Page 99 of A Little Moore Action
A pain pinches at my chest. We both say nothing for a while. Finally, I stop being a jerk about it. “But you know…”
“What?” I can hear a hopeful note in his tone, and it enables me to keep going.
“It would only beacting. Not, uh, how I really feel.” I run a hand through my hair. “About you, I mean.”
He just stares at me.
My exasperated sigh ruffles the paper on the table. “I’m saying I don’t hate you, man. Don’t make it weird.”
Thomas puts on his best superior face. “Yeah.I’mmaking it weird.”
Shaking my head and laughing again, I wonder at how I got here. To actually talking to my brother. Tolikinghim.
It’s then that the papers in front of me come into focus. “Wait. Why does this say Warren and Baron? King Marketing created this ad.”
Sobering, Thomas turns the ad mock-ups so they face me.Multiplemock-ups with the Warren and Baron letterhead above each. And the step-by-step marketing strategy Bell and her team were working on. A sick feeling settles in my gut.
“What the fuck, dude?”
Sighing, Thomas brings me up to speed on Bell’s sacrifice.
Shocked stupid, I can only blink at the papers in front of me. “She did all this for Moore’s?”
“No, you idiot.” Thomas collects the papers, breaking my stare, and stacks them neatly to the side. “She did it for you.”
Guilt, self-pity, and hurt get swept aside by a rising tide of panic. “I… I fucked up.”
“Yes.”
“I need to go see her. Talk to her.”
“Yes.”
“Jesus, man. Be more helpful than just agreeing with me all the time!” I run my hands through my hair. “I need some advice here.”
“You want advice?”
Feeling hopeful the Golden Boy will have some nugget of knowledge, I nod vigorously.
“All right, then. Here’s some advice. Don’t call me dude.”
I stare at him, debating whether to break his nose or laugh. The corner of his mouth twitches, and I go with the latter. “Fuck you, man. Not helpful.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He stands. “Just go get her.”
I stand too, once again knocking all the papers to the floor. “Uh …”
Thomas waves me off. “I’ll get it, just get out of here. You’re wasting time.”
I take a moment to round the table and pull my brother in for a man-hug. After a strong pat on his back, I pull back and look as sincerely as possible into his eyes. “Thanks, dude.”
Laughing, and with Thomas’ glare burning a hole in my back, I jog out of the room.
It’s time I made a trip. Deep in the heart of Texas.
Bell
“We should have goneto a wine bar.”
