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"Hey, Thomas is having a get together at Kadia this weekend. I want to go, but you know I can't go without you."
I glanced over my shoulder to find Grace pretending as if she were looking for something in a book. Her whisper was a little too loud and gleaned some attention from the folks around us, but that was Grace. The opposite of her name altogether.
"I hate that place," I mumbled and flipped through the missed calls from my brother earlier that morning. He was the last person I wanted to talk to. I was hoping for a good day. That meant not having a conversation with my older, and intensely pompous brother, Darek. He was an asshole on a good day.
"No you don't." She moved closer and knelt beside me. "It's going to be fun. Come with me. We might actually find someone worth our time."
"In the middle of a club known for sex and drugs? What kind of guy are you looking for?" I lifted my eyebrow and glanced down at her.
The long black skirt she wore pooled around her. 1930's. All the way.
"A bad boy." She pursed her lips and gave me sad eyes. "Please? I really want to live a little before we're out of school."
"College is the end of living, hm?" I tucked my phone in my pocket as it buzzed. My brother again. No doubt.
"You know what I mean." She reached up and gripped my forearm softly. "Please? For me."
"For you, or for Thomas?" I cupped my hand on top of hers. She knew I wouldn't deny her anything ever.
"Both of us?" She stood up. "I can't help that my brother is in love with you."
"Yes, you can. He needs to stop trying and focus on someone that's going to be right for him, Grace. I'm not that girl."
"I'd love for you to change your mind." She pulled her hand from mine and stepped back, clearing her throat. "We could be sisters."
"We're best friends." I stood up as my phone buzzed again. "Ugh. Fucking Darek." I pulled my phone back out and checked to make sure it was him. "I've gotta get this."
"Tell me that you'll go with me this weekend. Don't make me go by myself."
I sighed. "All right, but we're getting you a new outfit, and I get to choose it."
"What's wrong with this one?" She brushed her hand down the cream-colored button down that rested at the base of her throat.
"You look like you're trying to hide something in all those clothes." I tugged at the front of her shirt, knowing good and damn well that she had on a G-string and lace bra that showed most of her perfect breasts through the translucent fabric. She was built to bring men to their knees, and yet her conservativeness would never let that shine through.
"The right guy will get a chance to see everything when I find him."
"Let's hope you're still young and perky when that happens."
"He won't care about things like that." She shrugged. The smug look on her face was too cute.
"When you find prince charming, do me a favor." I picked up my bag and pulled the strap over my shoulder.
"Anything for you."
"Ask if he has a brother?" I snorted and walked toward the door. I'd gotten in a couple of hours of bliss without someone ruining it. It was almost a record. Unfortunately, having to call Darek back meant it was over.
"So you're coming with me this weekend?" She whispered loudly and got requests to hush.
"If you let me dress you." I turned and walked backward, smiling like the bad girl I wasn't.
"Jenna. Jeez." Grace's cheeks colored pink, and I couldn't help but enjoy myself as I turned and walked out of the library. She would find the right guy eventually, but I was going to have to play a part in the hunt. It's not like anyone in their right mind would be after her, no matter how pretty her face was. She resembled George Washington's wife with her clothing choices. That had to change.
I dialed my brother's number and found a stone bench to drop down onto. He picked up on the second ring, sounding particularly pissy.
"Jenna?"
"Nope. It's Mother Nature. When is the last time you watered your grass, asshat?" I squinted as the noonday sun sat high in the sky. It was beautiful that time of year in New York and yet it was hard to enjoy with my brother's voice in my ear. I couldn't remember a time from my childhood where we actually got along, where we liked each other.
"Why do I have to call you ten times to get you to pick up the damn phone? Are you so busy that-"
"Did you need something, Darek? I'm about to walk into work, so if you could make this quick, that would be awesome." I pressed my hand to my forehead and tried to breathe through my nose in long, deep breaths.
Silence. He was pissed. Nothing new.
"We're having dinner at Mom’s tonight to celebrate Denise's birthday. I expect you to be there. With a gift."
I shouldn't have chuckled, but I did. "You expect me to be there? With a bag of gifts? Who died and made you king?"
"Non-negotiable."
"I don't like your newest toy, Darek. Have Kayla dress up as me and play the part." I ran my fingers down my face as my mood sunk further down. My twin sister, Kayla, was lost to the desire for wealth, much like my brother. I was the only one with a head on my shoulders and any amount of class.
"I really don't care what you like or don't like, and this woman has been my wife for over a year, Jenna. She's not a toy. I'd rather you keep your vulgarities to yourself and have some respect."
"Nope. No can do, sir." I stood up and stretched my free hand toward the sky. "Anything else?"
"Be there or I'll be more than happy to pull the plug on your stupid-ass job at the coffee shop."
"You wouldn't do that." I shook my head as white-hot anger raced through me. The job at De Luca's was my first step in gaining my freedom from my oppressive family. Wealth could suffocate my brother and sister, but not me. Never me. I would be my own woman and make my own money if it killed me to do it.
"Yes, I would. Be at Mom and Dad's tonight by six. Period."
"Fuck you."
"We're siblings. That's just gross, and watch your mouth." He scoffed. "See you tonight and don't forget Denise's present. She likes diamonds."
He hung up before I could respond. "Bastard."
I tucked my phone into my bag and jogged across the street to the coffee shop. It was a haven, a home away from home, mine. It was mine. And it wasn't because someone in my family got me the job or opened the company so I could play barista. I did it all on my own.
Diamonds? Are you fucking kidding me?
The whore my brother had married didn't care a thing about him. She was after his money or, rather, my mother's money. Probably both.
Being the heiress to a large cosmetic conglomerate in Europe, my mother was the fourth richest person in the world. Her wealth thereby made us all wealthy, or so my siblings believed.
"Jenna. You're early." Sam turned from the pastry counter and wiped his hands on his white apron. "You okay?" His brow drew in tight.
"Yeah, just dealing with family." I gave him what I hoped was a cute smirk. As the manager of De Luca, he set our schedules and seemed to have them memorized.
"Oh man. That can be the pits at times. I got one brother I love to death, and another I wish I could feed to a meat grinder." He chuckled.
"Ouch. That's a little much, but in all honesty, I'm wishing both of mine would take a long walk off a short pier." I walked around the counter and stored my purse. "I'll clock in at my regular time. I just wanted to be here. That okay?"
"Of course it is, kiddo, but go ahead and clock in now." He squeezed my shoulder as he walked toward the back. "I'm going to work on a few special orders now that you're here. Hold down the fort for us?"
"You know it." I pulled my apron on and tightened it around my waist. I had the rest of the afternoon to enjoy being around complete strangers and a few co-workers that I loved. Then I would head off to a night of pretending to care for the people I should have loved most.
"Jenna Webb?" The woman in front of me wasn't familiar at all.
I glanced down at my name tag like a moron and back up at her. Just my first name was on the badge. "Yes. What can I get started for you today?"
"No, like, the Jenna Webb?"
I smirked. "I'm sure there are more than one of us in a city this big, ma'am. Would you like to try our new toffee mocha latte? It's great for the holidays."
"No." She smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "I interviewed Daniella Webb the other day for the New York Times."
"Oh, the cosmetic heiress?" I pressed my hands to the counter in front of me. "She's a distant relative, but nothing more."
"Really? You look almost exactly like-"
"Her daughter, Kayla? Distant cousins." I picked up a cup and smiled. "What kind of coffee are you up for today?"
She waved and shook her head, dismissing something. I prayed it was the conversation. My sister was a fraternal twin. We looked enough alike to know we were family, but not identical. Thank God. The less resemblance, the better.
"I'll try the new mocha-whatever. Sorry about being invasive. Reporter." She shrugged and dug into her purse as I started to work on the coffee.
Dig all you like. You're not going to find anything. And if you did... I would deny it to my grave.