“And beyond that,” Mother said. “Georgina went to school with you at Prewit Academy.”
I stared at the woman a little harder this time. My private school had been rather small, and I knew everyone in my own grade. It took a moment to run through the list of names and faces, and as I came to the conclusion that Georgina was not among them, Mother trilled again.
“A few years behind you. Well, what was it, four?” Mother glanced at Georgina.
Georgina’s smile was shaky at best before she nodded and mumbled confirmation. God, but she was shy or uncomfortable. I should take pity on her and dominate the conversation as expected of a man. I should put the woman at ease, should show her I was safe, but I couldn’t. I was barely hanging in here on my own, so that drivel was lost tonight. I needed someone to putmeat ease. I wanted to be the one comforted, to be shown I was in good hands. As Asher had—
“Georgina’s mother is Sandra Barnett, the same Barnetts who own Barnett Industrial down south, and her father is Mayor Thompson.”
“Pleasant to formally make your acquaintance,” I said with a slight bow.
“Georgina was telling me the other night about a charity you participated in last year. She’s been dying to meet you ever since.”
I highly doubted that conversation had taken place. If I had to guess, I’d say Georgina’s mother mentioned her attending, and the pair contrived to push this match. The old money was there, and so was the pedigree. Georgina was perfect in my mother’s eyes. And though she might be attractive, she wasn’t as intriguing as Asher had been during a five-second encounter in a hallway outside the …
“Fuck me,” I mumbled.
Mother laughed, even as she pinched my arm. “What was that, dear?”
“Oh, my apologies. I just remembered a loose end I left at work.” I always had an excuse on hand, so the lie came easily.
Ash, Ashley, Asher, whoever, had been standing in front of the fucking men’s room when we first met. At the time, I’d assumed it was a simple mistake, and I’d caught her—him—just as she’d realized it. Fuck.Him.Him. Ashley was a fucking man.
Mother laughed again and this time placed a hand on Georgina’s arm. “These men and their work. It’s good for them to have a strong, reliant woman at their side to make sure they remember their heads every morning.” Mother laughed more. Georgina smiled and—tried to laugh? How could Mother think Georgina and I would make a good match? Or perhaps in Georgina, she found someone she could mold and control.
Regardless, I was done. “Excuse me, Mother.” I kissed her temple, then nodded to Georgina. “It was nice seeing you again.”I had to get away before the wrecked mess of my brain found a way to make a mess of everything else.
The wet bar called to me, and I pounded my feet across the hardwood to reach it, left the wine I still carried, and poured a scotch for myself.
Time. I needed time. The constructed life I’d made didn’t happen overnight. This setback was only that. I could survive this. I could remake my world the way it needed to be.
Did I want to?
Did it matter what I wanted?
My family, my wealth, my reputation, my entire life was built on how it should be, howIshould be. That wouldn’t crumble with one wrong turn. I’d resumed course as quickly as possible. I’d left that exit in my rearview. Asher was just some kid playing a lark, and I was absolutely not gay.
“That bad?” William asked just behind my shoulder.
“Yes.” Yes, it was all shit, everything.
William clinked his glass against mine. “You go to the car auction this morning? Lose out on something you had your hopes on?” He grinned with the question.
“No. I didn’t go. Wasn’t feeling great.” The car collection was something of a side venture I’d done on my own. Though owned by the Dorset Family Trust, I considered it mine. However, today, I was not in the right frame of mind to grow that investment.
“It’s time we went out.”
I glared his way. Going out was usually some private club or nightclub. I wasn’t fond of either. I could drink better wine and spirits at home, and I didn’t have to pretend there.
“Maybe,” I said.
“Don’t act so excited.”
His charming grin worked into my brain, and I breathed slowly and deeply.
“Aren’t we too old for that?” I asked. The members-only clubs usually catered to an older crowd, one that could afford the fees, but with the sly expression spreading into his eyes, that wasn’t where he wanted to go.
William was the type of man I’d aspired to be years ago, before I became so jaded with the life my parents wanted for me. He was rich, nice-looking, and played right into their wills by acting the charming suitor to the women they threw at him, all while being the scoundrel in his own time.
