Fit for the Job (21 page)

Jay tentatively patted Eben’s bare shoulder. “It’ll be all right.”

“No.” Eben stopped sobbing and shook his head too fast. It seemed to make him dizzy, because he stopped and rubbed his forehead. “Shit.”

“You okay?” Jay asked.

Eben looked at Jay and grasped his shirt at the shoulder. “I didn’t know she was listening. I would never have said those things. I was fighting with Ingrid and I was angry. I never meant it. I love my daughter.”

Jay began to realize that Eben wasn’t referring to anything that happened tonight, because Ingrid wasn’t here. He felt a bit guilty fishing for information while Eben was in such a state, but his curiosity won out. “When?” Jay asked. “When did this happen?”

“Sassy’ssss....winter break,” he said, and chugged another gulp off the bottle. He sighed, resting the bottle between his thighs. “Ingrid hates me. Sassy hates me. Everyone hates me.”

“Eben, don’t—”

“Bodie hates me.”

Jay paused. “I’m sure he doesn’t. Bodie speaks highly of you.”

Eben nodded. “I love Bodie. He’s my little...cousin. But I made him hate me, too. He’zzzz...mad at me because I told him to sleep...” He hiccupped. “Sleep with you.”

Jay felt like he’d been punched in the gut.
You did what?

Eben climbed to his feet, wobbled a little, then fell back on the bed, his upper body resting against the pile of pillows.

Jay stood and looked down at him. “You all right?”

“No. I was saying...” He looked at Jay, blinking. “What was I saying?”

“That Bodie is mad at you.”

“Riiiight.” Eben took a sip of the bottle, some of it dribbling down his chin. He wiped it with the back of his hand. “Jay, why are you here?”

“You asked me to stay,” Jay said.

“Oh. Right. You’ve been so good to Sassy,” he said. “Did I say that already?”

“No,” Jay said. “We were talking about Bodie.”

Eben nodded. “He’s a gem, Bodie.” He frowned up at Jay. “But I think he’s mad at me.”

Jay took a deep breath and let it out.
Don’t press him. He’s drunk. Don’t.
“Because you told him to sleep with me?”

Eben’s face crumpled again, and Jay expected more tears, but apparently Eben decided tears weren’t worth the energy, and took another swig off the bottle. “I’m sorry,” Eben said. “Bodie’s not a whore. He’s not...” He hiccupped. “Not a whore.”

Eben fell back onto the pillows and closed his eyes.

Jay stood there, looking down at Eben, waiting. Eben rolled over onto his side, and Jay caught the bottle as it slipped from his grasp.

“Everybody...hates me,” Eben said, then snuggled into the pillow.

Jay waited, holding the bottle. Then Eben’s mouth fell slack, and he began to snore.

Jay capped the bottle and placed it back on the dresser. He turned and looked at Eben. Sighing, he went over and covered him with a blanket. He removed Eben’s shoes and placed them on the floor. There was no way he was taking the guy’s pants off. He’d just have to sleep in them.

Leaving the room, he stepped outside and closed the door. Tate appeared from around the corner. “He okay?” Tate asked.

“He’s sleeping,” Jay said. “But I’d recommend putting a bucket beside the bed.”

Tate nodded. “Thanks, Jay.” He stepped forward and placed a hand on Jay’s shoulder. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“No big deal,” Jay said. “Goodnight.”

“Night.”

Tate went back into Eben’s bedroom. Jay rounded the corner and paused, leaning back against the wall, a thousand questions swarming his mind. There was no way. There was no way Bodie slept with him because Eben instructed him to. It was absurd.

But Eben said he’d told Bodie to do it. He was drunk, but it was the truth, Jay was sure of it. And Bodie
had
done it. Jay didn’t want to believe that Bodie had done it for that reason, though. The sex was too hot, too real.
Maybe he just enjoys his work
.

Jay didn’t know these people very well; he couldn’t completely discount this as a possibility, as much as it stung. They’d already deceived him to some degree, and the situation in this family was beyond bizarre. Yet the very thought that Bodie might have slept with him out of obligation made Jay feel sullied, foolish, and heartbroken.

“Hey!”

Jay turned his head and saw Sassy stepping out of her room down the hall. He immediately straightened up, walking toward her. He didn’t want her anywhere near Eben’s room, didn’t want her to see him like that.

“Is my father still shitfaced or did he nod off?” she asked when Jay reached her.

Jay bristled.

Sassy stared up at him. She wore loose black yoga pants and a Hello Kitty pajama top, her hair pulled up in a tail. She looked young. Too young to be discussing Eben’s drunkenness, too young to have to deal with it.

“What?” she said. “You think this is the first time I’ve seen my father shitfaced?”

“He’s asleep,” Jay said. “I put him to bed.”

Sassy scowled and stepped back, away from Jay. “What were you doing in his room? And then standing there against the wall, looking all guilty? Are you fucking him?”

Jay’s jaw dropped as his mouth fell open. “Sassy! Jesus, no! I—”

“So that’s what you’re about,” she snapped. “I thought you liked Bodie. But you’ll just sleep with anyone, won’t you? You know, Bodie’s sensitive, he’s not your plaything!”

She turned and stormed back down the hall and into her room. Jay went after her. He expected the door to slam in his face, but she left it open. He stepped into her suite. “I didn’t...” He turned and closed the door behind him. “I didn’t sleep with your
father
, for Christ sakes, Sassy!”

Sassy flounced down on the couch, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You pretended to care about Bodie! But you don’t! You just used him for sex!”

“That’s not true!” Jay said. “I do care about him!”

Sassy’s heartbreaking grimace instantly turned into a wide smile, and she jumped off the couch, pointing at him. “Haha! I knew it! I
knew
I could get you to admit you slept with Bodie!”

“
What?
”

She squealed with laughter and jumped up on the sofa, bouncing and punching her fists over her head like a prize fighter. “I’m good, I’m good, I am soooo good.” She jumped off the couch and pointed at Jay. “Got ya!”

Jay’s mouth fell open. “You little
shit
!” He immediately covered his mouth with his hand.

Sassy laughed, falling back onto the sofa, hugging her knees. She sat up and looked at Jay. “Oh God, that was great. Don’t be mad. I know you didn’t sleep with my
father
, for God’s sake.”

Jay lowered his hand and shook his head. “
You
,” he said, pointing at her.

Sassy raised her eyebrows, smirking. She pointed to herself. “
Moi
?”

“Firstly,” Jay said, “you really need to follow in your parents’ footsteps and go into acting. That was a brilliant performance. Secondly, that was
cruel
. And excuse me again for swearing, but what the
fuck
, Sassy?”

“Oh come on, lighten up,” Sassy said. “I got you good; just take it like a man.”

Jay moved over and sat down on the other end of the sofa, glaring at her. Finally he laughed, dropping his head to his chest. “You little...”

“Shit,” Sassy said. “I know. But come on, you and Bodie have been eye-fucking each other all week. I knew it was only a matter of time.”

“I’m not discussing this with you,” Jay said. “We both have to get up way early, so go to bed, and I’m leaving.”

“Wait a second,” Sassy said. “I want to ask you something.”

Jay shifted toward her. “What?”

“Something personal,” she said.

“Oh, I see. Because you didn’t already just blast your way into my personal life.”

“Are you an out gay man?” Sassy asked. “I mean, does the whole world know you’re gay?”

Jay snickered. “I don’t know about the whole
world
, Sassy. But the people that matter, the people I trust know. Why are you asking this?”

She shrugged. “I have my reasons.”

“Are you gay?”

“No!” Sassy laughed. “Trust me, I like boys. I just...I guess it makes me mad that some people hide it when they’re gay. It’s like lying, isn’t it? They’re lying to everyone they meet without saying a word.”

Jay shook his head. “I disagree with that. Completely.”

“You do? Why?”

“Because gay or not, everyone has the right to decide how much of themselves they reveal to the world.”

Sassy turned to fully face him, tucking her leg under her other thigh. “My grandmother, right? My dad’s mom? One time I heard her talking to
my
mom when they didn’t know I was listening. So my grandmother said Bodie’s parents know he’s gay, but they pretend they don’t. Then they say all this mean stuff about gay people when he’s around just to make sure he
never
tells them.”

Jay scowled. “That’s terrible. Do they—” He stopped himself, waving his hands in front of his face, then standing. “No, no, no. I’m not going to sit here and gossip with a fifteen-year-old girl about...Bodie.”

“I’ll be sixteen at midnight,” she said, grinning. “Does that make a difference?”

“No,” Jay said. “Go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He left her room quickly, eager to get out of the house. It was doing his head in tonight. But then he ran into Evelyn at the bottom of the stairs.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Was talking to Eben. Then Sassy. Now I’m going to bed.” He passed by her. “Night, Evelyn.”

“Ah, wait a minute, Jay. Were you alone with Sassy?”

He stopped, sighing, and turned back around. “You have to pat me down?”

Evelyn smiled. “I’m afraid so. Sorry.”

Accustomed to the routine from dealing with Bodie, he raised his arms out to his sides. “Go ahead,” he said with a slight whine to his voice.

“Oh come on now,” Evelyn said as she patted her hands quickly down his body. “There are worse things.”

“Yeah, I hear Guantanamo Bay is pretty bad.”

Evelyn laughed. “Stop making me laugh. Turn around so I can do your back.”

Jay turned around and she patted her way down his back. He’d put on shorts before going for his walk, so he felt a bit awkward and exposed when she felt around under the hem, her warm fingers brushing the back of his thighs.

“Holy shit, Jay, you’ve got some serious bruises here.”

Jay twisted and tried to see the back of his leg. Realizing that wouldn’t work, he bent over and checked himself out.
Oh...crap.
There were three dark, very distinct bruises that were clearly finger marks, then one very purple one above his knee...from Bodie’s thumb.

“Yeah, must be from my workout,” he said. “You done?”

Evelyn raised herself up and frowned at Jay, her expression hard. “Those are finger marks, aren’t they?”

Jay felt himself flush, taken aback by her bluntness. Okay, he was busted, they were finger marks, but so what? He couldn’t figure out why Evelyn was looking at him with that hard, accusatory expression. It was none of her damn business where he’d gotten the bruises. “Yeah,” he said. “So they are. Are we done?”

“Did Eben give those to you?” she whispered sharply.

Remembering what just happened with Sassy, Jay grinned, then frowned when Evelyn’s hard stare remained. “Are you fucking with me, Evelyn?”

She took his arm and all but dragged him off down the hallway. Entering the fancy sitting room near Eben’s office, she pulled him inside and closed the door. Then locked it.

“What...are we doing, Evelyn?” Jay asked.

She crossed her arms and looked at him, and her expression made him feel like a little boy who’d been dragged into the principal’s office. “Tell me the truth. Did Eben give you those bruises? Because that is not cool, Jay.”

“What?” Jay’s head jerked back. “You’re serious.”

“I’ve seen Eben’s handiwork before. So tell me.”

Jay’s scowl deepened. “What do you mean? Is Eben violent?”

“You tell me,” she said.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She stared back at him, saying nothing.

Finally Jay sighed, throwing his hands up. “Evelyn!” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “These bruises are from
Bodie
. We’re...we’re seeing each other.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened, hands going to the sides of her face. “Oh...oh, God, I’m so sorry.” She turned away from him and walked toward the piano. “Fuck. I’m sorry, Jay.”

Jay trailed after her, coming to stand behind her. “Evelyn. Look at me.”

She turned around, expression anguished.

“Is Eben violent?” Jay asked.

Evelyn said nothing.

Jay took another step toward her. “Is he violent with
Sassy
?” he whispered sharply.

“Oh God,” Evelyn said, and moved gingerly over to a chair. Sitting down slowly, she looked up at Jay. “You...signed a confidentiality agreement to work here, didn’t you?”

A knot forming in his gut, Jay moved over and sat down in the chair across from her. “I did,” he said. “But if he’s hurting Sassy—”

“He’s
not
,” she said sharply, then looked at the ceiling, shaking her head. “Aw, shit.” She looked at Jay. “Eben wouldn’t hurt a fly. I was about to scold you for sleeping with the boss. I thought
that’s
how Eben gave you the bruises. I fucked up. Can we just forget about it?”

“Why the fuck would you think I slept with
Eben
?”

“Because!” she hissed. She looked at the closed door, then turned back to Jay, leaning in close. “Because you said you’d just been up to talk to Eben. Then you came down with those fresh looking finger bruises on your thigh. And because Eben is
gay
.”

Jay blinked. “Gay.”

“Yes,” Evelyn said softly, nodding. “And he’s slept with employees before.”

Jay gave his head a shake. “So you mean he’s bisexual.”

“No, Jay. I mean he’s
gay
. Ingrid is too.”

Jay fell against the back of his chair, a breath huffing out of him. “You’re fucking serious?”

She pointed. “You cannot tell anyone. And I mean
ever
. You think that fitness center lawsuit was a problem? You have no idea what will happen if—”