“Drew honey, you might’ve just done the stupidest thing of your life,” I mutter, turning the ignition on, fingers still buzzing from his touch.
JAKE
“Best fuckin’ burger in town,” my brother Jason groans with ketchup dripping down his lip. “Fuck! So good.”
The Vortex has won the unspoken burger-competition in Atlanta. No doubt. I nod with a mouthful of perfectly cooked beef, BBQ sauce, fried egg, bacon and onion rings trapped between a toasted bun. “Doesn’t get any better than this.”
Jason downs his beer then shakes the empty bottle. “Where’s our waitress?”
I scan the room. “Probably with Justin in a closet somewhere.”
Jason laughs. “You might be right.”
“Might be?” I take another juicy bite. This round table isn’t really big enough for three guys like us, though I do like the height and barstools. In fact I like everything about this place from the snarky menu that tells you where to shove it if you don’t like their policies, to the smoky air.
Jason chows on some fries from Justin’s abandoned plate. It’s a twin thing. He’s been doing it since he was a kid. Drives Justin crazy. “I need another beer and he’s fucking the waitress in a closet.”
“I said I think he is. I don’t know that.”
“C’mon. You know he’s doing something with her. You saw how they were talking?” I nod. “Jake, answer me this: Why didn’t God make my twin a good guy?” Jason’s mock innocence and curiosity is amusing. I’m glad I came out tonight. Ever since Drew moved in, I’m having a hard time being at home without wondering what she’s doing.
“Because he wouldn’t have fit into our family,” I answer, grabbing my beer as he goes for it. “Ah ah ah. Get your own.”
“Fucker,” he mutters, searching for a waitress to help us. “Hey!” A lanky, heavily pierced girl with dyed-black hair raises an eyebrow at him as she saunters up.
Over classic rock, she asks, “You think I’m a dog or something?”
I grin, knowing he picked the wrong girl to ask. The Vortex has a thing where at least one server a shift acts like a complete asshole. They get to say whatever they want, however they want. It’s amusing as all hell – part of the appeal of the rock-and-roll vibe.
“You can only call a dog like that, and have it not think you’re a dick.”
Jason asks, “You’re thinking about my dick already? You just got here.”
She turns and shouts to the room, “The Cocky Brothers are out on the town. Keep your girls inside, people!”
Under our breaths Jason and I start laughing as heads turn. To a woman peeking over, I smile, “That means you.”
Her eyes go wide as she quickly turns back to her unamused husband.
“How about another Monday Night Slap Fight, you charming seductress.” Jason smirks. It’s the name of a beer from a local brewery, if you can believe it.
Unimpressed, she sneers from Jason to me. “This isn’t my section, dimwits. Where’s Tanny? And wasn’t Justin here with you? Oh shit. Motherfucker.” She storms off.
She just realized where Tanny is.
We’re notorious. Born and raised here. Atlanta is a small town dressed as a big city. Most people know us, or know of us. Kinda hard to hide when you come from old money, a long line of politicians, and you’ve got six brothers raising hell as soon as they hit Kindergarten, all the way on up. In fact I don’t think we’ve ever stopped raising hell.
Sopping up mustard with the last crispy fry, Jason mutters, “He’s gonna have to rein it in if he’s going to be a Senator one day.”
“Modern days. People expect less of us. Besides, he’s only twenty-seven.”
“And a half.”
“They’ll forgive him.”
Jason shrugs. “When I was working with H-Core on his last album and he got caught…you know…”
“With the dude in the bathroom?”
“Yep. Fuck Justin’s out of fries now, too! First beer, now this. Give me some.”
“No.”
Jason shoots me an irritated look, but continues, “His rep as a ladies man deflated and I lost money on that album. And so did he.”
“Justin will be just fine. Don’t worry about him. He always lands on his feet, like a cat.”
The subject of our debate walks up with a lazy stride, running his hands through his dirty-blonde hair. “If I’m a cat then I’m the one who ate the canary.” He hits the baseball cap on his twin’s head and takes a seat.
Jason and I both shake our heads.
“Next time you eat our waitress will you make sure that WE have enough to eat, first?” Jason motions to their empty plates.