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WHAT THE HELL had happened?
One minute Drew and I were talking about family, the next I’d unknowingly kicked a hornet’s nest. He said he’d gone for a walk, but I didn’t see him again until the ferry docked and he came back for his bags.
“Everything okay?” I said, watching him tentatively. Maybe he’d gotten seasick?
“Fine.” He didn’t look at me as he shouldered his bag and followed the stream of passengers disembarking.
I always knew his dad was a touchy subject, but I didn’t understand what I’d said to cause him to shut down and walk away. Giving him a little breathing room, I kept my distance. Once we found the driver Levi had arranged for us and settled into the SUV, I tried again.
“You wanna tell me what’s going on?”
Drew kept his gaze out the window. “Everything’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“Really? That’s why you won’t even look at me?”
“Hudson…” He sighed. “Let’s just focus on what we’re here to do right now, okay?”
“I don’t understand what’s got you upset. What did I say that was so wrong?”
“You didn’t say anything wrong,” he said, going quiet. He finally looked my way, and there was a sadness in his eyes I hadn’t seen before. “I mean it. It’s nothing you did.”
“Then why can’t you talk to me about it? Let me in.”
Drew’s lips pressed into a thin line as he looked away again. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”
His words echoed with finality, leaving my chest hollowed out and aching. What was so bad he couldn’t tell me? I already knew everything about him. It made no sense.
The driver cleared his throat. “We’re arriving now.”
Game face on.
My eyes widened as Viper and Halo’s home came into view. Although “home” didn’t seem like the right word for it.
The enormous two-story mansion could only be described as breathtaking. Set on a cliff among lush trees and landscaping, it overlooked a gorgeous view of the sound. The residence itself was dramatic, with much of the exterior walls large expanses of glass, to show off the scenery at every turn.
Wow.My family owned a pretty impressive place in the Hamptons, but this was a different level of money. “Biggest band in the world” money.
Drew seemed stunned into silence as well—or just keeping on with the silent treatment—and after we grabbed our bags, Levi headed out to greet us.
He fit the beachy surroundings perfectly in a collared short-sleeve shirt with flamingos, a pair of slim coral pants, and loafers.
“Glad to see a little storm couldn’t keep you away,” he said, smiling broadly as he greeted us both with a firm handshake.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” I said. Looking behind him, I could see a flurry of activity happening inside the house, and the energy in the air was palpable. Had Viper invited all of New York publishing here? I’d been under the impression it was just me and Drew.
“Viper wants to meet with you soon, but I figure you’ll want to drop off your bags and get settled first.”
Levi nodded for us to follow him, and we made our way across the broad granite steppingstones that cut through brilliant blue ponds on either side of the entrance. When he opened the door, it became clear the house did a good job of soundproofing the noise happening inside.
“Sorry about the chaos,” Levi said. “All the vendors showed up at once to set up, but don’t worry—your rooms are situated at the quiet end whenever you want to escape.”
My eyes darted around the surroundings as Levi led us through the house. There were so many incredible amenities: a recording studio, an impressively stocked wine cellar, a movie theater and entertainment center, a fully equipped gym, not to mention the showpiece circular staircase that seemed to go all the way up to the roof.
“Here we are,” Levi said, coming to a halt at the end of one of the halls that had branched off from the main area. “You guys are cool sharing a room again, right?”
My eyes darted to Drew, who quickly looked my way before jerking his head back toward Viper’s manager.
Levi laughed. “I’m kidding. There’s more than enough rooms for you to have your own. One of you can take this one, and the other is the next one down. Both with views of the sound and an en suite.”
