Page 103 of Soul Mates: Hercules Valentine and I

“You okay, boss?” James asks.

I rub the back of my neck, trying to the resolve the anxiety that’s gripped me. “Yeah,” I say with a sigh.

“Because you look like a man with women problems.”

“You’re close. It’s work and a woman.”

“A double whammy.”

I snort a chuckle. “Double whammy? What the hell is that?”

“That’s right, you’re one of those dudes who never watch TV. It’s from a game show that used to be around before you or I was born. The only reason I know about it is because my lady likes to watch the Game Show Network before we go to bed.”

“What a minute…” I lean forward. “When did you get a lady?”

James laughs. “I know, it was fast, wasn’t it?”

I momentarily stop thinking about Lark as he tells me about a woman who used to be his friend with benefits. Then on Wednesday, she gave him an ultimatum. “It’s not all about the sex, though. When I thought about her moving on to be with some other dude, that wasn’t going to work for me. I want to be with her.”

“So you got down on one knee and did what?” I ask, grinning.

“Asked her to be my girlfriend and then starting eating vagina.”

I burst out laughing. Nobody can make me forget my woes like James. He keeps talking about his new girlfriend, including a lot about her anatomy. I wonder if he hears himself.

I think about Lark. The more I picture her face, the more I see Paisley Grove. I can’t put a finger on what made me like her in high school. Lots of girls are beautiful, and she had beauty in spades. Lots of girls were quiet and shy just like she was. She had a seriousness about her that a teenage boy like me found enthralling. Granted, everybody treated her terribly because of the whole Valentine-country bs. Orion started that code at the school when one of the Groves attended for a few months. I heard the other students made it hard for that student, so he quit. I can’t remember the guy’s name, but he was Treasure Grove’s brother. Her brother was the reason Treasure and Orion met. She confronted him on her brother’s behalf, and then my brother and Paisley’s cousin started getting it on shortly thereafter.

My SUV clears the gate and drives into the underground parking lot.

“I still want to see you settle down with a beautiful lady, Herc. Look at all the bells and whistles you got.”

“Bells and whistles?” I ask.

“Like what I’m doing right now.”

We laugh as the door to my private garage within the parking lot raises. He pulls in. The lift turns on automatically, and up my vehicle goes.

“I don’t want a girl who wants me for my bells and whistles, though,” I say.

“A good-looking dude like you doesn’t have to worry about that much. If you looked like a toad, then yeah, you’d have to worry. That’s how it was with my last employer. The dude looked like Igor but kept babes who looked like Heartly Rose.”

I stiffen. “What did you say?”

“You know, that model from back in the day. She was smoking hot. She married rich. You got money, man, and that puts you at the top of the totem pole.”

I grunt. I don’t have more money than Paisley Grove. I don’t say that out loud, but I’m thinking it as James gets into his car—which is next to mine—and says he’ll see me tomorrow evening. On the weekends, I mostly drive myself around unless I have an event to go to. I must have one tomorrow. I can’t remember what it is, but he knows my schedule better than I do. I’ll sort out my calendar later. For now, I have research to do.

I walkinto the kitchen and pour myself a cup of coffee. I can smell food cooking.

“You’re home early,” Barbara, our chef, says. She’s at the oven, shaking a pan as she sautés something. I can smell the onion and garlic cooking. She’s always cooking up fragrant food. She also cooks for Orion and Achilles. This week, she worked in my kitchen. Next week, she’ll be at Orion’s place. He owns the penthouse on the opposite side of the building.

“I’m working from home for the rest of the day,” I say, walking out of the kitchen.

“Would you like a snack?” she calls.

I don’t stop walking. “Nope. I’ve already eaten.”

“How about rice pilaf crab cakes?”