearly over now.”

  “Do you think we have done enough sir?”

  “We can only hope so. The jury experts keep telling me we have most of them on our side, but they can do odd things once they get in to vote. It is never over until that verdict is read out. But, between you and me, I am quietly confident. Your work has been a vital part of that. I have never known anyone to write a brief as well as you. “

  “Thank you, I’ve always wanted to be a public defender. I know there is no glory sir, and certainly very little money, but I’ve always felt that everybody deserves a fair shot. Too many go down even when they aren’t guilty because of a bad defense. I’d like to try and give them a good one where I can, even the bad guys.”

  “I hope those principles of yours last. You’re a pretty earnest type so they probably will. You are sadly all too correct that public interest law doesn’t tend to attract the brightest and best. Well, I can certainly put you forward when you pass the bar for that if you are still sure it is what you want then.”

  “Thank you sir, that means a lot.”

  I walked away feeling that the day couldn’t get more surreal. The Assistant DA himself had taken me aside to tell me he would do whatever he could to smooth my career – after my worst day at the office yet! I hadn’t thought he even knew my name, let alone paid attention to the work I had done over the last two summers. With a real spring in my step I raced eager to hear from Lucy and tell her my exciting news.

  8

  Lucy

  I was just showing my tutor Mrs. Braithwaite in as the Trents returned from their vacation. I could feel the nerves build in my stomach, tumbling over one another as if I had a washing machine full of clothes rather than a stomach.

  I knew I had delivered my best work yet, but you can never be sure if people will like it. I had slaved so hard to make it exactly what the clients had requested of me, but could honestly say that there was nothing else I could have done to make this elegant colonial style house look any more beautiful.

  Yet, with them away for the two weeks I had worked on it I hadn’t had any feedback from anyone as to whether I really was heading in the right direction. I nervously gave all three of them the tour, and had then been sent outside to the garden to wait for the verdict. Mrs. Braithwaite had given them a stern warning to give nothing away as they went around the house. They were to make their comments on the forms she gave them, and then the three of them would compare notes at the end. It had been excruciating not being able to gauge their reactions as they all maintained perfect poker faces throughout.

  “Lucy, congratulations, it should come as no surprise that you’ve earned yourself another pass with the highest honors. You are going to have a wonderful career, my dear. Your clients have given you the highest praise in my interview with them. They were surprised by not just the quality of your work, but also that you kept to deadline, within budget, and exactly on the proposal you had discussed,” Mrs. Braithwaite said breathlessly as she crossed the perfectly manicured lawn to where I perched on the wicker lounge furniture.

  The redoubtable Mrs. B really should have retired years ago. Her perfectly set white curls and her prim floral suits were a bit of a campus joke to those who didn’t know her. She also had a reputation for being pretty fierce, demanding, and highly critical. Her nickname, “The Old Dragon,” was one I had never understood and I found little about her to laugh at. I’ve always found her to be a very kind lady, though direct and to the point, and she knows more about interior design than many of the younger and more fashionable designers who taught us will probably ever learn. I loved her right from the start, and had been so glad when her face had appeared around the door at exactly five p.m. to supervise the tour.

  I figured that if anyone would give me a fair appraisal it would be her, and she was saying I had crushed it! I could hardly believe my ears and wanted to pick her up and swing her around with happiness, but decided she might not take that too well, so settled for a firm handshake. She shocked me by pulling me into a big bear hug.

  “I’ve had my eye on you since you were an undergraduate. You had promising skills when you came here, thanks to your mom instilling an artistic critical eye in you from an early age, and your dad’s excellent woodwork training, but you’ve grown so much as an artist… your unique approach to work was all your own doing. I am so very proud of you for doing so well. You have never made me change my mind about your abilities. I am certain that the Trents will be telling everyone they know about what a truly stunning job you have done on their house. You will get a lot of work from this Lucy. Would you like me to help you to take some photographs to go in your portfolio?”

  “Thank you so much, but no, I’m good,” I said beaming, “I’ve taken a ton already, there’s only a few rooms left that I need to do. Then after that, all that’s left to do is to gather my things and get out of the way. Thank you again, Mrs. Braithwaite. You have been a fantastic mentor.”

  “Call on me any time Lucy. Here take my card. I have a feeling this is the beginning of a fantastic career. I want the bragging rights that I helped you on your way!”

  She pressed a business card into my hand, and walked calmly back down the garden path to her car. I wanted to dance for joy, but managed to keep it to a quick jig. I ran back up to the house where Margot Trent was pouring out a bottle of perfectly chilled champagne.

  “Congratulations Lucy, we absolutely love it. I think you just passed with flying colors right? Time for a little celebration don’t you think?” I laughed at her excitement on my behalf.

  “Definitely. I’m so pleased that you like it. And how was the vacation?” I asked politely as I took the crystal flute she held out to me and sipped slowly. The bubbles tickled as they went down, but it was crisp and dry and delicious, though I wouldn’t want to drink it all the time.

  “Dan said it was too hot, I hated the hotel, but the island was stunning!” she chuckled. “It was great Lucy, but I have to say I am so pleased to be home, especially now my home looks like this. I am so sorry I ever doubted you could do this inside two weeks. Wow!”

  “I love my den Lucy. You got it exactly right,” Dan Trent said warmly as he brought in their suitcases, kissed his wife, and accepted a glass of champagne. He raised his glass. “To the first of many incredible jobs, eh?”

  We all clinked our glasses, which rang with a clear note telling me just how expensive they must have been. I tucked a stray strand of my hair back behind my ear a little bashfully.

  “Is it okay if I just take a few more pictures?” I asked.

  “Sure, and Lucy,
if a client ever wants to see what you can do in the flesh so to speak, don’t hesitate to give us a call and we can arrange a suitable time for you,” Dan said earnestly.

  “Gosh, thank you, that is so generous of you both.”

  “Think nothing of it, and of course we will be telling and showing all our friends. I hope you have made sure we have plenty of business cards to hand out for you. I think we are going to need them!” Margot said enthusiastically.

  “Oh, and there’s this. No, don’t you dare refuse it,” Dan said as he handed me a thickly stuffed envelope full of fifty-dollar bills. I gasped.

  “But I’m not allowed to take payment other than materials for college work,” I tried to protest.

  “You have worked non-stop for two weeks by the looks of it, your tutor doesn’t have to know, and it would have cost us ten times as much if we hired you now. It is the least we can do. You have done an incredible job. You deserve to be rewarded with more than just a piece of paper, Lucy. Thank you so much for making our house a home. It truly is perfect,” Dan said warmly.

  I moved around the rooms in a slight but contented daze, taking shots from all sorts of angles. I got up on a ladder to get as close to full room shots as I could, and took close-ups of some of the smaller details I had included to personalize each space. I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Apollo and Alison all about it. Finally finished, I packed up my camera, and shook the Trent’s hands warmly, leaving them to enjoy their new home in peace.

  I treated myself to a cab home, and was amazed to see that the envelope contained two thousand bucks! That could keep me comfortably for another three months if I was careful with it. I kissed the envelope and sent a little prayer of thanks to my generous first paying clients. I pulled out my phone to tell Ali the incredible news, to find a message from Apollo waiting for me.