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Britney Spears “Toxic.”
Regards,
Catherine James
8
PUSH BY MATCHBOX TWENTY
Cat
As I approach the table where my brother and Frank are seated, I can’t help but squeal. “Gah, I missed you so much, Cash Money.”
He’s up and has his arms wrapped around me in under five seconds. “Not as much as I missed you, Kit Cat.” He squeezes me tight and presses a kiss to my forehead before turning to his best friend. “How good does my sister look, Frank?”
Over the rim of his glass, Frank watches me, his gaze searing. His lips curl up as he replies, “She always looks good.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not a prize pig, Cash. No need to force your friends to compliment me.”
The seat next to Frank is set with an additional place setting, so I slide in next to him and smile a little hesitantly. I’m not really sure how to act. In the past, I wouldn’t kiss him on the cheek in greeting—I don’t think I did, anyway—but how did we greet one another before we started sleeping together? We rarely even kiss. He normally goes straight to his knees. Where I prefer him.
“Ah, my two best friends. This is great,” Cash says, drawing my attention back to him. Despite the joy he infused into that statement, there are dark circles under his eyes, and he’s obviously lost weight since the last time I saw him. It’s clear the stress of taking over the company is getting to him, and so is our grandfather’s condition. We all knew Cash would take over one day. Have known it since he was young. But this isn’t how he wanted it to happen.
“You should go away,” I suggest.
Cash laughs, but there’s no humor behind it. “I just got here, and you’re already trying to get rid of me?”
Beside me, Frank leans back and settles his arm against the back of my chair. He’s just getting comfortable, but the action leaves me wondering if he would have done this before we slept together. What is normal? What’s not? I don’t know. “I agree with Cat,” he says casually.
Cash narrows his eyes. “What are the two of you going on about?”
“You’re about to become the CEO of a billion-dollar company, Cash.” Frank clears his throat. “It’s a lot. Not to mention your grandmother’s comments…”
I frown at Frank. “What comments?”This is the first I’ve heard of them.
Cash’s dark chuckle returns. “Oh, you haven’t heard grandmother’s latest plan?”He props his elbows on the table and tilts closer. “She wants me to get married. Says the CEO needs a wife. That if I’m to take over, I need someone by my side.”
I roll my eyes. Of course. My grandmother has no hope for Carter or me. She acts like we won’t be there to encourage him every step of the way.
“I hate to say it, but if grandmother is plotting your marriage, you better take the vacation while you can.”
Cash blows out a breath and looks around the restaurant. After a long moment, he slides a hand through his hair and turns back to face us. “Maybe. So what’s new with you, Kit Cat?”
“Nothing as exciting as you. New CEO. Next up, marriage,” I tease, doing my best to keep the conversation focused on him rather than my train wreck of a life.
He closes his eyes and shakes his head, but then he finally smiles that smile I love so much. “How was Paris?”
Memories of the days I spent with Chloe instantly brighten my mood. “It was great. Chloe has become her own little person. It’s crazy.”
“Oh, yeah? I miss her. It’s been years since I’ve seen her. She’s probably huge.”
I take out my phone and slide it across to him. The lock screen is set with a picture of Chloe at one of the restaurants we visited. The cornflower blue of her dress makes her eyes shine brightly. Just like her father’s.
I gulp down the fear that rattles through me at that thought. Now that I have to face him daily, the likelihood that she may actually meet him one day has multiplied significantly.
Chloe has always known the truth. That I’m her mother. That I gave Cynthia full custody when she was a baby. That I’ll always be in her life, but for the world, she is Cynthia’s.
But I love her fiercely, and she knows no piece of paper will change that.
