THE BUSINESS OF LOVERS

An out-of-work project manager and his two brothers are broke and brokenhearted in Los Angeles—until a trio of sex workers offers him a way to help his whole family.

A “pace of asses” is what Brick jokingly calls them. But the three women he works with—Penny, Christiana, and Mocha Latte—are sophisticated, well educated, and down on their luck thanks to bad jobs and worse relationships. He’s initially hired to serve as their chauffeur, but soon their high-end female clients invite him inside for more. These high-powered women have deep pockets and deep emotional issues to match, but Brick seems to enjoy giving them the boyfriend experience. He’s out of work after a bout with cancer, and he’d also like to help out his brother Dwayne, whose kid and ex-girlfriend are struggling too. Dwayne is a fairly successful stage actor, but after hitting a rough patch he’s behind on his child support payments, and his ex-girlfriend won’t let him forget it. Their other brother, André, meanwhile, has managed to turn his unfortunate run-ins with the cops (and other hazards of being black in America) into a popular comedy routine. The brothers see LA from all angles, from its high-end hotels to its neglected homeless population. An education alone can’t guarantee survival in California’s unforgiving real estate market, especially not for people of color. But love can help (or hurt) their chances, and when it goes wrong, as Dwayne’s ex observes, “Love spares no one. We all pay.” Brick’s neighborhood is also home to fictional bill collector Ken Swift, and here Dickey (Before We Were Wicked, 2019, etc.) has left an Easter egg for readers to find.

In this sensual road trip across LA there are deep conversations, adult situations, and a sweet love story at every turn.