Boys and Girls, Part II: Prince Charming

A/N: Hey. Hope you’re enjoying the story. I just wanted to let you know that one of Peter Garnett’s clients is introduced in this chapter. I had originally intended for him to be a villain in the story but didn’t want it to get too off-track, so after this chapter, he won’t be mentioned again. He turns out being just another person who contributes to one of Joe’s bad moods, in the end. Anyway, happy reading.

Chapter 6 - One Small Favor

It was a normal Tuesday afternoon, and for once Joe was glad to do all of Garnett’s unreasonable bidding because it kept him busy – busy enough to not think about Stephanie and not think about how he had poured his heart out to her like a total wet mop.

Joe was thankful that Stephanie had listened to him, but even Jason and Ryan didn’t know the full story behind his drive to become a lawyer. Joe had a hard time-sharing the intimate details with his own family, let alone, with a privileged princess/virtual stranger who probably didn’t know what the word “struggle” meant.

He had understood why she had suddenly changed topics during their conversation but had politely refused her offer for a grand tour because the idea of being with Stephanie in her bedroom did not bode well for Joe.

Joe was in the midst of delivering some important files for one of Garnett’s clients, Victor Lange, a representative for one of the most prestigious investment firms in Southern Cal. If it was possible, Joe was pretty sure that he hated Lange more than he hated Garnett. Garnett was at least somewhat ethical, even if he was a total asshole. Lange acted a lot nicer than Garnett, but he oozed sleaze from ever part of his being, and Joe had been able to sniff it from the first moment they had met.

Joe knocked on Garnett’s office door.

“Come in,” a deep voice grumbled. Garnett looked up from his desk with a look of disgust when he saw Joe walk in. Lange looked up and smiled as he sat comfortably in Garnett’s brown leather barcalounger; the gesture was meant to be friendly, but Lange sure didn’t pull that off well. The man was in his early thirties, so Joe was sure that the peppering of gray in his normally black hair was premature. He was probably around 5’10” and looked to be in good shape. The guy was also too handsome for his own good; Joe could tell he scored chicks by the wagonful and wasn’t ashamed of it either.

“The files you requested, Sir,” Joe said, handing the folders to Garnett.

“Leave them and get out,” Garnett ordered. Joe did so without making a face or complaining. He wasn’t going to give Garnett any kind of satisfaction. As Joe walked toward the door, he noticed that Lange was still smiling, except now, the smile looked sinister and very unfriendly. Joe wanted to punch his perfect nose in but resisted the urge before walking out.

Joe didn’t get two steps out of the office when he heard a familiar voice.

“Dad! You have got to talk to her!”

Joe frowned. So much for distancing himself from the object of his lust.

“Princess, I have got to meet a client right now,” her father explained

“Dad! Mom is emotionally in the toilet right now. She’s been on the phone with me all day. I finally got her off the phone because I said I needed to use the bathroom…that was two hours ago! I think she’s getting paranoid that everyone’s talking about how you brought Inge to the party on Friday.”

“She said it would be all right!” Kaelin protested.

“Mom’s funny like that,” Stephanie responded. “Come on Dad. I don’t think you’re to blame in all of this either, but you’ll just have to soothe Mom’s ruffled feathers. After that, I’m sure that she’ll feel better.”

“If I go see your mom while she’s in her current state, she’ll castrate me!”

“Eww, Daddy!” Stephanie shrieked, wrinkling her nose. “Look, just do it…for me?”

Finally, Stephanie’s father let out a resigned sigh. “Go tell Maggie to get your mother on line one.”

Stephanie squealed in delight as her father retreated into his office. She started clapping her hands and humming a happy tune when she noticed Joe staring at her questioningly.

“Big plans?”

Stephanie tried looking dignified. “You might say that.”

“With the wuss?”

She huffed. “His name is Jackson.”

“Hmm, does he own a plantation down in the South?” Joe answered facetiously.

“No, but his dad owns hotels in over fifteen countries!” she answered back haughtily.

Joe snorted. “Of course he does.” He didn’t make the statement sarcastically, but it still bothered Stephanie the way he had said it – as if dating a rich man’s son was exactly what he expected of her.

Stephanie stuck her nose up into the air and marched right on past Joe. “We’d invite you, but you seem to be a little moody right now. You know how it is – no buzzkills allowed.”

“Sweetheart, you couldn’t get me to go with you guys if you begged,” he answered firmly.

Stephanie sniffed. “Well, you have nothing to worry about then. Because that will not be happening”. And with that, Stephanie haughtily sashayed past him.

***

“What!” Stephanie shrieked into the phone.

“My cousin’s in town,” Jack answered calmly into the phone. “Don’t you have any guy friends who could double with us tonight?”

“On an hour’s notice?” Stephanie didn’t have guy friends, period. “Why can’t she stay at your apartment…alone?”

“Come on, Steph,” Jack pleaded. “She’s only in for four days, and she’s looking for something to do. What kind of family would I be if I left her all by herself?”

“But, but, but,” Stephanie sputtered, trying to think up a response, “don’t you have any guy friends?”

“My men are all currently occupied with other activities and/or women.”

“So the burden of entertaining your cousin falls squarely on my shoulders?”

“Well, if you weren’t able to find a guy, I could just bring her along with us too –

As a third wheel? No way in hell. “I’ll find someone,” Stephanie interrupted. Give me some time, and I’ll call you back.

“Thanks babe, I owe you one,” Jack answered before hanging up.

Yes you do, Stephanie thought to herself. It was sad…the only guy friend she really had was Jason, and she was fairly certain that Delaney wasn’t going to volunteer her fiancée for an emergency double date.

Wait. She could call Ryan. He was hot and currently available, as far as she knew. The only thing was she didn’t know his number. She dialed Jason’s number; he would know.

Jason picked up after two rings. “S’up Steph?”

“Hey Jason…um…I’ve got kind of a weird request.”

Stephanie repeated Jack’s plight while Jason listened intently.

“So…what do you think?”

“Uh, it’s okay…I guess,” he answered. “But…Ry’s kind of nursing a bad cold. He caught it from his sisters this past weekend.”

Rats, she thought to herself.

“I could give you Joe’s number though.”

A red siren went off in Stephanie’s head.

“Hello?”

“Umm,” Stephanie began uneasily. “How sick is Ryan? I’m pretty sure Jack’s cousin isn’t very particular about the health of her dates.”

“Stop being weird, Steph,” Jason answered, chuckling. He immediately read out Joe’s number, and Stephanie had no choice but to write it down (and make Jason swear that he wouldn’t tell Delaney). After hanging up with Jason, Stephanie took a few deep breaths. What she was about to do was going to do a lot of damage to her dignity, but this was important…right?

Stephanie carefully punched in Joe’s number. It rang three times. She was ready to hang up when someone picked up before the fourth ring had completed.

“Hello?” Joe’s deep voice answered.

Stephanie froze.

“Hello?” Joe repeated, sounding a little annoyed this time.

“H-hi,” Stephanie stammered. “It’s me – it’s Stephanie.”

“What’s up?”

Stephanie sighed. “I…I… Stephanie willed herself to just come out and say it. “I have a favor to ask you.”

****

“So…you play football?” the sensuous brunette sitting next to Joe asked.

“Yeah,” Joe answered.

Tanya gave a sexy smile in response to Joe’s answer. “I love football players.” She looked over to Jack. “Good find, Cousin.”

Jack looked a tad irritated, and as Joe looked over at Stephanie, he could see that she looked pissed too. They probably didn’t like the way that Tanya was practically draping herself over Joe, but he wasn’t complaining. As far as Joe knew, he was granting Blondie a favor, so he felt he was entitled to enjoy himself as much as possible. And truth be told, he was actually having a blast at the moment.

“Where do you go to school, Tanya?”

“I don’t,” she answered, taking a suggestive bite from a breadstick. “I model.”

“I thought you were from out of town,” Stephanie accused.

“I model all over the world – not just in LA,” Tanya snapped back. “I live in New York though,” she continued, turning back to Joe.

Looking at Tanya’s body, Joe was pretty sure Tanya wasn’t making up any part of her story. She was pretty tall – probably the same height as Stephanie’s friend, Lani. She was covered from head-to-toe in an unnatural tan, and she was incredibly thin for someone of her height. Naturally, Tanya’s breasts were larger in proportion to her body, and therefore, probably fake.

“What have you been in?” Stephanie asked, angrily taking a bite of her salad.

“Everything,” Tanya answered haughtily.

“I don’t believe I’ve seen you in any of my magazines.”

“I don’t model for Tiger Beat.”

Stephanie’s nostrils flared, and Joe almost choked with laughter while drinking his water. Stephanie decided to end conversation with Tanya and continued to angrily stab at her salad. Tanya dropped her barely eaten breadstick onto her empty salad plate. She then turned her attention back to Joe. “So…you must work out a lot. I really admire that in a guy.”

Joe gave a friendly smile and nodded in appreciation. “Thanks?” He wasn’t sure, but he could’ve sworn that Stephanie rolled her eyes.

Dinner continued in much the same manner. Tanya said something shallow. Joe nodded and smiled. And Stephanie scowled. Jack didn’t look too happy with his cousin’s behavior either, which didn’t surprise Joe – he couldn’t believe Mr. Perfect actually had family his age who didn’t attend boarding school or wear sweaters around their neck.

By the time they had gotten to desserts – well, everyone except Tanya who hadn’t eaten anything but water and that eighth of the breadstick – Stephanie looked ready to ask for the check and retire. Then, she got one look at her double-decker chocolate fudge cake, and she remembered that Jack was covering the night’s tab.

“That’ll go straight to your butt, darling,” Tanya commented.

“Here’s hoping,” Stephanie answered, digging in.

Tanya seemed dissatisfied that her statement hadn’t upset Stephanie. Bent on causing more trouble, she slowly turned to Joe. “So, where would you like to take me tonight…you know, so that we can have sex?”

Jack’s fork stopped in mid-air, while Stephanie’s fork crashed onto her plate.

Joe stammered. “Well, I-I-I’m not sure…wh-

Stephanie’s chair slid back and she abruptly rose. “Joe, can I speak with you?”

Joe took one good look at Stephanie and understood that denying her a chance to talk with him was going to result in his premature death. He excused himself and stood to talk with her. Stephanie was already marching toward the restrooms at full-speed. Her angry shuffle caused her coral strapless summer dress to sway from side to side. She looked cute even from the back, even when she was angry. When they reached their destination, she angrily spun around.

“What are you doing?” she gritted through her teeth.

“What am I doing? I’m just talking to Wussyboy’s hot cousin.”

Stephanie’s eyes narrowed. “Did you not hear what she asked you and very loudly, I might add?”

“Yeah, I heard her,” Joe answered. “What about it?”

“Weren’t you insulted by it at all?”

Joe paused. “No.”

Stephanie’s jaw dropped. “Well I think her behavior’s atrocious and an insult to women everywhere. If she asks you something like that, you’re supposed to be totally grossed out by how sleazy she’s acting and say –

“Steph,” Joe interrupted, trying hard not to smile. “You must not know how the male mind works, sweetheart. When a woman asks you when and where you would like to have sex, your first instinct is not to question her.”

“Oh?” Stephanie asked, clearly irritated. “Well then, Mr. Man, what is a man’s first instinct in that situation?”

“To make sure she doesn’t change her mind about it,” he answered.

Stephanie opened her mouth in disgust and scoffed. She held up her hand in an effort to reevaluate. “Okay, this night is soooo not going the way I planned. Umm, okay. We’re going to finish dessert. I’m going to call it a night with Jack. He can go home and rid us of his slutty cousin’s presence. And then, I’ll just have to wait until she leaves to see Jack again because I can’t stand her!”

“Well, can I see her?” Joe ventured.

Stephanie regarded him through narrowed eyes. “What?”

“Well, I don’t have a problem with her, so…

Stephanie was walking back to the table before Joe had a chance to finish. Her coral dress began swaying from side to side as she angrily strode back to her date. Joe was left standing by the restrooms even as Stephanie took a seat next to Jack. She had a fake smile plastered on her face as she tried to converse with Jack and simultaneously ignore his cousin.

As Joe slowly made his way back to Stephanie, something caught his eye. Maybe he was just imaging things, but it definitely looked as if Jack was having difficulty breathing as evidenced by the sudden rapid rise and fall of his chest. Maybe the asshole had asthma. And then, that was when Joe noticed the movement beneath the table.

Holy shit, he thought to himself. He had to really look to see it, but what Joe saw was really happening, and he didn’t know if he was more terrified or grossed out.

Stephanie’s Prince Charming was getting the hand job of a lifetime…from his cousin.

****

A/N: Okay…don’t get grossed out. There is a method to my madness. I promise.