I can’t decide. All three are hot but I think I’m mostly drawn to the blonde. I’ve always had a preference for a fair-haired beauty. And for the first time, I want to reply to Lawrence, but I’m clueless about what to say.
A streak of blue moves past my office door. “Porter?”
“Yeah?” He almost instantly appears in my doorway. “What’s up?”
“This.” I hold up Oliver’s phone. “I know you’re busy but I need help. I don’t have any idea how to respond to the texts Oliver’s sister has been sending.”
Porter comes in into my office and falls into the chair across from me. Damn, he looks like hell. We’re all tired from prepping for the festival, but Porter more so than anyone else. He’s been on double duty since Oliver went to rehab.
“What’s been your approach with Law so far?”
Only one word adequately describes my strategy. “Vague.”
“That’s not gonna fly with her. She’ll know something is up for sure because she’s tight with Oliver. As close as any siblings I’ve ever seen.”
“So he wouldn’t ignore her texts because she’s being pesky?”
“Never.”
I shouldn’t have agreed to this. This shit is already going sideways on me. “Oliver told me to respond to her as though she was my sister. And I would ignore my sister if she was irritating me.”
“That’s going to be a red flag for Law. Those two have been through a lot together. He’d never leave his sister hanging.”
This is so fucking hard. “Oliver and I talked about Lawrence, but there’s no way he could prepare me for everything. I know how deeply you’re snowed under but I really need your help.”
“What does her last text say?”
“Having an Iron City brewski with K & I at Tybee. Wish you were here. Miss your face.”
I turn the phone around so he can see the picture. He smiles but doesn’t seem nearly as enthused as I was. “Lawrence, Ivy, and Kelsey take selfies of themselves drinking Iron City beer in different places and send them to Oliver. They do it all the time.”
“Which one is which?”
“The redhead is Kelsey. The brunette is Ivy. And the blonde is Lawrence.”
I wouldn’t have pegged the blonde as Oliver’s sister. “If you’d have asked me to guess, I would have gone with the brunette.”
“You can’t see it in this picture because she’s wearing sunglasses, but they actually look a lot alike. It’s mostly their eyes.”
“She’s a hot chick so it’s hard to imagine her looking like Oliver behind those glasses.”
“Don’t let Oliver hear you say anything about her being hot. He won’t like it. Never mind that she’s the older one. He’s super protective of her and vice versa.”
I’m realizing in this moment just how little I know about my own business partner. “Aren’t most brothers protective of their sisters?”
“Yeah, but Oliver and Law’s relationship is different from most. Those two had a rough start in life. I’m not sure about all the details. They don’t talk about it much but it was bad enough that child protective services took them away from their parents. They stayed in foster care for a while before the Thorns adopted them.”
Okay. Hearing this gives me a little more insight into why he would go to such extreme measures to not worry or disappoint his sister.
“I’ve never heard him mention a word about foster care or being adopted.”
“You wouldn’t. Lawrence and Oliver never talk about their birth parents. In their minds, the Thorns are the only mom and dad they have.”
Now I feel bad for ignoring Lawrence. She doesn’t deserve to worry about her brother, especially because I’ve been acting like an ass who didn’t have time to be bothered by her. “Will you help me come up with something to say to her? Maybe something to ease her worries.”
“Let me think a minute.” Porter closes his eyes and rests his head in his hand. He stays that way for a few moments before his eyes pop open. “I got it. You ready?”
“Yeah.”
I type as Porter dictates. “Looks like fun. Wish I were there with you instead of here working my ass off for the festival this weekend. By the way, tell K & I they’re looking insanely hot. I’ll call when I get caught up at work. Love you.”
I reread the message and add a heart emoji to the end of the sentence before hitting send. “Done.”
“You know, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make a three-way call with Lawrence when Oliver calls you. The pay phone number wouldn’t show up on her caller ID if you make the three-way connection using his cell phone.”
Damn. I can’t believe neither of us considered that before Oliver left a week ago.
“That’s actually a really great idea.” I’m sure that hearing Oliver’s voice would take some pressure off me for a while.
“I assume he’ll call you on your phone but it’s no big deal. He can make up something about why he’s calling from your number. She won’t think anything of it as long as next week’s call comes from his phone.”
“It’s a brilliant plan.”
Porter’s eyelids look like they each weigh a ton. He’s struggling so hard to keep them open. “You should go to your office and grab a little shut-eye. Even an hour would help you feel refreshed.”
Porter jerks at the sound of my voice and opens his eyes. “Can’t. Got too much to do.”
He gets up almost in slow motion and stretches. “I’m all good as long as I’m up and going. I’m due a second wind any minute now.”
“Whatever you say. But don’t exhaust yourself to the point that you’re shit for the festival.” I’m already short one partner. I can’t afford for another to check out on me too.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be in top shape this weekend.”
I feel bad for the guy. He’s under so much stress.
Porter stops in my doorway when I call out his name. “I’m not a brew guy but let me know if you need help with anything. I can follow directions.”
“Thanks. My new assistant starts in the morning, but I’ll give you a shout if I need an extra hand.”
“Have you met him yet?”
“No, but Molly thought he was the best candidate for the job.”
Molly has an amazing bullshit meter, which means she also has an affinity for hiring good employees. “I’m not worried then.”
After Porter’s gone, I return to work on the inventory numbers, but my eyes keep darting to Oliver’s phone every few minutes. It hasn’t alerted with an incoming text, but I press the home button to check anyway.
Lawrence Thorn has captured my attention, which means I’m the one sitting here unable to concentrate on work while waiting for a reply text from her. Pathetic. Fucking pathetic since she believes that she’s texting with her brother.
I can’t concentrate on the numbers, so I convince myself it’s a good idea to scroll through Oliver’s old texts with his sister. I need to learn how I should reply to her in the future. At least that’s what I tell myself.
Within minutes, I learn one thing about Lawrence Thorn: she has a colorful sense of humor and enjoys a good laugh. In fact, she’s quite funny.
I’m still running through the texts between Oliver and Lawrence when my own phone rings. I don’t recognize the number so it has to be Oliver. “Lucas Broussard here.”
“Hey, Lucas.”
“Oliver. I’m glad to hear from you. How’s it going?”
He sighs heavily. “Can’t lie. This week’s been shit.”
“I was afraid of that.”
“At least my counselor is easy on the eyes.”
I take another look at the photo of Lawrence and her friends. “Yeah. A pretty woman is always a plus.”
“I’m doing better than everyone else in this place.”
“Are you in with hardcore addicts?”
“Oh yeah. The patients in this place are blowing my mind.”
“It doesn’t sound like a place you need to be.�
�
“I wouldn’t be if I had another choice. But the good news is that I have a lot of time on my hands when I’m not in a session, and I’ve been thinking about ways to expand the company. We have a lot to talk about when I get out.”
“I’m eager to hear your new ideas.”
“How have things gone with my sister this week?”
Well, shit with nuts in it. I was hoping we could skip that conversation. “We have a small situation.”
“What kind of small situation?”
“I may have missed replying to a few of her texts.”
“How many is a few? ’Cause I’m doubting you mean three.”
“I’m not sure. Ten?” That’s probably greatly underestimating it. “Maybe fifteen. But no more than twenty for sure.”
“That’s not a situation. It’s a catastrophe.” Oliver mutters a few obscenities. “Is Lawrence freaking out?”
I don’t think sending a picture of yourself with friends at the beach drinking beer constitutes freaking out.
“No, but she has called and left several messages asking you to call her back. I think it would be a good idea if you did. We can call her three-way and my number will be the one to show up. You can tell her you had to use my phone. If she calls back, she’ll get me, not some random person walking by the pay phone. Next Sunday we’ll do it again using your phone.”
“I guess that would work.”
“I should catch you up before we call. She’s at Tybee Island today with Ivy and Kelsey. She texted a picture of them at the beach drinking Pale Hazels. Porter says they do that a lot.”
Oliver laughs. “Yeah. They’re always clowning around like that.”
“Well, these clowns are wearing bikinis.”
“I’m missing out on seeing Ivy and Kelsey in bikinis? That sucks.”
I pick up his phone and look at the picture again. “Trust me. Nothing about this picture sucks.”
“Shut up, dude. My sister is in that picture.”
“You never told me your sister was so…”
“So what?”
I recall what Porter said about Oliver being overprotective of Lawrence, and I decide to forgo the use of the word hot. “Pretty.”
“You think my sister is pretty?”
“Yeah.” Among a lot of other things I don’t dare mention.
“I know you and I’m certain that pretty is a substitute for a different word you’re thinking. So keep your eyeballs in your head when it comes to Lawry. As far as you’re concerned, she’s prohibited. Forbidden fruit. Untouchable.”
“You seem to have a very low opinion of me when it comes to women, but let me tell you something. I’ve never been a man who toys with women’s feelings and I still don’t. I’m clear with any woman who comes into my bed. It’s sex and nothing more.”
“Which is fine as long as my sister doesn’t join your harem.”
I wonder what the hell he thinks I could do to his sister given that I’m here and she’s in Savannah. My cock’s impressive but it doesn’t reach Georgia.
“Anything else you need to tell me?” Oliver asks.
I’ve had so little communication with Lawrence this week, there’s nothing to tell. “I don’t think so.”
“Then let’s make this call.”
Lawrence’s phone is already ringing when I switch over to connect Oliver. “You’re there?”
“I’m here.”
One ring. Two. Three. “Hello?”
“Hey, sis. Is this a bad time? You still at the beach with Ivy and Kelsey?”
“You little shit. I’ve been trying to reach you for days. Why haven’t you called me?”
“I have called you. Just now.”
“You know what I mean, ass monkey.”
I read Lawrence’s texts to her brother and thought she was funny, but hearing her smart-ass mouth is so much more entertaining.
“I’ve been super busy with the festival. Every free minute I’ve had has gone to preparing for it.”
Lawrence hesitates. “I know you’re busy, but I’ve been worried because you haven’t responded to half of my texts. And the ones you’ve sent didn’t sound like you at all.”
“I’m sorry, Lawry. I don’t know what to say except that I’ve been swamped with work.”
“I understand but please don’t ignore me again. I don’t like it.”
“I promise to not ignore you but I need you to bear with me. I’m having some phone trouble and had to order a new one. I won’t get it for a couple of days so don’t be worried if you can’t get me.”
“Whose phone are you using now?”
“My business partner’s. You can call this number in case of an emergency.”
“Lucas Broussard? The partner I’ve never met?”
“Don’t act as though that’s my fault. You’d have met Lucas years ago if you ever left your business long enough to come and visit me.”
“You’re one to talk, Ollie. You never come home.”
“I come twice a year, which is two times more a year than you come to Birmingham.”
“That’s not by choice. You know how much work it is running your own business.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Who knows? Maybe I’ll surprise you one day soon and pop into Birmingham for a visit.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“All right. I guess we’ll see then, won’t we?”
“How is the witchery shop?”
Witchery shop?
“You can be such a sack of assholes sometimes.”
“Maybe, but I’m actually being serious. How is business?”
“No complaints except my landlord raised my rent another two hundred bucks. Greedy bastard.”
“But you’re okay, right?”
“I’m fine. Just two hundred bucks poorer every month but what can I do? I’m in a prime location.”
“You’d tell me if you weren’t all right?”
“Of course. Sales have been up every quarter since I moved the shop to River Street. It was a great decision to relocate. You wouldn’t believe the tourist traffic I get.”
“I guess the drunks finish the ghost tour and want to buy some voodoo supplies before they leave the market.”
“There you go with your assholery again.”
“You know I’m playing because I want you to smile. And be happy.”
“I am happy. Really.”
“Business aside, what about your personal life?”
“Single and loving it. I do what I want, whenever I like. No one to answer to and I like it that way.”
You and me both, Lawrence Thorn. You and me both.
“How are you?”
Oliver hesitates for a moment, and I’m not sure if he’s going to answer his sister.
“Not great.”
“I thought as much. Have you seen or heard from Eden?”
“You mean since the night I walked in on her fucking another man in my bed?”
Whoa. I didn’t know the shit had gone down that way between Oliver and his ex.
“I should put a curse on her. Make every stringy red strand of her badly dyed hair fall out.”
A curse?
“You shouldn’t say things like that. If something bad happened to Eden, I’d wonder if you and your magical trinkets had a hand in it.”
“I was kidding, Ollie. Remember the law of attraction. Positive attracts positive. Negative attracts negative. So have faith. Karma will take care of Eden.”
“And I’ll be in the front row enjoying the show.”
“Don’t let it bring you too much joy. Instead, surround yourself with positivity and rise above it.”
“Right. I need to run but I’ll try to give you a call next Sunday after things settle down with the festival. And please don’t worry if I don’t reply to your texts this week. It’s going to be a really busy week.”
“I understand.”
“Love you, sis.”
“Lov
e you, too. Try to enjoy the festival. Don’t run yourself ragged and miss out on all the fun.”
“You got it. Talk soon.”
I think I hear the sound of Lawrence ending the call but I keep quiet. If anyone is going to screw this up, it’s going to be Oliver. Not me.
“You still there, Lawry?” Oliver asks.
No reply.
“We’re all clear.”
“What is up with your sister?”
Oliver chuckles. “If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me that.”
“Seriously.”
“Lawry is a lot of things: free-spirited, bohemian, alternative. She has a lot of thoughts and practices that some people find odd.”
“Are you talking about witchcraft and voodoo?” I’m from Louisiana. I know a lot about that kind of shit, and I don’t like any of it.
“My sister doesn’t dabble in the craft or magic. However, she is into unconventional things like auras, holistic healing, aromatherapy, and herbalism. She’s a huge believer in the power of positive thinking. Cause and effect. Karma, as you heard. Stuff like that. All innocent.”
“So she’s bohemian?”
“I’m not sure any one label fits Lawry. Just when you think you know her inside out, she shows you a completely different side you didn’t expect. She’s ever-changing.”
She’s independent and driven to be successful, yet she’s a carefree nonconformist. What an intriguing combination. And frankly, I’m a little captivated by her.
Sorry, Oliver. I know you said Lawrence is off-limits but I’m thinking it might be time to pay our Savannah customers a visit. And perhaps a gorgeous bohemian sister too.
4
Lawrence Thorn
I knock but don’t see a single light through the window of Ollie’s apartment. I’m certain that is his pickup in one of the parking spaces and his motorcycle parked under the breezeway.
Maybe he’s out with friends? Because it’s way too early for him to be in bed.
Good thing I have a key. Unless he changed the locks after Hurricane Eden. If that’s the case, I’ll be forced to blow my surprise visit.
I turn my key in the deadbolt and push the door open, praying that I’m not about to walk in on him in bed with someone. “Ollie?”