Page 15 of Pleasure Island
Still, he was friendly about it, and when a woman’s voice came on the intercom, he clapped me on my shoulder. “There you go, soldier.”
“Hello?” the woman on the intercom said.
“Hi…ah…I’m looking for Matt…I mean Jake King?” When we’d talked, Matt –Jake– had told me that when he started over, he hadreallystarted over, including changing his name. I needed to start thinking of him as Jake.
“One minute…”
I blew out a breath and looked out over the chaotic street scene to my left.
Welcome to New York, Liam.
* * *
Matt–Jake– met me before I even got halfway up to his apartment.
The tall blond striding toward me paused for a second to study me, and I could tell from the look on his face he wasn’t sure it was me.
Shifting the rucksack on my back, I smiled. “Hey, Matt. Ah…I mean, Jake.”
I didn’t have time to get anything else out before he closed the distance between us and hugged me. “Liam! Welcome to New York, kid!”
He pulled back, grasping my face between his hands as he gave me a long, thorough study.
“It has been too long,” he said, shaking his head. “Come on. Let me take one of these bags.”
I tried to tell him I had them, but he insisted, and I turned the heavy duffel over to him while he asked about the drive, my parents, my brothers and sisters.
I answered what I could, shrugged when I didn’t know the answer. I didn’t know the answer to a number of the questions. My parents weren’t the only ones who’d sort of lost touch with things – I hadn’t exactly tried to keep the lines of communication open myself.
“Is everything okay?” my cousin asked as he paused in front of a door. “I mean, you were always a serious kid, but you used to talk more than this.”
I managed a smile. “There’s just not much to talk about,” I said honestly. “My folks and I exchange cards on birthdays, holidays…I call Mom on Mother’s Day, but…” I shrugged, uncertain where to go from there. “They got their hands full with the younger kids. I always knew that once I turned eighteen I’d have to find a way to take care of myself – they’re barely making it as it is. Me going into the army just sorta…well, it made it easy for us to not talk a lot.”
“That…” Matt blew out a breath. “Wow. That sucks.”
“It’s just how it is,” I said, shaking my head.
“That’s not how familyshouldbe.” He bumped his fist against my shoulder. “That’s not how it will be here. Come on, I want you to meet Michelle.”
Michelle was waiting for us when we got inside.
She smiled at me and offered her hand. I took it, giving her what I hoped was a discreet study.
She was pretty. Not knock-out beautiful, but pretty. A smile spread across her face, and I decided I might have to change that opinion because her smile really made her stand out.
She glanced over at Matt and shook her head. “I guess I was expecting a double of you – I wasn’t sure I could handle that.”
I flushed, although the easy way she’d delivered the comment made it clear she was being playful.
“I appreciate you all letting me crash here for a while.”
When I’d broached the subject of leaving Texas and coming to New York, Matt had told me that I could stay with him and his fiancée. I’d been prepared to quickly find other accommodations if the fiancée wasn’t quite onboard with that idea.
But judging by the welcome in Michelle’s smile, she was happy to have me here.
“Jake tells me that you used to be kind of like his kid brother,” Michelle said, gesturing for me to come farther into the apartment.
TheJakethrew me for a second, and I had to remind myself of the name change. Looking over at my cousin, I shook my head. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to you not being Matt.”
