was all over.
“What’s new in your world?” Rhys asked his brother.
“Nothing much,” Drake replied coolly. He glanced away, making it clear that he wasn’t interested in chatting to Rhys for longer than what politeness required. “I believe our parents are here somewhere.”
“Oh, really?” Rhys asked. “I didn’t know they were coming.”
“Well, of course they didn’t RSVP.” Drake chuckled, clearly irritated by that.
“They shouldn’t have to RSVP,” countered Rhys. “They’re our parents, man.”
Drake forced an incredibly convincing smile. “I suppose.”
“Well, I should probably go say hello to them,” Rhys said, allowing Olivia to loosen her grip on him.
Lila grinned. “Yes, I’ll come with you. They’re such a sweet couple, Olivia. Of course, they made such sweet sons, so that makes perfect sense.”
She was good at faking it for her husband. Olivia played along, giggling as Drake rolled his eyes playfully at his gushing wife. Rhys could tell, however, that Drake was annoyed by her compliment for no reason other than it allowed Lila to temporarily sound more charming than he did.
“You two go ahead,” Drake said to Lila and Rhys. “I’ll catch up in a minute. I’d like to get to know my little brother’s new girl a little better first.”
Rhys glanced at Olivia. It was subtle, but she smiled and let go of his arm. She would be left alone with Drake, but they were in public. Also, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t spent time with him alone in his psychiatric office.
Still, Rhys was filled with reluctance as he followed Lila over to his parents.
Olivia
Drake watched her take a nervous sip of the champagne that Lila brought her.
“Olivia, I am surprised to see you with my brother,” he said, stepping closer, but not so close to raise any eyebrows. “However, given your description of him during our last session, I suppose it makes sense.”
Olivia wanted to gag, but she played her role well.
“Oh, it’s not serious,” she whispered, biting her lip as she gazed up at his face.
“Well, it never is. Not with him,” he remarked with a conspiratorial wink. His tone was casual, but his gaze continued to pierce her in a way that left her feeling naked. Those dark eyes, the exact color and shape as Rhys’s gaze, held no warmth. Only ice.
Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia could see Lila laugh before she wandered away from an older couple Olivia assumed where Drake and Rhys’s parents. She greeted another group of guests and laughed at the stories of the people around her. Lila was the perfect hostess, confident and charming. How could Drake take someone like her for granted? Even if Olivia were married to the most eligible bachelor in all of the South, she was certain she could never navigate a crowd with as much grace as Lila.
Olivia felt Rhys’s eyes on her and forced her gaze back to Drake.
“What do you mean?” Olivia asked him, referring to his last comment about Rhys.
“Well, think about it. He just left you all alone instead of introducing you to our parents,” Drake said, brushing aside the fact that he literally just insisted on speaking with Olivia alone. He created his own version of reality with his words.
“Oh, it’s okay,” Olivia insisted, trying to make her voice sound as if it wasn’t okay at all. “He didn’t leave me alone. The room is full of people, anyway.”
“Yes, a room full of people, but I bet you’ve never felt more alone,” he mused quietly, accepting a glass of scotch from a passing caterer.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Olivia frowned, watching him take a healthy swig of the amber liquid in the glass.
“I would,” he replied gently. If anyone overheard him, they wouldn’t think he was being rude, but he was. “As a well-respected mental health professional and a man, I know what I’m talking about.”
Olivia fought back the urge to knock the scotch out of his hand. “Yes, of course.” She blushed. “You are very wise.”
“I am glad you got to meet my wife,” he replied, taking another sip of alcohol. The way that Drake downed the liquid without flinching told Olivia that he was a frequent drinker. It reminded of her father, and her stomach squirmed.
“She’s very pretty.” Olivia sighed, looking down at her shoes. “And nice.”
“She is a good wife, but she lacks humility,” he said. His tone was so matter of fact that the insult didn’t come out harshly. For all the inflection in his voice, he could’ve been commenting on the weather. If anyone