Page 95 of The Unwilling Bride
I shut the drawer and glance at my phone screen again.
“The PR from the upcoming wedding is sure to boost the bookings."
He shrugs a shoulder. "As long as you know what you’re doing."
I feign a casualness I don’t feel. "I’m doing what’s needed to lock down the future of my expansion plans."
His features soften. "You hold yourself to impossible standards, Bro. Also, you know you have a condition, right?”
“Are you referring to my OCD?”
He does a double take. “You are aware of how exacting you can be?”
“It’s my superpower in the kitchen. It helps me keep track of the variables which I would not be able to do otherwise.”
He frowns. “That doesn’t sound healthy.”
Someone calls Gideon’s name offscreen.
"You’re with your latest squeeze?" I ask, unsurprised.
My brother has somewhat of a reputation with the ladies.
"What’s life if you don’t make the most of every opportunity it offers?" His grin widens.
"Best sow your wild oats. Margot’s coming for you next to get hitched."
"Nah, I’m not gonna succumb to feelings of the heart. Unlike you.”
I scowl.
"I haven’t either. But it seemed like the best way to lock down the investment for my expansion plans."
"Hmm." He works his jaw from side to side.
"What?"
"I think, if you really wanted to, you could have found a way to lock down the investment and, perhaps, your inheritance without deciding to marry."
His words stay with me.
Is he right? Could I resolve the situation without getting married?
Despite being exhausted, I don’t get much sleep. Come morning, I get dressed and head to Harper’s place. I’m there at nine a.m.
I press the doorbell to her place and am buzzed in. I reach her flat and rap my knuckles on her door; it’s instantly pulled open.
I look down to find a girl staring up at me with a stern look on her features. She has her hair in messy pigtails, and along with the dark lip balm, she has on a black skater dress over striped black and purple tights. She’s also wearing an oversized graphic tee with bats and moons drawn on it. Teamed with her black nail polish, the overall effect is spooky yet creative, and slightly dramatic.
Her eyes look enormous in her thin face. She must be around ten, I’m guessing from her height.
She looks me up and down. "Are you the man Auntie Harper is going to marry?"
25
Harper
I was so exhausted last night, I fell asleep on the couch. Then woke up at four a.m. with a neck like concrete and crawled into bed.
