“Yes.”
“And?”
“And nothing,” I said curtly. “I thought you might be speaking to your camera, but in any event, would it help if I told you I didn’t think it was a good idea to go out again?”
Winnie rolled her eyes dramatically. “I cannot sit in this hotel room for a whole night. Chicago nightlife is trending right now and I’m already missing out on content.”
Content.
Frustration surged through me so intense that I almost screamed.How can she even be thinking about that right now?
Jesse and our father had been in that office for several minutes now, talking about something that almost certainly involved us—or at leasther. My stomach twisted a little, nerves fluttering through me.
It had to be about him and Winnie.
What else could it be about? But then, what would’ve brought him to our hotel in the evening and necessitated stopping in the bar rather than just coming straight upstairs?
Meanwhile, I was also trying very hard not to think about the drink we’d had together downstairs, but my brain kept replaying every minute of our interaction anyway. Jesse had been perhaps the first man ever who’d taken enough notice of me to see, within seconds, that the drink was too strong and not nearly sweet enough.
He’d also listened so carefully when I spoke, like what I was saying actually mattered. That was a rarity for me as well, but then, of course, he’d told me that he’d come here to speak to my father and I still didn’t know why.
It was really gnawing at me, but before I could spiral too far into speculation, the office door opened. Jesse stepped out first and Father followed, walking him to the door leading to the hallway. They shook hands and nodded at one another.
It was painfully formal, but it also looked serious, a suspicion which wasn’t tempered at all by the fact that my father was holding a folder. Winnie straightened slowly. She must’ve noticed it too, her eyes lighting up with unmistakable interest. She even paused the lip gloss application process she’d been embroiled in before they’d appeared.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, practically vibrating as she leaned toward me. “Do you think that’s it?”
Jesse glanced across the room, but instead of looking at her, his eyes landed onme. More than that, like the absolute menace he was, hewinkedbefore he turned back to my dad.
Heat rushed straight into my face at an alarming speed. Again.Good heavens, I’m becoming embarrassingly predictable.
Jesse turned his focus back to Dad. He gave him a polite nod before turning to the door as Dad opened it. “We’ll look forward to hearing from you, Mr. Roderick.”
“We won’t keep you waiting long,” Dad replied crisply. “Good evening, Jesse.”
“Good evening, sir.”
With that, he was gone, disappearing into the hallway without a backward glance. Winnie tracked his exit like a hawk watching prey. The moment the door closed behind him, she spun toward our father.
“Is that the marriage contract and the prenup?” she demanded in a tone that made her sound like she was foaming at the mouth. “Oh my God. It is, isn’t it? How much are they offering me?”
Dad blinked hard. “Excuse me?”
“The folder,” Winnie said impatiently, pointing. “Is that it? Please tell me that’s the prenup. I need to see the numbers. Also, we should talk about filming rights for the wedding because I’ve already spoken to my media manager again.”
She looked genuinely thrilled, like Christmas morning had arrived early, but my dad only stared at her for a beat. Then he cleared his throat and turned to me. “Eliza, may I speak with you in private for a moment?”
Winnie made an exaggerated gagging sound. “Oh, come on. What now?”
“Of course.” I frowned, ignoring her theatrics and following my father into the little office.
As I entered, Winnie flopped dramatically back down on the couch, calling after us. “If this is about the wedding aesthetic, I’m telling you now that beige isnothappening.”
Dad snapped the door shut behind us, sighing before he shook his head and waved me into a chair. I took it, perching primly at the very edge as I watched him move around the desk and set the folder down.
“The Westwoods have changed their minds,” he said without any preamble.
For a moment, I didn’t understand what he meant.What have they changed their minds about?
