AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay. Okay.” I held up a hand, not wanting to hear about her exploits. My mom had traveled the world modeling. She’d partied with royalty and rock stars alike. She’d posed almost nude for covers. She’d skydived and snorkeled and done so many incredible things.
But that was whatshe’dwanted. That wasn’t what I wanted.
“How I had such a serious child is beyond me,” she teased. “You’ve always been so sensible, and I was wild.”
“I know, Mom. But I’m not you.”
“Maybe not, but there’s got to be some of that wild child in there. Just waiting to come out.” She smirked.
“I’m twenty-seven. If it hasn’t come out yet, I don’t think it’s going to.”
“You never know,” she said with a knowing grin. “It might just be waiting for the right person.”
“Mm-hmm.” I crossed my arms. “Sure.”
“I’m serious. Sometimes it takes the right person to bring us out of our shell. To help us release our inhibitions. Someone like Maxwell…”
“Stop.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Please just stop.”
I really didnotwant to hear the story of her fling with the British duke again.
She laughed, and I was glad to see her smile, even if it was at my own expense. But then she winced, and my heart sank.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She took a few deep breaths, clutching my hand. Finally, she said, “I will be. But I need you to promise me something.”
She loosened her grip, and I leaned closer. “Anything.”
“Seize opportunities. Have fun. Live!”
“And if I do that, will you promise to take care of yourself? And you’ll call me if you needanything.”
“I promise. Now promise me that you’ll let loose.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled as I muttered, “I’ll do my best.”
CHAPTERTWO
Ipoured myself another glass of whiskey then braced my hands on the suite’s wet bar as I took a deep breath and replayed the evening. The loss. The disappointment.
And then I counted to ten and straightened. No use dwelling on it. I couldn’t change the outcome; I could only learn from it.
There was a knock at the door, and I frowned at my reflection in the mirror behind the glass shelves. My tie hung loose around my neck, my hair askew from tugging on it. The culmination of a year of hard work, gone in a moment.
“I know you’re in there, Knox,” Jasper called from the other side of the door.
I rolled my eyes. I should’ve known.
I strode over to the door, the patterned rug soft beneath my feet. I peered through the peephole to verify it was, in fact, my cousin and then swung open the door.
“Oh good,” Jasper said, brushing past me, bottle of Louis XIII Cognac in hand. “You already started.”
“Started what?” I asked.
“Drinking.” He flashed me a mischievous grin. “I like a good pregame.”
“Pregame?” I shook my head. “This is the postgame.” Both literally and figuratively.
