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Toby’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve had a shitty day, so it better be in a good way.
“Scarlett is clean.” I, deciding to bite the bullet and just go for it, paused just for emphasis, then continued. “She’s a good person. A lovely person in fact. She’s generous and savvy, she has a nice life and while I know you were hoping to find some terrible, sordid secret that you could use to make her life hell, we’re not going to let you.”
Toby was silent.
“Your anger, your grief clouding your view on things and making Scarlett this target just so you have a way to make yourself feel better is not good. You might hate us for it, but we’re not helping you. She’s too much of a kind soul and if you just gave her a chance, you would see that.” I fell silent, watching Toby as he stared at the ice bucket and rolled the beer bottle between his hands.
Danny and Lucas shifted in their seats and the only noise for a good two minutes was the live music performance deeper in the club.
“You’re right.” Toby sighed and his words surprised everyone around him. Raking one hand through his hair, he shook his head. “I knew it was fucked up the moment I asked you, but I couldn’t… I couldn’t stop myself. It was all out of me before I even realized it, and for a long time it felt good. It was the only thing that felt good. She was this… this person that just turned up and I couldn’t understand how she was so cheery in Matt’s office. She was this calm, normal person. Meanwhile my heart was in pieces because my dad—.” His throat closed up and emotion choked his words. He blinked furiously for a moment, then continued.
“My Dad was dead and there was this woman just there, ready to take a piece of him when she didn’t deserve it. A product of his cheating on my mother and I can only hope she never knew. I didn’t know how to handle it because she didn’t even seem saddened by his passing. This huge weight was on me, and she was completely unaffected. I was… I was angry and jealous. I think I still am, a little.” Toby lifted his head. “I’m sorry I asked you all to do that. It was fucked up. I’m fucked up.”
“She would understand,” Lucas said softly. “She lost her mother. She understands that kind of pain.”
“How she exists in your life is unorthodox,” Danny added. “But she is your sister. She has the same sense of humor that you have and she… she’s a person. She’s not to blame for any of this.”
I watched on in silence.
Toby seemed genuine but it was difficult to decide how genuine, considering he was still wrapped up in that nest of emotions. Grief did terrible things to people and there was a part of me that was protective over Scarlett, regardless of whether it was my place or not.
“Camille thinks she’s just some kind of gold digger after a slice of the inheritance, that her demands for her home are nothing more than her attempts to keep herself around longer,” Toby sighed. He uncapped his beer and drank deeply.
“Is that why you kicked her out of the hotel?” Lucas’ eyes narrowed faintly.
“Camille thought it would kick start her into revealing her true intentions but it’s been a couple of days and there’s nothing.”
“Because her intentions already are true.” I finally spoke. “She wants her home and she’s entitled to it. Do you really think she would push for something so small if she wanted what you have? Legally, she’s entitled to half. She could have just taken that half.”
“I threatened that if she did that, I would make her buy me out,” Toby admitted. Shame was deep in his words and Danny shifted once more in his seat as a flash of distaste crossed his face.
“The fact that she is still here, willing to talk to you after that is surely all the proof you need of her character,” Danny remarked tightly.
“I know, I know.” Toby drank deeply once more. “I’m sorry.”
“She’s your sister. Half-sister.” Lucas pressed his lips together. “You need to meet her. Talk to her properly without lawyers and threats. You need to have a real conversation and get to know her. Then you will see.”
“And you need to apologize,” I said. “I think she will understand, to an extent, because she is familiar with grief, but you need to apologize for what you have done. I know you are in pain but maybe she can be a comfort rather than be an addition. She’s a piece of your family.”
It was hard not to push the issue. Part of me wanted to grab Toby by the collar and shake him until he understood, purely so I could help Scarlett get a step closer to saving her home. Hell, in the dark nights, I’d even contemplated buying it for her in the event that Toby refused to wake up and see the truth.
Finally, Toby nodded, and he set his empty bottle down then rubbed his hands up and down his face.
“You’re right. You all are. I’ve been an asshole. Not just to Scarlett but you’re right.” Slumping back in his seat, he stared up at the dark purple ceiling. “I miss him. I miss that he’s not here to teach me what he was supposed to teach me. I hate that he left. I hate that he cheated, and I can’t have it out with him, so it just sits like poison in my chest. She was a symbol of that, and it was just easy to be angry at her because I couldn’t be angry at him.”
“It’s understandable,” Danny said quietly, “but not excusable.”
“I know.” Toby rubbed his eyes, and then he sat up when he came to a decision. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I am.”
“What are you going to do?” Lucas asked and the wariness in his voice matched the flutter in my own chest.
“Well, I’ll start by inviting her to dinner, and then… then I’ll take it from there.”
22
SCARLETT
“I’m awful. I’m completely and utterly awful!”
