“Yeah, but you can’t brew it for shit.” He’s particular about green tea, probably influenced by Aunt Akiko.
I roll my eyes. He complains about the lack of acceptable tea, but still never fails to ask for coffee every time he comes over. It’s almost like he has a crush on Madison, but he does this with everyone. The man simply can’t say no to free caffeine. “Fine. Finish your shitty coffee and get out.”
“Ever the gracious host. How you manage to charm so many clients is beyond me. But I’ll be nice to you—after all, you’re about to get a shitty father-in-law.” He snorts a laugh and takes a sip, then makes a face again. “Nelson is an asshole. Never liked him. My brothers don’t either. Ares openly tries to humiliate him.”
“Ares cuts everyone down.” Not to mention he hates everybody and trusts no one. His mother messed him up by kidnapping him and keeping him in a shed in an isolated wooded area when her divorce didn’t go the way she wanted.He almost died when a wildfire started in the area because his mother forgot she’d stashed her son out there.
I’m grateful he doesn’t blame me for what happened. Zoe asked me to invite Ares, Bryce and Josh over to share some cookies she’d bought, and I was the naïve kid who made the call. I knew Uncle Prescott and Zoe were separated, but didn’t think much about it. It turned out she wanted to kidnap all four of the children, but failed because Ares put up a fight. He was worthy of his name even as an eight-year-old.
Still, every time I see the burn scars on him, guilt wells up. Even though logic says I was only seven and couldn’t have known better, my heart feels what it feels.
“You’re either just like your family or the opposite,” Bryce says. “You saw how Vivienne treated Grace, and what her family was like. Your fiancée looked surprised and a little flustered at the dinner.”
“She’s a damn good actress.”
He shrugs. “Or maybe she really was flustered. Not everyone in this town wants to get into movies. You just think like that because it’s how Ted sees the world.”
I bristle at the comparison. “That’s low.” He knows how much I hate being told I’m in any way like Dad.
Bryce shows zero sympathy as he chugs down the coffee. “Truth hurts, man. Give her a chance. That way, if she turns out to be the bitch you think she is, at least you can claim the moral high ground. If she’s actually an unwitting participant in all of this, you can avoid being an asshole to an innocent woman.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you are driven, maybe too much so. When you set your sights on something, you don’t care what or who you trample over to get it. One of these days, that’s going to come back to bite you in the ass. As your cousin—and your lawyer—I’d hate to see you suffer. By the way, this advice is free. You’re welcome.”
“Did Grandma ask you to say this to me?” My voice hardens at possible betrayal. My cousins always supported my decision to pursue my own thing and thought Grandma was too controlling.
“No. I side with my clients, and she isn’t one. I just don’t want you to regret anything. Grandma won’t live forever.”
“She’ll outlive us all,” I mutter, but I don’t make a point of it. Bryce lost his Japanese grandmother a month ago, and he’s taken it harder than his mother. Which is odd, since he wasn’t that close to the woman.
“She’s old, Hux. She loves you and wants the best for you, in her own way. She’ll be gone soon, and then it will be too late.” He shakes his head. “By the time you learn the truth, it’s always too late.”
Only the scent of coffee lingers after he leaves. I stare at the prenup. If Bryce stopped by in person to advise restraint, he probably thinks I’m being too harsh. When I asked him to draft me a prenup, the only thing I thought of was how to destroy and humiliate Grace. But…
Sebastian also said I should tread carefully, just in case.
Fine. I’ll give her a chance to explain. I’m not too proud or stupid to ignore well-meaning advice from smart people who care about me.
I get on the intercom. “Madison, do I have any lunch appointments this week?”
“No. Would you like me to make one for you?” she asks, attentive as usual.
“No, thanks.” Grace and I aren’t going anywhere that requires a reservation.
I pick up my phone. I’ll give my fiancée one more chance.
Chapter Eighteen
Grace
Monday is nobody’s favorite day, but this particular one starts out a mess with the venue for our next fundraiser event telling us there may be a problem because of an upcoming workers’ strike. I sent messages asking if they can help finding another venue for the charity art auction, but the contact hasn’t responded. That poor woman’s inbox is probably exploding with email from irate customers.
My phone has also been buzzing since the dinner with nonstop calls and texts from Karie and Viv. I blocked Viv’s number a year ago, so she started using her mom’s phone to bug me. I wish I could block Karie too, but occasionally she contacts me about Mom’s hospital bills.
“What’s wrong with that thing?” Tolyan says with a dark scowl at my vibrating phone. “Is it broken?”
“No. Just a lot of calls from people I’d rather avoid.”
