“You have no idea.”
A tiny seed of hope started sprouting in my chest. “What about the media?”
“They’re currently less interested in Zach’s prior relationship with the heiress and more interested in you being perpetually single. Again.”
I groaned. “That’s fantastic. I love that narrative for me.”
“It’s a popular one.”
“Yeah, but it’s not an accurate portrayal anymore and it’s definitely not going to help me convince Jacque that I’m serious about her.”
Unfortunately for me, Alex didn’t argue, which meant that he knew I was right. Which really, truly sucked for me, because neither of us could stop the press from reporting what they were, but while they were getting so excited about me being single again, Jacque would keep reading all about me as a playboy.
Naturally, that would only serve to reaffirm a belief she already held. A belief she was already clinging to like dry grass to a wool blanket.
“What do I do?” I asked, figuring I might as well use our bizarre moment of emotional availability to get some advice from my happily married big brother.
Alex stared straight ahead of him, like Cameron inspecting a seed or maybe an ant was the most interesting thing he’d ever seen, but I also saw the thoughtful furrow of his brow. Eventually, he sighed and glanced at me again.
“Look, I won’t lie. The narrative as they’re spinning it right now helps Zach, but they’re going to keep spinning it for the timebeing anyway. At least until you give them a reason to talk about something else, but either way, the attention is on you.”
“Yay.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I know, but the point is that they can rehash everything you did years ago until they’re blue in the face. As long as you don’t give Jacque anynewreasons not to trust that you’ve changed, she should see that all they’re doing is peddling old bullshit.”
My eyebrows slowly crept up. “So all I have to do is keep it my pants?”
“It’s that simple.” He suddenly laughed before he sighed. “Ifthat’s simple for you, that is, but sure. If you can manage to keep it in your pants and shift their focus to your newfound responsibilities as COO, then she shouldn’t have reason to doubt your word.”
“What do you meanif?” I huffed out a breath. “Obviously, I can keep it in my pants. I’m not an animal. How do I make them report boring things about me being a COO instead?”
“There’s a party in New York this weekend,” Alex said. “Start there. W&S has to go, but I can’t be there to represent the company. Nate offered. He thought he and Kate could make a weekend of it to go see her parents, but they could do that anyway. You should go.”
I frowned, waiting for the speech that usually followed an invite like this. The lecture about being on my best behavior. The reminders that I would be representing the family and ,as such, I should try not to embarrass us or not to get arrested, but he didn’t say anything else.
Instead, he just kept staring at Cameron and I straightened up a little. “Wait, that’s it? There’s not going to be a lecture?”
“Nope. No lecture.” He shook his head. “Will and Eliza will be arriving soon for the Gala. By the time you get back, everyonewill be here, so all I’m going to say is try to come home well rested enough for the full family reunion.”
I nodded. “Yeah, alright. I’ll go. I could use the break.”
“Attaboy.” Alex seemed genuinely relieved, exhaling a heavy breath before he stood and jerked his head toward Cameron. “Come on. We should slowly start making our way home before it gets dark, and before he realizes what we’re up to. He’s never quite ready to go home yet.”
I chuckled, but honestly, it felt good to talk to Alex like this. To be included in his little family’s life in a way that felt normal, and it really helped to know that Little J would also be here by the time I got back from New York.
A few days later, I was at the party, apparently celebrating some big company’s new director. They did business with W&S, and although I didn’t know anyone here, I was doing my best to fit in, network, and play my part.
The venue Alex had sent me to had low lighting, expensive finishes, and a bar that stretched along one entire wall. I leaned against the counter, nursing a drink while I took a short break from making random small talk.
“Another?” the bartender asked when he’d circled back around to me.
I glanced down at my glass, realizing I’d need a refill soon after I got back out there anyway. “Yeah. Why not?”
He slid a fresh one my way and I nodded my thanks, leaving it where it was for now as I scanned the room, intent on choosing my next victim. It was a good crowd, every single person in here well connected.
A beautiful woman sliding into the spot next to me at the counter interrupted my focus for a minute. I glanced at her, not surprised that she was exactly the type I’d have taken back to my hotel room mere months ago, a blonde with striking features and legs that were at least two miles long.
Obviously, the universe was trying to tempt me, but I barely even looked at her. Or the friends standing right behind her. I just wasn’t interested.
