by Natalie Rios
“I’ll make us a playlist,” Mina offers. “Any hot guys we can meet up with?”
Fallon and I exchange a smirk.
“Last I heard, Tanner’s not invited to join us, Min,” I drawl. Fallon giggles and Mina’s cheeks flush. “But my twin brother Jackson will be in town, since misguided assholes seem to be your type.”
“Ha, ha.” Mina flicks her index finger against my nose. “And what’s your type, hmm? Filthy rich blue bloods who vacation on yachts and fly off to Ant-whatever on a moment’s notice?”
“I don’t date. But even if I did, I wouldn’t have a type because I don’t discriminate. And it’s Antwerp,” I correct.
“Where is that anyway?”
“Belgium,” Brody says from behind us. “Shouldn’t you three ladies be working? Or did your job duties change to include gossiping in my reception area?”
“We’re not gossiping,” I protest.
“We’re going to New York!” Fallon squeals.
“I’m not missing work,” I add when Brody frowns at me. “We leave...tomorrow at five? Does that work for you two? We’ll be back by Sunday afternoon.”
“Oh, so you do plan on returning?” Brody murmurs.
“Of course I’m returning. I just have to smooth over a few ruffled feathers thanks to those pictures from the pool party. Why would you think I wasn’t coming back?”
He shrugs. “Thought you might have been bitten by the travel bug again and I would be down an assistant on short notice.”
“I wouldn’t leave without giving you notice.” Except, I almost did. If Jackson had been less of a hard ass, I would have been out of here the second he hung up on me. God, I was such a selfish brat.
Being self-aware sucks.
“Wait, your parents are mad about the pictures? You weren’t naked or anything. How is it any different than being in a bikini?” Fallon asks.
Ah, Fallon. Sweet, innocent Fallon Connors who doesn’t understand how awful and petty so-called high society can be. She also doesn’t seem aware of my family’s colorful past, not that I’m about to get into all of that. But there’s one tidbit that may help her understand.
“There are naked pictures of me on the internet.”
Three pairs of eyes immediately grill me, with stares so intense I can’t help fidgeting. The girls look concerned while Brody looks...angry?
“Define naked,” he growls.
“Naked as in naked. Full frontal.” Fighting hard not to be embarrassed, I feel like I need to explain myself. “I was twenty-one, drunk, and...going through some stuff. Decided to go skinny dipping in the middle of a crowded pool party. Lots of people took pictures and you can easily find them online. This is probably a not-so-welcomed reminder of that event. And of course, the tabloids are having a field day writing about crazy Charlotte Kensington and her latest spectacle. Anyway, Dad’s mad at me and this isn’t going to help me prove to them I can be a responsible adult.”
“Don’t you worry, Char. We’ll charm your parents,” Fallon promises while Mina nods enthusiastically. “We’ll tell them all about your party planning expertise and all the cool stuff you’ve managed to line up with our limited budget.” Pausing, she glances at her brother and giggles. “Speaking of free swag, did you tell Brody about the dogs?”
“Dogs?” Tone sharp, Brody glares at me. Oh, boy. Looks like Fallon might have been right about Brody hating the dog idea. “What dogs?”
Chapter Fourteen
The weekend in New York did not go as planned.
Granted, my plan only consisted of apologizing and begging for forgiveness. That’s usually enough. Skinny-dipping in the Delacourts’ pool, missing my mother’s birthday dinner due to a delayed flight, nearly burning down their apartment the one time I tried to bake and forgot to turn the oven off...All forgiven with an apologetic smile followed by the words I’m sorry.
The phrase is usually my parents’ kryptonite.
Unfortunately, Super Parents must have been wearing an invisible lead shield this weekend because my apologies bounced right off them.
“You haven’t changed one bit, Charlotte,” Dad scolded me. “I thought we were over the stripping phase, but apparently you were just getting started back then.”
“It’s only happened twice and I kept my underwear on this time-”
“Oh, yes! She kept her lingerie on this time! What a show of maturity and restraint!” Dad threw his hands in the air, visibly at his wit’s end. “What have you learned in the ten years since the last time this happened? Because from where I’m standing, the answer is not a damn thing.”
“That’s not fair! I have a job and I’ve stayed in one place for over a month now. I share a house with two other women and I do my share of the chores. I don’t think it’s fair to judge me for this one little mistake-”
“Whoever said the world is fair, Charlotte?” Dad demanded. “And what you’re labeling a little mistake is a prime example of the behavior you’re supposed to be working on. If you can’t prove to me you know how to be a responsible adult, your trust fund will be gone forever. You can just kiss your Grandpa Arnold’s money goodbye.”
I gasped. Was that even legal?
“Oh, yes,” Dad continued. “As the executor of his estate, it’s up to me if and when you’re ready to gain full control over your trust. My father must be rolling in his grave with the way you’re carrying on. He would have never left you the money if he knew you were only going to spend it on clothes and traveling. It’s your choice: grow up or lose your inheritance.”
Tears blurred my eyes as I watched my father march out of the room. I’ve never seen him so upset. Dad’s usually easygoing, more like a cool uncle than an actual disciplinarian.
“I – I don’t understand,” I said to my mother.
“Oh, sweetie. Come here.” Mom patted the spot next to her on the couch. When I sat down, she reached out to squeeze my hands in hers. “He loves you. We both do.” At my arched brow, her lips curved into a wobbly smile. “It’s just that we thought you would have grown out of it by now. And now he’s convinced showing you tough love is the only solution.”
Tough love: promoting a person’s welfare by enforcing constraints on them or requiring them to take responsibility for their actions. Yeah, I looked it up. I think it’s a bunch of bullshit, but parents supposedly use the tactic believing it will be better for their kid in the long run.
Fat load of good this lesson does me right now.
“But I apologized,” I pointed out to me mother. “Isn’t that taking ownership?”
“An apology doesn’t mean anything if you keep doing it, Charlotte.”
They sure fooled me over the years, accepting all those apparently bogus apologies.
“And just think of how this all looks. The daughter of a former stripper taking off her clothes at a pool party...” Trailing off, my mother cringed.
This is the crux of the matter, the biggest reason why those pictures are such a big deal to my parents. My mother gets a lot of crap for her previous...um, profession. She tries to put on a good front and pretends the whispers don’t bother her, but I know they do. I know she hates the fact Jackson and I get shunned because of something she used to do.
This is where my parents and I have never seen eye to eye. They try to pretend negativity doesn’t follow us around like a dark cloud while I embrace it, using it to my advantage whenever possible.
“What if this is who I really am?” I asked, finally giving voice to my greatest fear. “A flighty socialite who bounces around from place to place and does whatever she wants?”
Mom vigorously shook her head. “That’s not you. There’s so much more to who you are. We wouldn’t push you if we weren’t sure you could handle it.”
The scary thing is, a part of me is starting to believe she’s right. I haven’t had the urge to travel since arriving in Bar Harbor. And I wasn’t lying to Brody when I told him I’d be back. Even if my parents had forgiven me and reinstated
my trust fund, I would have gone back.
I don’t know what it is: Brody, my job, the fresh air, actually living on my own, or all of the above. But something about the sleepy resort town just feels right.
“Look on the bight side. At least you have clothes that fit now.” Fallon’s cheery voice snaps me back to the present. We’re back from our (shortened) weekend in New York.
After the fight with my Dad, things were super awkward. He gave me the silent treatment, which became quite obvious during dinner when he exuberantly chatted up my friends and completely ignored me. Leaving poor Fallon and Mina stuck in the middle, not wanting to be rude to their host but also wanting to stick up for their friend.
It was Mina who suggested we leave early this morning. Oh, she’d dressed it up with some bullshit excuse about how she was worried her sous chef couldn’t handle an entire weekend without her, but the way Fallon had pounced on the idea spoke volumes.
“At least you guys got some clothes out of it, too. I’m sorry things were so tense with my dad. He’s just-”
“Oh, will you quit it?” Mina waves away my apology. “It’s not your fault he was rude.”
“You can’t control the way other people behave,” Fallon agrees.
“I know, but if I hadn’t argued with him first, you guys would have had more time to explore the city.”
“There will be plenty of other opportunities for us to do that in the future. Maybe we can stay with your brother next time?” Fallon winks.
The future. At least someone believes I’m capable of doing this long term.
“Do you guys mind if we unload later? I want to stop by the café first,” Mina says as we exit the car. Since we’re all hungry, we agree it’s a logical first stop.
And who should we see seated all the way in back of the restaurant? The three Connors brothers, looking as yummy as ever. They had put together two of the larger tables, likely because Brody’s shoulders are wide enough to take up one all on their own.
The three men make quite the picture, one I don’t bother taking in. Nope, my eyes immediately zero in on Brody, who is wearing a black t-shirt stretched snuggly against his chest. His big arms are on display again, a shade darker than the last time I saw them. The tan combined with his glistening forehead leads me to believe the brothers spent the morning hiking.
Oh, what I would give to watch his muscles in motion. Bubble butt clenching as he hikes up the side of a mountain. Back and abdominals flexing as he reaches for another rock, climbing his way up to the top. Once there, he would be so drenched in sweat, he’d have no choice but to rip off the shirt –
“What are you staring at?” Mina interrupts my fantasy.
“The boys.” Damn, my voice is too husky. Clearing my throat, I gesture with my hand. “They have a table in the back.”
“Perfect! Let’s join them!” Before either one of us can say otherwise, Fallon loops her arms through ours and pulls us toward the boys. “Howdy, brothers! Us womenfolk made it back safe and sound.”
Like magnets, our eyes snap onto each other, the rest of the world seeming to fade way. I can’t decipher his expression, whether our arrival is welcomed or not. But he does kick out the chair across from him, gesturing to it with his chin.
“I presume that’s caveman for inviting me to take a seat?” Rolling my eyes when he just shrugs, I sit down. Turning to his brothers, I flash them my brightest smile. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“You know, I was just saying we needed a few beautiful ladies to brighten the place up. Add some class to our little group,” Kyle jokes. My smile immediately dims, his mention of class reminding me of the fight with my parents. Girls who strip at pool parties aren’t classy.
“We need another table!” Fallon starts pushing the closest one toward us, but Kyle and Tanner stop her, offering up their manpower instead.
“Why are you back so early?” Brody’s gruff voice travels across the table. The rest of the group is busy fussing with the furniture, moving things around to make room for the new table. Even still, I keep my voice at a whisper.
“Let’s just say my father was really unhappy about those pictures.”
Brody opens his mouth to respond, but closes it again when the others take their seats.
“So, anything new?” Kyle asks and Fallon immediately launches into a recitation of everything we brought back with us.
“We even have costumes for the summer party, though Charlotte won’t let me see mine,” she pouts.
“You’ll love it. Trust me.” At least, I hope she will. I’ve never seen Fallon in a dress and she comes across as sort of a tomboy. Still, I think the more mature look will suit her.
“Can I at least get a hint?”
“Gentleman Prefer Blondes.”
Fallon grins while Mina shakes her head. “I guess brunettes like me don’t stand a chance, huh?”
“I’m not making a statement about hair color. That’s her clue,” I explain. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It’s a movie starring Marilyn Monroe.”
“Oh!” Whipping out her phone, Fallon immediately begins oohing and aahing at the pictures she finds. “I get to be a cute showgirl! This red sequined outfit is hot!”
Brody straightens in his chair. “Red sequined showgirl? Let me see that.” He snatches her phone and practically snarls at me when he sees the images. “Over my dead body are you dressing up my baby sister like a Playboy bunny-”
“Relax. It’s not the red number. Trust me when I say you would approve.” I can tell he doesn’t believe me so I try to distract him by blowing him a mock kiss.
His eyes are glued to my lips the second I curve them. There’s a heat and intensity in them I’ve become quite accustomed to over the past week. A look I know means only one thing.
Which would be fine if we weren’t in a public restaurant, surrounded by his relatives and my coworkers.
A waiter arrives to take our order, a welcomed distraction for both of us. I order a grilled cheese, not because I want one but because it’s the only thing I can remember being on the menu. Brody’s still staring at me, I can feel it. And he makes me nervous, though not in the way Neil or Tanner had those two times. This is a good nervous, like the night before your birthday party when you’re so nervous and excited you have trouble falling asleep.
Eventually, we finish our meals and pay the bill. We walk out in pairs, Kyle and Fallon leading the pack, Tanner and Mina in the middle, and Brody and me bringing up the rear. The order could be a coincidence, but I doubt it. The way Mina is mooning over Tanner makes it clear this is exactly the order she wanted.
I don’t know how I didn’t notice it before, but now that I know, the situation is entirely obvious. Mina is in love with her best friend’s older brother. Said older brother is either a complete moron (possible. I mean, this is Tanner we’re talking about) and therefore oblivious to her feelings or he’s decided she’s off limits.
I’ve seen the former happen firsthand. My cousin Ellie is married to her brother’s best friend, Drew Stevens. At first, their marriage put a strain on the men’s friendship but after Grant realized how much Drew loves Ellie, his anger mellowed out and it’s like those six months of not talking never happened.
Of course, this isn’t the exact same situation. So far as I know, Mina doesn’t have an older brother cockblocking Tanner. Unless Brody is standing in as big brother. Which is...possible, actually.
I can’t say I know Brody very well but from the small glimpses of his personality I’ve gotten so far, he totally strikes me as the protective type. He’s protected me, what, twice now? Once against his own brother.
And I’m not even sure if he likes me half the time.
Regardless, the new and improved (and much more selfless and self-aware!) Charlotte is determined to help Mina. Her heart wants Tanner and if they need a little push to move this process along, I’m more than happy to help.
With that in mind, I pick up the pace a bit and saddle up next to Tanner
. “Hey, Tanner. Would you be able to help us carry some of my things into the house? It’s mostly clothes, but I did bring a few bulkier items that require some muscle. What do you say, help a lady out?” I add a small, playful elbow nudge for good measure.
“Ah...” Panic spreads across Tanner’s face and then he cranes his neck back to look at...Brody? Why would he be looking at Brody? “Why don’t we all go? Six sets of hands will get it done twice as fast, right?”
“Sure!” Kyle happily agrees while Brody grunts. I swear the man must be part Neanderthal with his stellar communication skills.
I beam Tanner one of my smiles that’s been known to knock men flat on their ass. Keeping Mina in my peripheral, I say, “Excellent! I can show you my travel board and tell you about my favorite cities. Oooh! Or better yet, you pick a city from the board and I’ll tell you about it. How’s that sound?”
“Because you’ve been everywhere, huh?” Tanner teases.
“Not everywhere, but lots of places, yes. Any country you can name, I’ve probably been there.”
“Any country?” There’s a hint of challenge in his question, a challenge I answer with a confident grin. “Alright, how about Antarctica?”
“Pfft. Been there, done that. Twice.”
Tanner stops walking to gape at me. “Holy shit! I didn’t think people actually went there. Can planes even land down there?”
“Sure can! The first commercial jet landed in 2015, I believe. Though I didn’t fly there, I took a boat.”
“A boat? From where? New York?”
“Are you two planning on just standing there? Those boxes aren’t going to move themselves,” an annoyed Mina calls out from up ahead. We’ve fallen behind the rest of the group.
Tugging Tanner along, I try to catch up. “Nope. The first cruise I took was from Ushuaia, which is the southernmost city in the world. The second time was from Montevideo, Uruguay.”
“Are there hotels to stay in?”
“Not really. At least, not the type you’re thinking off. They have semi-permanent campsites for tourists, but the one I stayed in was less luxurious. I slept in a polar sleeping bag inside of a tent. Even the dining hall was basically just a tent.”