Page 65 of Hale Damage
Three sets of very protective brother ears perk up, and we all lean forward the slightest bit.
“And?” I ask, my voice little more than a growl. Nicolette and Jordie smirk at my sudden attitude change.
“And nothing,” Perri says indignantly. “We went out, blah blah blah, and he didn’t call back, so…” She shrugs.
“Can we go back to theblah blah blahbit?” Phoenix asks.
“Can we not?” Jordie rebuffs her husband with a shoulder bump and a pointed look. “Since Perri is a grown woman who can take care of herself?”
He kisses his wife’s nose. “Stop being so reasonable.” They stare at each other like the newlyweds they are, their faces positively mushy. “And beautiful,” he breathes.
“Oh, good god,” Perri whines. “Cut it out, lovebirds. I think we’re all pregnant now.”
“So you’re pregnant with your brother’s baby?” I ask dryly, earning me a glare from my little sister.
“That’s gross, Remington Haywood Hale.”
“You said it,” I shoot back.
She tips her nose into the air. “I’m going to ignore that because you’re probably just cranky due to the shortage in London.”
I momentarily panic, thinking she’s talking about my sex life, because, yeah, that’s been lacking lately. “Shortage of what?” I ask.
A smug grin crosses her lips as she tosses her blonde mane over her shoulder. “Razors.”
The entire group bursts into laughter, and even I crack a slight grin as I stroke my hand over my well-trimmed black beard.
“Just thought I’d try something a little different. What do y’all think?”
“I think it looks very distinguished,” Nicolette pipes up. “Gives you a little bit of an edge, but it’s still professional.”
“I love facial hair on a man,” Jordie adds, absently reaching a hand up to stroke the scruff Phoenix always rocks. “It’s very manly and totally worth the beard burn in… certain delicate areas.”
Phoenix is grinning like a pig in shit while the rest of us scrunch up our noses. “Why don’t we get this little gathering back on track? What’s going on at the company?”
Helix, who’s usually the quietest of us, speaks up. “Dad’s admin is retiring after thirty years, and he recently hired a replacement.”
“It’s our nanny’s niece. You remember Lorraine, right?” Jordie asks.
My head bobs up and down. “Of course. How’s it going so far?”
“She doesn’t start till next week,” Helix replies, “but Dad said she’s very organized and personable.”
“That’s good. I look forward to meeting this organized and personable woman,” I lie. She sounds boring as shit. “Anything interesting going on in Houston?”
Phoenix wrinkles his nose. “The Carlisles have finished construction on their new headquarters. I actually saw Grant Carlisle when I was shopping for ties the other day, and the asshole had the audacity to smile at me. Stupid man-bun fucker.”
I shake my head in disgust. “I knew they were trying to get a foothold back in the U.S. market. They’ve had jewelry stores in New York and L.A. for years, but it takes a lot of balls to actually set up their main offices in Texas. They should keep their asses in Australia.”
“I have a question,” Perri says, raising her hand. “I know the Hales and the Carlisles have beef, but no one’s ever told me what it’s all about.”
Leaning back in my chair, I brush my pointer finger back and forth across my chin as I recall what my father has told me.
“It’s a long story, and it happened over a century ago. As you know, Hale Cosmetics started out as a fragrance company, relying on freshly grown ingredients like citrus fruits and lavender for their products.”
“Right,” my sister prods.
“Well, the Carlisles were Australian immigrants who bought a diamond mine in Arkansas and a gold mine in West Texas for their jewelry business. Most of the family settled near Houston since it’s a coastal city and convenient for imports and exports.”
