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He clears his throat upon reaching Trey. “I just want to know if you had anything to do with your father’s death?” he stammers.
“I was in Switzerland, preparing for the biggest business meeting of my life when I got a call telling me that my father had been shot down in cold-blood. I dropped everything and raced back to be with my family! Then some insensitive piece of shit like you has the audacity to ask whether or not I had something to do with his death? How do you live with yourself? How can you look in the mirror in the morning and have even one shred of respect for yourself?” Trey falls silent and waits for an answer that doesn’t come.
“It’s my job, sir,” the reporter murmurs. “It’s my job to ask those questions.”
“That’s one hell of an admirable job you have, buddy,” he says with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “No. I had absolutely nothing to do with Dad’s death. I’m just as shocked and grief stricken as the rest of my family. Now if you will excuse me, I would like to go back to the hotel and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a hard day for me and my entire family.”
The reporter takes a step back and allows Trey to make his way to the car. Every camera within a half block was going crazy during the confrontation and they continue to chatter until we are well away from the curb.
“Well done, Trey!” Tony shouts, looking back at us through the rear view mirror. “You kicked ass, my man!”
Trey just shakes his head, obviously reeling from the accusation. “Don’t worry about those idiots,” I tell him. “They need to constantly stir up crap in order to make a living. I think that reporter was expecting you you to take a swing at him. You kept your cool and handled it very well. I’m impressed.”
“I have learned not to resort to violence,” he says, still shaking his head. “Besides, emasculating a man in front of a crowd hurts a lot more than any punch. He will be thinking about my words when he looks in the mirror tomorrow morning.”
“I bet he will.” I know I would be having second thoughts about my career choice if I were in his shoes.
“Can somebody open this?” Liv breaks into the conversation with her unending thirst for alcohol. “I need a drink after all that tension.”
“You and me both,” Trey smirks, popping a cork and handing it to her. “Just drink out of the bottle. Those glasses are too damn small.”
“I know, right?” Liv chirps, immediately taking the bottle to her lips.
“You need a bottle too?” he asks me.
“No. I’m good. How about you?”
“I could use a couple big glasses of something stronger, but tomorrow is going to be miserable enough the way it is.” He looks over at Liv who still has the bottle tipped in the air. “Good thing the funeral isn’t until four.”
The traffic is more stop than go by the time we reach Grand Central Station. What should be a twenty-minute ride seems like it’s going to take a while. Liv looks like a teenager with her phone in one hand and a champagne bottle in the other. After seeing how self-absorbed she is, I reach down and take Trey’s hand in mine. I simply want to feel his energy, the sensation of his body heat mingling with mine. He gives me a look of appreciation and then we both glance over at Liv. She is completely oblivious to what’s going on around her. Not that I mind.
Trey
After a hectic week, an uncomfortable wake and spending the last few hours in a noisy bar I am actually enjoying this slow, quiet ride through the city. The strangest thing is that I feel more satisfaction from simply being close to Mandy than anything I’ve felt in years. Mom’s words from earlier creep into my testosterone charged brain. I really don’t think Mandy is out to hurt me. Either that or I’m still as naive as I was in college.
As if on cue, Liv says, “Sasha says they are hitting Lavo next. That’s not far from the hotel is it?”
“No, it’s just up the street.”
“Can we go?” she asks, totally ignoring the fact that my dad’s funeral is tomorrow.
“Tony? Can you take her to Lavo after you drop me off?” I ask, not wanting to spend another minute in a loud nightclub.
Tony gives me a knowing grin in the mirror. “Sure boss. I’ll just hang out and wait, so you can stay as long as you want,” he offers, turning his focus to Liv.
“Oh, thanks! That’s awesome.” She goes back to texting with Sasha. It’s a full minute before she realizes that she will be going alone. “Don’t you guys want to go?”
