Her Billion Dollar Man

“Hello,” he was dressed in expensive denims and a black and white shirt that obviously cost a fortune. He was incredibly s*xy and she felt her blood quickening. “You said you were bringing someone Ty but I had no idea it would be Debra.” He took in her attire, his eyes lingering on her bosom. “Would you like the tour?”

“I will take her myself,” Tyler told him furiously, holding on to her tighter.

“Why don’t you both take me?” Debra wanted to avoid the conflict between the two brothers.

“Good idea,” Derek sent her an appreciative smile and taking her other arm led the way, not giving a damn that Tyler was silently fuming.

He introduced her to some of the artists there and she found herself talking and laughing with them and not in the least bit intimidated as she thought she would be.

“I am doing a song for the group over there,” he nodded at a famous boy band that were laughing and jesting with a solo artist. “I am yet to get to the second verse,” he added wryly. “Would you like something to drink?”

She nodded.

“Ty would you mind getting Debra something to drink please?” he turned to his brother who had been silent all along.

Tyler opened his mouth to say no but she looked at him and with a careless shrug he went away.

“I think my brother thinks I am honing in on his date.” Derek said wryly as he watched him weave his way through the crowd and saw that he was stopped by people he knew.

“I am not his date,” she told him firmly. “I made that very clear to him. He just wanted to show up with someone he is familiar with.”

“And he chose you. I wonder why,” he turned and looked down at her. Even in her heels she was not in line with him, she only came to his chin.

“Maybe because I treat him like a person.” She was starting to feel uncomfortable due to his nearness.

“Are you saying I don’t?” he lifted one thick brow at her, his eyes searching her exquisite face. He was glad his brother had invited her because he had wanted to see her again.

“I am not saying that,” she shook her head and tore her eyes away from him. She was suddenly wishing that Tyler would hurry and come back.

“My brother has it easy Debra and he does not appreciate it.” Derek said grimly. “I work my butt off to make sure of that and it does not matter to him one bit. I have stopped trying to please him. We both lost our parents and he is behaving as if he is the only one suffering from that loss.”

“I think it impresses you more when you are younger,” she murmured.

He looked at her quickly. “How old were you?”

“I was eight and my mother loaded herself with drugs because she was tired of living,” she told him coolly. “I never knew my father and I grew up in a group home after that.”
He looked at her in silence and before he could say anything more his brother came back with a waiter in tow. At the same time someone called out to Derek and he had to leave. “We will talk,” he told her briefly before leaving.

“What was that about?” Tyler looked at her curiously.

“We were just exchanging sad stories,” Debra told him cheerfully. “Come on, let’s go and have some fun!”

And she did! She never get the chance to speak to him again because he was busy entertaining and in the end he performed and she stood there mesmerized by the performance he gave. She told Tyler she was leaving when she saw that it was almost eleven and even though he protested she still did. “Thanks for a very memorable night Tyler, I will never forget it.” She told him giving his hand a squeeze.

“I am glad you came,” he told her sincerely.

“See you tomorrow,” she told him and left.

Derek looked around and saw his brother standing by the entrance and did not see her and he suspected she had left. He had wanted to go back and be with her and his brother be damned but he had been hemmed in for the entire time and he had left it too late but he fully intended to see her again.

*****

Debra undressed slowly, hung up the dress carefully and slipped out of the shoes. She had enjoyed the night and she had never thought she would. She had watched Derek as he performed and had felt drawn to him. She had heard his singing with the songs he had written and had thought they had a touch of sadness to them as if he was lost somewhere in his heart and had felt as if she related. He was handsome and she knew he could have any woman he wanted and probably did, so thinking about him in that manner was very foolish.

*****

She woke up late. Her little apartment had a small balcony and she had planted some tomatoes and some lettuce which had started sprouting so she had taken to watering them each morning and each night before she went to bed.

When she opened her eyes she squinted as the sun came through the blinds causing her to blink. She rolled off the bed and went into her kitchenette to make herself a cup of coffee to wake up fully. She had it planned: she was going to do the laundry and then she was going to clean the apartment before going over to the center. On Sundays, she went there in the afternoons because she had things to prepare before she went back to work the next day.

She had just finished drinking her coffee when her phone rang. “Hello?” she answered not recognizing the number.

“We left things unfinished last night.” The voice said. She frowned a little bit, the deep voice sounded a bit familiar.

“Who is this?”

“Ouch! You are not very good for my ego are you? It’s Derek Mitchell, brother to Tyler Mitchell. I stole your number out of his contact list.”

“Hi Derek, is something wrong with Tyler?” she asked him.