She turned to him, her dark eyes locked on his, all fire and rage.Shit. He didn’t have an answer; he never thought he would be in a position where he’d have to provide one.
“Oh, I justadoreCharlie,” Birdie crooned, oblivious. “He is such a darling. You three were just inseparable when you were at Columbia.”
Lizzy’s sharp smile fell.
“And his sister Annabelle, what a powerhouse. And such exceptional taste. I showed her that house and she signed the lease in twenty minutes. She just knew,” Birdie continued. “It’s too bad they had to leave the Hamptons early. How is Charlie doing, by the way?”
Lizzy’s eyes widened. Will could almost feel her questions forming as he answered, “Fine.”
“That’s good. I worry about him.” Birdie sighed dramatically. “Maybe he should join his sisters in Palm Springs. I hear that’s where Annabelle took their other sister to help her get over that nasty divorce.”
Lizzy leaned forward. “Why would Charlie—”
“Annabelle reminds me a lot of myself, you know,” Birdie interrupted, as if she hadn’t heard Lizzy at all. “I had just started Carrington Realty all on my own, you see, and within a year I had been on the cover ofRealtor Magazineand done an interview on CNBC. I was almost a judge onShark Tank! I had to turn them down, of course. My business was my top priority and it required just so much of my attention.”
The waiter returned with their drinks, and Will took a deep sip of his beer. It was going to be a long night.
“Lizzy, you said your last name was Bennet, right? Do you have a sister named Jane?” George asked. He was barely biting back a smile that told Will his friend knew exactly what he was doing.
Lizzy blinked, like she was as surprised by him remembering her surname as she was about him knowing about her sister. “Yes. My older sister.”
George smiled warmly. “How many sisters do you have?”
“Four.”
“Lucky you. I’m stuck with just one brother.”
Lizzy laughed. The sound was soft and warm, and Will hated the stab of jealousy that hit his chest at not being its recipient.
“Will is an only child,” Birdie interjected, her expression suddenly somber. “Which is why I’m so glad you boys all found one another. Especially after… well… you know what happened. Suffice to say, it was tragic.”
Will tensed as an uncomfortable hush fell over the table. He barely talked about his parents’ deaths with anyone, and he hated how Birdie would bring it up, alluding to it but never giving it any proper attention.
“You three have always looked out for one another,” she said, patting George’s hand. “There’s such value in friendships that stand the test of time. I like to think I would have stayed in touch with all my college girlfriends, but it’s just not the same for professional women. There are so many demands on us. Not that I’m complaining, of course. It’s such a blessing to be able to do what I do, but I have to admit,” she continued, turning to Lizzy, “I’m jealous of you being able to just work at your family bakery and never having to think about it.”
Beside him, Lizzy’s body went tense. Birdie had hit a nerve, but before he could discover what it was, George interceded.
“Did you always want to be part of the family’s business?” he asked.
Lizzy’s attention moved to him. He smiled at her encouragingly. Will took a deep sip of his beer.
“No,” she replied. “I’ve worked there since I was little, but I went to school to be a journalist. I wanted to travel and cover foreign affairs.”
Will paused. “A journalist?”
Her forehead furrowed when she noticed his expression. “Is that surprising?”
“No. I just had no idea you had…”
“Aspirations?” she said, her tone biting.
Will opened his mouth to reply, to challenge her assumption, but then his aunt was speaking again.
“Oh, I always fancied myself a bit of a writer. You should see my bio on my website. I even came up with our slogan, you know. ‘Carrington Realty—we care a ton.’ Catchy, right?”
Birdie continued with her monologue as the waiter reappeared and took their food order. Once he left, and Will had requested one of the specials he was sure he wouldn’t touch, the conversation flowed on. Birdie dominated it as always, but George was a good foil, asking questions about her business and her latest closings. Will tried to listen, but Lizzy’s proximity occupied too much of his attention. Even after the food arrived and their meal was finished, he couldn’t recall what he had eaten.
Once their plates were cleared, Birdie turned a smug grin to George.
