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“No, let’s wait until after dinner. We can talk when everyone leaves.”
“Okay.”
Alden guides me into the dining room, and when everyone looks our way, I feel strong and secure in my skin rather than rattled like before.
CHAPTER NINE
ALDEN
I do not understand my brother. I’ve struggled to connect with him since we were teenagers, but as adults we are so very different. Rob chats with our cousins and friends and completely ignores Emily like she doesn’t exist.
Camille and I are not even officially dating, and I wouldn’t disrespect her that way.
“So, Emily, what do you do,” Camille asks, seemingly curious.
Emily looks up from her meal like she’s shocked someone is speaking to her.
I don’t like it. There is no logical reason for it, but it bothers me.
“I own a flower shop,” she says. “What about yourself?”
“I’m a lawyer for Simon and Williams,” Camille says. “That’s how Alden and I met. We were facing off in a heated debate in a judge’s chambers and decided to go for lunch afterward. How about you and Rob?”
Emily looks at Rob, who is still not invested in the conversation.
“It’s not that interesting of a story. I was out looking for a new place to have a meal and wandered into a cop bar. He was standing by the bar and we just started talking. Then I saw Rob again when I was out for a girl’s night.” Emily smiles wide. “We challenged his table to a game of pool, and we kicked their butts.”
I smirk and pick up my cognac to take a sip.
“No, you didn’t.” Rob jumps in with a growl, then polishes off his glass of whiskey.
“Well, we beat you,” Emily says. “What would you call it?”
She nudges his arm teasingly.
“You got lucky,” he snarls, stands, and walks away from the table.
Everyone is quiet as he leaves. All eyes turn to Emily. I slowly stand, drink in hand, and draw everyone’s attention.
“I would like to thank all of you for coming here this evening to celebrate my birthday with me. And I’d especially like to thank my mother, who put this all together. The meal was fabulous.” I raise my glass to her, and everyone cheers as they take a sip of their drink. “With that said, we should end the formal portion of this evening. Anyone interested in joining me for a cigar in the study?”
Chairs scrape as people stand. My eyes lock on Emily as she grabs her purse and quickly disappears. With a sigh, I lead the way to the study and break out the best. Camille grabs a cigar and smiles wickedly at me.
“That was very kind of you, Alden,” she says.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Taking my cigar and drink, I move to my favorite chair and sit down.
Camille follows and leans up against me, a perfect fit for my life. She is incredibly beautiful and accomplished. She shares the same interests in business, politics, and religion. We both love expensive cars, and are in the same social circles. And my mother adores Camille. She is exactly the kind of woman that I should want to marry, and yet in our three years of very casual dating, I’ve never seen myself settling down with her. I’ve never seen myself settling down with anyone.
“Moving the attention away from whatever is going on with your brother and his girlfriend is what you did, and it was sweet. I didn’t know you had it in you.”
That makes me chuckle.
“You can’t prove it, and I’ll deny it if you try,” I say, and Camille smiles.
“I don’t mean this to be rude. But Emily seems very out of her depth here. I’m not sure why Rob brought her.”
