These days, it was quieter than it had been growing up. Emptier too.
Only Zach and Theo still lived here now that dear old dad had officially retired to play pickleball and go to bed at seven in the Maldives. Honestly, I was grateful he wasn’t here. He didn’t need to see this.
Rain hammered against the windows as I guided Jacque through the front hall and into the dining room, my hand hovering at her back, but I wasn’t touching her because I wasn’t sure I was allowed to right now. Everything felt different now, like that article had opened up a canyon between us and I didn’t know how to cross it.
Alex and Nate were already there when we walked in. Zach, too. He was the only one sitting, slouched slightly at the end of the table with his attention locked on his phone like it might swallow him whole.
“Theo had to make a stop, but he’s on his way,” Alex said as soon as we arrived. He didn’t waste time with pleasantriesbefore he was glancing at Nate. “Are Charlotte and Will on the call yet?”
I followed his line of sight to Nate’s phone sitting in the center of the table, the speaker on. Charlotte spoke up first. “I’m here, Alex. So is Trent.”
“Yeah, me and Eliza too,” Will said next.
“Alright,” Alex said slowly. “We’ll catch Theo up when he gets here, but this part doesn’t really concern him.”
I pulled out a chair for Jacque but remained standing myself. “What part?”
“What’s going to happen now,” Alex said. His eyes flicked to Zach for a second, but he still hadn’t even looked up. “Nothing. That’s what’s happening. Are we clear?”
Nate’s head snapped toward him. “What?”
I almost laughed, but not because it was funny. It was crazy. “Excuse me? We’re doing nothing? How is that a solution?”
“We’re doing nothing,” Alex repeated. “This gets brushed under the rug until it blows over.” He pointed directly at me then, completely unflinching. “Except for you. You need to be engaged. Now.”
Jacque jumped a little in her chair, her head tilting slightly, and I resisted the very strong urge to scoff. Her tone was measured when she spoke, though. Way more polite than I would’ve been. “How would that be helpful?”
“Jacqueline is a normal person,” he said, gesturing vaguely toward her before backtracking almost immediately. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it as an insult.”
“I understand what you meant,” she said smoothly, her voice so lyrical that it could probably win wars. “You need a true love story to spin.”
Instantly, I felt that sharp, involuntary reaction deep in my soul that I’d been trying to ignore since she’d walked into my life.Alex just nodded, though. Like all of this was inconsequential except for the optics.
“I do,” he said. “We do.”
I pressed my lips together, my attention drifting back to Zach. He hadn’t said a word yet, just reading that awful motherfucking article until he slowly stood up and walked out. He didn’t say where he was going or even excuse himself, just pushing his chair back and leaving.
“Zach—” Alex started.
“Let him go,” Nate murmured quietly.
Alex hesitated, then stopped and closed his eyes, swiping a hand over his face while Nate slammed back in his chair. That was when it hit me like a bat between the eyes. “Wait a second. No one told him this was happening?”
Alex’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t know it would be leaked to the press.”
I let out a loud, bitter laugh. “Obviously, because things like this always stay contained. Holy fuck, man. You just let this hit him completely out of the blue?”
“I’ll didn’tletanything happen,” Alex snapped, but Jacque shifted again, her attention back on Alex.
Her features were sharp, but her expression was calm. I supposed out of all of us, she was the most used to this kind of thing. Right now, she was a lawyer, asking the questions no one really wanted to answer, but that needed to be addressed anyway.
“What exactly is happening?” she asked. “I understand the optics and the strategy, but how exactly was Zach involved?”
Nate leaned back, watching Alex like he was waiting to see how much he’d actually say. The phone on the table crackled faintly again, like someone on the other end was moving closer to listen.
Alex looked at Jacque, then at me, then toward the door Zach had just walked through, and for the first time in a long time, it didn’t look like he was entirely in control of the situation anymore.
“Adeline’s family is like ours, but even more old school,” he finally started after a long pause. “The marriages they arrange are hardcore business. Age doesn’t matter and neither does religious belief or any other personal values. The only thing that matters is the deal.”