AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, points happily accepted. Anyway, Preston’s Grandmother died.”
“Oh, no!” I gasp.
“Ehh, she was a judgmental old bitch.ButPreston’s family dynamic is a little off-kilter. He’s her executor and kind of the only person left in the world who gave a damn about her.”
“Is he okay? What a terrible time for this to happen.”
“He’s fine. Barely flinched. She was ninety-seven—”
“Ninety-seven! Grandma, you rockstar! I’ll send over a freshsnatchof cookies.”
Sondra chuckles. “Cookies are good, but I prefermuffins.”
“You got it, babe,” I say, returning a chuckle.
“So, here’s the thing, I’m going to stay at Preston’s for a few days to play buffer to the torrent of family that’s headed his way. Family that wasn’t exactly invited to the wedding.”
“Oh, awkward. So you want me to drive up alone? That’s fine—”
“There’s more. You can stay in the suite I booked for us. But you won’t be staying there alone…”
“Okay…” Keith isn’t coming up for two more days because he has a project he’s overseeing at work. And Dottie couldn’t get the time off till the end of the week. “Who’s staying with me?”
“Preston’s best man and childhood best friend, Aleck Fox. I know it’s not ideal to stay with a guy you don’t know, but he’s… nice.” She handles the word “nice” with kid gloves. “I may not be there in time to go to a few appointments with you, so I figured you could use the help. Also, the resort is booked because there’s a wedding this weekend so he couldn’t get another room. And please just do it without giving me shit—”
“Consider it done, Sondra. You just focus on being there for your fiancé, and I’ll take care of everything else.”
“You’re the literal best, Win. I love you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Love you too.” I take a deep breath. “You said he was…nice. What doesnicemean?”
I can almost hear her shoulders sink in the silence.
“Sondra…”
“He’s… nice. Just…nice. He and Preston grew up together. His dad is the co-President of Fox and Latham. Aleck was running the New York branch but moved back to LA before his father’s retirement. From what I hear, Aleck is a viper in the courtroom. I’ve met him once—”
“Let me guess, he’snice?”
She chuckles. “That he is. I have to go. Preston just got here. I already called the resort to let them know you’ll be checking in on my behalf. I’ll text you the details. And, Win?”
“Yeah?”
“Try not to slip in Aleck’s blues…” Her smirk practically oozes through the phone.
“What? What doesthatmean?”
“GottagoloveyouWintertalklaterbye!” And just like that, she’s gone.
“Try not to slip in Aleck’s blues…”If this is some cockamamie scheme to get me boned, I’m going to kill her. And Preston. And Aleck, on principle alone.
* * *
The three-hour driveto the resort gave me the time I needed to work on writing my toast for Sondra and Preston’s reception. The toast I haven’t been able to write. Mostly because men suck, and I’m pissed, and I can’t write about love without thinking about Brian and his wandering penis.
“I just don’t think I’m the kind of guy to stay, like, nailed down at this point in my life. You know?”
“Yeah, I know, Brian. But, um, don’t you think you should have come to that conclusion before we dated for THREE YEARS?”
