Father & Son: Book two of the Jensen Family Series (31 page)

Paul had seen Michael’s arrival in his
peripheral vision. His telephone conversation had nothing whatsoever to do with
work. He was arranging for someone to come and measure for blinds but as he saw
Michael approach, he told the woman on the other end of the line to humour him
for a moment.

Spewing legal and technical terms into the
handset as Michael entered his plush new office; Paul speared the older man
with a look that said what the fuck are you doing in here that stopped him dead
in his tracks. Asking his caller to hold for a moment, Paul gestured for his
father to leave and really put the boot in by telling him to shut the door on
the way out.

As the door closed with a little more
force than was strictly necessary, Paul continued his conversation while
keeping an eye on the typing pool ladies. They all sat rigid as Michael passed
them but relaxed as soon as his office door shut. The ones closest to him turned
to stare at him, smiling and clapping at his show of bravado, making him laugh
as he jotted down the time of his appointment with the blind company.

Sitting at the long table in the cocktail
bar Tessa had found, Suzanne was quite relieved that her best friend hadn’t
done what she’d thought she would do and simply throw her a hen party at
Jokers.

She had nothing against the place but
honestly hadn’t wanted to face Paul for an entire evening when the following
weekend, she would become another man’s wife. She began to giggle as feather
boas and pink, glittery cowboy hats were handed out. She was presented with a
bride to be sash to wear and the bar manager had told her it was tradition for
her to try every cocktail on the menu at least once.

Slowly but surely becoming happily
inebriated, she thought she had nothing to hide when Tessa spun a bottle in the
centre of the table as they began to play truth or dare. Laughing at her luck
as the bottle bypassed her again, she encouraged one of her bridesmaids to chug
a sickly sweet cocktail, cheering as she managed it and the bottle was spun
again.

By law of averages, it had to land on her
sometime or other. They all clapped as she finally fell victim to the dreaded
bottle. Tessa flipped through the cards of prepared questions she had brought
with her and pierced Suzanne with her steely gaze.

Clearing her throat, Tessa raised her
voice as she asked “Who is the best you’ve ever had?”

The table fell silent as all eyes turned
to her. “Cameron of course.” She answered but her deep blush gave her away.

Calls of “Bullshit” and “Liar” echoed out
and Tessa asked the question again.

Taking a large mouthful of her drink,
Suzanne set the almost empty glass down. “Alright, that was a blatant lie. The
best I’ve ever had is an easy question to answer. Paul is by far the best lay
going.”

Faye leant forward so she could make eye
contact “I have to agree with you on that one.” She grinned and fist bumped her
friend.

“Paul?” Tessa asked. “I hope you don’t
mean my brother Paul.”

Suzanne and Faye exchanged looks, both
shrugged and looked across the table at Tessa. Nodding at the same time, it was
Suzanne who answered. “We absolutely mean your brother.” She confirmed.

“You fucked my brother?” Tessa’s voice was
becoming shrill.

Faye laughed out “Actually, it was more
like we were thoroughly and repeatedly fucked by him.” Which had Suzanne bent
over laughing as she nodded in agreement.

“What she said.” She managed through her
laughter.

Tessa blustered for a few moments, turning
puce, “What the hell? He’s my baby brother.”

“Tessa, trust me when I tell you there is
nothing babyish about your brother.” Suzanne had sobered a little but she was
still grinning broadly.

“Nothing small either.” Faye added for
good measure which had Suzanne cracking up again.

Tapping the table with her nails, Tessa
regarded all the ladies present. “Ok, who else?” She was relieved and a little
surprised when the others all shook their heads. “Just you two then?” She
asked.

“Yes. Tessa, how on earth didn’t you
know?” Suzanne asked.

“How would I know? Did you expect Paul to
come home and say hi sis, by the way, I just fucked your best friend?”

“Honestly wouldn’t put it past him.”
Suzanne answered, “Sounds like something he would say.”

Shaking her head, knowing she should be
outraged, Tessa found herself trying not to laugh. “The dirty little shit.” She
half laughed. “It’s not even as if he struggles to find women but he has to
prey on my friends. How does he do it?” She hadn’t expected an answer, the question
being rhetorical.

Faye reached across the table, covering
her friends’ hands with hers. “He is very subtle but somehow you just know what
he wants and that you are the one he wants it from even before he opens his
mouth.”

It took Tessa the rest of the week before
she plucked up the courage to confront her brother. Walking in to his plush new
office and closing the door, she had sat in the incredibly comfortable client
chair before he’d even noticed she was there. She watched him as he worked. He
had his left hand pushed into his hair and supporting his head while he
scribbled notes in a file. He looked up when she cleared her throat.

Closing the file he was working on, Paul
sat back and smiled at his sister. “Sorry, have you been there long?”

“Just a few moments.” Tessa returned his
smile. “Nice office.”

“Thanks. I think Dad is a bit pissed about
it but as I’ve done all the work and own everything in here, there’s not a damn
thing he can do about it.”

Shaking her head, Tessa regarded her
brother. “Will you ever stop doing things for the sole purpose of getting at
Dad?” She asked.

“I didn’t do it with that intention,
that’s just an added bonus. I wanted windows and a view; it’s not my problem
that no one took the time to investigate this room properly.”

“That’s a fair point.” She conceded. “All
these years I thought it was a store room.” She mused before abruptly changing
the subject. “Suzanne’s hen night went well.”

“Why would I be interested in a bunch of
women getting drunk and misbehaving?” He asked then laughed. “Ok, I would
totally be interested in that. Continue.”

“You are so wrong sometimes.” Tessa shook
her head. “We played truth or dare; it brought about some interesting
confessions.”

Leaning forward, arms resting on his desk,
he asked “Are they secrets or can you spill the beans.”

“It seems two of my very best friends have
been hiding things from me, namely that they’ve taken a tour around your naked
form.”

He sat back abruptly. “Ah, about that....”

“Why Paul?”

“Well,” He paused, knowing he would have
to choose his words carefully, “Faye has always caught my eye and she’s funny
and I suppose sort of a knee jerk reaction to Suzanne getting engaged but I
didn’t hurt her feelings, it was completely consensual and as for Suzanne, I
don’t know what to tell you, it’s been five years on and off but she’s with him
now and I have Eve.” He shrugged.

“You have feelings for Suzanne don’t you?”

“I’m trying not to.” He spoke quietly.
“Don’t you have work to do?” He stood and crossed the office, holding the door
open for his sister. “I have something I really need to get finished sis.”

Stopping in the doorway, she regarded her
brother, “You will be at the wedding on Saturday.”

“I don’t know, I’m still deciding. If I do
go, I won’t be staying long; I’m going to see Gavin.”

“I think Suzanne would appreciate you
being there.” She smiled briefly at him before greeting their Father in the
hallway.

Saturday morning found Paul standing in
the kitchen contemplating his attendance at Suzanne’s wedding. He was dressed
and ready to go but did he really want to put himself through this?

The little voice in his head asked him if
he could pass up a chance to see her. The answer was a resounding no. Patting
the pockets of his suit, picking up his overnight bag, he made his way to his
car, slipping his sunglasses on as he went. It was a glorious day; the weather
was being kind for today’s nuptials.

He dithered outside the church for a
little while, still uncertain whether or not he wanted to go inside. The
florist arrived and he followed them into the church. He watched them work for
a while before taking a seat in the very back pew. A flurry of activity caught
his eye and he found himself staring into her eyes. He couldn’t move.

Suzanne stepped away when Tessa nudged
her. Never in a million years did she think he’d come, let alone be insanely
early. She had started the morning happy and confident, seeing Paul had her
doubts quite literally smacking her around the face. She moved away when Tessa
ushered her towards the back room where her wedding dress waited. They had come
straight from having their hair and makeup done and had arranged to prise
herself into her dress at the church to save time.

She stood like a Barbie doll as her mother
and Tessa fussed around her and fiddled with the tiny pearl buttons at the back
of her dress. Her mother hurried away to co-ordinate the florists. Suzanne and
Tessa stood staring at each other.

“You look beautiful.” Tessa said as she
smoothed a tendril of hair from her friends shoulder.

Suzanne flashed a brief smile. Her stomach
was fluttering, she felt sick and sweaty and she just wanted to go home. “I
want to see him.” She spoke, surprising herself. “Tessa, please, go and get
him.”

“Are you sure?” Tessa asked. She turned
towards the door as Suzanne nodded.

She went to begin pacing but her dress
snagged, pinning her to the spot. Twisting as much as she could within the
boned bodice to try and untangle the voluminous skirt muttering “Come on you
mother fucker.”

“Not sure that’s appropriate language
given our location.”

Stilling and drawing a breath, she slowly
straightened to look at him trying not to giggle at his faked sternness. “You
came.” She stated.

Looking down at his trousers before
meeting her eyes again he grinned “Is it that obvious? I thought I’d got the
stain out.”

Barking out a most unladylike laugh before
covering her mouth, Suzanne just stared at him. What the hell was she doing
here? This is the man she really wanted. “What am I doing Paul?”

“Having doubts by the sound of it.” He
paced where she couldn’t. “You should be wearing that dress for me.” He stopped
abruptly looking between her and the high leaded light window. “Hmm.”

“What?”

“It’ll be a squeeze but I think we could
get that marshmallow and you through the window and out of here, not sure it’ll
fit in my car though so you might be better taking it off.” He looked back at
her over his shoulder “You game?”

“I can’t.” She stammered. “People will be
arriving and expecting to see a wedding.” She tugged at her dress, “God damn
it, move!”

Reaching around her and un-snagging the
hem of her dress, he held his place in front of her. “Do you love him? Trust
him?” He asked.

She nodded, “Yes.” A simple but honest
answer.

“And he treats you well?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’d say you are doing what you
should be doing, despite the fact it’s killing me, it’s the right thing for
you.” He reached out and stroked her cheek. “You look beautiful, he’s a lucky
man.”

“But....” she started.

“But nothing Suzie. We both know I would
destroy this but one day, one day you will be mine, you will be standing
waiting to marry me and you will know that it is absolutely, positively without
any shadow of a doubt what you want.” He reached into the inner pocket of his
jacket. “I have your something new.” Opening a box, he withdrew a diamond
necklace that matched the bracelet he’d given her for her birthday and fastened
it around her neck.

Her fingers stroked the latest addition to
her jewellery collection as she crossed the room to the mirror. “Is you giving
me diamonds each time we meet going to become a habit?” She asked watching him
through the reflection in the mirror.

“If you want it to be.” He whispered as he
stood behind her, hands on her shoulders.

She turned and wrapped her arms around his
neck, her lips pressed to his cheek. “I’ll always love you Paul.”

He hugged her briefly before stepping
away. Tessa breezed in before he had the chance to say anything other than “One
day.” To her before his sister ushered him out of the room. Rejoining the
gathered the guests, he shoved Matt along the pew to allow him room.

As the wedding march started and people
came to their feet, Matt lent closer to Paul, “Are you going to see Gavin and
Carmen after this?” He asked. Paul nodded. “You might want to get that lipstick
off your cheek then.”

Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket,
Paul wiped his cheek, looking at the white piece of cotton with a pale pink
smear across it. He turned to watch as Suzanne entered on her father’s arm. She
made brief eye contact with him and touched the diamonds at her throat before
she walked by.

Wedding over, he paused for a while on the
steps of the church and watched the photographer at work. Suzanne looked happy
and relaxed. Although it hurt like hell to know he’d finally lost her, her
happiness was all he’d ever wanted and as she had achieved that, he consoled
himself with the fact that they would always be friends and a part of her would
always love him. With everyone’s attention on the newlyweds, he slunk away to
the car park.

The sound of a car growling had her
turning her head. Standing alone for a series of solo pictures, she heard the
unmistakeable sound of Paul’s car and looked in the direction of the car park.
She didn’t hear the photographer asking her to turn back to him. She watched
the drivers’ window open as the car came in to view. She saw him turn to look
at her before he drove away. The photographer did an outstanding job of
capturing the wistful look on her face.