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“Do what?”
“This—this—relationship with Trace-” I waved my hand dramatically. “He didn’t tell me about his family being rich and now, you’re telling me they’re worth billions! How can I compete with that! I’m a normal girl from New Hampshire, Avery! Not the Hamptons!”
“Hey, hey, hey,” she grabbed my flinging hands, and brought them down to my sides, holding them in place. “This,” she pointed her finger in my face, “is exactly why lover boy didn’t tell you. Frankly, I don’t blame him. You do have the tendency to overreact.” I opened my mouth but she shushed me. “Trace is still the same guy he was before you found all this out.”
“That’s exactly what he said,” I mumbled reluctantly.
She smiled. “It seems to me that Trace has tried to distance himself from that lifestyle. He works as a mechanic, and lives above the garage, it seems to me that he’s trying to make his own life not based on his family’s name.”
“It’s just…weird,” I pleaded with my eyes for her to understand me. “I have nothing to my name and he has everything.”
“Hey,” she shook me lightly. “Money is not everything. Money does not buy you happiness, Olivia. A shiny new toy doesn’t make up for mommy and daddy being gone all the time. It doesn’t fill an ache inside you. All that matters is how you feel about Trace and how he feels about you.”
I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right,” she scoffed. “I’m always right.”
I scooted over and made room for her on the beanbag chair. I lay with my head on her shoulder.
“You were talking about your mom and dad, weren’t you?” I asked quietly.
She nodded. “It’s not that they’re bad people…they’re just not very good parents. They’ve both always been too focused on making money and traveling…just the two of them. We didn’t matter to them. It’s sad, but true. They tried to make up for being gone all the time by giving us gifts. But that wasn’t enough.”
“I’m sorry, Avery,” I whispered.
“It was a long time ago. I know they love me and I love them…but it’s a different kind of love. It’s not the way it should be. I hardly know them.” We both grew quiet and then she pleaded, “Don’t let your insecurities make you miss out on the greatest thing to ever happen to you.”
“I won’t,” I sighed, “I’m in too deep.”
I had fallen too far and too deep to swim back to the surface now.
I was sunk, hook, line, and sinker, into Trace Wentworth.
c h a p t e r
Twenty Two
It was Christmas day at the Callahan house, which meant it was awkward central for my mom and me.
I made my way down the curved staircase and I heard the whole family in the living room. The sounds of wrapping paper being ripped, met my ears, and I was sure they were all gathered around the massive Christmas tree.
I tried to tiptoe by them, into the kitchen, for a glass of orange juice, but since I had the crappiest luck ever, Avery spotted me.
“Olivia! Come in here!” She called, and her whole family stopped what they were doing, to look at me. Her remaining four brothers had arrived a few days ago. They seemed nice but I hadn’t talked to them much, preferring to stay out of the way, unnoticed. Unfortunately, Nick had a knack for finding my mother. Gag.
Ben, the brother that was a doctor, smiled kindly at me. “Don’t stand there, come in,” he waved me into the room.
“Uh,” I stepped into the room and faced all of them. “I was going to get something to drink and go back upstairs. I promise I won’t be in your way.”
“Olivia, please, sit down. It’s Christmas,” Galen said. I was surprised he had spoken. He hadn’t said much to me since him and his wife arrived, he hadn’t been mean to me or anything, but he certainly didn’t go out of his way to make conversation.
“I feel like I’m intruding,” I tried to back out of the room.
“Sit, Olivia,” Avery demanded and like an obedient dog I listened. Dammit.
“Thata’ girl,” she patted the top of my head.
“I will so get you for this,” I hissed.
