Page 3
Story: The Christmas Bet
I chuckle. “If I take on any more pro-bono work, I won’t sleep. Besides, all the pro-bono work really won’t get me partner here. I want my name on that door, on the wall when you walk into this office.Benson, Goldberg and Dawson Law Office. Assholes like our good friend Dr. Martin will get me on that wall.” I turn on my heel and head back towards my office. I need to get myself over to the courthouse and see what problems have arisen for my client now.
* * *
Late as usual,I stroll up to the Legends Ale House on 26th Street. ’Tis the season of lights and shit, with people hustling everywhere to find the “it” toy or that gift that they hope will get them back in someone’s good graces. The holiday is no longer about just being with the ones you love and helping those less fortunate. It’s about greed. Things have changed so much since I was a kid. I never cared about the hot new toy or opening gifts on Christmas Day. It was about family, being with those that I loved. Baking cookies together, helping to put up the decorations and the tree. I remember when my mom would read me a story by the fireplace as we drank hot chocolate. I let out a sigh and shake my head as I watch people walk right past me as I stride up to the doors.Greed.
Legends is our go-to. We’re here at least a couple times a week. It has copper ceiling accents, a very sleek granite bar, and the ambiance is very relaxing. And of course, they’ve already started dressing the bar up for the upcoming holidays with small Christmas trees in the corners on the room.
As I make my way over to our usual table in the corner of the bar, I suddenly come to a stop when I notice two women sitting at the bar. The blonde woman is absolutely beautiful. Her long hair is swept to the side. Her makeup is light, her natural beauty showing through. Her sweater hangs off her shoulder, letting me see her beautiful neck. She has a hint of color on her lips that I want to kiss off. Damn, she’s mesmerizing.
Fuck. I try to ignore the fact that I’m now sporting a semi. Shifting and trying to adjust myself without the use of my hands, I quickly turn away and focus on my destination. The guys at the table.
“Hey, you okay there?” Jack says to me, giving my back a slight slap once I walk up.
“Yeah, I, uh, just thought I saw someone I knew. I was wrong.” I frown, taking the stool against the wall next to Tommy and across from Roland.
“What took you so long?” Roland takes a pull from his beer.
“Work. You should try it sometime,” I tease him.
His mouth forms an “O” as he acts all offended. “Dude, Idowork. But I have what’s called ‘work-life balance’. You should try it sometime. It might help you remove the stick from your ass.” Roland laughs.
I take a beer from the bucket and twist off the top. “Yeah, whatever.” I put the cold brew to my lips and take a long swig, letting the hoppy goodness quench my thirst.
“When are you going to settle down? It’s about time, don’t you think?” Tommy turns his head towards me.
“It’s time when I say it is. And it’s not time.” I lift my shoulders and scope out the bar, spotting the blonde beauty again. My stomach does little flips as I watch her. I look away before anyone catches me staring for too long.
Roland shakes his head, “What are you scared of? Spending time with someone longer than a night? Getting to know that person and falling in love?”
“Did you ladies want to go get some pedicures? Go purse shopping? I have these new shoes I want to wear tonight,” I taunt, shaking my head. “You’re all pussy-whipped. And jealous that I can get different pussy when I want.”
“No, bro. We can actually holdonto good pussy.” Jack laughs.
“I can keep a woman if I want to. I just don’t want to.”
Jack shakes his head, snorting. “No, you can’t.”
“Betcha I can.”
“Oh, are we turning this into a bet? I’m down. What’s the wager?” Tommy shifts excitedly in his seat. I groan internally. Great. Me and my big mouth. But here we go.
“First, we need to know the bet.” I motion for him to calm down.
Roland taps the beer bottle in front of him as he thinks. “Okay, got it.” Everyone leans towards him on pins and needles. “Get a woman to fall in love with you by Christmas—”
“I can get any woman to fall in love with me. Most do just after one night,” I deadpan.
Roland pulls his brows together. “Let me finish. Make her fall in love with you and get her to marry you or want to marry you.”
I can hear the blood pumping though my ears. Love is one thing, but marriage? “I don’t know about this. That … that wouldn’t be a nice thing to do. That’s not right. Someone will get hurt. That’s using someone. I don’t know if I can do that.”
“The lawyer with a conscience? Wow, never thought I would see the day.” Jack slaps the table and laughs out loud. “You don’t have to actually marry her. You can call it off down the road. Go your separate ways.” I shoot Jack a ‘shut the fuck up’ look.
“What are you afraid of, Conner? Actually falling in love?” Roland taunts.
“I wouldn’t fall in love,” I sigh. I run my hand over my face. In every part of me, I feel like this is going to end in disaster. My stomach tightens; this is such a bad fucking idea. But I never back down from a bet. Never. “Fine. What’s the wager?”
“My 1969 Mustang Mach 1.” Roland tips back his beer and takes a long swig. Fuck, I love that car. That machine. It’s in fucking pristine condition. It’s been in his family from the time that they bought it all those years ago. It’s his most prized possession. One I have always wanted.
* * *
Late as usual,I stroll up to the Legends Ale House on 26th Street. ’Tis the season of lights and shit, with people hustling everywhere to find the “it” toy or that gift that they hope will get them back in someone’s good graces. The holiday is no longer about just being with the ones you love and helping those less fortunate. It’s about greed. Things have changed so much since I was a kid. I never cared about the hot new toy or opening gifts on Christmas Day. It was about family, being with those that I loved. Baking cookies together, helping to put up the decorations and the tree. I remember when my mom would read me a story by the fireplace as we drank hot chocolate. I let out a sigh and shake my head as I watch people walk right past me as I stride up to the doors.Greed.
Legends is our go-to. We’re here at least a couple times a week. It has copper ceiling accents, a very sleek granite bar, and the ambiance is very relaxing. And of course, they’ve already started dressing the bar up for the upcoming holidays with small Christmas trees in the corners on the room.
As I make my way over to our usual table in the corner of the bar, I suddenly come to a stop when I notice two women sitting at the bar. The blonde woman is absolutely beautiful. Her long hair is swept to the side. Her makeup is light, her natural beauty showing through. Her sweater hangs off her shoulder, letting me see her beautiful neck. She has a hint of color on her lips that I want to kiss off. Damn, she’s mesmerizing.
Fuck. I try to ignore the fact that I’m now sporting a semi. Shifting and trying to adjust myself without the use of my hands, I quickly turn away and focus on my destination. The guys at the table.
“Hey, you okay there?” Jack says to me, giving my back a slight slap once I walk up.
“Yeah, I, uh, just thought I saw someone I knew. I was wrong.” I frown, taking the stool against the wall next to Tommy and across from Roland.
“What took you so long?” Roland takes a pull from his beer.
“Work. You should try it sometime,” I tease him.
His mouth forms an “O” as he acts all offended. “Dude, Idowork. But I have what’s called ‘work-life balance’. You should try it sometime. It might help you remove the stick from your ass.” Roland laughs.
I take a beer from the bucket and twist off the top. “Yeah, whatever.” I put the cold brew to my lips and take a long swig, letting the hoppy goodness quench my thirst.
“When are you going to settle down? It’s about time, don’t you think?” Tommy turns his head towards me.
“It’s time when I say it is. And it’s not time.” I lift my shoulders and scope out the bar, spotting the blonde beauty again. My stomach does little flips as I watch her. I look away before anyone catches me staring for too long.
Roland shakes his head, “What are you scared of? Spending time with someone longer than a night? Getting to know that person and falling in love?”
“Did you ladies want to go get some pedicures? Go purse shopping? I have these new shoes I want to wear tonight,” I taunt, shaking my head. “You’re all pussy-whipped. And jealous that I can get different pussy when I want.”
“No, bro. We can actually holdonto good pussy.” Jack laughs.
“I can keep a woman if I want to. I just don’t want to.”
Jack shakes his head, snorting. “No, you can’t.”
“Betcha I can.”
“Oh, are we turning this into a bet? I’m down. What’s the wager?” Tommy shifts excitedly in his seat. I groan internally. Great. Me and my big mouth. But here we go.
“First, we need to know the bet.” I motion for him to calm down.
Roland taps the beer bottle in front of him as he thinks. “Okay, got it.” Everyone leans towards him on pins and needles. “Get a woman to fall in love with you by Christmas—”
“I can get any woman to fall in love with me. Most do just after one night,” I deadpan.
Roland pulls his brows together. “Let me finish. Make her fall in love with you and get her to marry you or want to marry you.”
I can hear the blood pumping though my ears. Love is one thing, but marriage? “I don’t know about this. That … that wouldn’t be a nice thing to do. That’s not right. Someone will get hurt. That’s using someone. I don’t know if I can do that.”
“The lawyer with a conscience? Wow, never thought I would see the day.” Jack slaps the table and laughs out loud. “You don’t have to actually marry her. You can call it off down the road. Go your separate ways.” I shoot Jack a ‘shut the fuck up’ look.
“What are you afraid of, Conner? Actually falling in love?” Roland taunts.
“I wouldn’t fall in love,” I sigh. I run my hand over my face. In every part of me, I feel like this is going to end in disaster. My stomach tightens; this is such a bad fucking idea. But I never back down from a bet. Never. “Fine. What’s the wager?”
“My 1969 Mustang Mach 1.” Roland tips back his beer and takes a long swig. Fuck, I love that car. That machine. It’s in fucking pristine condition. It’s been in his family from the time that they bought it all those years ago. It’s his most prized possession. One I have always wanted.