Gorgeous Consort (2 page)

But I finally woke up.

“Fuck.” I sat up, my body drenched in a cold sweat. I breathed hard and couldn’t catch my breath. Invisible threads of the dream still moved passed my mind. I recalled all of it, including the way Alexia pushed me off the cliff. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and felt the shirt stick to my back.

Would this recurring dream continue indefinitely?

Was I doomed to suffer for the rest of my life?

Harper

I arrived at the restaurant first, so I decided to text my best friend Aspen, my personal cheerleader.
I’m so close to walking out of here.

You can do it, girl.

My sister is going to be making out with her boyfriend every second, and then my mom will wonder why I don’t have a man to make out with. I’m going to slap my mother. Like, actually slap her.

Harper, where’s the girl who doesn’t give a damn what anyone thinks?

I’m still here and I still don’t care. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t annoy the shit out of me
. Aspen was supposed to talk me down, but if anything, I was only working myself up more.

You only see them a few times a month
. Aspen’s logical voice came through the words.
You can do it. And one day you’ll find Mr. Right and they’ll get off your case.

Who knows when that will happen?
My sarcasm was heavy and I was certain she picked up on it.

Just get through it. I’ll buy you a drink afterwards.

Several. When have I ever only had a single drink?

As many as you want.

I put my phone in my purse then waited for the army to arrive. We were eating at an upscale place, and the pearls around my neck didn’t feel right at all. I felt like a stuck-up prick. My family came from money, and the fact I didn’t act snooty like the rest of them didn’t bode well. I was practically a heathen to them.

My sister walked inside, tall with blonde hair, and her boyfriend Sebastian came behind her. They were holding hands. Apparently, they couldn’t stop touching each other for even a second. I loved my sister and was happy that she was so madly in love, but damn, could they not be in love for, like, a second?

“Sissy!” she squealed when she approached the table.

I dropped my bitch face and put on a mask. “Kara!” I stood up and hugged her.

“You look so beautiful,” she said with more energy than I could ever muster. Her positivity was annoying at times. I hated people who were happy all the time, nonstop. It just wasn’t realistic. Or maybe I was just an extremely negative person. Whatever. “I love your dress. You look so thin.”

It was hard to stay annoyed with her when she was always so nice to me. She gave me more warmth than anyone else in the family, and she always took my side when they ganged up on me. She was my friend as well as my sister, and the fact her life was perfect shouldn’t be a reason for me to push her away. “You look beautiful too, like always.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Sebastian rubbed his nose against hers while looking into her eyes. Then he turned to me and hugged me. “But you’re a close rival.” His hug was full of warmth like my sister’s then he patted me on the back before he pulled away. Affection was in his eyes, like he genuinely cared about me and not just because he was sleeping with my sister.

Kara put her arm around his waist and leaned into him, like she wished they were alone together. I suspected inappropriate display of affection was just on the horizon. Kara was tall, five foot eight, and she had beautiful blonde hair and a tiny waistline. She was a swimsuit model for a high-end company, and she was always known as the pretty sister. I didn’t resent her for it since it wasn’t her fault. I just wish everyone else would stop comparing us. Kara could do no wrong, and everything she did was successful. But my accomplishments were always overlooked like they didn’t matter.

So annoying.

We sat down at the table, and I tried not to feel sad.

Sebastian had his arm over her chair and he was leaning close to her, sharing a whisper just for them to know. Love and adoration was heavy in his eyes. It was clear he was obsessed with my sister, cherished the ground she walked on, and loved her with his entire being. Kara obviously felt the same way.

Being in the presence of true love was painful because I was nowhere near having that. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want a gorgeous man to look at me that way, that he couldn’t keep his hands off me even a year after we’d been together. I tried not to be the bitter and self-absorbed person and just be happy for my sister, but sometimes that was just too damn hard.

“I love you,” he mouthed to her.

Her cheeks blushed even though she heard him say that a hundred times. “I love you too,” she whispered.

He cupped her face and kissed her, giving her a scorching kiss that was only appropriate behind a locked door.

“Okay…enough of that.” They could be in love all they wanted but they could play tonsil hockey on their own time.

“Sorry.” Kara released a faint chuckle. “Sometimes we get carried away.”

Sebastian rubbed his nose against hers. “We need to learn self-control.”

I tried not to roll my eyes in disgust. “What are you guys getting?”

That seemed to pull them out of their smooch-fest.

“The lemon chicken sounds good,” she said as she looked at Sebastian’s menu.

“Good choice, sweetheart,” he said. “I think I’ll get the same.”

First, they had to share a menu, and then they had to order the same thing?
God, they’re annoying. I don’t even care if I’m a bitch for thinking it.

Mom and Dad entered the restaurant. Dad wore slacks and a collared shirt, his usual attire even if he wasn’t working, and mom looked like the first lady in her fine white dress that reached the area just above her knees. Her hair was in an elegant up do, and she held herself like she was the Queen of England.

Why couldn’t I have a normal family that just went out for hot wings?

“Darling, you look wonderful.” Mom hugged Kara and held her tightly.

Darling?
My mom tried to act British sometimes and just couldn’t pull it off.

“Sebastian, it’s a pleasure to see you.” Dad hugged him then patted him on the shoulder.

“You too, sir. We need to get together and hit the green soon,” Sebastian replied.

“That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day,” Dad said.

Uh, hello? Do they not see me?

“How’s the modeling going, dear?” Mom asked like a stuck-up prude.

“It’s so much fun,” Kara said. “They let me keep some of the shoes so I save so much money.”

Mom chuckled and released a high-pitched, annoying laugh. “Every job has its pros.”

Like she would know because she’s never worked a day in her life.

“How’s the hospital?” Dad asked Sebastian.

“Great,” he said. “Juggling ten or more patients at once is difficult but I manage.”

Sebastian was a doctor just like my dad. While Dad was a plastic surgeon, Sebastian was an emergency room physician. They had a lot in common, and of course, my parents loved Sebastian the second he told them what he did for a living. So my sister landed a handsome doctor for a boyfriend, and probably a husband very soon.

No one cared about what I did for a living.

Mom finally moved to me. “Hello, Harper.” She hugged me but it was slightly less warm than the affection she gave Kara. I always felt like the lesser-loved sibling. I tried not to let it bother me, but sometimes it just got under my skin.

“Hey, Mom. I like your dress.”

“Thank you.” She didn’t compliment me back.

Typical.

“Hey, honey.” Dad hugged me then patted me on the back a little too hard.

It irritated me that neither one of them asked how my job was going. I may not be a supermodel or a doctor, but I thought my profession was pretty cool. Being an interior designer wasn’t easy. It was extremely competitive and difficult to make a living at.
But no, no one in my family was impressed by that—except Kara.

We sat down at the table and picked up our menus. Naturally, my parents asked Sebastian about every detail of his life, including his beach house in the Hamptons.

I liked Sebastian a lot because he was successful and good-looking, but the thing I cared most about was the fact he was so humble about it. He seemed oblivious to his qualities, but my sister was the exact same way so they fit together perfectly.

Then my parents asked Kara every detail of her life. Bubbly and buoyant like usual, she let them interrogate her without a hint of annoyance. Then the conversation went back and forth between Kara and Sebastian.

I didn’t feel like being interrogated but I felt annoyed that I was left out.

“How’s the business, Harper?” Kara said with interest. She was the only person who seemed to genuinely care.

“Good,” I said. “The office looks nice and more clients are rolling in.”

“You need to do my apartment next,” she said. “I’m terrible when it comes to decorating. I couldn’t even decide what color bed comforter to get. That’s how pathetic I am.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re pathetic, baby.” Sebastian rubbed her shoulder. “I loved the curtains you put up in my living room.”

He was probably lying but he hid it well. My sister was great, but she did have horrible sense when it came to decorating and matching. One time she wore a thick vest with shorts.

No wonder why she was a swimsuit model.

Sebastian turned to me. “Congratulations, Harper. Being an interior designer in Manhattan is quite an accomplishment. That’s probably the most competitive field you can get into.”

Thank you
. I wanted to glare at both of my parents. “Thanks…I really enjoy it.”

“So cool,” Kara said. “Next time my model friends redesigns their apartment, I’ll recommend you.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“Very nice,” Mom said, but it was only half-asked.

Dad asked Sebastian another question about medicine, and I knew my time to shine was over.

I sipped my wine and tried to pretend I wasn’t seething.

Mom turned to me, and judging the look in her eyes and the way her lips were pressed tightly together, she was going to interrogate me about my personal life—like usual. That seemed to be the only thing she cared about. If I had a serious boyfriend, would she actually start to like me? Or only if he was a doctor or a lawyer?

“So, any men in your life?” she asked tersely, like she already knew the answer.

“No.” I sipped my wine again.

Dad turned to me, like he was somewhat interested in the conversation.

“No dates or anything?” Mom asked.

“No,” I said. “Too busy with work.”

Judging the look on her face, that was the wrong thing to say. “Then you need to make time, Harper.” When she said my name like that, I knew she was irritated. “Your younger sister seems to make time for it.”

Don’t hit her. Don’t hit her.

“Mom,” Kara interrupted. “Harper will find Mr. Right when it’s meant to happen. Don’t worry about it.”

I could kiss her.

“Have you tried online dating?” Mom asked.

Getting dates wasn’t hard. It was finding the right date that was impossible. “Mom, how’s the charity foundation going?”

She rambled on about that for a while. Changing the subject only worked if you were somewhat complimenting the person’s ego.

When I glanced at Kara, she winked at me.

At least I averted the crisis—for now.

***

After dinner was finished, I was excited to leave. I could only handle my parents in small doses. Kara and Sebastian were angels compared to them, but even they were annoying—unintentionally.

I kept eyeing the waiter, hoping he would bring the tab over so we could pay and get it over with. He kept moving around to the other tables, clearly too busy to slip us the bill.

Ugh.

Sebastian cleared his throat then adjusted his chair, sliding away from Kara. “There’s something I want to say and…I think now is the time to say it.”

What? What did I miss?

My parents were both silent, and my mom’s eyes started to water.

Holy shit. Sebastian is going to propose.

Sebastian lowered himself to one knee and extended a tiny box. “Kara, you are my life and the other half of my soul. It’s only been a year but I don’t need more time. You are what I want forever. So please be mine.”