You guys still good with Lincoln? Archer showed up to apologize. He’s taking me to his parents’ house to explain the situation.
Gavin
You went?
Charlie
I don’t work today so I can hang out with Lincoln as long as you need. Don’t let him get away with anything. Say the word and I’ll be there to rip his nuts off and shove them down his throat.
I let out a snort of laughter, causing Archer to glance in my direction. I wave him off and look back at my phone.
Gavin
OUCH! That hurts me just thinking about it. I doubt that will be necessary.
Charlie
Phoebe will tell us what is necessary. You and your sensitive little boy parts can mind your own business, Gav.
Phoebe
I’ll let you guys know when I know more.
I close out of the messaging app and put my phone back in my pocket, making a point not to look at Archer again. If I look at him too long, I might do something stupid like beg him to marry me instead of the blonde bombshell who’s currently planning her wedding to him. And I refuse to stoop that low. I’m not that desperate. If he’d cheat on her with me, he’d cheat on me with someone else.
Before long, we’re pulling through a hideous golden gate into the circular drive of an obscenely large house on the north side of Westborough. This neighborhood is known for being one of the richest, and therefore best, in the city, but I can’t for the life of me figure out why. One look at this place and all I see is someone who’s trying to compensate for something.
“Ho-ly shit! Is that a gold fountain in the middle of the driveway?” I scoff in disbelief.
Archer’s grimace tells me everything. He’s embarrassed. If this were my parents’ house, I’d be embarrassed too.
“It’s gold-plated,” he says, “much to my mother’s chagrin. A recent addition to the property. Apparently, she wanted solid gold.”
I take in the monstrosity of a house, momentarily blinded by the sunlight glinting off what appears to be hundreds of gleaming windows. “The sex toy business must beamazing.”
“We do alright.” He shrugs and focuses his gaze on the hideous fountain. “From everything I’ve seen with our accounts, the business is doing better than it ever has since I took over last year. It’s funny, though. The pension my parents get is generous, but I never thought it was gold-plated -fountain-in-the-front-drive generous.”
“I’d say the evidence speaks for itself.”
“Hmmm.” Archer gives me a nod. “Shall we?”
Instead of answering, I open my door and get out of the vehicle. “If I’d known we were visiting Buckingham Palace, I’d have dressed a little nicer.” I pull my phone out and send a pin of my location to Gavin and Charlie, in case something happens. Rich people are weird and I want someone to come looking for me if I go missing in somehunting-the-poor-for-sportscenario. “So what do you expect will happen here?”
I’m walking behind him, his broad back blocking my view of the house while I take in the flowerbeds lining the driveway. I wonder how often their gardener tends them? Because they’re so lush, there’s no way they aren’t professionally maintained. I wonder how much something like that costs?
If this was the kind of money Archer comes from, it’s no wonder he was worried that’s what I was after. If a woman were so inclined, she could really cash in having a baby in this family.
He shrugs. “I expect to get some answers from my parents once and for all. I thought I’d have time to let my lawyer handle things, but it turns out we need answers sooner than that. I’m not losing you, Phoebe. Not again.”
“Archer. There you are. I’ve been calling you all afternoon.”
“Mother.”
I don’t even notice Archer has stopped walking until I slam right into his back and crumple awkwardly to the ground. “Ouch,” I yelp when my butt absorbs the impact. It’s a good thing I’m fortified with tequila, or that would have been way more painful.
“Shit, Phoebe. Are you alright?” He reaches a hand out to help me up from my new position on the ground, and the touch of his fingers sends a surprising riot of tingles up my arm. So surprising, in fact, I pull away and lose my balance, landing myself flat on my butt. Again.
I roll to my side and rub my hip where it connected with the cement of the driveway. “Whoops. Guess I had a little more tequila than I thought. Who knew I’d become such a lightweight in the last year, huh?”
