Page 23 of Yours, For Good

And, to be honest, I still questioned why they shared a penthouse, too.

He sighed. His eyes found mine again. "Let's stick together. Keep each other safe while we get a drink. What do you say?"

I nodded and we left the railings in search of the drinks table.

"I gather you don't like big parties, either?" I asked. "I would have thought you were used to them."

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. I guess I imagine everyone at this party have calendars full of big events."

"Sometimes, yes."

"Or they live the life of a trust fund baby."

"That happens, too. My personal experience is different— I do attend some functions and events, but I don't always."

We reached the table. I got rum with cola and he copied me.

"Why's that?" I sipped from my drink.

"I get bored. Uncomfortable. Annoyed."

We moved as a team among the groups of people, until we took refuge by the railings overlooking the city again. San Francisco looked beautiful at night, like most places did with a thousand twinkling lights. Hints of hills and clouds shadowed the distance, fading into the darkening evening.

"You're not that social, then?" I asked again. "Or is it the forced socialite lifestyle that you dislike?"

"Both. I can loosen up with the right people, but in my thirty-one years of life, I've never been known to be gregarious."

There it was. His age. Right about what I would have guessed. But something didn't add up.

I raised an eyebrow. "Yet you attended this party willingly? Am I missing something?"

He cast his eyes away and took a long sip of his drink. "Would you believe me if I said that coming here was an easy detour on the way back to New York? A detour met a few of my goals, including making it up to Julia. I felt bad because I said I wanted to see her last time I was around, but I got distracted chatting with you and left before saying more than a simple hello to her."

I grinned. "Yes, I would believe you."

"Uncle Javier!" Julia appeared behind us.

I schooled my face and turned to her. "Hi, Julia."

I expected Javier and Julia to hug, but all he did was give her a single nod hello.

He shuffled on his feet. "I've told you to just call me Javier. No need to add uncle."

She smiled. "I know, but what would my father think if he heard me?"

"He's not around, Julia. We can relax," Javier insisted.

"We're in costumes." A smirk curled my lips. "I know he looks like an old time stuck-up guy, but you can't really take him that seriously? He's family, isn't he?"

Julia gave me a veiled dismissive look, while Javier chuckled.

He shook his head. "The Pendletons are not your standard sitcom family, I'm afraid."

"The family would hate being portrayed in something as unclassy as a television show for the masses." Julia's expression was so haughty I had to blink extra long, so they wouldn't see my eyes roll.

"Hello there!" Sally appeared by our side and waved at Javier. "So glad you could make it! We didn't get to say much last time you visited."