Page 6 of Joint Custody

“Mom, why can’t I just intern at the family firm?” I asked.

“And be accused of nepotism? Who would take you seriously, or us seriously, after that? No, you’ve got to gain that reputation on your own,” she said.

Ironic,I thought but didn’t say out loud as she whispered, “Plus, you’re going to need somewhere to drive that beautiful new car to.” She smiled, made the introduction, and took off.

With this group, it was a competition of who was a better lawyer and a speech about how it was just getting started. They were going on and on about how law school was the easy part and now was when the real work would start. I didn’t expect that to make me feel as anxious as it did, and I began to question whether I’d ever get a break, if I’d ever get to experience anything more to life than work.

And like a call from heaven, I heard my brother’s voice. Oh, thank goodness, I had an excuse to leave the conversation, although, the closer I got to my brother and his friends, I definitely wasn’t becoming any calmer. In fact, I think my pulse spiked a bit more as I watched Mario and Anthony, two very different men who got more and more handsome the closer I got.

I’m accustomed to seeing lawyers with their hair cut short and clean-shaven faces, so Anthony’s dark curly locks brushing the top of his collar and a full beard speckled with the faintest amount of gray giving him a well-groomed caveman look was a breath of fresh air. He wasn’t overly muscular, he was slim, lean, and he had the most beautiful smile that brought out laugh lines around his eyes.

His pale skin tone appeared shaded by his dark hair on his body. I found myself nibbling my bottom lip as he looked my way. I’d been trying not to look at him this whole time but I’d been aware of how close he sat to me back at the table. Making eye contact with him before wasn’t possible because something about him felt intense, and even now, just a glimpse of his dark gray eyes made my skin buzz in an unfamiliar way. He wore a golden beige button-down shirt that was loose at the arms and his upper torso, tucked into black pants; classically relaxed.

And then there was Mario, super blond, and he sported a beard that was not overwhelming, the tiny bits of gray in his harder to see due to the fairness of his hair. He had glacier-blue eyes and kept the hair on his head cut low on the sides, coiffed on top. His skin was kissed by the sun and that white shirt seemed to be made for him, rolled-up sleeves had his veins on the inside of his firm forearms on display.

He held himself with the kind of care to ensure that his clothes wouldn’t be filled with wrinkles before it was too dark to notice. It seemed as if he treated himself with care, and I wondered how he’d treat me, if that care would extend to me, if his body would be warm as he held me.Where did that last thought come from?My cheeks warmed as I reprimanded myself, and I couldn’t even look at them.

This was stupid, they were way out of my league. All they were seeing as my brother lifted me in the air was their best friend’s kid sister. But I was not a kid. I was an adult. Still, they were men, real men. Men that turned something on in me that felt primal as I found myself being willing to be dominated by either of them. Oh, no. This was inappropriate. I didn’t know what to do with these thoughts. They weren’t something I had much experience with, and I’d take them with me to my grave.

I’d be mortified if they ever found out what I was thinking. If I thought this was embarrassing, I’d die if they looked at me with pity or rejection after figuring out that I had a silly little crush. I could feel my skin growing warmer and warmer, turning redder and redder, and when Anthony brought me that drink, I decided to throw caution to the wind and gulp that shit down.

“What is this?” I asked as I emptied the glass. “It’s really nice,” I said, turning around, trying to act normal as I searched for Anthony for an answer but he was already gone.

“Lemme see.” My brother held out his hand for the glass. He emptied the droplets of the glass in his mouth. “Mm, yup, that’s Sauternes. What? Did you want another glass?” he asked.

I laughed. “I don’t know what that is, but it tastes great. And yeah, is that okay?”

He laughed in return. “I’ll go get you one.”

“Thanks.” I smiled at him as he pulled himself up out of the seat, dizzy from the alcohol.

“Woah,” he said as he rocked. “I’ll get you another drink, but no more for me.” He grinned as he made his way over to the bar, and Mario looked on after him with a smile. I knew he was just making sure that he was okay, and that filled me with warmth. It made it easier for me to talk to him.

“So . . . have you always known you wanted to be a lawyer?” I asked him, and he turned around in shock as if he didn’t expect me to speak to him. The shock was soon replaced with a smile that almost knocked my socks off, or they would’ve if I was wearing any.

“I don’t know. I guess so. You?” he asked.

I exhaled with a laugh. “That’s all I’ve known, so yeah. I guess so too.”

“I bet it’s been hard. I mean, I know how it was for Chris, but I mean, I don’t know. You’re not Chris, so how’s it been for you?” he asked.

I noticed he said “I mean” twice and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was flustered.Because of me? Oh, get over yourself. No way.

“No, it’s been hard. But I love it.” I fidgeted with my hands for a bit.

“Good.” He smiled, and dang it, the warmth flooded my body once more.

I broke eye contact, looking away, hoping he wouldn’t see how hard I was blushing and turned my head just in time to see Anthony walking away with a blonde bombshell, with curves in all the right places, reminding me once again that I was not the type of woman men like them were looking for.

Chris came back with the drink, and I welcomed the coolness of the glass in the palms of my hands. “By the way, I’m rocking, I’m guessing it’s time for me to go home, jump into a cold shower, and try to get sobered up before my wife gets home from the spa session I booked for her this evening. So, I’ve got to get going but I had a surprise for you,” he said.

My eyes widened, and I felt a bit brighter and grateful for something else to focus on other than my foolish crush, plus I loved gifts. Who didn’t love gifts? Although, if it was another car, I wasn’t sure what I’d do with two. He shuffled through his pockets and produced a small, cute, wrapped purple box.

I rushed to open it. Jewelry? That would be cute. I pulled out another key. Oh no, not another car. As I fixed my face to smile and say thank you, he said, “I got you an apartment.”

My mouth dropped open. “What?”

“Yeah, I was thinking that you didn’t have to live with Mom and Dad while you went to work. You’re grown, you should have your own space,” he said.

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