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Dillon let out a deep sigh. “That’s just Camilla, she’s an old friend. You don’t need to be jealous.”
“Right,” I responded sarcastically, “Where’s Mara?”
“I don’t know where she is, are you upset?”
“No.”
He sighed. “You’re upset. Can we go for a walk?”
“Whatever,” I responded curtly.
Dillon and I continued to roam the event grounds, though our interaction was interrupted when a sophisticated woman, exuding an air of wealth and elegance, called his name.
“Dillon, there you are, my dear,” the woman said, touching his cheek.
“Mother, hello,” Dillon greeted her.
“Hello, son. And who’s this lovely lady?” She directed her gaze toward me.
Unaware of Dillon’s relationship with his family and not wanting to put him in an awkward position, I responded, “I’m Azzaria, an intern at his office, but I’m also close friends with Mara. She invited me. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Xander.” I extended my hand for a handshake, but she embraced me in a hug, complimenting my appearance. During the embrace, Dillon appeared puzzled and mouthed “what?”
“The pleasure is mine. Dillon, can I steal you for a moment?” Mrs. Xander asked.
“I’ll be back, Azzaria,” Dillon informed me before offering a kiss on my cheek and walking away.
As I continued to explore the outside of the venue, the baby shower showed no signs of starting anytime soon. The splendid surroundings, complete with grass, trees, and nature, made it clear that Mara and her husband were strong lovers of the outdoors.
“You like nature too?” I was taken by surprise, as I was sure I was the only person there. However, when I glanced to the right, I spotted a man who bore a striking resemblance to Dillon approaching me. He looked successful but he didn’t look or give off the same essence as Dillon. Then again, no one did. He was in a class by himself.
“Yeah, just a bit. Being outside has always been my thing. Who are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I’m Nico.” He extended his hand, and we shook hands. I appreciated his composed demeanor, a rarity when men encounter an attractive woman. “I’m Nico Xander, Dillon and Mara’s younger brother. And you are?”
“I’m Azzaria. A friend of Mara and Dillon’s. It’s a pleasure to meet you. What are you doing out there?”
“Azzaria, such a fitting name for a lovely girl, and it’s my little escape,” he commented vaguely, evoking the same enigmatic style of response that Dillon often used, enough to leave one slightly exasperated.
“An escape from what?”
Nico sighed and started to walk away. My initial offense at being left behind was soon quelled when he turned and said, “Are you coming or not?”
I quickly joined him, and we set off on our walk. The conversation felt like an opportunity to gain more insights into Dillon and his family to quench my curiosity.
“My family isn’t perfect. We may be wealthy, but we’re far from perfect. Dillon doesn’t particularly like me, and neither does Mara. We’re all quite estranged. But if you have siblings, you probably understand that,” Nico shared. Although I wished I had siblings, I was cautious about revealing too much to a stranger, so I simply smiled. It was a smile without words, meant to alleviate any awkward silence.
“Mara and Dillon are close, and the rest of us aren’t. After our grandfather’s passing, Dillon took it rather personally, as he was the closest to our grandpa. We often say he resents us because we didn’t grieve as deeply as he and Mara did. When Dillon loves someone, he gives it his all. But his reputation following his last relationship is somewhat tacky,” Nico explained, awkwardly chuckling. It seemed as though he needed someone to talk to.
We strolled over to another grassy area just outside the back door, where the party was underway. Nico picked up a bottle of scotch from the deck and brought two cups. It seemed a bit old-fashioned for him to choose scotch, but it worked for me, despite being more of a vodka enthusiast.
“Scotch?”
“Sure. Did you have a close relationship with your grandfather?”
Nico took a sizable gulp of his drink and responded, “He favored Dillon and Mara above all else, just like our grandmother did. They were the apple of her eye. They were her prize babies but the rest of us didn’t feel any specific way because we had our parents’ love and attention over that of Dillon and Mara. It’s a very fucked up thing but I guess that’s how the world works isn’t it?” It shouldn’t work that way, and I could now better understand why Dillon was so perturbed when he sees his parents.
“You go around spilling your secrets to everyone?”
He lightly chuckled. “Only the pretty ones.”
