“Did you forget …” I start, expecting to see Ant. But it’s my mother and Warren.
“Lili, we need to talk to you,” Warren barks. There’s no mention of Ant, and it’s obvious they’ve been watching and seen him leave.
I’d like to sayrequest deniedand close the door, but you don’t overcome a lifetime of training in a couple of days, so I stand back and allow them in, pulling the robe I threw on to answer the door tighter around myself, painfully aware I’m naked beneath it.
Warren looks smug and Mum looks nervous as I offer them water and we sit awkwardly at the dining table. From her seat, Mum can see across the apartment through the open door of the bedroom to the unmade bed. Pillows are strewn everywhere, and the covers look like they’ve been caught in a tornado. She purses her lips and her cheeks flood with colour.
“Perhaps you should put on something more appropriate?” Warren suggests as though being caught in your bathrobe in your own hotel suite is somehow scandalous.
I throw on underwear and a sundress and clean my teeth as quickly as possible and rejoin them, eager to get them out of my space. I pick up my glass and move to stand on the other side of the kitchen counter, subconsciously putting a barrier between us.
“We’ve come to give you information that you need to hear. Ant Stevens is not who you think he is.” Warren’s whole demeanour is so self-righteous; I’d like to slap his face.
“Is that so?” I guess he’s finally googled Ant.
Mum nods miserably.
“We had been hoping you’d come to your senses and realise Anthony is not an appropriate choice of partner,” Warren starts in his best pompous, scolding tone.
“Antony,” I correct him.
He huffs and rolls his eyes.
“But it appears we overestimated your good sense. It has come to light that Anthony Stevens is not what he seems. He’s a liar. He may have told you he’s a barista, but he is, in fact, the owner of Beach Road Boards. And of the chain of coffee shops known as North of the Bridge Beans.”
“I’m aware,” I say, taking a sip of water. If he thinks telling me Ant has lied to me will break us up, he’s got another thing coming.
Warren looks momentarily surprised. He wasn’t expecting that. But he recovers quickly, exchanging a dark look with my mother before continuing.
“Furthermore, he has been seeking a capital investment in order to grow both businesses.”
Warren leans back in his chair and crosses his arms with a look that screamsgottcha.
“What do you mean?” I’m not normally dense, but I can’t quite piece together where he’s going with this.
“What I’m telling you is, the man lied to you. I had my doubts from the outset as to what a man like him would want with a woman like you. Now it’s clear.”
“It is?” Not to me. Especially when they don’t even know it was all fake. And my idea.
“Clearly, he wanted access to me. He wanted to ingratiate himself with the family in the hopes I would recommend that the firm invest in his business.”
None of this makes sense. If Ant wanted access to Warren, why has he avoided him? Encouraged me not to give in to their expectations? Stood up to him, however politely, when he crossed a line?
“That makes no sense. I don’t think I’ve ever even told Ant what you do.”
Which is a concept Warren, who thinks the whole world revolves around him, would not understand.
Warren scoffs. Mum continues to stare, silent and miserable, at where her glass is dripping condensation on the tabletop.
“Don’t be so naïve. I’m well known in investment circles. He did his research and worked out a plan to get to me. And he used you to do it.”
The wordsused mestand out. Circling. Have I been deluding myself?
I find my voice, but it’s weak, unsure. “So, there’s no universe in which Ant might be interested in me for … me?”
Warren’s voice distorts like a slowed-down recording as he continues to dismantle my hard-won confidence brick by brick. “Anthony Stevens is a good-looking man. A surfer. He no doubt spends his time surrounded by beautiful women in bikinis. Are you honestly stupid enough not to understand that sex is on tap for him? What could he possibly want with you?”
Warren must see something in my expression because he barks out a laugh.
