Page 34 of Indecent Ventures

“Whatever. You have a lush condo in the city thanks to the business he gives this family. Keep it together for once.”

My family has no faith in me whatsoever. I may have earned that in the past, but not in the last few years. I’ve kept my head down and worked hard. Maybe I party to excess on the weekends, and indulge in women, but that’s on my own time. I’ve been a contributing member of our family business for years.

“I’m over my crush. I just want a womanlikeher. Notexactlyher. She’s a good friend just like he is. I don’t see her that way anymore.”

I think for the first time in five years, that’s actually the truth. Maybe I’m getting over my crush. Maybe I want to get over and under another blonde-haired, blue-eyed stunner.

“So then who were you just thinking about?”

“No one. I just have a few things on my mind.”

We hear the door open and what sounds like a stampede rolling in. In reality, it’s my mother, father, Braden, Shane, his wife, Lydia, and their six-year-old son, named after my father, Nolan John. We call him NJ. He looks just like me. It’s fodder for many jokes.

I give my mother a huge hug. As soon as I lift my head, my father smacks the back of it. I rub it. “What the hell, Da, that hurt.”

In his heavy Irish accent, he says, “You look like a damn sissy with your hair like dat. Take dat shit out. Get some scissors, for Christ’s sake.”

“Da, don’t say words likesissyin front of the kids. Or anywhere, for that matter. It’s not okay.”

I get that my father is old school. I get that he grew up in a different time in Ireland, but it’s the twenty-first century in America, and it’s not acceptable. I can’t imagine my brothers, or their wives, want their children to hear that. I wouldn’t if it were my kids.

I look around at my brothers. Nothing. What a bunch of pussies. Everyone lives in fear of my father. I do see Braden start to speak, but I shake my head at him. Why have two black sheep in the family?

Instead, I relieve my mother of the three loaves of soda bread in her hands. It’s her specialty. “Thanks, Mom. Why didn’t you bring any for anyone else?”

That earns me a significantly less hard smack to the back of my head from her. “You make sure to share with everyone. Of all my boys, you always ate the most.”

I smile. “It’s because your cooking is so good. It’s probably why I’m the best-looking and most muscular.”

My brothers all moan in displeasure.

I get down and high-five NJ. “How’s it going, handsome?”

He runs his hands through his hair. “I’m trying to grow my hair like yours. Daddy is trying to make me get it cut.”

I whisper in his ear, and he smiles. My brother, Shane, looks at me skeptically. I think a small part of Shane hates that not only does NJ look like me, but he also has a touch of my outgoing, silly personality, not Shane’s more demure personality.

After saying all the hellos to everyone, we all sit down to eat. My father looks around until his eyes land on Mac. “How’s business?”

My father semi-retired last year. I say semi in that he is supposedly fully retired, but still manages to find his way into the office and job sites at least three times a week to bark orders at everyone.

Mac answers, “Business is great. The Underhill house is on schedule. The Wolf mansion is breaking ground next week. Carter and his wife keep buying properties and knocking them down. It’s a constant stream.”

My father nods. “Who’s overseeing da Wolf mansion?”

Mansion? Hardly. It’s slightly bigger than a normal house. It’s not a mansion. Carter and Reagan’s house is a mansion.

Mac gives me a disapproving look and then turns back to my father. “I want it to be Collin. For some unknown reason they like him, but he’s insisting on doing the work on Carter’s nursery himself.”

My father shakes his head. “No, Collin. Send one of da young guys to do dat small project. You’re needed at da Wolf’s. If they want your irresponsible arse, then dat’s what dey will get.”

I shake my head. “I want their nursery to be perfect. It’s Carter’s first child. I don’t trust anyone else. I’ve been working nights and weekends to get it done quickly. Give me two more weeks and then I’ll get to the Wolf job.”

Mac and my father both sigh. My father scowls at me. “And get a damn haircut before da job starts. Those are high society people. Dey don’t want a thug in their house every day.”

Lucy gasps. “No, I love Uncle Collin’s hair.”

I wink at my family. “All the ladies do.”

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