Father & Son: Book two of the Jensen Family Series (4 page)

“It was just time to come back.” He
shrugged.

“What about Gavin?”

“I’ll shoot up at the weekends to see him
if I can, might be a couple of weeks from now though, I have a lot of catching
up to do.”

“You haven’t left for good then?”

“No. I won’t shirk my responsibilities
Mum. I’m well aware that I have to take care of him and I will always be a big
part of his life, I can assure you of that.” From there Paul insisted that he
was tired from his journey and wanted to go to bed.

Surveying the lump that was his sleeping
brother in the bed on the far side of the room, Paul ruefully thought that he
had taken a huge step back. He had gone from living with his girlfriend and
child to returning to his parent’s house, tail tucked firmly between his legs.
Having to tow the line again and obey his father’s rules was going to seriously
cramp his style. Heaving a deep sigh, he slowly undressed and climbed into bed.

Matt opened his eyes early the following
morning and was reviewing how comfortable he was all snuggled beneath his duvet
seconds before his alarm sounded. Wriggling an arm out from under the covers as
he turned, he swatted the snooze button before daring to peer out at the
daylight and that was when he noticed his brother occupying the bed opposite
his. He hadn’t seen Paul for over four months and even though they had spoken
almost every day, things just weren’t the same without his brother to help get
him into trouble.

Throwing the covers back, he swung his
legs out of the bed and grabbed a pair of threadbare jogging trousers before
launching himself at the sleeping form. Landing across the solid mass of his
brother, Matt sat across his chest and bounced on the bed, his hands on Paul’s
shoulders as he shouted “Dude! You’re back.”

Scowling, Paul opened his eyes and glared
at his brother. “Oh, yay!” He gruffed “Get the fuck off me Matt, you weigh a
ton.”

“It’s good to see you bro.” Matt grinned,
now sitting on the edge of Paul’s bed.

“Yeah, you too.” Paul answered and an
awkward man hug followed, interrupted by Monica who had come into the room to
chivvy Matt along. “I’d better get up too and catch up with my guys.”

“Jokers tonight, I will not take no for an
answer.” Matt told him as he headed out of the room.

Paul smiled to himself as he slid out of
bed; perhaps being home wouldn’t be so bad after all. He spent a busy few days
catching up with his workforce and joining in the day to day work, returning
home each night, tired with his body aching as it reacquainted itself with physical
work.

Matt had become something of a low key
party animal while Paul had been away. He was out every night with an
assortment of friends who gladly welcomed Paul into the fold. During one
particular party, Paul commented on the absence of Matt’s steady girlfriend
Hayley.

Matt had shrugged and explained that
Hayley was into her recreational drugs big time and while Matt did begin to
participate with her, he felt himself being drawn down the path of addiction
and that his life was beginning to spiral out of control.

When Hayley overdosed and Kay insisted
that he should stay away from her, he realised that his attraction to Hayley
was the most dangerous thing of all and he hadn’t seen her since she came home
from hospital, he had no intention of seeing her again.

“If she wants to ruin her life that’s her
look out, I’m not going to let her drag me down with her.” He commented.

Paul was impressed, had the circumstances
been reversed, he wasn’t sure he would have been able to resist. By their third
visit to Jokers in his first week home, they had hit the socialite headlines in
the less reputable newspapers thanks to Paul never being one to keep a low
profile coupled with the fact that the paparazzi loved him and he mercilessly
used them to keep his name in the forefront of the public’s attention.

The publicity was oh so good for his
gardening company and as it was provided free, he made sure to rape the
clinging photographers and journalists for attention at every available
opportunity.

 Thankfully, neither of his parents would
deem the low rent papers worthy of their attention so most of his misdemeanours
went unnoticed by them. The men on his staff however, bought those kinds of
papers religiously, swearing blind that they had the best sports section and that
it had absolutely nothing to do with the semi-naked lovely in the first few
pages.

As his escapades began to get catalogued
with stunning regularity so the ribbing from the men got worse. He actually
enjoyed the good humoured banter, telling them on more than one occasion that
they were simply jealous.

Sitting around the table of the local
greasy spoon, that day’s paper open in front of them and slowly being picked
apart, he realised that up until now, there had only been snippets of their
exploits but today there was a full blown article written by Paul’s favourite
socialite journalist, Antoinette Savage.

As Paul sat beside the newest member of
his crew, flicking through the paper with the occasional “Done her and her, oh
and she was a bad, bad girl.” Phil, his foreman began read out the article
Antoinette had written.

 “Guess what ladies? Matt and Paul Jensen
are back on the party scene. We haven’t seen a lot of the twins since Paul’s
departure to the back of beyond but reports have it that he is once again in
the vicinity and by all accounts, both boys have been making up for lost time
and partying hard in the last week leaving behind a trail of broken hearts and
discarded knickers.”

“Paul, you need to take me with you and
get me laid.” One of his men said.

“Why would I do that? I’m too busy getting
me laid.” He grinned.

“I actually thought you were
bullshitting.” This from someone else.

Paul pushed his chair back, allowing room
for his long legs to stretch out in front of him. He laid an arm across the back
of the chair beside him, looking for all intents and purposes like he owned the
place. “I shit you not my friend. The ladies love me and who am I to turn them
down when they throw themselves at me.”

As if by magic, the waitress appeared,
blushing sweetly and hooking a strand of hair behind her ear, she leant
forward, smiling “Can I get you anything else Paul?”

“No thank you sweetheart.” He smiled back,
getting a lovely view of her cleavage as he raised his eyes to her face “I’ll
give you the nod if I need anything.” He resisted the urge to slap her
delectable backside as she turned away and he watched the gentle sway of her
hips until she disappeared behind the counter before turning back to his men.

“Gentlemen. We are in the presence of a
God.” Phil sombrely informed them.

“Un-be-lievable.” Someone muttered.

“We are not worthy.” The new boy added.

Early Friday morning, having slept through
the alarm and Monica’s repeated visits to their room, Matt finally surfaced and
then panicked when he saw the time. Diving across the room, he shoved Paul off
of his bed, unceremoniously dumping him on the floor.

Paul landed with an “Oompf” followed by
“What the hell just happened?” as he scrambled back onto his bed.

“Get dressed. We’re going to be late.”
Matt shoved him again to prevent him from lying down “We have to get the train
today; Dad’s got an early meeting.”

Rubbing his hands over his face, Paul
glanced at the time before replying “If he’s going to be in a meeting, it won’t
matter if we’re late.”

“Just move will you Paul, he’ll know if we
don’t get there on time and regardless of the reason, you will be the one who
takes the blame.”

“Bollocks.” Paul muttered. He heaved
himself to his feet and stumbled to the bathroom, shouldering Tessa out of the
way.

“Hey, it’s my turn in there.” She
protested.

“Tough. I’m in here now and I take a
fraction of the time you do so live with it.”

“Paul” she actually stamped her foot in
frustration.

“Just let him get on with it Tess or he’ll
deliberately take his time just to make us later than we already are.” Matt
advised.

Matters didn’t improve when they boarded
the train which as usual was completely packed.

“Christ, how do you do this every day?”
Paul moaned loudly.

“Shut up.” Tessa hissed.

“Why am I paying to be herded onto a train
at the ass crack of dawn that smells of piss and old people where I don’t get a
seat or even anything remotely attractive to rub up against?”

“It’s just the way it is.” Matt shrugged
his massive shoulders almost unbalancing the commuter next to him.

“Somebody kill me now.” Paul whined.

“Matt, shut him up.” Tessa spoke, nudging
Paul who in turn nudged Matt who once again knocked into the man vainly trying
to read his newspaper next to him, the man tutted and glared at Matt.

“Sorry dude.” Matt apologised then turned
his head to glare at his siblings “Next time, I’m getting the earlier train.
You two are a nightmare.”

Slinking into the office a whole two
minutes late, the siblings went their separate ways, Matt to the office next to
Michael’s, Tessa to one of the larger offices at the back of the building and
Paul to his corner desk in Norman Satchell’s office.

“Morning Paul,” the older man greeted him
without looking up.

“Hi Norm. What’s happening today?” Paul
answered as he slumped into his chair.

“I have a little something on the down low
that I’d like you to take a look at.”

That sparked Paul’s interest and he sat up
straighter “Oh yeah? What would that be?” He asked,
good old Norm
he
thought
coming straight to the point.
“Is it going to make us a little
extra cash?”

Norman smiled, this kid was smart,
resourceful and not afraid to bend the rules, they got on like a house on fire
and they shared a mutual dislike of Michael Jensen which made them perfect
cohorts. “If we play our cards right boy, this could make us obscene amounts of
money in a very short time.”

“Have I mentioned lately how much I like
working with you?” Paul laughed.

“Seeing as you deserted me for some woman,
no, you haven’t but I’ll take that admission in the manner it was meant and
help to make you a very wealthy young man.”

With their door firmly closed, they drew
their chairs together and began to form a plan. Norman left for an early lunch
as was his way on Friday’s. Paul had once asked him where he got to but the
older man just winked at him, shrugged on his jacket and left the office, Paul
never did find out what he was up to.

Michael checked the timesheets his
secretary handed him as he came through the main office doors. He spotted his
children’s lateness albeit only by moments almost immediately. Stepping out of
the lift, the first thing that caught his eye was his youngest son lounging
across the desk of one of the girls in the typing pool.

Paul’s back was to him as he flirted with
the girl and he didn’t hear Michael’s approach or notice the sudden activity
around him as the other girls noticed their employer walking towards them. He
couldn’t fail to notice the hand connecting with the back of his head as
Michael passed him and growled at him to get his brother and sister.

Mouthing “Ow!” at the girl in front of
him, making her giggle, Paul slid off the desk and sauntered to his sister’s
office, taking his own sweet time about it until Michael barked at him. Matt
was already in Michael’s office by the time he returned with Tessa.

 “All of you were late today. Why?”
Michael asked the question to his three children but he was looking directly at
Paul.

“The train was late.” Tessa waded in “And
it was packed so we had to wait for the next one, it couldn’t be helped.”

“I suggest in future you get the earlier
train.”

Three voices replied “Yes Dad.” And as one
they turned to leave.

“Paul.”

“Dad?” Paul turned to face his father.

“Where is your tie?”

“Ah.” Paul touched the front of his shirt;
the first three buttons open “I forgot it, sorry, won’t happen again.”

“It had better not; you aren’t immune to
the dress code.” Michael said tersely.

“I know.” Paul replied irritated by the
tone his father used “I said it won’t happen again.”

“In that case, you had better get some
work done today as I’m certain that you have spent most of the morning wasting
company time and you needn’t think that young lady won’t be reprimanded.”

“It wasn’t her fault Dad. Anyway, if you
plan on punishing her then you’d better include the rest of the girls in the
typing pool.”

“What?”

“Never mind. Dock my pay if you have too
but don’t bring the typists into it. I sat on her desk, she didn’t ask me too.”

“Bear in mind you are here to work.”

“Yeah, yeah, perhaps you could let me get
back to it? I’m not making you any money standing here chewing the fat.”

“We will talk about your attitude at
home.” Michael scowled.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Paul
regarded his father “Can’t wait.” He answered as he turned to leave.

Returning to the office after his most
productive lunch, Norman leant over Paul’s desk, stopping the young man from
doing any further work by placing a large wodge of cash smack bang in the
middle of his paperwork.

He watched as Paul’s hands stilled while
he regarded the pile of cash, his frown turning into raised eyebrows as he
lifted his gaze from the money to Norman. “Er, Norm, what’s this for?”

“Ok, point number one, never ask why
someone is giving you money, if they want to give it to you, smile, say thanks,
take the cash and walk away. Point two, you trusted me with a small investment
before you disappeared for months on end, said investment has made us a healthy
profit, this is your share.”