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Morgan, as always, was concerned with only herself. She, more than anyone, should say something to her brother. Instead she was holding up her phone and looking at herself in it. “Did anyone listen to Simon Sinek’s TED Talk about how great leaders inspire action?” she asked after our dinner plates were cleared, but it looked like she was talking to herself into her phone.
No one responded right away, so I said, “I didn’t, but I did take the latest Cosmo quiz, and, good news, I totally got A-plus kisser.”
Morgan lowered her phone and gave me a sneer that could melt the butter on every table in the place.
Brooks chuckled, then stopped once Morgan hit him with her dirty look too.
Julian swirled the wine in his glass before downing all its contents in one gulp. As soon as he set his glass down, he began to pour himself some more. “I have to say I concur with the quiz. Your lips are sweeter than the wine.”
I blushed, not wanting him to talk about the kisses we had shared, especially in front of Brooks. I knew it was ridiculous. Brooks was my friend. Or at least he used to be. Yet deep down, I still wanted him to be more. No matter how much fun I’d been having with Julian. I was connected to Brooks in a way I couldn’t be with anyone else. Brooks had helped me through the death of my mother, and my sweetest childhood memories included him.
“Who knew,” Julian continued, “when Morgan begged me to ask you out how much I would end up enjoying myself?”
Every head whipped in his direction.
My heart dropped to my stomach. “What did you say?”
“He’s drunk,” Morgan stuttered. “Don’t listen to a word he has to say.” She was shooting daggers at him with her eyes.
Julian waved off his sister. “I may be drunk, but I’m lucid.” He turned toward me. “Morgan is jealous of you and thought Brooks would leave her for you, so she asked me to seduce you.”
Bile rose to my throat. I had to swallow it back down before I vomited.
“Shut up, Julian,” Morgan hissed.
“No, Julian,” Brooks seethed. “I think Grace and I would like to hear what you have to say.”
Julian gave Morgan a sinister smile as if he would like nothing more than to spill the beans on his sister. Meanwhile, Morgan was trying to take Brooks’s hand, but he pulled away from her.
“Brooks, it’s not what you think,” Morgan pleaded with him to believe her.
“It’s definitely what you think,” Julian growled. “She hates Gracie. Always has. She was pissed, back in high school, when you said you would go to prom with her. But it all ended up okay in the end, right, sis? Brooks ditched Gracie for you, and you lost your virginity to him that night, am I right? I find it hilarious that you found girls who did that to be so cliché. You were even careless enough not to use protection. You got lucky there.” He held up his glass as if to toast her.
I grabbed my stomach and faced Brooks, tears welling in my eyes. I knew I shouldn’t care, as it was so long ago, but it hurt. I pushed my chair back and stood.
“Grace.” Brooks threw his napkin down and stood. “Please, listen to me.”
“I don’t want to hear another word from any of you. You all deserve each other,” I spit out with all the vitriol I could muster.
“Please, don’t go, Gracie.” Julian tugged on my hand. “What we have between us may have started out as a favor to my sister, but honestly, I haven’t felt like this about a woman in a long time. Besides, you haven’t heard the best part yet.”
I couldn’t care less what he had to say. I grabbed my purse, ready to order an Uber, when Julian spouted off, “Brooks, if I were you, I would go with Gracie. My sister is certifiable. Hell, my entire family is. Morgan about drove her ex-husband to the brink of insanity trying to control his life.”
“Ex-husband?” Brooks spewed. “You said you were never married.”
“She also said she moved back here for a promotion.” Julian took another long sip of his wine. “Her little bank gives out vice president titles like the candy they give to their drive-through customers. But she was demoted.”
“Just shut up,” Morgan pleaded with tears in her eyes.
“I don’t think so, sis. You wanted me to orchestrate this night with Gracie, so here you go.”
This was all a setup? I stood there stunned and unbelievably hurt. I had thought Julian really liked me.
“And you want to know why she’s been tasked with internal audits?” Julian soldiered on. “Her boss has had a few too many complaints about how she interacts with their biggest clients. She can’t help but shove her ideas down everyone’s throats. She just can’t stomach the thought that she’s less than perfect.” He glared at Morgan.
