The weekend flew by fast. Too fast. I both dreaded and looked forward to Monday. I wrote furiously in my journal. I had to. Once I saw them out of the office setting, the hots level escalated for me.
This time, I put down exactly what I wanted from each man. Yes, so naughty, but I figured no one would ever know but me.
Then my mom arrives. This would have been a wonderful thing usually, but as much as I love her, she always snoops into my life. It really isn’t her fault. I mean she keeps on me about having no boyfriend and no prospects to even get serious, so that she can get some grandbabies, so she says.
If only she knew. I have three men lined up as prospects. I shake my head. No, you don’t. You can’t. But this yearning is getting worse. I am at a loss about what to do.
I did know one thing. The journal could not stay in my apartment while my mom is staying with me. She would burst at the seams if she ever saw it. She would think I was sleeping with them or have me in therapy when she finds out I haven’t even dated them and am fantasizing about three men!
I figure I can’t chance it. I place it in my briefcase.
Now here I am going up to the twelfth floor on pins and needles, wondering if they will all mostly act the same or if like I suspected, they would be acting different. Plus, I still feel mortified about acting batshit crazy with those two sluts.
I roll my eyes as the floors go by. I mean they were sluts that still remains as my defense and they were harassing Micah. Not that I wouldn’t love to grab his ass myself. I huff out air in frustration. Only I don’t grab it. They just did it without even knowing him. Using him for the notoriety, wanting him only because he was the unknown artist. It’s disgusting. You need to want a man because you want HIM. Not what he can give you or do for you.
DING!
Okay, this is it. I shake it off. Maybe it will be nothing. They will act like they always have and the whole thing will blow over.
I step out and halt.
Employees are all standing up as I arrive.
I suck in a breath.
They all start applauding.
I find myself holding the breath.
What the hell?
There are whistles and hoots.
“Way to go, Hawkins!” someone yells.
I am stricken. What is this about? Oh, god. What has happened?
Dottie comes up and puts her arm around my shoulder to lead me down the hall.
I am dumbfounded. “W-what was that?” I ask her almost not wanting to know.
“There was a video on YouTube.”
I gasp and shake my head. “Of what?” Again, I’m afraid of the answer.
She laughs. “Of you kicking some girl’s butt! It was taken by a phone but it is pretty good clarity, it shows what was happening to Mr. Maxwell, those women groping him. Then you come marching up.” She starts laughing again.
I am horrified. Someone taped it?
We get to my desk and I stop. “Wait, Jake wasn’t being groped.”
Dottie wipes the tears from her eyes. “What?” she asks.
“They were groping Micah.”
She nods. “Yes sweetie, they were. I was so proud of what you did.”
I blink my eyes.
Micah wanders up with donut box in hand.
I stare at him.
“Hey!” Trevor comes up from the hall. “Wait for me.” he is carrying the latte he always brings.
I am still speechless and confused.
Jake walks out of his office and grins at me.
Okay, they are acting well… overly nice, but that isn’t what is bothering me.
Dottie is smiling. “Your girl here is a star in the office, Mr. Maxwell.”
“I know. Some asswipe taped that whole thing,” Micah says looking disgusted.
My mouth pops open.
Trevor chuckles as he sets the latte down on the desk. “Here let me get your briefcase and set it over here.”
“Gosh, how sweet Mr. Maxwell,” Dottie gushes while winking at him.
“Well, slugger here deserves some coddling.” Trevor nods.
Jake steps closer. “Yes, I sure don’t want to piss her off.”
“Right? Mr. Max—“
“WAIT!” I yell.
They all stop and stare at me.
I swallow heavily and speak, “Dottie, why are you calling all of them Mr. Maxwell? I mean is this another like office joke? Like old man and kid?” I look around.
The guys all look puzzled.
“We’re brothers,” Jake replies.
I gasp and take a step back. “No!”
Trevor laughs a little. “Last I checked, yes we are.”
Micah nods. “Though, I’m so different than them, I often wonder,” he snickers.
Dottie laughs.
Jake is staring at me. “Um, Dot. We can take it from here. Have a good day.”
She looks around at everyone. “Oh, okay. If you need me, Jenna, just call.” She walks down the hall.
Jake steps close. “You mean you had no idea?”
I am trying to get my brain together. How could I have missed this HUGE fact? I look at each of them. Cause they look nothing alike, that’s how! “No! I mean. You, I knew was a Maxwell, but…” I shake my head and sit at my desk.
The three of them all look at each other then back at me.
“I mean look at the three of you. Jake has dark eyes, Micah green and Trevor blue. Then you all have different features and your hair?”
They are all smiling.
I stand up. “This is NOT funny!”
Trevor laughs. “I cannot believe…” He suddenly stops laughing and stares at me. “Does it matter?”
I am huffing and puffing. Get control Jenna. Does it matter? Yes! I have the hots for brothers!
Micah looks concerned. “I-I mean we never tried to fool you or anything, Jenna. It just never came up.” He shrugs.
I know I am over reacting. I know it, but to not know that they are all related? I now feel so dumb. Protecting Micah and Trevor from maybe getting fired. Thinking of them as coworkers. I halt and am holding my breath again. OH! So, now I have the hots for ALL of my bosses!
Jake steps close. “We all have the same dad, but different moms.”
I am trying so hard to act normal, so I try to smile.
“Jenna? Really, it’s okay.” Micah touches my arm in a comforting way.
“Y-yeah. I just feel kind of…” Slutty, sick, weird. I mean brothers? “Umm, dumb is all.”
Trevor smiles. “Really, we thought you knew.”
“I-I should’ve’ but you just said, I’m Trevor.” I look over at Micah. “And the same for you. Just Micah.”
“So, you are okay with it?” Jake asks as he stares at me intensely.
OKAY? NO. No, I am not. I nod. “Okay, T-Trevor. I need that Latte now.” I let out a small laugh, pick up the coffee and take a sip, hoping I don’t choke.
“Don’t forget the twist.” Micah pushes the little box forward and hands me a napkin.
The twist? Yeah, I got the twist to all of this all right! I nod again. Act normal.
“So, what did you do all weekend?” Jake asks as he sips his coffee.
I am chewing on the donut. I wrote about how I want to fuck, suck and do brothers! I start to choke.
They all look concerned.
I nod and swallow as I cough.
Jake pats me on the back.
“Is she okay?” Micah looks upset.
“Yeah, yeah. But maybe she…” Jake stops talking as he is caressing my back where he had been patting it.
I look up at him.
He is gazing at me with those dark eyes and they are blazing at me.
I gulp.
“Um, well…are you sure you are up to working today?” Trevor asks. “You look sort of pale.”
I swallow and nod. “I’m fine.”
Micah stares at me. “I just wanted to thank you for coming to my show. It made it the best night ever.”
I smile at him. “You deserved a grand showing.”
“Okay, guys. Let’s get to work.” Jake says and turns to me. “We all want to take you out to lunch today.”
Trevor nods. “Yeah, sort of a thank you for your support at the gallery for Micah.”
I look over at Micah.
He is nodding. “Yes, would you please?”
I want to run away. I want to say no. But they are trying to do something nice. I can’t hurt their feelings. I just don’t know if with this news of them all being brothers, if I can take being with them, away from the office where I can at least hide behind my job and desk. “Okay, sure,” I answer because what else can I do?
“And as old man Maxwell, I declare that we will be taking a late lunch at 2, so that we can just all go home afterward.”
My eyes round. “A-a three hour lunch?” Oh, god! I was summoning up the courage for just an hour and he wants three?
“Way to go old man!” Trevor laughs.
Micah is still watching me.
God, he knows that something is up. I smile back at him.