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“My apologies, Ted. I’ve been waiting for that call from London for a few days. Next time you’re out that way, youmuststop by my place in Kensington. We can pop open a bottle of Château Lafite, and you can enjoy the best view of the city money can buy—from my balcony.”
My dad smiles and nods, saying he’ll have to take him up on that offer, even though he’ll never just be “out that way” any time soon, or ever. My dad hates to fly and hasn’t gotten on a plane in over thirty years. Him jet setting out to London for a bottle of whatever this guy was talking about is comical.
I scoot my chair closer to Dottie when the man takes the only other empty seat at the table, next to me, talking about a trip he took to Greece a few months ago and having dinner with George Clooney. He kind of looks like Chuck Bass fromGossip Girl, which Danny and I are almost finished bingeing, and he even acts like him as well. Hair slicked back with expensive product, perfect skin most likely from weekly facials at a fancy spa, charming all the women at the table with his cocky smile and enthralling all the men by bragging about how much money he has and the famous people he’s rubbed elbows with. Acting like he’s better and smarter than everyone, because he believes he’s better and smarter than everyone, and no one has ever told him otherwise.
I smile to myself, remembering Danny’s words about the character Chuck Bass on our first night living together, when we found out we were both watching the same show.“He’s hot, but he’s a douchebag, so that cancels out all the hotness and just makes him a loser.”
I feel a little bit bad about judging someone without even knowing them, just like my father is doing to Danny. Even Chuck had a few small, redeeming qualities. I quickly sit up straighter in my seat and lean forward to rest my elbows on the table and pay attention when this guy finally stops talking about himself.
“Where are my manners?” He laughs, patting me on the back like we’re already good friends, then relaxing in his chair and flinging his arm over the back of mine. “You guys let me go on and on without even letting me introducing myself!”
I try not to roll my eyes that he’s blaming everyone else for his inability to stop talking about himself long enough to give his name, grinning again as I take a bite of my roll, knowing that Danny would have called him out on it.
God, I wish she was here.
“I’m Asher Montgomery. You might have heard about a little firm I work for called the Brewster Development Company.”
I immediately start choking on a piece of roll that gets lodged in my throat. While everyone else at the table laughs at his joke about the “little company” he works for, he reaches over and starts patting me on the back.
“Get your freaking hand off me,” I cough out as I jerk away from him, snatching my glass of water out of Dottie’s hand as she gives it to me with a shocked yet happy look on her face.
“Ryan!” my father scolds me like a child from a few seats away before chuckling and giving everyone an apologetic smile before his eyes land back on Asher. “You’ll have to excuse my son today. He’s been… feeling a little out of sorts lately. Please, Asher, continue.”
I glare at the man next to me, who just gives me that stupid, cocky smile as he leans his face closer to mine.
“I know we have a little something in common, but we can be professionals about this, right, buddy?” Asher whispers, arm still casually resting on the back of my chair, cocky smile still on his face, not even waiting for my answer before he leans back in his seat and continues talking to everyone else at the table, at my father’s stupid request.
A million thoughts are running through my head as I look at the man Danny used to date while he talks, and none of them are good. She’s only mentioned him by name once, referring to him as Voldemort the other few times he came up in conversation when we discussed her life back in Chicago, but it’s definitely him. The man I thought Danny left at the altar. The one who screwed half of Chicago and betrayed her. The one who still works for her father’s company and is definitely here to try to screw this island as well. My hands clench into fists in my lap, and I want to… probably not punch him in the face, because I’ve never punched anyone before, and it would really hurt and definitely cause a big scene. But I certainly want to call him somereallybad names right now.
Except I don’t. Because my dad expects me to behave, and no matter what kind of rage I’m feeling at the moment, I’m not an ill-mannered Neanderthal who’s going to start shouting obscenities at the dinner table, no matter how much I want to.
“It’s a simple, easy solution, where everyone wins. The Brewster Development Company will come in and make a few minor adjustments, and…”
Asher’s dumb voice fades away, and I don’t even pay attention to the words that are coming out of his stupid mouth. I’ve heard this spiel before about what Danny’s father’s company does, when she was telling me how corrupt they are, and I know all about the lies they tell the people in small towns.
I want to smack my hands down on the table and call him a liar and a thief. I want to shout at everyone around the table to open their eyes and realize that his proposal will do nothing but ruin this amazing island, but I don’t. I take a few deep breaths, I keep the rage inside, and I let him talk everyone’s ears off, acting like he only wants what’s best for this town and the people in it. I let him say his piece, and I don’t give him the satisfaction of making a scene in front of everyone. I refuse to do anything to make my father look like a fool. And him trusting and believing in someone just because of the Brewster name and inviting this person to Summersweet Island to take advantage of our kindness would definitely not make him look good.
I can be patient and calm down, and I can tell my dad how misguided he was as soon as everyone leaves. Explain the entire situation to him and what the Brewster Development Company is all about, when this room isn’t filled with all of his co-workers and people who respect and look up to him. And try not to lose my mind on him that he didn’t even think to give me a heads-up about this, considering I’m living with and dating someone from the freaking Brewster family, who could have given him all the information he needed!
“I know you’ll probably have a ton of questions for me, and I’m available atanytime to answer them and set your minds at ease that the Brewster Development Company wants to see nothing but good things for Summersweet Island.” The room is filled with the sounds of clapping when Asher finally finishes his explanation with a satisfied smile on his face, thinking he’s fooled everyone at this table.
They all start chatting amongst themselves about some of the things Asher mentioned, and he takes the opportunity to lean over and speak quietly to me again.
“When she said she was going to work her magic and come out to the island and sweet talk the next mayor here so we could do some business, she probably should have went after your dad, am I right?” Asher laughs, and all of my heated anger immediately turns into ice in my veins. “Don’t worry; I won’t say a word to him about you not wanting the job. Tinsley told me it was a secret.”
Every good thought in my head I walked into this house with disappears in the blink of an eye, and I feel like I can’t breathe.
She wouldn’t.
There’s no way she would have told him this information. She told me she hasn’t spoken to him since she left and blocked his number.
“Danica,” I manage to mutter, my heart pounding in my chest while everyone around the table continues with their conversation. “She goes by Danica.”
“Right!” Asher chuckles, shaking his head. “She can never make up her mind about anything. Seriously, no hard feelings, man. This is all just business. When she first suggested Summersweet Island to us as a possible town to help out and her coming here to charm you, I have to admit, I was a little skeptical and didn’t see the potential for business. But I can see it now. I’ve been here for a few days, and I really think this is going to be a great opportunity for this place.”
Stop it. She wouldn’t do this. She wouldn’t lie to your face like this, Ryan, get out of your head.
“There’s no way that’s true,” I mutter, my father’s laughter booming around the table when Barb Staigerwald makes a joke to him about the dog groomer in town.
