An unattractive snort from me follows his comment about Zach being everything all my past boyfriends weren’t.“You’re a laugh riot.”
“Well?”
“Well, what?I didn’t hear a question.”
“Fine.”
“What’s it to you if I date him?Don’t you like him?”
“This has nothing to do with like.I don’t know him.He’s a businessman.A ruthless one at that.Be careful.”A near growl filters over the phone and my brother’s worry gives me pause.
“Paige, you go at everything with your heart and I don’t know where Rothwell’s coming from—oh, scratch that, I know exactly where he’s coming from?—”
“Drew,” I groan, so not wanting the sex lecture.
“I don’t want you hurt.Rothwell isn’t like the douches you’re used to.”
“So, let me get this straight.You’re saying he must be using me, or he’ll takeitand leave it because there’s no way in hell he could genuinely like me and want to spend time with me?”
My gut clenches at the picture I’ve painted and more importantly, how accurate the depiction.Everything I’ve said is in fact what’s happening with Zach.And saying it out loud only makes me feel cheap and used even though Zach has been nothing but a gentleman—well, for the most part.
“That’s not what I’m saying.I’m messing this up.”
Guilt socks me in the chest.I’m the one messing this up by making my brother feel shitty when all he’s doing is looking out for me.
“I get it.It’s fine.But there is something I want to know.”
“What?”
“Why does Zach owe you?”
“It’s nothing.”His tone is dismissive.
“Well, if that’s so then you can tell me all about it.”
“It’s privileged client information, but what I can say is that I got the charges dismissed for one of his associates.While the guy’s actions were questionable, they were still within the confines of the law.Then the idiot did it again and there was no way the charges were going away.He was going to trial.”
Drew pauses on a deep exhale and I start for the stairs, to get ready for Zach.“I refused to defend him.My job would have been all the more difficult given he had already been charged once before for the same thing.Anyway, Zach sweetened the deal.”
This time his pause is extra long and it’s clear Drew is ending it there.“Go on.How did Zach get you to defend this guy?”
“He doubled my rate and gave me an IOU that I could collect at any time for anything.Well, as long as it was legal.”Drew chuckles as if he’d ever do anything illegal.Please.
“That’s it?”
“Yup.Told you it was nothing.”
“And you chose to cash in by helping me?”I’m moved again by my brother’s generosity.
“Of course.Truth be told, I never imagined calling in the favor, but when your landlord problems came up, Rothwell, real estate mogul, was the first one to come to mind.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t sweat it.I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“What’s going on?”Pippa’s voice booms over the line.Now I am on speaker.
“Nothing.Everything is okay.He’s just concerned about my date.”I deflect to our earlier focus, sensing Drew is done with this topic of conversation.
