44 #Sublet-A-Stud

 

July 13, 2017
Thursday

 

[8:30 AM]TORI: Is JBJ there?

[8:30 AM]TEDDI: No.

[8:31 AM]TORI: Well I am, so open the gate.

 

Teddi swallowed a groan, along with a sickening feeling of dread, when calling up the app that would admit her cousin onto the grounds.  It wasn’t as though she hadn’t expected this.  After being let off the hook last night with a simple text exchange that confirmed she was alive, well, and no worse for wear, there had been little doubt that today would bring more questions. 

 

The best-case scenario involved Tori walking through the front door alone, without bringing any of the Biharis along for the ride. 

 

Pushing back from her desk with a sigh, Teddi slid open the drawer for a precautionary dose of medication.  Although, after last night, anything that came today should be a piece of cake.  Perhaps it had even left behind a residue of social tolerance, like antibodies that would protect her from future encounters. 

 

With that in mind, she opted for a half dose instead of a full one. 

 

She drew a deep breath and went to answer the door while habitually rubbing palms against the shorts donned after this morning’s swim.  Another cleansing breath allowed a smile to surface for her favorite relative. 

 

Stop worrying.  If there’s one person in this world who could love you unconditionally, it’s Tori. 

 

That was proven when the shorter woman pushed through the opening door to wrap her in gripping arms. 

 

Instinct had Teddi bracing at the contact, but her “attacker” blandly muttered, “You may as well relax, because after seeing you hit the floor yesterday, I need this.  Suck it up and deal.”

 

Gingerly returning the embrace, Teddi did as she was ordered and “sucked it up” while counting her blessings.  There were no other cousins piling into the entry way, making it far easier to accept the hug of a one-woman inquisition squad. 

 

“You’re being overly dramatic, you know.”

 

Tori drew back far enough to dispatch a narrowed glare.  Even corrective lenses couldn’t dull the cut it carried.

 

“Says the woman who fainted like Scarlett O’Hara.  The fact that you’re not wearing makeup or beige is enough to make me worry.”

 

With the first appointment of the day not scheduled until eleven, Teddi was currently outfitted at her most casual.  A plain white tee and black shorts were chosen for comfort rather than appearance, and she simply hadn’t progressed far enough into the morning for a beauty regime.  That left her rocking a low ponytail, bare face and feet.   

 

“Sorry.  This is how I look before nine.  Call ahead next time and consider yourself fortunate to have proof of other colors in my wardrobe.” 

 

“Black and white aren’t colors.”

 

“Oh for heaven’s sake.  They most certainly are,” she countered, gesturing for Tori to follow her into the kitchen.  Caffeine would be vital in getting through this.  “Coffee or tea?”

 

“Nope.  Not colors, the absence of color, and I’ll have coffee.  You better stick to chamomile, though.  You don’t need the caffeine.”

 

Teddi scowled lightly as she opened the drawer that held coffee and tea pods. “Since when are you concerned about my caffeine intake?”

 

“Since I watched you hit the floor yesterday.  You stay plenty stimulated on your own.” 

 

Teddi turned on the Keurig and tucked a mug under the spout while scoffing, “That was a unique situation.  A houseful of expected guests bearing multiple helpings of disturbing news would tip anyone over the edge.  You know I’m fine one-on-one.”

 

“Not ready to take that chance,” her cousin proclaimed flatly, using the island as a landing pad for her 747-sized purse before climbing onto the stool in front of it.  “Especially since I want to talk about things that have the potential to get you all agitated.”

 

Jamming the button that would start the water flow, Teddi decided that it would be best to take the initiative.  Guiding the conversation would limit her chances of becoming defensive.   Hopefully.

 

“Since you asked about Jon in your text, I assume he’s on your agenda?”

 

“Oh, you bet your damn booties he is!  After seeing him go all bodyguard on you yesterday, I’ve decided your gigolo story is nothing but Gypsy bullshit.  I want the real scoop.  He’s your biter, isn’t he?”

 

If she allowed Tori to believe the gigolo “story” was a lie, Teddi recovered some of her pride.  Her cousin would no longer think she was pathetic enough to pay for male companionship – even though she was. 

 

If she insisted upon the embarrassing truth, however, she’d be able downplay her friendship with Jon, and keeping the nature of their relationship to herself meant she could savor it as a delicious secret.  Not that it wasn’t delicious all on its own.  Sex with him was like nothing Teddi had ever known, and that little bit of possessive roleplay last night had been a heady aphrodisiac. 

 

You’ve already owned the embarrassment about Pierce.  Stick to that and keep your “lover” for yourself.

 

“Do you want the truth?”

 

“Did I not just say that?”

 

Passing a steaming cup of coffee across the island, Teddi leveled a stern look at her cousin.  “You have to swear that this stays between us.  No telling Maggie or anyone else.  Ever.”

 

Tori immediately drew solemn ‘X’ over her left breast.  “To the grave, girl.”

 

That particular phrasing wasn’t a coincidence, but Teddi chose to bypass mentioning it.  Instead, she watched the hot water and green tea dispense into her cup and stuck to her original truth.

 

“The gigolo wasn’t BS.  He’s very real, and you met him last night.”

 

“What.  The.  Fuck?”  Two palms slapped forcefully against the marble countertop. “Since I don’t think David Bryan sells it and you’re not into incest, that means…  Damn, I never would’ve pegged Pierce as a rent-a-cock.”

 

Teddi winced.  “Oh, God.  Can we please not call him that?”

 

“You prefer I call him sublet-a-stud?”

 

“I prefer you not call him anything at all.  Ideally, we would never speak of this again, but I can’t imagine myself being that fortunate,” she sighed.  “Now do you understand why I was on edge last night?” 

 

“Your cash and carry lover running free among rock stars and Gypsies?  Yeah.  Understandable,” was Tori’s concession while swiveling her stool toward the one where Teddi and her tea were settling.  “But what’s a guy like that doing playing legal eagle?  Did you know?”

 

“I most assuredly did not know.  When I asked that same question, he said he’d intended his escort services to be a temporary diversion after his divorce.  That he would’ve given it up if it hadn’t been for me.”

 

Brown eyes went wide behind prescription lenses.  “So, you’re his sugar mama?  Why the hell didn’t he date you like a real man instead of taking all your money?”

 

Teddi hadn’t thought about it in that way.  Why had Pierce continued to work through the agency instead of approaching her on a personal level? 

 

“That’s an excellent question.  One for which I, unfortunately, don’t have an answer.  I got the impression his interest in me only recently began to outweigh his interest in my checkbook.”

 

“Sounds hinky if you ask me,” the other woman sniffed into the coffee cup before drinking from it.  “But it still takes a back seat to us leaving you here alone with His Royal Hotness yesterday.  What happened when you woke up, Sleeping Beauty?”

 

“Nothing happened,” she insisted in a purposefully neutral tone.  “He made sure I was feeling well enough to be alone, and he left.”

 

“Well, that’s the biggest letdown in history.  He didn’t spend the night?”

 

He would have, if Teddi hadn’t asked him to leave.  Now that Jon knew that the beige bed was for sleeping, there was no doubt he would’ve tried to share it.  While she was delighted to “sleep” with him, actually sleeping beside him was an intimate boundary she didn’t want to cross.

 

Besides that, it was only a matter of time before he brought up Pierce’s unfamiliarity with the house again.  Confiding the real nature of that relationship was another boundary she wanted to veer away from, so she pled exhaustion and the need to recharge.  Alone.

 

He’d accepted it gracefully, if grudgingly, with a promise to be in touch sometime today.  

 

“No, he didn’t spend the night,” she pooh-poohed as though the idea was ridiculous. 

 

“I swear to God, finding out JBJ didn’t try to get down and dirty is like finding out there’s no Santa Claus.  My dreams are freaking ruined.”

 

“Your dreams are ruined because he’s a good guy?  That makes no sense whatsoever.”

 

Her cousin threw up both hands in a shrug.  “In my world, he’s a horny, arrogant alpha-male.  Has been for years, and I like it that way.”

 

Tori had no idea how close she was to the truth, but Teddi kept both eyes cast on her tea when steering away from dangerous waters.  “Jon mentioned that you were having a lawyer look over the contract.  When do you think you’ll do that?”            

 

“I’m not.  In fact…”  A hand disappeared into the huge bag on the island and withdrew a manila envelope.  “…I have mine and Craig’s contracts right here.  We went to my house to look at them and signed on the dotted line about ten last night.”

 

“Then the offer was a fair one?”

 

“Girl, please,” Tori chided, peering over the tops of her glasses.  “Jon Bon Jovi is all about making and saving a buck.  It’s one of the things I admire about him, but the fucker low-balled us at least five percent.”

 

“Yet you signed, anyway?”

 

“Yeah.”  She met Teddi’s confusion with an irreverent grin.  “I’m going to let him make up the other five percent with tickets to the Hall of Fame induction.”

 

“I love the optimism, but I’m surprised Craig wants to go to the ceremony.”

 

“Oh, he doesn’t.  Craig figures the offer is ninety-five percent more than he has now, and it still lets him retire in style.  He’s fine with the short sale.  The tickets are for me and you.”

 

Mentally envisioning the crowd that would be in attendance at such an event, she knew she’d never go, even though Tori seemed to have accepted it as a foregone conclusion.  There was no point in starting a debate about it this morning since Jon hadn’t agreed, the voting hadn’t begun, and if Bon Jovi got in, the ceremony wouldn’t take place until spring.  It was still a lifetime away.

 

“I’m sure Jon will be pleased that you’ve accepted,” she noted, stroking a thumb over the handle of her cup with soothing repetition.  “I’m not so sure he’ll be pleased about your added condition.”

 

“We’ll see.”  Her cousin didn’t seem to be concerned. “What’s Endicott’s deal, though?  Maggie said he can’t legally buy your share.  Something about heirs not buying out other heirs?”

 

 “Yes.  I’d forgotten about that caveat until Jon reminded me last night.  All I can assume is that Endicott also forgot or missed it altogether.”

 

“He probably thinks he’s found some kind of loophole.  Endicott’s arrogance isn’t nearly as attractive as Jon’s.”

 

The unexpected observation drew Teddi’s laughter and agreement, “Not even close.  I just wish I knew what he was up to, preferably without having to talk to him or Pierce.”

 

“Mmm… Pret-ty sure you won’t have to worry about Pierce.  I wasn’t nice when suggesting he not come back here.”

 

“Tori.  What have you done?” 

 

A smug smile didn’t offer the slightest bit of comfort.  “Let’s just say it involves fire and marshmallows.  You’re happier not knowing the rest.” 

Lifting a hand to her face, Teddi shook her head.  On top of working through post-traumatic stress today, now she also had to call Pierce to apologize for her family.  Whatever happened to her simple, reclusive life?

 

It got swept up in the orbit of a rock star.

 

Oh.  Right.

 

Teddi imagined wet, slick Jon’s faux-possessiveness and grinned secretively around the rim of her teacup.  The pleasure of that shower definitely outweighed the pain of calling Pierce.