Illusion (11 page)

             
"Z, I like that, I'm going to call you that."

             
"No you're not," I quickly argue.

             
He nods his head with a smug smile. "I am," he states with way too much confidence. He digs into his soup filled with noodles and vegetables. It looks incredibly delicious.

             
"Ugh," I grunt. "Emi is the only one that calls me Z."

             
"Emi, and now Brice."

             
I stick my tongue out and finish my first sandwich. He laughs when I pull out the second. "Someone a little hungry?"

             
I pick up a black olive that dropped from it and toss it at him. "Shut up."

             
He tosses the black olive in his mouth then he continues with his soup. "Have you read any more of the emails we sent back and forth?"

             
"Nope, and I'm sure I don't want to."

             
"Why is that?"

             
"I know my sister," I cringe at the thought of what she has told him in their personal emails, let alone whatever she has said in the ones involving me too. "I can only imagine it was kept PG like it's supposed to be for work."

             
Brice throws his head back in more laughter. He is a light hearted guy, that much is for sure, and he has a fun personality. "She makes sure to add stars where she should."

             
I eye him suspiciously. "So you basically have an email filled with stars."

             
His smile grows but he doesn't say anything. I end up blushing just thinking about it.

             
We don't say much more while he slurps on the end of his soup, but once he has the lid back on it and he places it into a blue lunch box, he starts to speak again. "We agreed on nachos and burgers before we go out. I told her of a sports bar I like to visit. They have good food that isn't even ten dollars a plate, let alone a thousand." He gives me a face, letting me know he thought that was weird of my sister to say. I admit, she is random. "We can have beers or whatever there. Apparently she wants to leave your place at like nine thirty so we can, uh, pre-game as she called it."

             
"Okay, that sounds good. She'll be here tomorrow anyways, we can make the final details then."

             
"Right, yeah, that too. She said she wasn't getting in until around eleven tomorrow night. She didn't feel comfortable having you pick her up alone, and she doesn't feel comfortable riding in a taxi alone, at least so late at night, so I'm picking you up and we're getting her together."

             
I roll my eyes and give a defeated sigh. My sister most certainly doesn't care about me riding alone, or riding alone herself. She has this planned. She wants to meet Brice, make sure he is up to her standards before we all go out to the club together Saturday night. Whatever, I don't mind. I was planning on meeting her at the airport anyways, although I didn't realize it was so late.

             
"Thanks," I tell him for the both of us.

             
He stands and grabs his lunch box. "No problem. I’ve got a few things to get done before I clock back in though, so I'll see you tomorrow."

             
I tell him bye, finish my food, then I head into my office early. I'm not clocked back in and technically shouldn't sign into the computer, but I want to read through all the emails real quick, in case Brice made anything up- not that I thought he did- and so I can catch up on everything that he missed out on telling me.

             
I open the door when I confirm through the peep hole that it's Brice on the other side. "Hey," I tell him, then I close the door behind him.

             
"Hey," he says back while looking around my apartment. It almost makes me feel self-conscience, having someone from work look around my place like this. Is it clean enough? Does he think it's too small? Is he going to make fun of me about something? I don't like having all these thoughts running through my head while he continues to take everything in.

             
"This isn't fair."

             
"What isn't?" I ask.

             
"My apartment is just a studio apartment, I didn't get a bedroom. I think my living room is a little bigger, but my kitchen is half this size. I have three cabinets and no counter space."

             
"Oh, that sucks." I'm not sure what more to say about that. I'm glad to know that he wasn't mentally insulting my place but I feel bad it's bigger. Mine apartment is tiny, so I can't imagine how small his really is.

             
He sits on my couch and I look to the clock. We don't have to leave for another fifteen or twenty minutes. I'd rather leave now. I don't like playing hostess to anyone. It's different with my sister, or even Harvey. I feel incredibly comfortable around Harvey, he isn't needy at all, and my sister will walk in and treat this place like her own.

             
"Do you want a drink?" I point to the fridge with my thumb while I ask him

             
He shakes his head and continues looking around. "Thanks but I'm all set. So, did you get this place from the company?"

             
"Uh, yeah." I don't think that is really his business but I answer him anyways.

             
"Yeah, this really isn't fair," he says with a little bit of laughter. "It's probably because you're a girl."

             
"Wait, are you not from around here?"

             
He smiles at me, understanding my uncertainty. "No, you couldn't tell from my accent? Most people start conversations with me asking where I'm from. They paid me to come from the Tennessee office."

             
"Oh," I drag the word out. "I guess I didn't pay attention. I don't think of you with an accent, probably because I'm used to it." I point to myself. "You know, being from the south too and all. I think of everyone else with an accent."

             
He nods his head. "Yeah, I asked around where you were from. You're a Georgia peach." Of course he had to add in a wink and wide smile with that comment.

             
I give him a look, warning him to call me that again. "No, and I'm not a Southern Belle either, so get that out of your head right now." He chuckles from my threat. "How come Meghan said your girlfriend moved to Tennessee or something?"

             
His eyebrows lift and his smile broadens. "Oh, so Emi is right, you have been asking about me."

             
I roll my eyes. "I needed to make sure you were a nice guy."

             
"She made me choose, her or my job," he shrugs, "she stayed behind and I moved here. We were only together like two months. I told one person at work and I've heard about five different rumors since. I don't understand everyone’s interest in my personal life though."

             
Because you're easy on the eyes, I think but don't say. Not only that, but he is funny and amusing, and easy to talk to. I'm sure there are a lot of girls around the office drooling over him. Why he is willing to blindly date my sister tomorrow night and pick her up so late at night tonight is beyond me. Unless she sent him a picture of herself. I almost blush at that thought, because who knows how much she'd show him in a picture.

             
Before we head out the door, I send a quick text to Harvey to ask how he is doing and that I miss him. He responds quickly all is good and he misses me too. I talked to him for a bit on the phone earlier and he said his aunt is really bad. He isn't sure if she is going to make it through the week. That saddens me greatly.

             
Emi comes strutting through the airport like she is on a runway. I'm in gray sweatpants and an oversized black hoodie, not caring what I look like so late at night. She is in tight black jeans with rips all through the front of them, a skin tight neon pink shirt that shows off two inches of her belly, and black boots that have three inch heels. It takes a lot of effort not to roll my eyes at her.

             
Her smile alone brightens the place up. "Oh, Zoey," she gushes, "I've missed you so much! It doesn't feel like it's been a month."

             
I hug her to me, inhaling her scent. I've missed the smell of my sister, and everything else about her. "I've missed you too," I whisper against her.

             
She pulls away and lifts one brow, happy with what she sees behind me. "Why hello there." Her voice changes into a seductive tone.

             
"Emi, this is Brice. Brice, this is my sister, the vixen." She gives me a glare quickly, then smiles her hundred-watt smile towards Brice.

             
He holds out his hand, as he did me the first time we met, but she accepts his gesture. I feel a little guilty as I never shook his hand that day. "Nice to meet you Brice," she says in the same tone.

             
"You as well, Emi." His voice isn't nearly as seductive but he is obviously interested in the way he is eye fucking her. I stifle a groan and start walking towards the conveyer belt where her luggage is waiting for us to take.

             
Brice asks which is hers and she points to the pink and black zebra print case. Oh wait, cases. She has two. She has nearly as much as me, and I moved here! How on earth does she need that much in the handful of days she is staying here?

             
We make it back to the apartment and Brice brings up her luggage. "You staying the night?" she asks him. Really Emi? I want to scold her for being so straight forward with someone she doesn't know, but I hold back and instead sigh.

             
Brice hears me and smiles my way before answering Emi. "Not tonight. I'll see you ladies tomorrow. Have a good night." He leaves the apartment after we both thank him and say goodbye.

             
Emi turns and looks at me the second the door shuts. "Holy mother fucker." I pause and give her a strange look. What is with the outburst? She points her hand at the door. "Did you see that man? I was practically drooling at him. As if he is single! As if he is a nerd!" She slams her butt onto my couch and shakes her head, confused just by the idea of someone who works on computers for a living can be attractive. "Tell me he is better looking than Harvey."

             
I shrug my shoulders and join her on the couch. "I guess. I haven't really paid attention to be honest. He is good looking yes, but I'm much more attracted to Harvey. I guess it's probably because I know him more intimately and his personality is much the same to mine." And to Kirt. I don't say that last part though. Emi would scold me for finding someone I compare so often to my dead fiancé.

             
"Well, show me some pictures chicka. I want to see what this sexy man candy looks like."

             
"I uh, don't have any." I bite down on my lip, preparing to be yelled at by my sister.

             
"Wait, what? You have no pictures of him? Are you making him up, Zoey?"

             
I laugh just at the idea of that. "Uh, no, defiantly not." I lean back into the couch cushion, smiling at the thought of Harvey and the things we do together. "Most definitely not."

             
"Well I'm officially jealous." She points her finger at me and narrows her eyes. "And pissed. I expect a picture of him, and damn soon."

             
"Okay, okay, I promise when he gets back. He may be back before you leave anyways."

             
"You know, you could always have him send a nude." She wiggles her brows at me.

             
I cover my face with my hands. "Ugh, no!"

             
Her hands pull mine away from my face and she gives me quite an amused stare. "Okay, well, I'm tired and you look exhausted. Let's hit the hay and we can talk about this stuff later." As she stands, she looks back down at the couch then to my bedroom door before her gaze is fixed on mine once again. "I think I'll sleep on the couch. Unless you guys, uh, use that too."

             
I stand up and laugh. "Yeah, I'll get you a blanket. We can hit up the laundry mat tomorrow for my sheets."

             
She pushes at me as I walk into my bedroom. "Gross!" Then she bursts out laughing.

             
Saturday morning I'm immediately bummed out. This is the first Saturday since I've moved here that Harvey hasn't showed me a part of the city. I love our little walks around the city. Last week we practically stayed in Manhattan the whole time, and he promised next weekend is Cony Island. I'm very, very anxious about that.

             
I pull myself out of bed, even with the dreary feeling, and make my way into my kitchen. Emi is still asleep and softly snoring from the couch.

             
Before coffee is brewed and the bacon is sizzled, she is up and groaning about her back hurting. For being such a country girl, she is a baby. Although we grew up in Atlanta, which is far from a country setting, we both spent most our summers at our uncle's ranch. We learned to cattle, milk cows, herd sheep, and to help feed the animals. We both fell right in love with all that. A lot of days we'd nap in hay piles, and we slept on the most uncomfortable bunks, but we loved it. I used to tell Kirt that if we didn't have a house in suburbs like I dreamed, we'd have a large farm and he'd be a farmer. He wasn't as happy about that idea.

             
The past few years have taken a toll on Emi though, ever since she graduated college. She has become in love with the city life, while living her prime years right dead center downtown Atlanta. She is in walking distance to a lot of local hot clubs, and she is a regular at most. That is, when she is between boyfriends, which is often.

             
It's like she is living the life for the both of us. Of course I've been out a few times, but that was while I was still with Kirt and didn't get the full experience. Sometimes he'd come with us, and I'd get insanely drunk and end up doing something crazy, but I still haven't done a third of what my sister has.

             
I love it about her though. I'm so happy for her, to be living her life full speed, enjoying what I never got to. Not that I'd trade one single moment I had with Kirt. I'd much rather never have been to a night club or bar, if that meant even more time with him. But I don't think about it like that. I don't think about the what if’s, because if I've learned anything, it's that what if's will kill you faster than anything.

             
I erase my mind of all those thoughts and fill up two plates for Emi and myself.

             
"Thanks," she mumbles, still exhausted, when I hand her the plate. It's after ten, we both slept in pretty late, but we're both very tired. It's finally a sunny day out, so I open the windows up before sitting down to eat the bacon and english muffins. "So what are we doing today?"

             
"Laundry mat for one, so you can sleep in my bed tonight." I pause and look at her. "Scratch that, you'll probably be sleeping elsewhere tonight. Anyways, we can still wash my sheets for tomorrow night."

             
She punches my arm and laughs. "Shut up. Just because I'm very, very interested does not mean I'm going to boink him tonight."

             
"Really?" I ask deadpan.

             
Her face brightens. "Okay, okay, so probably. Well, what else? I want to get to know the city better."