Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Hey, man,” I said finally, releasing my anger.
As much as I hated him, I was not risking this chance with Katherine.
Penn startled, as if surprised that I’d said anything else to him. That I’d said something pleasant and not bitten his head off was even more of a shock.
“Uh, hey…” Penn said.
His eyes darted to Katherine’s, and he raised his eyebrows in confusion.
She shook her head, just barely perceptible.
Court stood next to me, his mouth hanging open. Then he shook himself out of it and held his hand out to his brother. “Hey, bro.”
“Court.”
“Where’s Natalie?” Court asked.
Thank fuck for Court Kensington. Way to bring everyone back to the real matter at hand. Penn was married. To Katherine’s enemy.
“She’s back at the bar with Addie and Nicholas,” Penn said, pointing across the property. “They’ve abandoned Lewis and Rowe. I was coming to check on you all.”
Because he couldn’t do it with his wife in tow. There was a schism in their crew. Natalie had broken something that had been impenetrable for decades. I wasn’t saddened by it.
“We’ll come over later,” Lark told him quickly.
Katherine nodded. “I want to see Rowe in board shorts. He hates them.”
Penn laughed, clearly forgetting for a moment that I hovered over them. “He really does, but it’s too hot for pants.” He shrugged. “I’ll catch you later.” He nodded to the girls and his brother, skipping right over me before disappearing the way he’d come.
Good riddance.
Court jerked me back from Katherine, who shot me a small smile. It felt like a victory. Even if it tasted like ash.
We headed a few feet away. Not quite back to Sam and Gavin, but far enough away from the girls. Court’s gaze was skeptical. Even more so than the surprise his brother had given me.
“Okay. Who are you, and what have you done with Camden Percy?”
“Very funny,” I said dryly.
“No, seriously. Did you just say something nice to Penn?”
“I said something neutral.”
Court shook his head. “When have you ever been neutral with my brother?”
“I’m not,” I said darkly. “It took all my self-control not to call him the bitch that he is.”
Court snorted. “Well, I can’t really deny that. He’s family, but god, does he know how to brood.” He eyed me again. “I didn’t know you had said self-control.”
“How do you think I survive a boardroom?”
“Fair,” he said. “I’ve never known you to use it outside of that. Does this have something to do with the business?”
“No.” Then I relented, bringing Court in on my plans. “Katherine and I have… an arrangement.”
“Well aware of that one.”
“A new arrangement,” I told him. “We’ve agreed not to argue or discuss our issues while we’re here.”
Court raised his eyes. “That’s great. To what end? Are you finally going to admit that you’re in love with her?”
I blew out an exasperated breath. “No.”
“If not that, then why bother?”
“You always think I have to divulge every explanation for everything that I do, don’t you?”
Court grinned like the Upper East Side prince that he was. “You just answered my question with a question. Oh, you’re in deep.”
“I no longer wish to discuss this.” I pushed past him and returned to the bar… and my drink. I downed a large gulp of my beer and flagged down the bartender for another round.
Gavin leaned into the bar, seemingly oblivious to all that had happened a minute prior. “You know, I think I really want to get laid tonight.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Dude, you want to get laid every night.”
“Who doesn’t?” Gavin asked with a laugh.
Court returned then. He eyed me warily. Perhaps he’d hit too close to home. Not that I was in love with Katherine, but I did feel as if I was in too deep with her. I wanted to figure out a way to navigate our relationship if this was going to continue, and I couldn’t do that if we were down each other’s throats every minute of every goddamn day.
“I’m the only guy here without a girlfriend,” Gavin pointed out. Then he gestured to me. “Or wife. All of you have to fucking wingman for me.”
“No,” I said at once.
Sam shook his head. “Pass.”
“Court?” Gavin asked hopefully.
“I think English might chop off his balls and feed them to him for dinner,” I mused.
Court laughed. “You are not wrong, sir.”
“Fuck, fine. I’ll convince Whitley to do it,” Gavin grumbled.
My eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t seem like a hardship.”
“Well, she’s probably better at it than all of you shits. Women aren’t put off by her at least.”
Sam laughed. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“Yeah, dude,” Court continued, “you’ve had a thing for Whitley since day one.”
Gavin’s eyes rounded. “What the hell are you all talking about?”
“You believe that you are subtle,” I told him. “I don’t think that you are.”
“Look, it’s not like that. She just got out of a relationship with our friend. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t do that to Robert,” Gavin said valiantly.