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Look, he might not have the best words, but his fame, fortune, and charming, good looks do a hell of a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to his game.
Victor mutters a few more seductive sayings into her ear. I don’t even want to hear what he’s saying. The makeup artist giggles again at his whispered comments and quickly finishes her touch-up of his face. She turns to head back to her station, with her motive set on clearly giving Victor an unobstructed and inviting view of her shapely ass as she ambles away. And her ploy works - my brother watches after her keenly. Basically salivating.
“I hate to see them leave,” he tells me out of the corner of his mouth. “But I love to watch them go.”
“You’re a freak,” I reply.
“How much do you want to bet that she’ll be coming for a visit to my hotel suite tonight?” my brother asks me cheekily.
This time, I really let my eyes roll. “I’m not taking that bet, because it’s aone hundred percentcertainty.”
“You’re damn right there, brother.”
“You really haven’t changed, Victor. You’ve always been a hit with the ladies. When will you stop this movie star bad boy lifestyle and find yourself an actual long-term girlfriend?”
He grins. “Only when you do, August.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Oh yes, I’ve heard all about your dating life from Mother,” he says. “You know that she is begging to get involved with setting you up with someone respectable? You better watch out. She’s on the prowl.”
“She’s always been like that,” I reply with a groan.
“Yes, but now she seems like she’sreallyon a mission to arrange you into a respectable marriage. She’s on the warpath, you might say. I’m just giving you a warning, August; she is coming for you, and she won’t stop until you’ve got a ring on the finger of someone she approves of.”
“Of course she does,” I remark.
“It’s good to keep Mother happy,” Victor says.
“That’s rich, coming from you, brother.”
“It’s true, though. Yeah, she’s done some real shit to us that we need to work through...”
“Yeah, being part of one of the richest families in America canslightlyfuck you up,” I retort.
Victor nods. “Yeah, I ain’t disputing that. But remember, we are Penmaynes. We stick together. The whole world can be against us sometimes, so what do we have other than family?”
I sigh.
“Yeah, you’re right, Victor. But that still doesn’t give Mother a free ticket to dictate our dating lives.”
“No, it doesn’t,” my brother replies. “But it is good to remember how we have to rely on our family.”
“But why me?” I ask with a long sigh. “Why doesn’t she bother anyone else in the family? Why isn’t she after you and your womanizing ways? Why doesn’t she leave me alone to do my work?”
“You know why, August,” Victor says softly. “Youare her favorite.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. She doesn’t have a favorite, brother.”
“Yes, she does,” Victor replies seriously. “You’ve always been her favorite. You would have to be totally delusional not to see that. The rest of us have come to terms with that fact about Mother, but clearly, you haven’t. She wants the very best for you, and that somehow includes the woman you marry.”
“And I’ve got no say in the matter?” I ask. “No chance to make my own choice whether I fall in love or not?”
“Nope,” Victor replies. “Not in the slightest.”
“That’s reassuring.”
“I’m just glad you have to take the bullet, and not me, brother. Mother is on the warpath for you, and meanwhile, I’m free to pursue any gorgeous makeup artist I want.”
