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“Actually, Patricia saw it since she follows them and sent it to me. I can’t believe I had to find out third-hand that my best friend and my sister were attending an event together.” His tone is annoyed, but the explanation that it had all been a business decision seems to have chilled him out somewhat. It’s plausible, even half-true, but he didn’t need to know the selfish reasons I invited her.
“Next time I’ll give you a heads up. Promise. But if you look at some of the other pictures of the whole event, you can probably see your sister and I were seated with my parents, which should tell you that it was completely innocent.”
He lets out a breath, grappling with what he thought had happened and the story I’ve just told him, but it all checks out and he knows it. “Fine. But remember your oath.”
Our lunches come out, a beet, peach, and arugula salad for Andries and a small stack of French toast for me, and the conversation pauses so we can eat some. I’m not done with this topic, though, and Andries has landed on a sore point for me.
“You mean that ridiculous oath you forced me to do when you were just a teenager? Don’t you think that it’s weird how much you still care about that?” Andries looks offended, but I don’t give him time to speak. “Not that I want to get with your sister,” I lie, despite sounding rather honest. “But it just feels so off having it hang over us.”
“I was serious about it then and I’m serious about it now,” he says stubbornly.
“Whatever, Andries. I’ve been a good friend to you all this time and you still think the worst of me in some ways. It’s not a good feeling.”
He looks surprised, and then a bit sad. “It’s not that I think the worst of you, it’s just that you are undoubtedly a ladies’ man, and I’m trying to protect my sister.”
I want to talk more about this, to try and make my best friend understand that I’d never do anything to cause Elise pain, but now is not the time. Not when Andries is being ostracized from his family while also planning a wedding, so I let it go. But this isn’t the last time we’ll touch upon this subject, I know.
We eat in peace, talking about who I spoke to last night, but then my phone rings again.
“I swear I’m going to quit carrying this damn thing,” I grumble, pulling it out. It’s Jessica calling, and when I show the screen to Andries, he grins.
“Better you than me,” he says.
I answer, knowing I can’t avoid this conversation forever.
“Wow. After the argument we had, you go behind my back and take Elise to a gala instead of me? What the fuck is going on, Dan!”
“It was a networking thing,” I explain, my tone even as I lean back on the chair. “You aren’t exactly looking to network, but Elise is, so I took her. It’s as simple as that.”
Jessica huffs. “I don’t believe that for a minute. You’ve been spending so much time with her and now you’re taking her to events? That doesn’t sound like friendly business stuff to me.”
“Shit like that isn’t what I want to do with you, Jess! I want to enjoy our private time together.”
“Private? Since when am I no longer good enough to go out with you?” she exclaims, and I want to scream.
“I just meant I want to have fun together, not go to stuffy events.” I roll my eyes, head shaking and Andries chuckles at the whole thing while taking another bite of his food.
“Listen to me, Dan, you’re on the verge of losing me for good. I liked Elise when she was just a friend, but she’s been making her way more and more into your life and taking my place. I’m not having it. One more fuckup, and I’m gone for good.”
“Jess—” I try to say, but she’s already hung up.
I groan and lay my forehead on the table, causing Andries to laugh. “Good luck with that,” he says, reaching over to pat my shoulder.
“Yeah,” I say, voice muffled by the table. “I’m going to need it.”
I’ve managed to argue with my hookup and my best friend already today, so now I’m going home to see if maybe I can coax my parents into a screaming match just to round out the day.
Even if I were being serious, my parents are some of the calmest, most even-keeled people I know, and I’d have to commit felony arson or something to make them angry. It’s why I’m headed to their house early to be around the few people in the world that won’t ever cause me any drama and love me unconditionally.
I feel a rush of affection for my parents, and how wonderful they both are. Maybe I should just move back home and hide away. It would be nice, for a few days at least, until I went stir crazy.
I pull around to the back of the estate, telling the valet to clean the Audi for storage and have the Jaguar ready for me when I leave, before heading inside. My mother greets me with a kiss on both cheeks before telling me that my dad is in his workshop looking over his newest purchase.
“Will you stay for dinner?” she asks hopefully, and I’m more than happy to accept.
Dad’s workshop and storage for all his collectibles take up the entire basement. Its temperature and humidity are controlled to protect the delicate fabric fibers and wood that some of the watches are crafted from.
He’s standing in front of one of his worktables when I find him, cloth gloves on as he takes the watch out of an aged wooden case.
