The Call: A Psychic Paranormal Romantic Comedy Read online

  “To be clear, we have lunch and play pool like this a couple of times a week. The only difference is that there’s someone here that might beat me.” Jake teased.

  “Place your wagers!” called Noah.

  “Better to win or lose?” Matilda whispered to Ethan.

  “Win. Definitely win. Only the ass-kissers are betting on Jake to win.” He grinned.

  Jacob won two rounds. Matilda won eleven.

  ✽✽✽

  At 1:45, most people started leaving. Five minutes later, Noah, Jake, and Matilda were alone, cleaning up the lunch leftovers. It was a peaceful sort of silence.

  Matilda was planning her exit and sorry to be leaving. Her consultancy was a dream come true. She worked hard for it and was proud of her accomplishments. But, working alone was… lonely.

  Something bounced off the back of her head. She turned to Noah. “The fuck?”

  “I love that you’re foul-mouthed. It’s just perfect. A little, red-headed angel dropping f-bombs at leisure,” he grinned.

  “You people are going to need to pick a condescending nickname and stick with it. Barbie doll, little girl, and angel are on the table presently.”

  “Aww, are you sensitive about your diminutive stature?” he asked.

  “Not particularly, but being around you guys is like hanging out in the land of giants.

  “Mess is all cleaned up. Thanks for lunch, guys.” Matilda picked up the laptop bag she borrowed from Ellie. “I’ll get to work on those projections and send them over before the end of the week.”

  “Boo!” Noah said. “Why leave now? You’re welcome to stay here and work.”

  “Boo!” Jake said. “You’re welcome to stay here and play with my balls.”

  FUCKING ELEANOR! Matilda was turning red again.

  “And now I’m leaving. Bye, guys.” Matilda closed the door behind herself.

  ✽✽✽

  After Matilda closed the door, Noah pulled his phone out of his pocket.

  “What are you doing?” Jake asked.

  “Summoning Ethan.”

  “Why?”

  “What?” Ethan said as he opened the door. “I’m actually busy. What do you want?”

  “Just need a witness,” said Noah. In an official tone of voice, he said, “I call dibs on our little Tillie.”

  “Dibs?” Jake asked.

  “Yes, Jacob. Dibs,” Noah said. “She’s way too adorable to not, ahem, date.”

  “Noah, don’t be a dick,” Ethan said.

  “I’m not being a dick,” said Noah with an affronted look on his face. “I’m unattached. I can call dibs on a beautiful woman. It’s not like I’m dating a shrew and calling dibs on an amazing little pixie. I love her foul-mouth mixed with womanly bumps and curves. Damn sexy.”

  “Get out,” Jacob said.

  Chapter 4

  Jacob slammed his way into his parents' house on Sunday evening.

  "What up, dog?" He said while scratching Roscoe's ears.

  "We're back here," Darla called from the big room.

  Jake made his way into the room to find Hank, Darla, Will, Hennessy, Ethan, Noah, and Luke.

  "Where's everyone else?" He asked.

  "You're early. They're not here yet. Where's Bella?" Darla asked cautiously. Sometimes Bella went to the bathroom before saying hello. Darla didn't want to get her hopes up too soon.

  "Madrid. On a shoot. Decidedly not here. You can speak freely," Jake said.

  "Great. Why hasn't that ended yet?" Darla got right to the point.

  "Huh?" Jake said. Everyone else in the room laughed.

  "Where's the adorable little redhead I haven't met yet?" Luke asked. Not part of the business empire, Luke had only heard of Matilda, not yet met her.

  "Oh. OH! That little redhead," Jake said with a glare at Noah. "Turns out, Lucas, you're looking to the wrong brother for information on that one."

  Noah cackled. Ethan was trying not to laugh. Hank sighed and glared at Jacob.

  "What's this?" Darla asked.

  "You can ask Number Six over there. I don't deserve that glare, Dad," Jake said defensively.

  "You absolutely deserve this glare, Jacob. And you know it," Hank said with uncharacteristic sternness.

  Darla's eyes were slits. "What did you do?" She asked Noah.

  "I called dibs," Noah said nonchalantly.

  "You did not," she declared.

  "I did."

  "You did NOT, Noah Michael Trellis. Dibs were a high school thing. You're adults. No more dibs," Darla said.

  "I'm going out drinking with her on Tuesday," Noah said.

  "We're all going out drinking with her on Tuesday, jackass," Jake said.

  "I'm aware. But, she's gonna hang with me. Because I called dibs."

  "NOAH," Darla exploded. "STOP THIS NOW."

  "Mom, she's extremely cute and fun. She swears like a sailor and is ridiculously smart. This could be IT for me," Noah said.

  "IT IS NOT! QUIT BEING AN ASS!" Darla continued to roar as Sam came into the room.

  "Woo. What are we arguing about?" Sam asked the room at large.

  "Dibs," Ethan said.

  "Honey, calm down," Hank said.

  "Oh, shut it, Hank! You know he's full of shit just as much as I do," Darla said.

  "I do," Hank agreed. "I also know that he's just trolling his brother. It'll be fine."

  "Dad, that's really unfair," Noah said with innocent eyes. "I'm unattached. She's adorable. She can't be more than five feet tall, with all that fiery red hair. Why shouldn't I go for it? I mean, is there a reason I shouldn't go for it?"

  "It's going to be really fucking awkward if you sleep with your future sister-in-law, Noah. Even to make a point," William said.

  Everyone in the room looked at Jacob. His face was completely blank as he stared at the wall over his mother's head.

  "JACOB!" Darla yelled.

  Jake jumped. "What? What the fuck, Ma! I've had exactly two conversations with the woman. Mentally marrying me off to her seems a little premature."

  "Oh, you shut up, too. I mentally married you off to her approximately three minutes after I met her. It's time to dump the gazelle and get on with your life."

  "Oh, for fuck's sake! I've been trying to dump her for a fucking year and you know it!" Jake said.

  "Stop swearing! Your language is terrible," Darla complained.

  "We're not at the table yet. I can swear in the big room," Jake said defensively.

  "Put on your big-boy pants and kick the whore to the curb," Sam said to Jake. "It's time, and you know it."

  "Samuel!" Darla said, more from shock than offense.

  "Yes, Mom? I don't think I said anything inaccurate. Did I, Jake?" Sam asked.

  "What's for dinner?" Jake asked.

  "Everyone else is having polish sausage and sauerkraut with dumplings. You're having mixed greens with lemon wedges," Darla said as the room exploded in laughter. "Otherwise the salad and lemons will go to waste."

  ✽✽✽

  "What should I wear on my date on Tuesday?" Noah asked Ethan over dinner.

  "I have no idea, but your shoes better match your handbag or the old biddies will talk," Ethan replied.

  "Suit up?" Noah asked.

  "She doesn't seem opposed to jeans and t-shirts. I'm not sure she's the type of person that cares about suits or Polo shirts," Ethan replied.

  Jake glared daggers at both brothers. "Really? All fucking week you've been doing this, you have to do this now, too?"

  "Jacob," Hank said.

  Jake glared at Hank.

  Hank smiled. "I don't know what you want me to say, Jake. You have a girlfriend."

  "I'm aware. I didn't ask you to say anything. I just wish they'd shut the fuck up. This was done being funny two days ago."

  "Stop swearing at my table, Jacob. Even if your brother is being a jackass," Darla said.

  "How is this my fault?" Noah asked. "I met a charming, attractive woman I'd like to know better. I'm unatta
ched. Free to do as I please. Sam, I was thinking maybe we'd take a ride out to the lake house next weekend. You don't mind, right?"

  Sam gave Noah a flat look. "I'm not involved in this."

  "You're assuming she'll be interested in you. It's a big assumption," Ethan commented.

  "I can be very charming, especially once the panties come off," Noah said.

  Darla pegged him in the head with a dinner roll. "Noah! Enough! This isn't funny and it's in very poor taste."

  "You're only upset because you think she might chase off the gazelle!" Noah complained.

  "That's not the only reason," Darla corrected.

  "Oh yeah?"

  "She's also very petite. She and I could bond in the land of giants that is this family."

  Jake sighed. "Alright, I'm going." He got up and left the table, putting his plate in the kitchen and heading out without another word.

  After the door closed behind him, Darla said, "Noah, stop it."

  "I'm just needling him, Mom. Matilda's not even remotely interested in me," he admitted.

  "You think she is interested in Jake?" Darla asked.

  Ethan chuckled. "I don't think it's occurred to her yet, but I've never seen two people better suited. When she was teasing him about the balls, I just about died laughing. They're ridiculous."

  William laughed. "She kicked his ass up and down that pool table. Excuse me, Mom. Sorry."

  Hank smiled. "I wish you'd seen her last week. A frozen, sad tiny mess with steel in her spine, still trying to have the beer meeting. When she finally got cleaned up and wrapped in his fleece, she had to roll the sleeves five times to free her hands and she still crushed him. Made fun of the hole in his t-shirt and called him Shaggy. I don't think she was trying to tease or flirt, she just seemed to forget why she was there. She was charming and funny and bright on Tuesday. But she was magnificent last Thursday.

  "If he could have found the right words that day, I'm pretty sure he would have taken her home with him - Bella in the picture or not," Hank said with a shrug. "He'll figure it out."

  "Agree," Sam said.

  "Well, I'm going for drinks on Tuesday. I can't wait to meet her," Adrian said.

  "Same," said Luke.

  "That's crap! I have class Tuesday night," Matthew said. "I'm going to try to get out of it."

  ✽✽✽

  Matilda met six Trellis men, Gary, and Ellen in the lobby Tuesday evening. While she knew the outing was casual, she couldn't bring herself to wear jeans and a t-shirt when meeting with extremely rich people. She opted for casual tan pants, a lightweight navy blue and white striped sweater, and her favorite pair of slip-ons. Casual, not sloppy.

  Ellie had been angling for skinny jeans and a fitted t-shirt that had "Juicy" written in cursive across the chest.

  Ellie is ridiculous. I need to stop thinking about her. And I need to bribe Eric to delete that video. She gave her head a shake to get back on point.

  "OK. We have a great understanding of the market and our audience. We still need a product. We'll make the rounds through some local microbreweries for sampling. The goal here is to figure out what we like and don't like in the product. We'll narrow it down to three breweries, and then go from there," she summarized.

  "It's beer, Matilda. Not a scientific experiment," Gary laughed. "Call it what it is. We're going out drinking."

  Matilda laughed. "Yeah, but it's drinking with a purpose!"

  "It's beer that someone else is buying! Free beer - the best kind of beer," Ellen chuckled.

  Everyone looked at Sam.

  "Don't look at me, I forgot my wallet," he said with his small smile.

  "I brought my corporate card," Ellen laughed.

  "Woo hoo! Ellen's buying the beer," Noah said. As they turned to walk out of the building, he threw an arm around Matilda's shoulders. "Where are we going, small fry?"

  Matilda glared at him.

  "Excuse me," Noah said formally. "Ms. Benton, where are we headed on this field trip?"

  She listed off three local breweries as he pulled his phone out of his pocket and continued walking with her.

  "What was the second one again?" He asked.

  "You don't need to look up directions, I know where we're going. We can walk to the first one, but we'll need to get rides to the second one," she clarified.

  "I'm not getting directions, beautiful. I'm texting the other brothers," he said.

  She glanced at him with raised eyebrows. "The other brothers?"

  "There are eight of us, after all. Only five are here. Plus Hank. Darla's probably going to join us, too. They'll head out when we find a place we like. It's beer. We're connoisseurs."

  "Thirteen of us drinking beer. That's just great," Matilda said.

  I should have suited up, she thought.

  ✽✽✽

  The first brewery was a bust. They didn't even finish the first round of beers. The place reeked of chemicals and the waitstaff was rude.

  Sam touched Matilda's hand as she was talking about brewing techniques. Matilda paused.

  "Even if this was the best beer in the world and the brewery wanted to sell it to me, I wouldn't buy it. This is not what I want. Let's go," he said quietly.

  ✽✽✽

  They had to get three Lyfts to fit everyone in cars to the second brewery. They tried two drafts at the second brewery. It was a nice place, the beer was good, but Sam looked confused.

  Matilda was surprised. This was Jake's project, but Sam was definitely driving the decisions. "What's wrong, Sam?"

  He frowned. "This is good, but this is not the type of place I was expecting."

  "We're looking to buy a beer, right? Not a bar?" she asked.

  Sam hesitated. "I don't know. I thought I was buying a beer, not a bar. But this isn't the kind of place I want to be associated with. It's too… hipster modern."

  Everyone laughed. The bar was very hipster. Matilda didn't mesh with the crowd. People were staring at her outfit like she was from Mars.

  "The beer is OK, but it doesn't feel right," Sam said.

  Matilda looked at Jake. He shrugged. "Midas is never wrong."

  "OK. Can we change plans?" Matilda asked the group at large. "There's a place I love. I'm not entirely sure the owner would sell the beer or the bar, but we'll have fun."

  "Let's do it, Pip!" Noah called.

  "Pip?" She asked.

  "Yeah, pipsqueak," he laughed.

  "Nope," Will said decidedly. "Not Pip. It can't be Pip."

  "No Pip? I kinda like it," Noah complained.

  "No Pip. Hard pass. Oldest brother veto rights. No Pip."

  Everyone started at William. It was the most Matilda had heard him say at once.

  "Why no Pip?" Noah pushed.

  "Because I said no," Will said.

  "But, why?"

  William glared at Noah. "Because. I. Said. So. Stop being a jackass. 'Pip' is already taken. Respect it, or I'll hurt you."

  "Well, OK then. No Pip," Noah backed down immediately.

  ✽✽✽

  The third place was an old-fashioned Irish pub, run by an old Irishman that loved Matilda. The customers were a mix of young and old, the food was great, and the pool tables were level.

  The group filed in, one at a time, with Matilda coming in second to last with just Noah behind her, holding the door.

  "Well, that's a crowd right there. You can just seat yourselves, we don't do that formal crap here," the old man behind the bar yelled.

  Sam turned to Matilda with a grin. "I love this place."

  "Me too," she said. "It's my favorite watering hole. He has all the beer staples, as well as two house brews. I'm somewhat doubtful he'll sell, but we'll see if it gets that far."

  Ethan and Jake pushed three tables together, making enough room for thirteen people to sit. Apparently, they were staying here for a bit.

  When the old man caught sight of tiny Matilda in the forest of giants, he yelled out, "Hey! It's my wee one! Matty my love, wha
t'reya doin with these big boys? Where's your Eleanor?"

  Matilda made her way to the bar and hopped on a stool to reach the old man for a hug. "Hi, Connor. Want to meet my friends?"

  "Well now, you know I do," he said as he threw open the hatch to the bar.

  Matty made a round of introductions. When she got to Noah, Conner raised his eyebrows at her. "That one's up to mischief."

  Matty laughed. "He's a terrible flirt, but harmless."

  Once introductions were done, Connor said. "Ya got too many chairs. We'll get them out of the way."

  "No, there are more people coming," Matilda smiled.

  "Oh, your Ellie girl?" He asked. Connor liked Ellie and Charlie, too.

  "No, more of these boys and their mother," she laughed.

  "Eh, good boys, drinking beer with their mama. There'll be no fighting in my bar over beautiful women, boys. I got five brothers of my own, I know how this goes," he said with a smile and a wink as the group laughed.

  "I'll pour some beers, but you come get 'em yourselves around here during the week. The girls only wait tables Thursday through Saturday and you won't be gettin no three tables on those days," he said with a wave as he made his way back to the bar.

  "He didn't take the beer orders," Ethan said.

  Sam laughed. "I think this is a 'you'll like what you get' kind of place."

  Noah, Jake, and Ethan ferried the beers from the bar to the table.

  Jake opened a tab and grabbed a menu. "Of course. It's all pub food. How is it that we didn't know about this place?"

  "Because you're no fun," Matilda said with a smirk.

  Jake quirked an eyebrow. "Is that a pair of pool tables in the back?"

  The table groaned.

  ✽✽✽

  By the time Darla and Adrian arrived, the group had moved back by the pool tables, and Matilda and Jake were full-on trash-talking each other.

  "You don't have that shot. There's no way. Just move my marker now. The game's mine," Jake said.

  Matilda dropped the ball in the pocket.

  Jake bent to make a shot. "Hey, nice ass," she said from directly behind him. He missed the cue ball.

  "She's way better at this than you," Adrian chuckled.