Page 119 of Cash

Chapter Twenty

“So,” Chae-Won teased, “you’re staying down there another week?”

“Uh, maybe?” Brick laughed. “Sorry, Mom. If you had the view I have right now, you wouldn’t wanna come home either.”

The view was of the crystal blue waters of Magen’s Bay in St. Thomas, a tropical paradise in the Virgin Islands. The water was clear enough in the shallows to see right to the bottom, the air was sweet and warm, and the breeze swaying the groves of palm trees was absolutely perfect.

Trusting in Daddy Jules had resulted in an impromptu stay at a nine-bedroom luxury villa right on the beach. Jules took care of everything, from the plane tickets to the new rainbow pair of swimming briefs for Brick to soak up the sun in, and Brick had been having the time of his life.

They’d been here for a week, spending every day playing out in the water, eating at fantastic local restaurants, and exploring all the many exciting amenities that St. Thomas had to offer. There was a boutique ice cream shop they had visited daily since discovering that it sold matcha ice cream served in bungeoppang pastries.

Brick would eat one there and always order a second to eat on the walk back.

Their evenings were spent together at the villa, relaxing and enjoying pampering and face masks, cat ears optional. Each night was just as passionate as the last, and Brick loved waking up every morning in Jules’s arms. He was still working from the new laptop Jules had bought him so he wouldn’t get too behind on his translation duties, but today was Saturday, so he was free to fully enjoy himself.

Brick had been telling Jules that he wasn’t ready to go home Monday, to which Jules had shrugged and said they’d go home next Monday then.

Just as Brick was getting ready to show Jules how much he appreciated that very generous offer, his mother had called.

“Well, send me more pictures at least,” she was scolding him. “You know you’re bringing this man over to meet us as soon as you get home.”

“Don’t worry. I will. I gotta send some to Trixie too. She said she’s living vicariously through me right now.”

“Aw, how is she doing? Still in the hospital?”

“No, they let her go home yesterday. Noah and Ziggy drove her, and they’ve been helping run errands and stuff. Well, more Noah than Ziggy, since Ziggy’s been so busy being acting manager now.”

“I’m sure he loves that,” Chae-Won teased.

“There’s been a lot of cussing about wearing suits and talk about how he’s gonna burn the place down to the ground if they don’t find a replacement soon. I think he’s joking. Mostly. But yeah, Trixie is doing really well. She’s gonna have physical therapy visits there at her house. Round the clock home nurses too.”

“Really? Her insurance is paying for all that?”

“Well, Jules is actually.” Brick turned to smile over at Jules, who was lounging on a plush patio chair behind him. “He found out that Trixie’s crappy insurance plan at the funeral home wasn’t going to cover everything, so he offered to help out.”

“That was very generous of him. He sounds so nice, sweetie. To have as much as he does and to share it so selflessly.”

“He’s amazing,” Brick gushed while Jules rolled his eyes. “I really can’t wait for you to meet him.”

He and Jules had just come up from a swim at the beach, and Brick was still wearing his rainbow briefs and a tie-dyed sarong he’d bought from a vendor in town the other day.

Jules was stretched out in one of the chairs on the balcony in a white linen shirt and black trunks with orange and red flames. He had his arm draped over his face, and he was doing nothing to conceal the persistent bulging erection resulting from Brick’s earlier efforts to thank him.

They’d started making out back in one of the two master bedrooms, and Brick had elected to talk to his mother out on the adjoining balcony that overlooked the water. The balcony was huge, bigger than even the entire living room at Brick’s house, and it had a full set of chairs, two sofas, and a table with a big umbrella. It wrapped around to connect with the other master bedroom, and so far was Brick’s favorite part of the entire house.

Especially now with the setting sun turning the sky into a brilliant kaleidoscope of purples and oranges, it truly was a paradise.

“I’ll make bibimbap, extra spicy just for him,” Chae-Won gushed. “We’re having dinner as soon as you get back. I want to know everything about him.”

“How about a day or two after I get back?” Brick countered. “I might need some time to recover from jet lag and all the sobbing I’ll be doing being back in Raleigh.”

“Bah, it’s not that bad here, you shush. And oh! You missed the big exciting news.”

“Big exciting news?” Brick turned to lean his back against the balcony railing, eyeing Jules’s crotch. He wasn’t listening to his mother as well as he should have been, but it wasn’t his fault Jules was so distracting.

“Detective Cutter was the man who helped you when that crazy homeless person broke into your house, right?”

“Yeah, that’s him.” Brick was definitely paying attention now—not to mention still inwardly cringing over the lie he’d told his mother, just one of many he’d said to cover up what had really happened. “What is it?”

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