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“That sounds great, Leslie. Thank you.”
She nodded and turned around, walking back to her desk. I couldn’t see her from this angle, but I could hear the gentle clack of her keyboard and the quiet ring of her phone as she greeted the caller on the other end.
I walked behind the desk set in the far corner of the room, putting the cityscape to my back as I sat in the chair and slid into the long wooden side. Picking up the well-organized access document, I logged into my new computer, immediately changing the password—old habits die hard—and set to work. Information systems comforted me, and throwing myself into managing a new one would help me feel comfortable, even as I longed for open space instead of a concrete jungle around me. Duncan had expectations for me, and even after all these years, few things motivated me more.
Knock, knock
I looked up from the report I had been reviewing on system security Duncan had ordered after the last CIO’s departure, expecting Leslie, but instead found my older brother, Preston.
“Still good for lunch today, Hay?”
“Shit! Is it lunchtime already?”
Preston smiled at me knowingly. “I’d be offended if I didn’t also regularly work through lunch. Come on. Let me take you somewhere in the neighborhood that you’ll ask Leslie to order from regularly.”
I got up and greeted Preston with a hug. While I wasn’t necessarily thrilled with relocating to another big city, being in the same city with more of my brothers was a definite bonus.
“Are you taking him to Founding Farmers?” Leslie asked as we pulled even with her desk, heading toward lunch.
“Yup, for the dumplings,” Preston replied.
“That was my guess! Danielle said they were his favorite working late treat.” Leslie looked back and forth between us. “You’re not Hayden’s twin, though, right? I didn’t think he lived in the city, but now seeing you together…”
“You’re admitting you don’t know something, Leslie. I’m shocked,” I responded, smiling to let her know I was joking. “Preston is between Hunter, my twin, and I and Duncan in birth order. Preston often got confused for our triplet growing up. Our youngest brother, Spencer, looks like a scrawnier Duncan.”
“That was my mistake for the day, Hayden. I promise. Now, go on and enjoy your lunch. That way I can get to mine,” Leslie responded.
Yup, only four hours into our day, and I had to admit Duncan was right. She would be a perfect assistant for me.
Preston and I made our way to the elevators.
“So, you said you had a story to tell me today?” Preston asked as he hit the down button to call the car.
“Nope, definitely not telling that story in my brand-new place of work. How’s the Senate?”
As we rode down to the first floor and walked the few blocks to the restaurant, Preston caught me up on his job as the speechwriter for one of the senators from Rhode Island.
“We’re, of course, already looking ahead to reelection next year. It shouldn’t be too big of a fight, but the party has lost a few seats in the state house and senate over the past few years, so we don’t want to get too complacent.”
“I don’t think anyone could ever accuse you of complacency, Prez,” I teased, using the nickname we gave Preston after the first time he stayed up on election night until way past his bedtime coloring in a copy of the map as the Electoral College results were called. No one who knew Preston growing up would have doubted he’d end up exactly where he was. The real question was when he would run for office himself.
Preston smiled in good humor as he grabbed the door to the restaurant, ushering me in ahead of him. The smell of freshly prepared food hit my nose, and suddenly, my stomach growled. The Americano of this morning no longer served as a sufficient breakfast.
“Welcome! Lunch for two?” the hostess greeted us as we approached her stand.
“Yes, please. We should have a reservation under Brandt,” Preston replied.
“Ah, yes. Welcome, Mr. Brandt. Follow me right this way.”
We followed the redhead to a two-top table in the back of the restaurant against a wall decorated with dark-stained wood and away from the main traffic flow. The perfect place to regale Preston with the events of my life over the past twenty-four hours.
Preston was still laughing as the waiter brought back our waters, struggling to get ahold of himself.
“We’re going to need a minute,” I said to the poor guy, who looked bewildered as tears streamed down Preston’s face.
“All right, all right, I don’t know that it’s that funny.”
“Oh, but it is, Hay. She lawyered your ass at the same time she kicked said ass to the curb based on the advice of her psychic. I know I was busy with the midterms and all, but I wondered why I never met her over the past year. I guess that explains it.”
