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“I love it here,” she announces once she’s slurped the last of her drink.
“Have you been to Mexico before?” I dunk a tortilla chip into a bowl of guac before I shove it into my mouth.
She shakes her head. “I’ve been to the Caribbean. Hawaii. But never Mexico.”
“I’m surprised. Figured you Lancasters travel all over the world.”
“Oh we do. Or we used to, when I was much younger. All Lancasters go to Lancaster Prep, so we end up spending most of our time there during high school,” she explains.
I’ve heard of Lancaster Prep. A very expensive, elite boarding school where the children of the best of the best—and the richest of the rich—attend. “All your brothers went there?”
“Yes, and Crew’s there now. He’s a senior. All of my cousins attended or are attending. It’s a Lancaster family tradition.”
“Your family has lots of traditions?”
“Oh definitely. Many of them are downright archaic.” She smiles faintly. “Like this arranged marriage thing.”
I can’t help the chuckle that slips out. “My mother tried to get every single one of my brothers and sisters to marry someone of her choosing.”
“Every single one?”
I nod.
“And did she succeed?”
I slowly shake my head. “Only with me so far.”
We’re both quiet for a moment, letting that sink in.
“Can I admit something to you?” she asks me once the server drops her off a fresh pina colada.
I watch as she takes a generous sip. “Go for it.”
“I was jealous of Ash.” She leans back in her chair while I absorb what she just said.
“Why?”
“I thought she was too—clingy towards you.”
I gape at her. “What?”
“She hung all over you the night of our engagement party.” A scowl forms on her face. “I didn’t like it.”
Wait a minute.
“Charlotte, are you telling me you were jealous of her because of me?”
“I wasn’t jealous of her relationship with Winston if that’s what you were originally thinking.” She takes another sip from her drink and my gaze settles on her pursed lips. “I thought maybe there was something going on between you two.”
I want to laugh, but I don’t. When I first met Ash, I thought she was hot. And she was on my side. I liked that. But I’m not attracted to her. She belongs to Winston. He’d have my ass if I even looked at Ash wrong.
Besides, he’s my brother and I would never do him dirty like that.
“There’s nothing going on between me and Ash,” I say, my voice quiet. “There never has been. She’s with Winston. She’s his wife.”
“I know.” She nods. Sighs. “I’m silly. I just—she’s beautiful.”
“She is,” I agree.
