As I sat there Googling his name, Frank slowly came up the steps.
“There you are,” he said. I looked up from my laptop.
“Frank.” I nodded to him.
He stood near the railing, looking out over the city. “Nice view, isn’t it?”
“It is,” I said.
“I wanted to talk to you about something,” Frank said, sitting down at the table with me.
“Go for it.” I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms.
“Cole, I’m glad you’re staying here with us. The house is usually very empty for Alex since I work so much.”
“I’m happy to help.”
“It’s just, I want to make this work, with your mother. But things are difficult. We have a lot of outside stress.”
I nodded, frowning. “Alex mentioned some of that.”
“Yes. Well. Your mother wanted me to say . . .” He looked away, clearly uncomfortable. “She wanted me to say that we hope you’ll try and help out, while you’re around.”
“Frank, did Cindy send you up here to try and tell me to behave?”
He sighed, shaking his head. “It’s not like that.”
I held up a hand. “Yes, it is. And it’s fine. I don’t blame you one bit.”
“I do mean it when I say I’m glad you’re staying. I hope you’ll at least try and be friends with Alex.”
“I’m sure me and your daughter will be very close.”
“And try to get along with your mom, too.”
“That I can’t promise.”
He nodded. “Good enough.” He stood up to leave. “Sorry to have bothered you. Consider this matter closed.”
He turned to leave. “Frank?” I said. He looked back at me. “Don’t be my mother’s errand boy. She doesn’t respect that.”
He opened his mouth as if he was going to respond but decided against it. Instead he just smiled and left.
I watched him go, curious. Most men would have gotten pissed off at a comment like that, but he seemed to genuinely take it to heart. Or at least he did on the outside.
Frank was an interesting person. Maybe he wasn’t a total douchebag. Then again, he was married to my mother, so who could say?
I checked the time on my laptop and cursed. It was much later than I had expected. I shut the lid and went back into the house.
I had a date with my stepsister soon.
I was leaning up against a tree when Alex came walking down the stoop.
For a second, I felt my heart almost skip a beat. She was wearing this short, tight dress that clung to her hips and heels that made her ass look like fire. She wasn’t showing much skin, but the dress was tight enough to show off her perfect fucking tits and body. Frankly, she looked incredible, and I had the urge to take her right there on the street.
“Sis,” I said. “You look nice.”
She frowned at me. “You could at least dress up.”
I looked down at myself. I was wearing a pair of jeans, boots, a black T-shirt, and an old denim jacket. “What’s wrong with this?”
“You look like a greaser or something.”
I grinned. “Maybe I am.”
“Whatever.” She looked around. “Where’s the car? Your mom said it was waiting out front for us.”
“About that,” I said. “We’re not taking the car.”
“I am not walking in these heels.”
“Don’t worry, princess. We’re taking my bike.”
She gaped at me for a second and then shook her head. “No. No way. I’m not getting on the back of that thing.”
I walked over to it and tossed her a helmet. She caught it, but barely. “Come on. I thought you liked motorcycles?”
She walked over. “That was just for show,” she hissed. “Don’t be a jerk.”
“Better get on,” I whispered. “Your father is watching us from the window.”
She moved to look but stopped herself. She took a deep breath and let it out. “Fine,” she said, and she slipped the helmet on without another word.
I climbed onto the bike and she got on the back.
“Hold on tight,” I said as I kicked the bike to life. “Now wave to daddy,” I said.
We waved to her father as I slowly pulled the bike out into traffic.
She gripped my body like steel. I could tell she had never been on the back of a bike before in her life, which only made it that much better. Unfortunately, the restaurant wasn’t too far away, and so I couldn’t really open it up and get some speed at any point.
Still, I was surprised that she had gotten on without too much of a fight. Sure, she didn’t instantly jump on the back, but who would in her situation? I was just impressed that she didn’t throw a fit. I had her pegged as a rich little daddy’s girl, but maybe there was more lurking under that exterior.