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The youngest of the Prince brothers is now, perhaps, the richest! Charlie Prince founded fintech firm Gamma while still an undergraduate at Collingswood University, and last month, sold it to venture capitalist Miles Jackson for a rumored 250 million dollars. Is Charlie our city’smost eligible bachelor? After all, his brothers’ have also made some recent acquisitions–an engagement ring for Asterid Quintinie, daughter of Collingswood University’s Dean and fiancee of oldest brother Jack, in addition to the wedding bands for Rose Briar (yes,thatRose Briar) and Margaret Prince, married to Richard and Philip Prince, respectively.
CITYSTYLEMAGAZINE, CITYSNAPS, PAGE 4
Ella
Despite the sizeof the townhouse, despite its elaborate, expensive furnishings, I had been feeling surprisingly at home. I thought it would be uncomfortable, meeting Charlie’s family. They were, as he said, and as the gossip pages hinted, close–apack–and I was an outsider. But Rose was open and friendly, and as she clinked glasses with me as we sat at the island, I had let myself relax slightly.
Everyone else seemed to make themselves at home, and I realized, watching Rose open a drawer and retrieve a bottle opener without hesitation or permission that this wasn’tCharlie’stoo-big house, as I had thought. Everyone lived here, or at least, nobody didn’t sort of live here, since I gathered from Charlie’s grumbling that all these people–his family–had their own houses, too. I asked him in a whisper, after we were seated, and as Margaret began passing around sides and serving some sort of fragrant stew, if it was always like this, and he rolled his eyes and said, not bothering to hide his fondness, that it was.
“Where did you go for your dinner last week, Charlie? Ella?”
“I already got scolded for simply pointing out he had missed dinner here, Margaret,” Rose said, shooting daggers at Philip. “So watch out, or Philip will scold you, too.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” he said, not looking up from his meal, but the sly look he gave his wife said otherwise. Margaret ignored him, and smiled invitingly at Charlie and me.
“We went to,” I said, then realized I didn’t know the name of it. “We got take-out from Mrs. Sarkar.”
“Who?” said Jack.
“We went out for dinner and ate in the park,” Charlie mumbled.
“That soundsveryromantic,” said Rose.
I got the distinct impression that she was alone in that opinion. I opened my mouth to tell them about the tropical garden, the cheerfully smiling Mrs. Sarkar, but–
“Next time,” Philip put in, “have him take you to the Bistro.”
I nodded, caught between the two brothers. I could tell that Charlie was irritated by his brothers’ insistence on visiting the Bistro, but… it was cute to see them bicker like this. They were a family, and the love that undergirded their old arguments was palpable.
I couldn’t follow the conversation; it was all people that I didn’t know, places I hadn’t been, but I didn’t mind, not when my heart was so full just sitting at a big table, full of family. Notmyfamily, but… it was nice, just to be a part of it for tonight, especially with Charlie’s warm hand gripping my thigh. He had poured me a glass of wine, and served me some of the incredible roasted carrots Richard had produced, and was treating me, for all intents and purposes, not as a brand-new girlfriend, but as a part of the group. Theyarea pack, I realized, thinking of what Charlie had said before the others had arrived, and I thought I understood a little more now what that meant.
It was a surprise, therefore, and not a pleasant one, when I heard a name I did recognize.
“I heard Michael Noughton is in town, Richard,” Jack was saying. “Are you going to meet up with him?”
Michael Noughton.Beside me, Margaret stilled, her knife and fork poised above her plate. I saw her eyes flick to Rose, across the table, before she carefully speared a carrot and brought it to her perfectly red lips. Michael Noughton had been the one who had tried to buy out Natalie Marke’s company–who had threatened her, if she didn’t agree to sell. I guess rich people probably all knew each other, but… Richard had seemed sonicein the kitchen, blushing over the carrots as his wife flirted with him. Was Richard friends with that man? My food went bland in my mouth, but I kept chewing mechanically.
“I’m not sure,” Richard responded, slowly. “I might, but you know Michael–he’ll probably be too busy.”
“What’s he doing here anyway?” Charlie asked. “Low-balling another CEO?”
“Ha, ha,” drawled Philip. “Yes, Charlie, we all know his hundred million wasn’t enough for your precious fintech–”
“Listen, Philip, that was a squeeze and you know it. I got well over twice that from Miles–” Charlie abruptly stopped talking, his eyes widening as he realized who he was sitting next to:me. Rose let out one inelegant guffaw of laughter before muffling it with her hand over her mouth. I felt his hand squeeze my thigh once more, as he squeezed his eyes closed and grimaced. “...and speaking of money at the table is gauche, and I will not do it again.”
A hundred million?Dollars?Charlie’s hand, heavy on my thigh in my outlet mall jeans, might as well be made of solid gold.
“Welcome to the family, Ella,” Rose muttered to me, sotto voce from across the table. Margaret was smiling too, now, as I blushed pink and tried to act casual, like I dined with millionaires every week. Like I was perfectly comfortabledatingone. And what did all these other people do, I wondered for the first time. Rose was an author, and Jack ran a bookstore or something, right? How… profitable was that?Probably very, I grumbled to myself, assessing the easy way he was wearing what appeared to be a very expensive gold watch. Unless they were all trust fund kids, which was… even worse. I forced myself to eat another bite and smile. Rose was–they all were–trying to be friendly. In a way,thatwas even worse, too. I stared down at my plate.
“He’s in town to scope out some new acquisitions, yes. I think he’s looking at–” he paused. There was a moment of silence as Philip’s eyes met mine, then quickly looked away. “Uh, actually,” he muttered. “I can’t recall.”
“You can’t recall?” Jack said, but Margaret interrupted him.
“How’s your new accountant doing, Jack? I’m sure not having to do the bookkeeping yourself has been such a relief.”
Jack groaned and leaned back in his chair. Asterid grimaced, saying “Maribel is great at her job, but let’s just say I am more motivated than ever to find arealjob that doesnotrequire me to spend time in an office with her and Jack–”
They were off on another round of friendly jibes and commiseration, but the blood rushing in my ears meant that I couldn’t hear their conversation.
