“I can,” I reply tensely, squeezing the steering wheel so hard my knuckles become pale peaks.
“When was that?” he asks absently, before realizing the answer and exhaling sharply. “Right. Sorry. I forgot. Should have remembered.”
“You’re a terrible twin,” I joke, because Stone is great and he knows it.
But still, my brother grimaces. “Guess I dropped the ball on that one. But to be fair, last time you were here, we were seniors in college, and that was over ten years ago.”
“Ithasbeen a long time.”
An uneasy silence ignites in the cabin until Stone nods toward my wrist. “Is that a new Rolex?”
He’s trying to change the subject, to get me to stop thinking about what happened back then. It works.
“Yes. A gift.”
“Oh? From whom?”
“Han Joon-Seok,” I say very slowly, pronouncing each syllable. Georgia is sweltering, especially in late summer. Even though the sun isn’t up yet, the outside temperature is still high, and the sticky humidity only makes it worse. I punch up the air and exhale as a cool blast hits me in the face. “The Korean businessman.”
“It’s a very nice watch,” Stone murmurs. “Why did he give it to you, exactly?”
I shift in my seat, settling back. “The hotel hosted his daughter’s wedding last month. Everything was smooth sailing until the groom’s ex-girlfriend showed up trying to crash the ceremony. We were able to get her out of the hotel before she could make a scene.”
Stone makes a sound of mock disapproval. “And all you got was a Rolex?”
He’s joking. It’s a big gift, obviously. But I can’t let this opportunity pass by. I drag my gaze away from the road to give him a pointed look. “The watch was hissecondoffer. His first was one of his Ferraris.”
Stone gulps. “And you didn’t take it?”
“Didn’t seem appropriate. I told him the Rolex was enough thanks.”
My brother tugs at his collar. “It does pay to be a Maddox.”
“That, it does.”
My brother settles back into the passenger seat and scrolls on his phone. After a few moments he comes out with, “Sylvia’s giving it to me, you know.”
Like hell she is.“Why would she give it to you, when you’ve been on the West Coast doing nothing? We both know that the East books more rooms, fills more restaurant seats. I’m the golden child here, the prodigal son.”
“You realize the prodigal son abandoned his family so that he could party his life away.”
“Only you would bring that up.” I glance over and we both laugh. If there’s one thing my twin and I are good at, it’s friendly ribbing—no harm intended and none taken. “The point is, when we see Mom, she’ll announce that she’s giving it to me.”
He throws his head back and chuckles. “Oh, how naive my twin can be.” Even I bark out a laugh at that. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you,littlebrother.”
I roll my eyes. “Five minutes does not a little brother make.”
“To me, it does,” he says in a chipper voice.
“Keep dreaming.” The laughter rumbling in my chest dies down, and I say, “How much farther is this airport?”
He checks his phone and, a moment later, comes back with, “Fifteen minutes out.”
“Good.”
“What? Too many cow pastures for you?”
“If I never see another one, I’ll be grateful.”
