Page 23

Charlie promised me it’d be a local New York calendar. How the heck did it end up here?

“Gimme that,” I walk forward, ripping it from his hands.

“What’s wrong Carmichael? Your tighty stars n’ stripes get you in a wad? I bought ten more when I was in New York on business last week. I looked up your sister. Didn’t she tell you?”

A cruel,‘I don’t give a shit smile’broke out on my face. I sauntered forward. “Ten? Why so you can tack me up on your wall and beat to me at night? I knew I was your dream man, Diersky.”

His face turned purple. “Fuck you.”

I spun on my heel, this time letting the tips of my shoes touch his. “Still pissed I got the promotion? Face it, Brett. I’m smarter than you, work harder than you and—I broke off, pointing to my calendar pic, “way better looking than you. Stay away from Charlie,” I hissed. “Or I’ll settle this after hours with my fist.”

I winked at the college intern hovering by the kitchenette. “Here you go, sweetheart.” I pressed the calendar in her hand, strode back into my office and sat back down to mark the contract. It takes a lot to piss me off to the point of violence but Diersky was there. What the heck was he doing calling my sister? My head has been so buried in contracts; I didn’t see him gunning so hard for me.

I picked up my phone, dialing Char. I just needed to know why she’d think it’d be a good idea to sell the biggest douche in my company calendars with me in them when she knows how serious I take my career.

“Chase? You never call in the middle of a work day.”

“Hello to you too, sis.”

“Uh-oh. I know that tone in your voice.”

“Diersky?”

“Oh, him? Yeah, he’s a loser with a capital L.”

“I could’ve told you that if you had called me, Char. Why does he have my calendar?”

She sighed. “He phoned my office; told me he was a co-worker of yours. I looked him up on your company website… so I knew he was legit. Anyway, he practically begged me to get into the Gala at The Hall. He saw on the social media promos I was the chair. So, I did him a favor and got him in. We sold out of all the calendars at the event that night. He must’ve seen them and saw you.”

“Fuck me.”

“No, but dozens of women probably want to….”

“Thanks to you.”

“Come on. It was for charity.”

“How much did you raise to save the dolphins?”

“100k.”

“What?”

“The calendars were such a hit we mass produced more after January…. And well they get twenty dollars apiece.”

I smacked my forehead. “I’m never doing a favor for you again.”

“What? Is being a sex symbol hard for you?”

“There’s so much more to me than my tan and six pack…”

“Like what? Besides, your colossal ego, little bro.”

“Little?”

“I am two minutes older so technically, yes.”

“Smart ass. Stay away from Diersky if he goes back to New York.”