I swallow hard, forcing a smile on my tight lips. “I’m going to grab another drink.”
As I walk away, my teeth are clenched. My fists are balled up. I want to punch someone, preferably my brother. I get to the bar, and I don’t even have to order anything. The bartender saw me coming a mile out and is setting down a drink the moment I walk up.
“Trouble in Paradise?” he asks.
I take a sip and hold it in my mouth for a moment, letting the bourbon burn my gums. Then I swallow. “Every day in Paradise is trouble.”
“You know what they say. The grass is always greener.”
Not a moment later, I feel Avery’s presence next to me.
“Correct me if I am wrong, but I sense you aren’t happy for me.”
“What the fuck are you doing?” I spit out.
“I was going to have a drink with my brother to celebrate my engagement, but he doesn’t seem to be in the mood.”
“You don’t love her.”
Avery looks at me, his cocky grin going slat.
“What the fuck do you know about love? What do either of us know about it? Nothing if you ask me.” Avery takes a sip of his drink and stares forward. “All I know is I didn’t come this far to gain nothing. I want it. I want all of it.”
“At the expense of marrying the wrong woman?” I ask.
Avery looks back over his shoulder at Zoe who is busy taking selfies and no doubt posting to every social media platform in existence.
“Take a look around you, Callum. We’re fucking rich. Disgustingly rich. Fucking hell. If I have to shovel down one more spoonful of caviar or pretend that a two hundred dollar cut of cold steak is good I’m going to puke. Don’t you ever wish you could just order some wings from some hole in the wall and watch a game? But no. We are at a country club with our deteriorating father trying to outperform each other in the hopes he’ll let us run his empire. I want it to be over so I can do what I want with it.”
“And what is it that you want to do with it?” I ask. I know full well he doesn’t care about the music. He never has. But he does like the money and the status, no matter what he says.
“Whatever requires the least effort from me. So don’t look so smug, Callum. I know Zoe isn’t exactly a diamond in the rough. But don’t parade around acting like you didn’t marry for convenience. Maybe everyone else believes you’ve been privately seeing each other and decided to quietly elope in Vegas but I call bullshit. You’re up to something and eventually I’ll figure out what it is. And when I do, our father will hear about it as well. And you will lose this game of chess once and for all.”
I open my mouth to say something when Amanda walks up with a smile. “Ready to go?” she asks. Honestly, the timing couldn’t be better. Because I am done talking to Avery.
He may be blood, but he is not my brother.
Chapter 21
Amanda
“Iwish I was Serena Van Der Woodsen,” Kate plops onto the couch next to me, with a bowl of white cheddar popcorn and a bottle of prosecco.
“Ew, why?” I ask, taking the bottle to open it for her. The glasses are sitting on my coffee table and next to it is a whole spread of snacks. Gossip Girl is paused on the screen. This is probably our sixth time watching it and, to be honest, I’m not really into it anymore. It’s more of a Kate thing than a me thing, but we’ve been watching reality shows while having a cheat day on whatever diet is also in at the time at least two Saturdays a month since middle school. The diet slash cheat day thing is also more of a Kate thing than a me thing.
“What do you mean, why?” she asks, popping two kernels into her mouth. “Her life is perfect and she’s gorgeous.”
I toss her a sideways glance and hand her a glass of wine. “Her life is far from perfect. I think that’s the entire point of the show. Also, I’m pretty sure this is one of those grass is greener scenarios. And in the world of Gossip Girl, the grass is astroturf.”
“God, you really are a Debbie Downer,” she laughs, taking the glass of wine and indulging in a large gulp.
“I’m not a downer. I’m a realist.”
“What’s the difference?” she asks with a nose crinkle. I match it, though not as naturally as she does. It’s more of a cringey grimace when I do it and we both know it. We laugh and take a sip.
Kate sighs and leans back into the couch, her shoulder against mine. “So, who would you be?” she asks.
“On this show? Nobody.”
