Castles

Chapter 12

"It was a joke! I was joking." Max did his best to explain why he was in trouble—again.

"Um, no. Jokes are supposed to be funny that wasn't funny!" I wanted one day where I didn't have to put up with someone else's shit.

"I thought it was funny," Max said.

"That's because you're a dick," I told him.

"And?"

"And now I have to come and try to get you out of this mess, Max." I sighed. "Don't do anything else, or they will throw you in jail." I turned in a circle trying to gather my nerves and get it together. I warned him to stay away from bars. But he never listened—ever.

"Everything all right?" Someone said from behind me.

"It will be, once I slap the sense into my brother," I told Sheppard. I didn't even have my shoes. I needed to get my shoes and throw on clothes before I went marching into a bar.

"You're pacing, that usually means bad things," he told me.

I was aware I was pacing. It was my only coping mechanism when my brother acted like an idiot.

"What do you need?"

"I need to get dressed, I need to get in my car and drive to a bar called up up down, down or something like that. And I don't even know where that is." I let out a breath of air, trying to collect my thoughts.

"What the hell is he doing there?" Sheppard's eyebrows knitted together. "Up up down down is bad news."

"This is what he does. He goes to bars and shoots off at the mouth. And when he gets in over his head, they call me."

Sheppard motioned me to follow him back to the pool. Where we found my shoes and bag and guided me to the nearest changing room.

"I will probably get stabbed," I took my stuff from him and went into the bathroom. I looked at him for verification of my impending death.

"It's possible." He grabbed the door before I closed it. "But I could come, as back up."

I sized him up. "Yesterday you wanted to take me on a date. Today you want to help me save my brother." He was all over the board.

"Hey. I'm just trying to save you from a stabbing." He let go of the door so I could get dressed. I didn't have time to waste.

I hurried out of my wet bathing suit and into my dry clothes. And stuffed them into my bag and hurried back out the door. Sheppard was still there, only this time he was in dry shorts and a t-shirt.

"You are fast," I said, eyeing his clothes.

"Take note of it." He followed me to the exit. "Put it on the list of reasons you should give me a chance."

I rolled my eyes. "If I liked making list, I would do that."

"Fair enough," he said. "Should we take my car?"

I stopped walking. "I didn't even tell Joy."

He shook his head. "She's hanging with my boys. I let her know."

That sounded right up her alley. "Okay. We will take your car, but only because it's faster than mine. And if I am killed today, I'd rather show up in style."

"This is way more exciting than a business meeting," he told me as we climbed into his car.

I put on my seatbelt. "Your car smells like an Abercrombie and fitch shoot,"

He laughed. "What does that even mean?"

"I'm not even sure. But I don't like it."

"But you like me," he joked.

"Barely," I reminded him.

He accepted my cold shoulder and started up his car. "It's about five minutes away. So what should we talk about?"

I shook my head. "Don't do that."

He looked at me. "Do what?"

I slapped his arm. "Pay attention to the road before you kill us."

He did as I asked. And a bit of me softened. He was willing to do anything I said. "Don't force conversation. Just talk."

Talking was a lot better than panicking the entire ride to get my stupid brother.

"What do you do, Sheppard?"

He looked at me but quickly looked back. "I developed a series of apps that are major game changers for a lot of companies."

I furrowed a brow. "You're telling me an app got you this car?"

"I'm telling you that, yes." He raked a hand through his hair. "You give people what they want and give it to them better than the last man and shit happens."

"So you're like really smart then?" I was a little impressed. Attractive and smart that was a rare combo.

"Is that so hard to believe?"

I shrugged. "Well, yeah it is."

He stopped at a light. "I work with a few others. It takes a team. But I like to think I'm valuable to the company."

I checked my phone to make sure Max hadn't texted that he was being taken to the clinker. "That's great."

"What about you? How did you get into real estate?" He hit the gas, and the car sped down the main stretch of downtown.

"I wanted to sell people their dreams," I admitted. "I know that sounds cheesy. But it's what I like to do. People deserve to be happy."

He nodded in agreement. "That's not cheesy. I think it's awesome."

I settled back in my seat. I felt okay. Even knowing what was about to happen. Sheppard threw on his blinker and pulled into a big parking lot.

"This is it," he said. "If they shoot, run in a zig zag."

I stayed where I was. "What?"

He grinned and undid my seatbelt. "Just get out. You will be fine."

I got out. I looked up at the big sign. "What the hell is up up down down anyways?" I swiped my hair behind my ear as the wind blew. "And why did someone name a bar that?"

Sheppard raised an eyebrow, taking the place in. "I know, what a bunch of douche bags."