“If there’s anything you think fits here, go ahead.”
I lick my lips, swallowing twice. “You want me to bring my own decorations in your apartment?”
“Yeah.” There is a strange glint in his eyes as he leans against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. “I want you to feel at home here.”
“But I’ll only stay here for another six weeks and then my placement will be over.” Suddenly, no air reaches my lungs. I open my mouth to breathe and there is no oxygen.
Sebastian’s jaw ticks, the glint in his eyes more pronounced. “Let’s pretend it won’t.” Oh, God, I trust this man with everything I have: my body, my heart, and my mind. I’m afraid I’ll leave all of that here after I’m gone.
Deciding to be naughty and lighten up the mood, I add, “Pippa said we’re going to a strip club in the afternoon.”
He stiffens. “What?”
I bite my tongue to keep a straight face. “Yeah, apparently there’s one with a new show, where the audience is also encouraged to get. . . involved.”
In a millisecond, Sebastian unhitches himself from the wall, striding to me. “I won’t allow you to—”
I burst out laughing, unable to keep up the charade. I’d make a terrible spy.
“You’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?”
“Guilty. I love it when you go all alpha on me. I mean, Pippa keeps talking about going to a strip club, but she’s not serious.”
Sebastian’s smile melts into a frown. My stomach churns.
“What is it? You look worried.”
Taking a deep breath, he says, “I should spend more time with Pippa. She closed herself off from me after her divorce, and I’m not sure how she’s really doing.”
“You’re out to save the world, aren’t you?”
“Nah, I’m too selfish. I care about my family. And you.”
My heart bounces. “I’ll make sure Pippa has fun today. I’ll take her mind off things.”
“Thank you. That means a lot to me. She’s not even talking much to Alice or Summer. Maybe she’ll open up to you.” Sebastian looks at me as if I indeed told him I’m saving the world today. I feel like Wonder Woman.
“You don’t have to do everything on your own, you know. I like to help.”
“I see that. But if helping will include strippers, I’ll have a word with my dearest sister.”
***
A day filled with estrogen and girly activities turns out to be exactly what Pippa and I need. We’re going textbook on this. Manis and pedis are first on our list, followed by hours of shopping. We stop by the interior design shop, and while Pippa buys half their stock, I only buy a small fruit bowl. It’ll look great in Sebastian’s apartment, and it’ll be a nice, unobtrusive reminder of our time together in six weeks.
The thought depresses me, and as I pay for the item, I find my lower lip quivering and my eyes stinging. Soon, a burning ache settles in my chest. I’m missing him already. God, how will I survive my Sebastian-less future? Thankfully, Pippa drags me to a cupcake shop next. Nothing like an overdose of sugar to stuff dark thoughts right where they belong, in the recesses of my mind.
Turns out, I don’t need any spy skills to make Pippa talk about the divorce. Over coffee and cupcakes, she opens up to me.
“Sebastian has to stop worrying about me. I’m not okay, of course I’m not, but I have my big girl pants on.” Looking sadly at her empty plate, she adds, “If I keep stuffing myself with cupcakes, I will literally become a big girl.”
“He’s your older brother. He’ll always worry.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s always been like this. There were two camps when we grew up, the older ones and the younger ones. I remember Logan, Sebastian, and I making a pact when I was about eleven years old that we’d always look after the younger ones. Of course, Sebastian, being the oldest of the lot, took it upon himself to take care of everyone.”
Adoration for her older brother is etched on her every feature. Her smile is contagious, and I find myself imagining the scene and a younger Sebastian being as bossy as now. I feel like hugging her.
She lounges back in her chair, crossing her legs and arms and keeping her eyes on the wooden table. “And now I feel like I failed them. I mean, how did I choose so wrong? Was I blind?”
Ah, so that’s why she isn’t talking to her family about it. The urge to hug her grows stronger.
“Pippa, I’ve seen enough of your family to know that they’ll love you no matter what. None of them thinks you’ve failed. If anything, they’re relieved you got rid of—”
Her gaze snaps up to me, her shoulders going rigid. “Don’t say his name.”
“—him. They want you to be happy, honestly. And your sisters aren’t kids anymore. It’s not like you have to be a role model or something. Don’t push them away. You’ve always had each other’s backs, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, when that meant covering for mischief, or going through a high school breakup. But every single person in my family—that includes about half of the adopted Bennetts—more or less told me
he
wasn’t right for me. I didn’t listen, and it turns out they were right. I’m ashamed on top of hurt.”
“You’re the one shutting them out, and no one’s chanting
I told you so
.”
She sighs. “I know. I’m mishandling all of this. I need more time to pull myself together. I tried yoga, meditation, and whatnot to stop feeling like crap about myself. I’m one failed meditation away from trying voodoo.”
Pippa says this with a steady voice, but my stomach clenches nonetheless.
I choose my words carefully. “It’s okay to wallow for a while, Pippa.”
“The problem is I feel the ground slipping from underneath my feet. I’m not wallowing. I’m drowning.” For the first time, her voice wavers, and her eyes are glassy as she looks up at me. “I grew up with parents who loved each other to death and brothers who worshipped me. I felt safe. When I started dating, I felt like a sheep among wolves. I thought Terence was different. Turns out he was just better at pretending.”
I try to imagine how she must be feeling. Maybe because I grew up without a father, or I’m a natural pessimist, but I went into most of my relationships half expecting them to end badly. Even so, I was brokenhearted when they were over. I can’t imagine how a divorce feels to Pippa, who grew up watching her parents’ perfect marriage and probably took happily-ever-after as a given.
"It'll get better eventually,” I say. “But it'll suck badly for a long while before it does."
To my surprise, Pippa smiles. "That actually makes me feel better."
"Really?" I ask skeptically.
"Yeah. It sounds realistic, gives me something to look forward to.” Eyeing my half-eaten cupcake, she adds, “Are you finishing that?”
“No.”
With a grin, she draws my plate to her.
It’s early afternoon and we’re on our way to the beach when I notice a familiar face in the line to an ice-cream stand.
“Anna,” I exclaim, stopping dead in my tracks. Anna is my least favorite coworker. Though she’s older than I am, she came to the industry later on and has a lower position, which frustrates her. She’s nosy and gossipy, and takes immense pleasure in seeing people going through difficult times. “What are you doing here?”
“Took a few days off, and my husband’s family lives here.” She swings her bushy red hair behind her shoulder. “I’m flying to New York on Monday. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Ah, sure, this is Pippa Bennett, Sebastian’s sister. Sebastian’s the CEO.” I speak very fast, almost babbling.
“You’re on a first-name basis with him,” Anna remarks, an unpleasant smile appearing on her face.
Pippa takes a step forward. “Everyone in the company is on a first-name basis.”
“Everyone also goes shopping with the CEO’s sister?” She eyes the bags in our hands. “That’s a cozy. . . enterprise.”
Welcome to the advertising industry, where everyone is out to get you. Maybe it’s like this in every industry, I don’t know, but if she takes her gossipy mouth to Dirk, I could be in trouble. He could become suspicious.
“Have you heard about Laney?” Anna asks, referring to one of our colleagues.
“No, haven’t had much time to check in with the other girls.”
“Dirk fired her.”
“What? Why?”
“Well, you know it was her third project with the real estate mogul in LA. Dirk found out she was actually sleeping with him.”
Next to me, Pippa stops in the act of searching for something in her bag. When Anna moves forward in the line, it takes me a few good seconds to order my numb feet to follow her. Anna’s not done. I can tell that by the hungry look in her eyes.
“It was a scandal at the office, since it hadn’t happened in forever. Young girls today, they are so tempted by the forbidden fruit. Lucky I’m married. No temptation for me.”
“Yeah, lucky you,” I murmur, hunching my shoulders as if a ton of bricks fell on them. “Is Laney okay?”
Anna shrugs. “Haven’t talked to her.”
Typical.
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Anna.” Pippa’s words come out clipped. “But we must get going. We have a full schedule for today.”
Anna purses her lips. She doesn’t say anything more than, “It was nice meeting you too,
Pippa
. Bye, Ava.”
“She’s such a bitch,” Pippa hisses when Anna’s out of earshot.
“Yep.”
“You’re worried.” It’s a statement, not a question.
“Wouldn’t you be?”
“Listen, your boss won’t find out. And if he does, Sebastian will sort it out. We have shark lawyers, but it wouldn’t even come to that. Sebastian can be very persuasive.”
I straighten. “I don’t need Sebastian to save me. He’s got enough on his plate already, watching over your family.”
Pippa gives me a long look. “Oh, I could tell you weren’t looking for a knight in shining armor since I met you.” At my raised eyebrows, she adds, “I’m the people reader in the family, haven’t you heard that?”
I shrug noncommittally, even though I do remember Sebastian telling me that. It scares me.
“Anyway, as I was saying, you didn’t strike me as the type who needs a knight, but an equal—someone who doesn’t save you, but who you can count on.”
I gulp. Holy crap, she
does
read people well.
“He’s my brother, and I’m biased, obviously, but Sebastian fits that role perfectly.”
I burst out laughing. I can’t help it. “Pippa, I recognize a sales pitch when I hear one. I’ve moved in with your brother already. You don’t have to sell him to me.”
“Yeah, I do. You said Sebastian has enough on his plate with the family.” Pippa gives me a long look, and then her features light up in a smile. “You are part of the family now.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ava
The meeting with Anna didn’t have any consequences, but I know I’m playing with fire. For the next few weeks, I am careful. Dirk calls more often to check in, but that’s normal because we’re approaching the final phase of the project. Whenever I talk to him, I make sure to speak of Sebastian in the most impersonal way possible, and I asked Sebastian and Logan to follow suit in case Dirk contacts them. As the show approaches, the hard work pays off big time. We score a myriad of high-class and exclusive editorials, and there are more requests than ever from overseas giant luxury retailers to partner up for distribution. Martha and I are very pleased. Sadly, I don’t think she’ll remain at Bennett Enterprises too long after the show. She keeps talking about wanting to move to Seattle. The two of us come up with more publicity ideas to keep building on the momentum. I take it upon myself to sway Logan, the most rigid CFO I’ve met, to pour more budget into the campaign. Who would’ve thought that Logan, with his angelic eyes and
I’m the nice brother
line, would be so impossibly stubborn? I spend an entire Saturday at the office going over the new budget proposal with him and Sebastian. Thankfully, Sebastian sides with me—sleeping with the CEO totally has its perks—but it still takes hours to convince Logan.
“You know what’s unacceptable?” Logan asks, tossing the report on the desk and leaning back in his chair.
“That you’ve changed your mind about the budget? Again?” I give him a murderous look. I swear to God, I will forge his signature and call it a day if he goes back on his decision one more time. “Sebastian, you’re a very democratic CEO. Tell him it’s a done deal.”
Logan narrows his eyes, while Sebastian bursts out laughing and says from behind me, “We do things differently here. It’s unhealthy for a company if one person has too much decision-making power. Logan isn’t changing his mind again.” Stepping to my side, he gives Logan a pointed look. “Are you?”
Logan flinches. Almost imperceptibly, but he does, which brings me immense pleasure. “No, I was about to say that it’s unacceptable that it’s five o’clock on a Saturday, and we’re the only three morons in the office.”
“You want to call in more people?” Sebastian asks skeptically.
“I want to get out.” Logan leaps to his feet, pacing the room. “I need to stretch my legs.”
Sebastian grins. “Well, Alice did ask us—”
“And we stupidly said no. Can’t believe I turned her down so I could have you two crawling up my ass the entire day.” As is always the case when they tease each other, Logan sports a flashy smile.
“But we can still play a bit if we leave right now.”
“What are you guys talking about?”
“She’s officially part of the family, isn’t she?” Logan asks Sebastian, his thumb pointing at me.
Sebastian nods, which fills me with all kinds of warm and fuzzy feelings.
“You’re coming to a soccer game,” Logan announces.
“Oh. I thought it was off-season now, but what do I know? Who’s playing?”
Both brothers burst out laughing.
“We’re playing,” Logan offers.
“Define ‘we.’”