Chapter Five
Sebastian
“I can’t believe you took her to Alice’s place. How was lunch?”
I look up from my papers to find Pippa in the doorway. Alarm bells ring immediately at her characteristic smile. When we were kids, that grin usually meant I broke a window—don’t tell Mom. As of late, that grin means I’m trying to set you up with someone.
It was a bad omen then, and it is now.
“The food was good.” Despite my neutral tone, Pippa’s smile morphs into a grin.
As I said, bad omen.
I hold up the report I’m reading to show her I have no time. Instead of taking the cue, Pippa proceeds into my office, sitting in the chair opposite me and resting her elbows on my desk.
“Oh, but it’s all in the company, not in the food, right. So, how was the company?”
“Ava’s smart,” I reply curtly, still surveying the report in my hands.
“And beautiful and sexy. You want to add anything to that list?”
With a groan, I give up and push the papers away. It’s not as though they’ll stop Pippa when she’s on a mission anyway.
“What’s your point?”
Her brows lower and she answers in the most innocent tone possible, “No point. Just trying to get a feel for the situation.”
“There is no situation, Pippa.”
Her grin returns, all traces of innocence—real or feigned—gone. “Yet, Alice told me you and Ava were giving each other hot looks.”
“I don’t get involved with employees.”
“Ha!” Pippa points a triumphant finger at me, as if I admitted to a mortal sin. “So you have thought about Ava like that.”
“Pippa, I’m a man. She’s a smart, beautiful woman, and sexy as fuck. Of course, I thought about it. But—”
“You’d be perfect for each other.” Pippa rubs her palms together in excitement.
“Damn it.” I drop my head in my hands, sighing. I’ve opened Pandora’s box.
“Hear me out.”
“By all means, go on,” I say in defeat. I can make boardrooms go quiet by only looking at those in attendance. Shutting up my sister? Any of my sisters, for that matter, and sometimes even brothers, if they feel like meddling? Impossible. Of course, there’s something to be said about the fact that we’ve all seen each other playing in mud and had each other’s backs, but still. Years have passed since then. I’m thirty-three. One would think they’d find me at least half as intimidating as our employees do.
“The two of you are very much alike.”
I lounge back in my leather chair, frowning at her. “Meaning?”
“You both have a shield of steel”— Pippa grimaces—“you show everyone, and. . . ah, what is the phrase, ‘a heart of gold’ inside?” She cringes. “I always thought that expression sucks. I mean, steel and gold are both as hard as it gets. Why is a heart of gold considered a good thing? I mean, who decided that should be a thing as opposed to say. . . a heart of cupcakes? That sounds much better, doesn’t it?”
I’d point out that gold is a soft and malleable metal, but Pippa knows this. I have a hunch I’m missing her point. I lost her somewhere between gold and cupcakes, so I don’t answer.
“What I mean,” she insists, oblivious to my predicament, “is I think you have lots in common.”
I scoff. “And you noticed that in the fifteen minutes we were downstairs?”
“You know I can read people.”
Yeah, except that asshole you married. I swallow my words though because I know Pippa is still hurting, no matter what she says. The truth is she does have an extraordinary talent for reading people—most of the time. She got that from Mom. It’s a dangerous talent, especially when both of them decide to use it against me.
“Okay, let’s wrap up this conversation.” Pippa pushes herself to her feet, smoothing her skirt.
I shoot her a suspicious look. “You’re not one to give up until you get what you want.”
Putting a hand on her hip, she leans slightly forward. “But I already got what I wanted.”
“And that was?”
“To make you admit you’re not indifferent to Ava’s fabulousness. Now you’ll be thinking about her all day.”
“No, I won’t. I hate to break it to you, but I’m the CEO of this company. I have more important things to do than that.”
She waves her hand, as if saying, That’s nothing. “You won’t be able to concentrate.”
“You’re crazy,” I mutter, rising from my desk to walk Pippa to the door.
“Of course, I am. But I channel my crazy into creativity, making beautiful jewels that will bring happiness to high-maintenance women and clueless men worldwide.”
We stand midway between the desk and the door, but Pippa doesn’t budge any further, just looks at me expectantly.
“You’re not going to leave until I tell you I love you despite your craziness, right?” I ask.
“Well, the men in our family are the only ones who do love me. A girl has to make the most of what she has.” Pippa says this with a smile, like it’s a big joke, but I know it’s not. I know my sister. She masks everything with a smile and a joke. Much like Ava, I realize, remembering that fleeting moment of vulnerability she let slip today.
“Did Terence contact you again?”
Pippa flinches, hunching her shoulders. In a matter of seconds, my sister seems to have shrunk a few inches.
“He tried. How do you know?” she whispers.
“Wild guess. What did he want?”
“I didn’t pick up,” she answers a little too quickly.
I raise my eyebrows.
“I haven’t spoken to him.” She smiles, pulling herself straight again, setting her jaw. “I’m throwing away all the things he didn’t bother to take with him when he left. I swear I keep finding his shit everywhere.” I read between the lines. Terence moved out a month ago. If she still hasn’t thrown away all of his things, it means she’s still holding on to them.
“You know I’m here if you need to talk, right?” I ask gently.
“Brother, I just talked your ear off.”
“You know what I mean.”
“It’s not worth talking about him. It’s a waste of breath and words.”
Pippa married Terence three years ago. I never liked him much. Something about him seemed off. I made him sign a prenup stating that if he and Pippa separated before their tenth anniversary, he wouldn’t get jack shit. He played his cards right—for one whole year. In their second year of marriage, things took a turn for the worse. They fought continuously and spent more time apart than together. One night, his mask fell completely. He and Pippa were fighting, and he told her he couldn’t wait for ten years to pass. Then he’d divorce her and get his share of the money. He crushed my sister’s heart. Now they’re in the process of getting divorced. That asshole won’t get one cent from my sister, but no matter what, I can’t undo the hurt he caused.
“He shouldn’t be calling you.”
“I don’t want you to get in a fight with him,” she warns.
“I’m not making any promises.”
Logan already gave the moron the beating of his life. None of this will make Pippa feel better though.
“Logan told me about the present for Mom and Dad’s anniversary. They’ll be very happy.”
I smile at Pippa. Yes, my parents will be very happy indeed. They gave it up for me. It’s only fair that I give it back to them. They had my back when I needed it the most and risked everything for me. That’s one of the reasons my parents, along with every single sibling of mine, own shares in Bennett enterprises, no matter if they are actually involved with the company or not. I remember what it was like to have nothing and the permanent insecurity that brought. My family won’t have to endure that again. Ever.
Tilting Pippa’s chin up, I kiss her forehead. “I love you, crazy pants. Now go create beautiful things I can sell.”
She smiles before heading out the door. “I will. Now go tear Ava’s panties—err, I meant shield of steel—down.”
Shaking my head, I sit behind my desk, picking up the report again. As Pippa predicted, I have a hard time concentrating on the report, wondering instead if Ava wears lace or silk.