She makes a disbelieving face. "You meanyourinterests."
"The family," he insists. "I'm planning to look into Cecily's husband, too."
Cecily sputters. "You're looking into Dom?"
"For the same reason," Duke defends. "You and Kerrigan bop around like there isn't a family to protect."
"I do not bop," Kerrigan argues, but only half-heartedly. I barely know Kerrigan, but bopping feels like the right word to describe how she lives.
"Fuck you for looking into Dom," Cecily snarls. Hackles up, claws out.For me?
"Fuck you for not thinking about this family before bringing a random person into it." Duke's eyes blaze, but behind the fire, there's hurt. "Fuck you for not thinking about this familyever."
Rainbow, looking as if she might regret saying yes to this job, chooses this moment to say, "Please remember how important it is to your grandmother's health that we be as stress free as possible."
Cecily's head rears back. "Says the interloper who chided us for not looking at the binder when she just as easily could have told us what we're doing tomorrow."
"Enough," Ophelia barks. Palms flat on the table to steady herself, she pushes to standing. "Read the binder, you entitled bunch of assholes. Read the fucking binder. And when you're done, I expect you to get your act together."
Rainbow is already up, a cupped hand on Ophelia's elbow. Ophelia shakes her off. I cannot tell whether she does not need, or does not want, the assistance.
Ophelia stands tall, chin regal, and says, "I did not expect better from any of you."
Savage.
Everyone stays silent as Grandma sweeps from the dining room, Rainbow in tow.
After a moment, Duke says, "I didn't mean to offend you, Dom. There are certain responsibilities that come with family wealth. Managing it, and the like."
I wave off his apology. I don't care that he plans to look into me. I'm a literary agent who lives in an apartment the size of a shoebox. I drink black coffee, buy my lunch from street vendors, and I haven't been on a date since the disastrous one with his sister. There's nothing to find.
Duke looks tired. Exhausted, actually, and I find I feel bad for the guy. I've never been responsible for generational wealth. I don't know what kind of pressure or resentment that brings. Maybe that's why Cecily's dad is the way he is. Years upon years of pressure, chipping away at his civility, his familial tenderness.
Not an excuse, of course, but a reason. People usually have one.
Cecily turns to me. "Are you done? Unless you'd like dessert or more to drink, I'd like to leave."
"I'm all set," I respond, placing my napkin beside my plate. I get up first, pulling Cecily's chair back for her as she stands.
"I suppose I'll see you all tomorrow, for whatever it is Grandma has planned," Cecily addresses her family. Kerrigan blows her a kiss, her mother waves, and Duke and Glenn dip their heads at her.
If Cecily is hurt by Duke's harsh assessment, she doesn't say on our walk back to our casita. It isn't until I'm turning the key in the lock that Cecily says, "At dinner Kerrigan pointed out that we aren't affectionate. She called us 'hands-off' newlyweds."
I push open the door, allowing Cecily to step in before me. "What do you think about that?"
Cecily collapses onto the bed, her gaze stuck on the ceiling. "If that dingbat sister of mine noticed, then so did my grandma."
I'm toeing off my shoes, depositing my wallet and lip balm on the nightstand. "And how did you feel about that?" I sound like a tired therapist falling back on the most basic question.
Cecily massages her knuckles over her eyebrows. "I don't really know. A lot was said, or not said, or intimated, at dinner. It's hard to pick one topic to turn my attention to first." As if she's thought of something, she sits up. "I'm sorry about Duke. I don't know what's wrong with him, other than that he's turning into my dad."
I'm dying to take a hot shower and trade these jeans for sweats, but Cecily has an air of fragility about her right now, and it's becoming increasingly obvious the glimpse of it is rare. There will be no hot shower, or comfortable clothing. Cecily needs me.
"I think," I start, taking a place on the bed across from her, "that Duke feels he's solely responsible for the continuation and future success of the Hampton family, and its business interests. Something like looking into someone, which sounds insane to the common individual, to Duke feels normal in the course of life. To him, it's simple due diligence. Ifthis, thenthat."
Cecily nods like she's considering. "Like,ifhe found something,thenhe'd reveal it and provide grounds for an annulment."
"Exactly."
