The door opens to sweeping panoramic views of the entire Gold Coast skyline. The glass towers, the beach, the ocean. I drop the bags on the marbled floor and rush over to the floor-to-ceiling windows to get a better look.
"Holy fucking shit. This is so rad."
Anson sidles up beside me. "It is pretty spectacular."
"And you live here?"
I tear my eyes away from the breathtaking view and take in the equally impressive surroundings. The living room alone is twice the size of my apartment, and holy shit, there's a sparkling blue infinity pool out on the balcony that's also twice the size of my apartment.
He chuckles, just once, but it's enough. The low, grumbly sound vibrates straight through my chest. "I do. What's with the bags?"
"Oh, these." I walk back to retrieve them. "Thought we could watch something and have some food."
He frowns. Likely confused.
Good.
My plan is working.
Robbie said it might take a few attempts to actually get Anson into the gym. That he's a little out of shape and self-conscious about it while also too proud to admit it out loud.
I need to earn Anson's trust. So that's exactly what I intend on doing.
"I'm not sure I follow."
I lift the bag in my left hand. "KFC." Next, my right. "Killer Thai. If you choose the food, I have to warn you you'll forfeit remote control rights, and I amobsessedwith this amazing anime series."
3
Anson
What the hell is going on here?
I've never had a personal trainer before, but I'm pretty sure they're meant to, you know,traina person, not offer up fast food and threaten loss of remote control privileges.
Then again, he is Robbie's brother, so shame on me for expecting him to be conventional.
"Thai," I reply slowly.
Jarvis nods and hands me the Thai takeout bag. "Very well. Have you ever watchedJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure?"
"Can't say that I have."
"Awesome. You are going to love it." He glances around the room. "Now, do you, like, have a butler, or do we need to plate up ourselves?"
I chew the green chicken curry, discreetly glancing between the action ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureunfolding on the giant flat screen in front of me and the real-life bizarre adventure currently sitting a few feet away from me on the sofa.
I rewind my memory to when Robbie stopped by last week and play it back. I was sober, so I definitely recall him asking for a favor to help his brother who was lacking self-confidence.
He must have a secret brother I don't know about because nothing about Jarvis suggests he lacks self-confidence. He's tucking into his Pad Thai, transfixed by the TV, which gives me a convenient excuse to properly take him in.
He's got a solid build, like someone who played football in their younger years. Not that he's not still in his younger years. I know he's only a few years older than Robbie. His face is boyishly cute, smooth skin, eyes a few shades lighter blue than his brother's, with a lopsided, mischievous grin I've already seen several times despite meeting him less than half an hour ago.
"Watch this next bit," he says without taking his eyes off the screen. "It's fucking rad."
I haven't watched cartoons since I was a kid, but I manage a couple of appreciative hums just the same since he seems to be very into it. By the time the episode ends, we've finished our food, but I'm still no clearer on what we're actually doing.
Jarvis turns the television off. "So, what did you think?"