Crap.
Missed something.
“You can’t control what your sister does, but you can be there for her to offer perspective when she’s ready to hear it,” I say.
“That’s whyyouneed to talk to her. Oldest daughter to oldest daughter.”
Ah.
That’s what I missed.
“I can try, but Daph, our parents weren’t exactly running a multi-billion-dollar international corporation when they died… What Margot wants isn’t what I might want. Or even need.”
“Being rich doesn’t mean you shouldn’t want love above all else. And there’s no fucking way Oliver can love her the way she deserves to be loved.”
Fair enough. “Okay. When do you want me to talk to her?”
“We have a few weeks until the dumbass gets out of prison.”
“Think she’ll come visit again?” It’s unlikely, and I know it. I moved in with Daphne four months ago, and last weekend was the first time I’ve seen Margot since.
So I’m not surprised when Daphne shakes her head. “We’ll video call. Or—when’s Griff in New York next?”
“September,” Hudson answers instantly, which I knew too. We both know when we’re going to see him play locally.
Daphne wrinkles her nose.
“Maybe Simon needs to take Bea to the city,” my brother adds.
“We’re just friends,” I say.
Both of them stare at me.
And then both of them look pointedly at my knees.
I really thought I got all of the grass stains off in the shower last night.
Clearly not.
“Friends who do…friend…things,” I add.
Daphne cracks up.
Hudson grunts.
And my phone dings.
All three of us dive for it where it’s sitting in the little corner of the kitchen where mail and phone chargers pile up.
Hudson gets there first, and he uses his height and his stupid inherent male strength to keep my phone out of my reach while he reads the text message in a terrible British accent.
“Would you like to accompany my children and me on the paddleboats at the lake after I’ve completed my writing on thisterribly slow computer for the day? The boats are built for four, and I fear we should turn in circles were there only three of us.”
“Physics was never my favorite, but even I know that’s not how those paddleboats work,” Daphne says. “They don’t actually need you.”
“You should go with Simon,” Hudson says. “Jake’s restaurant keeps selling out because not enough people know he’s terrible. So use Simon’s star power to pull in customers for the burger bus.”
“Jake’s restaurant is brand-new and everyone’s still curious,” Daphne says. “He might be able to move real estate, but I don’t think he has the chops for the restaurant world. It won’t last another month. Meanwhile, Bea had a stellar sales day yesterday.”
