2. A Terrible Mistake

A Terrible Mistake

Grant

I wrinkled my nose at my cafeteria sandwich on the paper plate in front of me. We needed to start planning dinner, so we didn’t have to be subjected to the unique cuisine prepared downstairs. Or we could consider hiring better chefs. I took a bite and then pushed the sandwich away in disgust. Nope. I’d eat when we went home, whenever that would be. We were in the final preparations for releasing our latest fitness tracker in January, just in time for all the New Year’s resolutions to exercise more. Though, to be fair, even if we weren’t preparing for a product launch, we usually pulled long hours at the office. I built Triple Tech from the ground up with my foster brothers, best friends, and roommates. Admittedly, we had difficulty leaving work at the office, if we left at all.

“How can you eat that?” I asked Lincoln as he took another large bite of his sandwich.

He shrugged. “Food is food, and this is all that is available.” He continued to munch on the sandwich-shaped mush.

“Food is fuel,” Benjamin corrected, “you both should have gotten a salad like I did.”

I rolled my eyes at him. He never missed an opportunity to lecture us on our eating habits. As Triple Tech’s Chief Operations Officer and creator of our fitness tracker and app, he felt it was essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Lincoln, Triple Tech’s Chief Executive Officer and face of the company stuck his tongue out at Ben. If I didn’t step in soon, things would decline quickly. Before I could change the subject, our assistant entered the board room.

“I just wanted to let you know I’m taking off,” Joel announced. I was surprised that he had stayed this long since it was Thanksgiving. Then again, we paid him handsomely to keep him at our beck and call.

“Thank you, Joel. I hope we didn’t completely ruin your holiday plans,” I told him.

“Nothing that Christmas bonus won’t fix,” he winked. “I didn’t have anything major going on this year. My parents flew to Seattle to spend Thanksgiving with my sister and her family. My only plans today were to go to the club tonight.”

“A club on Thanksgiving?” Ben asked.

“It’s better than spending the night at the office,” he responded pointedly. “Besides, where else will all the wayward souls without families to spend time with go? You guys should join me,” he suggested.

“Why on earth would we want to do that?” Linc asked.

“Maybe because the three of you have to find dates for the New Year’s Eve party, and I know you haven’t,” Joel reminded us.

I groaned. “Why do we have to bring dates? It’s our fucking party.”

“Because Triple Tech urges their employees to have a healthy home/work balance, and as the owners, you should lead by example,” he replied. Another reason we paid him so much was that he wasn’t afraid to hurt our feelings and told it to us straight. Often, his input in company policy and projects was considered and valued. He made sure to keep us grounded. “Honestly, you three work too damn much. If you ask me, you need to start living a little. Go out. Meet some nice girls and start thinking about your future outside of work.”

Ben scoffed. “We don’t have the time to maintain relationships right now.”

“That’s my point,” Joel lectured, “make the time.” We didn’t respond, and he sighed. This wasn’t the first time he had this discussion with us recently. “Just think about it. You must have dates; most eligible women in Sunflower Falls will be at the club tonight. Maybe you won’t find the women of your dreams, but you could at least find some suitable women to bring to the party.” He left, his words hanging in the air. As much as I didn’t like it, we did need to find dates.

“Why don’t we hire a few discreet escorts for the night?” Ben suggested. “It would be the easiest solution to our problem with the least effort.”

“I can see the headlines now,” Linc said sarcastically. “Triple Tech owners hire prostitutes.”

“I have to agree with Linc. I don’t see that being a viable option,” I said.

“Hey, what about a dating app?” Linc suggested. “One of the baristas at Caffeinated Charm gave me a card for this new dating site called Tempted Hearts. We could make a profile together and find one girl to come as our date. Strictly platonic and just for one night. That would solve our problem without being... scandalous.”

“How is that any different than getting escorts?” Ben asked.

“We wouldn’t be paying this girl,” Linc replied.

“Come on, guys,” I said. “How hard can it be to go out and meet a few girls? I think we should go to the club tonight like Joel suggested.”

They both looked at me silently for several seconds. “You’re serious,” Linc finally said with surprise.

“I am. It’s the most conventional way to solve our problem. We don’t have to fall madly in love with them. We don’t even have to like them all that much. We just need to be able to tolerate them for a handful of nights leading up to the party and then the party itself.”

“I mean, I guess it’s worth a try,” Ben agreed.

“Good. Then it’s settled. We’ll finish up here and then head to the club.” I grabbed my sandwich, what was left of Linc’s, and Ben’s salad and threw them in the trash. “We’re also going to get a decent dinner.”

Once upon a time, we went to clubs and partied our fair share. This should be simple.

This was a mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake. For one, the club was filled with just barely twenty-one-year-olds. These are the members of society who still think they’re invincible and don’t have many responsibilities. While we may have been these people once, we were far beyond this scene— over a decade beyond. Secondly, we were recognized when we stepped through the doors, and young hopefuls have been flocking to us ever since. That should have made attaining our goals easier. Unfortunately, we were looking for a more... classy type of woman.

Joel approached our table and took the empty seat. “I can see you judging everyone in here from across the bar,” he chastised.

“We aren’t trying to judge,” I defended. “But I think this was a mistake.”

A blonde in a short blue dress fell into my lap just then. “Hey, hot stuff,” she purred. “My friend told me you’re one of the richest men in town.”

“I might be,” I replied as I tried to remove her from my lap. A feat I was finding difficult as she had latched herself to me like a baby monkey. I looked over and saw her girlfriends giggling at her behind their hands.

“What will it take to get you to take me somewhere a bit more quiet?” she asked as she pawed at my tie.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-two,” she said proudly.

Jesus. I was fifteen years older than her and was a million different life experiences more mature.

“About eight years,” I replied, finally getting her to her feet.

“Oh, come on, sexy,” she coaxed. “Everyone knows younger is better.”

“Not always,” I replied stiffly. I looked at my brothers across from me, who were trying to hide their laughter. Assholes.

“Sasha,” Joel said, “beat it. They aren’t interested, and you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“Whatever,” she sneered. “Probably can’t get it up anymore anyway.” She stomped back to her friends, who dissolved into giggles as she reported on her attempt at seduction.

“We’re not that old,” Linc grumbled.

I finished my drink and set the empty glass on the table. “I’m calling it. This wasn’t the right move. It was a good suggestion, Joel, but we don’t belong here.”

“Ok, fine,” Joel said, standing. “Maybe this isn’t your scene, but you still have a problem to solve, so I suggest you come up with something else.” He saluted us with one finger before rejoining his friends.

When we got home, I poured three scotches and handed Ben and Linc theirs before falling into my recliner with a large sigh.

“Joel has a point,” Ben announced from the couch beside Linc after taking a sip. “What are we going to do about dates?”

“Or just one date. Singular,” Linc replied. Sometimes, that man was like a dog with a bone, relentless. A trait that has served us well in the past and made us a lot of money.

God, I hope I didn’t end up regretting this. “Ok, Linc. You win. We’ll try the dating app thing. But make sure you are clear that we are looking for a companion for all three of us for New Year’s Eve. That’s it. Nothing romantic, and nothing long term.”

“You got it,” he grinned, setting his glass down and running out of the room. He returned less than a minute later with his iPad. I joined them on the couch, and Ben and I looked over his shoulder as he pulled the website up and began filling out the questionnaire.

“Don’t put our names or who we are,” Ben said. “If tonight at the club was any indication, it might attract the wrong attention.”

“And make sure you put that we’re looking for someone in their thirties,” I added, thinking back to Sasha. “Someone at least in the same decade as us.”

“Got it and got it,” Linc replied. “Ok, last chance to back out of this. Are we all on board? This is what we want to do?” When we both nodded, Linc clicked the submit button. “Done.”

He went to place the iPad down when it dinged. He looked at the screen and then at both of us with surprise. “Well, that was fucking fast.”

“No way,” I replied, grabbing the iPad to look at the screen. “We seriously already have a match?”

“Yep!” Linc replied with a grin. “Let’s see who the lucky lady is.”

He clicked on the notification, and Ben and I leaned closer to read over his shoulder. This might be easier than I thought it would be.