Total pages in book: 171
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
My jaw ticked. “You’re going to have to face the world at some point.”
Seb just laughed. It was almost worse. The way he didn’t even acknowledge my statement with words.
“Focus on our game, big brother.” He restarted the clay trap. “And shut up.”
Chapter Sixty
Oliver
Turned out, I had absolutely no reason to worry about Briar settling in.
She made herself right at home.
Literally.
As soon as Sebastian and I returned, I spotted a trail of soaked beach towels, popcorn kernels, and sticky neon alcoholic drinks strewn across the pavement. They snaked in a long, winding path leading straight to the pool.
Laughter, smoked barbecue, and the blaring surround system guided me to the perpetrator. “I Like the Way You Kiss Me” by Artemas rattled the deck beneath me. A great song. I wondered if it was Briar’s choice.
I found myself wondering about a lot of her preferences. Food, playlists, men. What type she liked to date.
Not ones that fucking ruined her life, bastard.
A spark of excitement surged through me. It felt like stepping out from a shadow into the sunlight. This – the thrill of rediscovering Briar – liberated me. A welcome distraction from worrying about Sebastian’s wellbeing and managing the Grand Regent.
Snatches of conversation drifted toward me from the pool area around the bend. I inched closer, just shy of the cabana.
“… you sure he won’t mind you throwing a party over here?” I didn’t recognize the feminine voice. “I mean, you barely know the guy.”
“It’s fine,” Briar reassured her. It was definitely not fine. Seb would have my hide any minute now. “He loves parties and women in bikinis. He’ll be thrilled.” She paused. “I would advise against getting into the pool, though. God knows what he and his hookups have left there.”
I bit down my lip, stifling a laugh. The curtains hid me from view. I could waltz out the double doors and confront her, but I didn’t. Not yet.
I surveyed the so-called party. The deck consisted of a sunken pool, an attached jacuzzi, and rows of sun loungers flanking either side. It stood opposite from the lake, at the far end of my home, just beneath my master bedroom.
Eight women scattered across the area, all in bikinis. Unfinished drinks littered the pavement, burgers and hot dogs smoked up the air, and Briar manned the grill herself, flipping brioche buns and skewered onions.
She wore a green bikini with her hair pulled up in a messy high bun.
My mouth watered – and not because of the food.
“Everyone’s already in the pool.” The raven-haired woman beside her laughed. “Plus, I’m sure he’s not that bad.”
Briar started plating burgers in my well-equipped outdoor kitchen. “Oh, he’s worse.”
I watched in fascination as she effortlessly remembered all her friends’ food preferences. A burger with no lettuce. One rare, and the other well-done. One with extra tomatoes. The double patty across it with mustard on the side.
She was right.
I wasn’t mad at her. Not because letting the Spice Girls 2.0 invade my home was okay – anyone with a functioning brain would consider it a gross violation of privacy and hospitality – but because I couldn’t fucking get mad at Briar, even if I tried.
Someone cannonballed into the pool, splashing the nearby bushes with treated salt water. A pair of twins gossiped on the tanning ledge loungers, partially submerged and matching cocktails in their fists. Two others invited themselves on a tour of my property, disappearing around the corner.
Time to crash your party, Cuddlebug.
I blasted through the doors, plastering a cocky smile on my face as I descended the upper deck stairs.
“Ladies.” I crossed the lawn, strolling in my roommate’s direction. “Briar.”
The dig landed.
Her friends plastered hands over their mouths. Briar’s beautiful smile dropped. I hated that everybody else got her smiles while I got her scowls. It used to be the other way around.
“Hey, roomie.” I kissed her cheek, showing her that I didn’t mind the party – and also proving that she was definitely affected by me. By the time I withdrew, her whole body was one big goosebump. “Taking advantage of my many amenities?”
“Yes, I invited some friends from LA.” She squirted ketchup onto a plate. “Hope you don’t mind.”
Translation: I hope you mind with every fiber of my body.
“I can see that. Hi, I’m Ollie.” I offered my hand to her nearest friend. “Nice to meet you.”
“Hazel.” She twirled a thick curl around her finger, fighting what had to be disdain. “I was Briar’s roommate in college, so I know all about you. No need to spend any effort winning me over. You won’t succeed.”
“Fair enough.”
Briar scanned me up and down, her expression clouding over. “Did you just go hunting?”
“Pigeons,” I confirmed. “Clay pigeons. Speaking of hunting, where do you think the burgers and hot dogs you’ve been grilling came from?”
“Oh, I know this one.” She snapped her fingers, pretending to think. “The storks, right? Or was it the babies?”