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"Maybe, but it’s not impossible. She is a stunning woman, and I find myself genuinely smitten with her."
Preston shakes his head and stands up. "This is all too much to take in. I need to talk to my sister first."
"I understand," I say, standing up as well. "She must be in the main event hall, where fashion week is being held."
"Okay, I'll go there then."
"Okay," I say, walking him to the door. "If you’d like, we can meet for dinner and talk about it with the three of us together."
"I doubt I'll stay in town that long. Truth be told, Mom and Landon wanted me to take Penny back to San Francisco to figure out how to handle the rumors that have arisen from those photos, but I don't plan on doing that to my sister. I know how important this event is to her and her career."
I nod in silent agreement.
He puts his hands in his pockets and pauses, standing in front of the door and turning back only to look me in the eye for a moment. "I want you to know, Parker, that I want to believe you on this whole thing with my sister. But, if you're lying to us..."
"I'm not," I reply with my best poker face.
"For your sake, I hope not. It really doesn't concern me what you do or don't do with your life, but my sister is different. She's not just another one-night stand of yours."
"I know better," I say. "I assure you that for me, she's not."
Preston nods. "Well then, we'll keep in touch. Have a good day, Parker."
He says his goodbyes to me as he hurries out of the room.
I wait for him to leave, closing the door behind him, and I go back to the bar and pour myself another drink.
"Shit," I whisper.
I don't doubt that Preston and Landon are just the first of the obstacles on this trail of lies. And truth be told, even if they don't know it, I hate myself for lying to them.
Worse, I hate myself for betraying my best friend; for violating the code of conduct between brothers, as that is how I see Grayson.
To have had a one-night stand with his younger sister is unacceptable, but to have done so and allowed the whole thing to be turned into a rumor from which I intend to benefit? It is unforgivable.
I know that if he finds out, Grayson won't forgive me. It will put an end to our friendship, and as a result, I can’t let anyone find out what Penny and I have been up to.
No matter what, my intention is to protect her from my own mistakes, from my failure to resist her, when I know that I should have fought that very impulse with all my might.
Now that the damage is done, and although I see an opportunity in all this that can benefit us both, I have to make sure, at all costs, that this does not do any more collateral damage to the younger Gould. I can’t let her get hurt, or she will never forgive me.
Picking up my phone, I dial Penny's number, waiting only two rings for her to answer.
"Don't panic, but Preston just came to visit me, and he is on his way to meet you."
"Why?" Penny asks on the other end of the line in a choked-up voice. "What is he doing here?"
"Representing your family, of course," I say with a slightly bitter smile plastered over my lips. "Now, just remember what we talked about. Give him the version of what happened that we agreed on, and I promise you everything will be fine."
"Parker, I don't know if I can do this."
"You can," I say, trying to encourage her. "Just stick to what we talked about. Preston just wants to know that you're okay, so he'll be reassured if you can give him an indication of that."
"Okay." Penny sighs, trying to remain calm.
"We'll meet for lunch soon," I promise. "And we can better plan how to confront the rest of your family."
"Okay," she whispers, her voice wavering slightly.
