Another Mazzy Monday (7 page)

“If you were actually engaged to that girl upstairs,” I continue. “That absolutely gorgeous blonde with the hot little body that won’t quit, you would not be staying out all night. You’d be in her bed all night and the two of you would still be fucking this morning.”

Drew’s jaw has dropped so low that if it was summer I’d be afraid he’d get bugs in his mouth. But the brisk autumn air has already taken care of the insect problem.

“I can’t believe I actually said something that stunned the charming Drew Graham into silence.” I look around dramatically. “Is there a calendar anywhere? We need to mark the occasion. You’re never at a loss for words.”

He rubs his jaw thoughtfully. “Maybe we can come to some kind of an arrangement.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Such as?”

“I realize Dad wants you be available until the election in November. But I can make it quite lucrative for you to stay elsewhere for the remainder of the campaign.”

I laugh. “Like I care about your money. I turned twenty-five, remember? I have access to my own trust fund. And I haven’t even touched it. Not a penny. No need. I worked my way through Europe bartering and doing odd jobs. Besides I really like the idea of being a thorn in your side. It gives me great pleasure.”

He shakes his head as he lets out an exasperated sigh. I seem to have that effect on a lot of people. “Just stay away from her, okay?”

“Then why don’t you make more of an effort to be here with her?” I challenge. Not that I think my brother will actually take me up on the challenge. I’m not sure I even want him to. I like having time alone with Mazzy.

“The campaign is going to keep me very busy. But I will try to spend more time with her. Satisfied?”

“I’ll be satisfied when I actually see you do what you say you’re going to do.”

He glares at me. “And just what are you insinuating?”

“I’m not insinuating anything. Maybe you shouldn’t read too much into everything I say.”

“It’s hard not to. You’re the poster boy for passive aggressiveness.”

“My family makes it so easy,” I reply.

“Maybe if you choose to conform just a little you wouldn’t have such a difficult time with everyone.”

“So I can be miserable and phony just like you? No thanks.”

“I’m neither,” he insists.

“How easy it must be to live in denial your whole life. Mark my words. One of these days it’s all going to catch up with you. Do you really think people are going to accept your sham engagement? And what’s going to happen after the election? Are you going to pay her to marry you too? How long do you think you can make something like that last? It’s not real.”

My brother’s eyes are angry slits and his face is a stone mask. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him so angry. “I don’t have to justify anything to you.”

“No you don’t. But you will need to answer to yourself eventually. Your blind ambition is going to get you into a lot of trouble.” I point upstairs. “And I think you owe that girl upstairs some respect. She deserves to have an authentic relationship.”

“I’ll take it under advisement,” he says before he turns and heads back inside.

Why do I have the feeling he’s just going to do whatever the hell he wants regardless of who he hurts in the process?  Because that’s the way Drew Graham is and that’s the way he’ll always be. Once he has his mind set on a goal he’ll let nothing stand in his way and he’ll use anyone to achieve it.

His current goal is to be elected Governor of New Jersey no matter what.

Five

Mazzy

“I think I made a terrible mistake.” I do my best to not sniffle into my cellphone.

“What’s wrong?” Suzie sounds extremely concerned.

“Drew stayed out all night last night. But then his brother moved in. And he’s hot. And he told me that I’m a beard.”

“Wait…what?” My sister sounds as confused as I feel.

“Everything is a big mess.” The emotional flood gates I’ve been trying so hard to suppress fly open and I let out a messy sob.

“I’m coming over there right now,” Suzie declares.

“Don’t—you—have—to—work?” I manage to spit out between heaves of emotion.

“Not for a few hours. And it sounds like you need a twin intervention.”

“Thanks.”

As soon as I end the call with Suzie there’s a soft knock on the door.

When I say, “Come in,” my voice breaks and I’m a little embarrassed. I quickly try to wipe away all the tears from my cheeks and eyes.

Is it terrible that I’m disappointed when Drew walks into my room instead of Austin? I know I shouldn’t be. Drew is the brother I’m supposed to be engaged to. And Austin pretty much said he’s an asshole and likes it that way.

Drew looks at me like he’s studying me. “Is everything okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lie.

He nods. Even if he doesn’t believe me he doesn’t seem to truly care all that much if I really am alright. It’s almost as if he’s going through the motions because he was taught that you’re supposed to care if a person appears upset and he’s used to doing everything he’s supposed to do regardless of whether it’s a reflection of this true feelings or not.

It’s as if someone programmed him to be the perfect politician and he’s just going through the automated routines. Instead of a Stepford wife, he’s a Stepford politician.

The more time I spend with Drew the more I can see right through his façade. And there’s not much going on underneath. He’s like a shell of a human being.

“I just wanted to apologize for being so late last night. I had a lot of work to do.” He gives me his charismatic smile. Without even taking a breath or even glancing at me to gage my reaction, he continues. “I’d like to introduce you to my parents before I have a press conference to announce our engagement. And that needs to take place this week because we’ve got two donor events this weekend and we’ll need to make an appearance as a couple at both events. I’ve already let George know he’ll be taking you shopping. A cocktail dress for dinner with my parents. A formal suit for the press conference. Gowns for the two donor events. George knows what I like and what I wear so he’ll be able to coordinate all of your new clothing with mine.”

“Okay,” I mutter kind of in shock. My head is spinning with the sudden change of direction in the conversation and the fact that we really didn’t get the chance to talk about anything of any significance.

It seems pretty obvious that Drew will do whatever is necessary to avoid talking about anything of substance.

I’m not sure if I should even ask him about Austin’s allegations that I’m a beard. What if he’s not right? I don’t want to accuse Drew of being less than honest and insinuate that he’s gay if his brother is completely wrong about everything.

I don’t know much about being in the closet, but I’m pretty sure you’re not just supposed to pull a person out of it. I think they’re supposed to come out when they’re ready.

“Great.” Out comes Drew’s big smile again. I’m starting to feel like it’s almost a defense mechanism. He gives his charismatic smiles when he’s uncomfortable and not quite sure what to say or do.

As he turns away I think he’s getting ready to leave, but then he spins back towards me. “You have an unlimited line of credit so you can buy whatever you want. I just wanted you to know.”

He doesn’t wait for a response as he hurries out the door.

It doesn’t take long for my sister to arrive. “You need to tell me everything,” she demands as she pushes her way through the front door. “Let’s cook something. I’m starving.”

“We definitely have plenty of food.” I grab her elbow and lead her into the gourmet kitchen.

“Someday I’ll have a kitchen this nice,” she says as she takes it all in.

“What do you feel like eating?” I ask as I open the huge refrigerator.

She pokes her head inside and lets out a sigh. “I was half hoping there wouldn’t be so much to choose from. Ooh, what about portabella mushroom sandwiches?” She pulls out a small package of the large mushrooms. “These look fabulous.”

“Sure,” I agree. I don’t have much of an appetite, but I have a feeling that will quickly change when my sister starts to cook and fills the kitchen with delicious fragrances.

As Suzie prepares to grill the mushrooms I look through the bread bin for the nicest looking rolls.

“So what’s a beard?” Suzie asks.

“Nothing like getting right to the point.”

She laughs. “You know me. I’m a straight shooter. That’s why you love me.”

“That’s one of the many reasons I love you.” I place two focaccias on a plate on the counter. “A beard is someone who pretends to be in a romantic relationship with someone who is gay in an effort to hide his sexual orientation.”

Her eyes grow wide as the realization sinks in. “Drew Graham, one of New Jersey’s Sexy Eligible Bachelors, is gay?”

“That’s what his brother told me.”

She nods, but I can see by the look in her eyes that her wheels are turning. “But it does make a lot of sense when you think about it. It would explain why he just doesn’t get a real fiancée. I mean, he is sexy as hell.”

“Wait until you see his brother.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “Don’t even think about going there, Mazzy. That has nothing but trouble written all over it.”

I shake my head. “I wouldn’t…” I trail off.
Would I
?

She grabs my shoulders and looks deep into my eyes. “We need that money. We’re going to use it to fund our dreams of opening a restaurant, remember? Don’t mess this up.”

“I won’t,” I assure her. Of course she hasn’t seen Austin yet.

As if on cue Austin comes strolling into the kitchen. How is it possible for him to look hotter every time I see him?

He looks back and forth between the two of us. “I think I’m seeing double,” he jokes.

“As if we’ve never heard that one before,” Suzie pushes back.

“Can I assume you’re making enough for three? It smells delicious.”

“I don’t remember inviting you,” I say.

When Austin grins at me it sends a wave of shivers through my body.
Stay in control
, I remind myself. You need the money more than you need a night under the sheets with bad boy Austin Graham. And that’s all it would ever be anyway, one night. Probably one night of the hottest, most mind blowing sex imaginable, but still just one night.

He definitely doesn’t give off a relationship vibe. He’s definitely a bed-her-and-shed-her kind of guy.

He ignores my reproach and takes a seat on the stool just opposite to where I’m standing.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your sister, Mazzy?” I’m a little taken aback when I see that he’s clearly addressing me. Ninety-nine point nine percent of people can’t tell us apart. Even our dad sometimes has trouble distinguishing between us.

I almost want to ask him how he could tell I’m Mazzy, but I don’t want to give him any more ammunition for me to like him. He has plenty of that already.

He takes in a deep breath. No doubt he can smell the spices wafting from the portabella mushrooms my sister is sautéing.

“Suzie, this is my fiancé’s brother, Austin.” I make a point of emphasizing the word
fiancé
and glaring right at him. “Austin, this is my twin sister, Suzie.”

He shakes his head. “I never would have guessed the two of you were twins. I don’t see any resemblance whatsoever.”

I roll my eyes at him, but he does elicit the slightest grin from me.

“Tough crowd. Apparently it’s a really good thing I don’t have to work as a comedian to pay for my dinner. I think I’d probably starve.”

My sister looks up from her sauté pan. “You’re really not that funny.”

“Will you still feed me?” he begs. “I promise not to say another word.”

“First of all,” I butt in. “I don’t believe that for a minute. I’d be willing to bet money that you won’t be able to stay quiet for an entire meal. And second of all, I don’t remember actually inviting you to eat with us.”

“I’ll serve wine if you let me stay.”

“None for me,” Suzie says. “I have to work this afternoon.”

“And apparently I have some clothes shopping to do. My fiancé wants me to meet your parents and attend some swanky functions for which I’ll need to be properly attired.”

“In that case you’ll definitely need some wine.” He hops down from the stool and disappears from the kitchen.

“Oh—my—God,” my sister whispers. “That guy is unbelievably hot.”

“I told you so. Now you see my dilemma.”

“You’re the one who’s engaged,” my sister reminds me. “I’m free as a bird.”

I want to tell her she can’t have him, but I know I have no claim on him.

She turns to face me. “I see the way he’s looking at you, Mazzy. It’s bad. Really bad. He looks like a love sick puppy dog. And he obviously can’t stay away from you. You need to nip whatever it is in the bud. No good can come of it.”

“I know. That’s exactly what I said.
No good can come of it
.”

Suzie studies me. “You want him, don’t you? I can see it in your eyes.”

“Is it that obvious?”

She grins. “Oh, hells yes.”

“Please stop me from doing something completely and utterly stupid.”

“You mean like drinking wine with him?”

We both glance at the doorway at the same time and catch sight of Austin breezing back in carrying a rather large bottle of wine. There’s something about the way he carries himself, like he completely owns his surroundings, and how comfortable he seems to be in his own skin, that is so utterly alluring. 

“I found a bottle of Raymond Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Generations in the wine cellar,” he announces.

I don’t know much about most things, but I do know something about two things: food and booze. That’s a very expensive bottle of wine.

“You’re going to open that now?” I can’t contain the surprise in my voice.

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, that bottle of wine is worth about a hundred dollars.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Your point being?”

“That it’s expensive.”

He gives me that sexy little grin of his as he removes a corkscrew from his front pocket and begins to open the bottle. “This happens to be one of the least expensive bottles of wine in the cellar.”

I can feel my jaw drop. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.”

As he brushes by me on his way to the cabinets I can feel the heat radiating from his body and I get all tingly in response.

No good can come of it
, I remind myself.

He removes two giant coffee mugs from the cabinet and places them on the counter.

“I thought I saw wine glasses in there,” I hint.

Ignoring me he pours the wine into the mugs and hands one to me. “Wine always tastes better in a mug.”

“If you say so.”

“We should toast,” he suggests.

“To what?”

“Your
engagement
, of course.”

I glare at him and he holds my gaze for a long moment. I feel the air between us electrify. I could get into a lot of trouble if I drink too much.

Stick to a few sips
, I tell myself.

“Lunch is ready,” my sister announces, breaking the spell between me and Austin.

Each of us takes a plate with a portabella mushroom sandwich and a small side salad with Balsamic dressing.

“Are you sure I can’t interest you in some wine?” Austin asks Suzie as we take seats at the kitchen table.

“I’ll stick with water,” she replies then looks at her watch. “I’ve got to be out of here in about fifteen minutes if I want to get to work on time.”

Austin holds up his wine mug. “Now the toast.”

“Wonderful,” I mutter to myself.

“To the wonderful life you’ll no doubt have with my brother.” He doesn’t even wait for me to clink his mug, he just downs the wine.

I frown. “That wasn’t much of a toast.”

“You’re right,” he agrees. “To us getting wasted.”

This time he does clink my mug and stares at me until I take a sip. The most expensive wine I’ve ever had before this was a fifteen dollar bottle of wine that my sister and I splurged on for our twenty-first birthday. I thought that was good. It doesn’t even compare to the intense flavor of this wine. It’s like drinking black licorice and melted chocolate.