Marnie reads into my silence correctly and makes a frustrated sound. “Really, Lilian. Don’t ruin this for me. If you don’t have an escort, I’ll be forced to move around the family groupings and place you at a different table. The optics of that would be in extremely poor taste.”
I hold back a snort of derision. Poor taste went out the window the day she announced she was dating her now fiancé.
“Oh well, in that case, I’ll be sure to bring someone. After all, we wouldn’t want the optics to be bad.” I spit out the words before I can think of how they’ll stoke the fire of antagonism between Marnie and me. Given how her eyes narrow into a glare — but not a frown line to be seen, thanks to her monthly Botox appointments — my sarcasm landed on its mark.
“If you weren’t so…you,perhaps this wouldn’t be such a difficult situation you’ve put us all in. You’re making everyone in the family uncomfortable, Lilian. Truly. Would it kill you to think about someone other than yourself, just once, and cooperate with our plans?
The audacity of what she’s just said has my jaw dropping open in shock. I’m used to the gaslighting comments my family loves to sling at me, but this is next-level.
It takes me a second to gather my wits about me to try and formulate a response to Marnie’s outrageous comments. And before I have a chance to say anything, there’s the sound of silverware clinking against the edge of a glass, and my aunt’s voice rises above the conversations, calling Marnie over to her. I watch her flounce off as dread builds in my stomach.
The Chapmans love to make a speech any chance they get. In a normal situation, that wouldn’t be cause for concern. But this is anything but normal.
“Thank you all for coming today to celebrate my darling daughter’s upcoming wedding. We’re so happy for her, and so thrilled to welcome Clay into the Chapman family. Why, I still remember the day Lily brought Clay to the office for some reason or another. The instant he laid eyes on Marnie, sparks started to fly. I knew right then and there that we’d be seeing a lot more of him, and now, here we are.”
And there it is. The casual, offhand mention of me, and the role I played in bringing Marnie and Clay together.
I wish I could say there was an awkward silence after Aunt Dora finishes, but there isn’t. Because everyone in this room — Nana being the only exception — has drank the Kool-Aid and thinks it’s totally fine that Marnie is marrying Clay.
Because yes, it’s true that I brought Clay to the office that day to pick something up for my father. And yes, I introduced him to Marnie. However, there’s a bit more to it. One important piece that Aunt Dora carefully left out in her speech.
He came with me to the office that day asmyboyfriend.
Chapter five
Jude
“He needs to go, Stef.”
“Okay. I’ll handle it, but don’t you think maybe you’re overreacting? You’ve only had two sessions with the guy, maybe he was starstruck.”
I growl into the phone. If my leg wasn’t busted, I’d be pacing my living room right now. “If he was any less subtle about wanting me to score him some fucking tickets, he’d have a neon sign around his neck. And how many autographs does one guy need? He’s gonna sell them, Stefan. I’m sure of it. Who the fuck asks for ten? Ten!”
“Maybe his family are fans?” Stefan says, but I can hear his doubt coming through.
I grunt instead of replying, and my agent slash somewhat friend lets out a long-suffering sigh. I don’t feel bad for him, I pay him more than enough to deal with this shit.
“Get me a different therapist for my next session. Not negotiable.” I end the call and toss the phone down on the couch beside me, letting my head fall back on a deep exhale.
As if the shit show with the physical therapist this week wasn’t bad enough, tonight I have to go to dinner at my parents’ house.
Hence the barrage of text messages flooding the group chat with my siblings, ostensibly to check in on me, but in reality, they just want to remind me of dinner, and that Beckett will be picking me up in a couple of hours. Just the thought of facing all of them makes me want a nap.
Sleep has never come easily to me. I’ve always been the one to stay up till well after midnight, then toss and turn in bed before dragging my ass to practice at 5 am. I’ve tried everything from meditation to melatonin. None of it helps.
But the physical demands on my body right now are making it impossible for me to function on the little sleep I’m used to getting. And hell, it’s not like I have anything else to do right now. I’ve already done the home exercises that idiot of a therapist told me to do, and I can only zone out on Sports Zone highlights for so long.
Insomnia is a bitch, but maybe she’ll let me have this small reprieve.
I crutch into the bedroom and sink down on the bed, setting an alarm for an hour before closing my eyes in hopes of getting a short break from reality.
That fucking alarm goes off way too soon, and it’s echoed by a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I shout groggily, assuming it’s one of my brothers.
“Why are you in bed?” Max asks, leaning against the doorframe as I slowly swing my legs over the side of the bed.
“It’s called a nap,” I reply drily. “What are you doing here? I thought Beckett was picking me up.”
