her future stepchild enrages even me.
“The two of you are simply infatuated with one another.” Mom softens toward the two of us, and something in me settles down a bit. “You’re both young and beautiful. The attraction was bound to be there, but for God’s sake that doesn’t mean you need to act on it. I suggest the two of you cool it for a time.”
“Date other people.” Bradley offers a furtive nod, and it’s starting to feel as if they’ve rehearsed this little break-up number. Ironic that while Scarlett and I are plotting their unified demise they’re off doing the very same thing.
Sabrina strums her blood red nails over her water glass. “Scar Scar has never been good at testing out the waters. She’s a clinger. She finds a poor guy, deems him ‘the one,’ and sticks to him like glue.” She says the one in air quotes. “I think something deep inside of her has fractured, and she simply doesn’t think she’s good enough to find anybody else.”
Scarlett growls at her older not necessarily wiser sister. “I’m about to fracture something.”
The two sisters initiate a stare-down.
Sabrina offers up a flick of the wrist. “I suggest we make a game of finding Scar Scar her very own Mr. Right.” She gives a hard wink to her baby sis. “And as for you, big boy, I have a feeling those estrogen floodgates never stop surging. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if you had somebody new by your side later this very night.” Her foot rides over my leg once again, and I widen my knees, allowing her to fall to the floor with a thud. Sabrina nearly lands her face in the table in an attempt to keep her balance.
The food comes, and Bradley offers up a special blessing for his growing brood. It’s so heartfelt and kind I almost feel bad for contesting their union so soon in the game. Almost. The truth is, unless my mother comes clean, this coupling will fracture long before it ever adheres in the name of all that is legal.
Dinner wears on, and an entire procession of Bradley’s country club friends strut by with their tall, blonde, orange-stained trophy wives, all of which look as if they could be attending Whitney Briggs with me. It makes me wonder why Brad here didn’t trade up and become a platinum blonde silicone rewards member like his buddies. I watch as he holds my mother’s hand. The way he brings it to his lips for a casual kiss, the way he looks lovingly into her eyes as if she’s the only woman he sees. That, right there, is the way I wish to God my father had treated her all those years she sat faithfully by his side.
The waitress comes by to clear the dishes, and we watch as couples migrate to the dance floor. An entire new slew of the wealthiest couples of Hollow Brook stroll on by, and to each and every one I make it painfully clear that I very much find my new sister hotter than a kitchen fire. In fact, I’d heat things up significantly if I weren’t sitting so damn close to Lawson. I’m convinced if Scarlett and I turn up the furnace he’ll stab his fork through my balls with my next move.
Mom clears her throat while glancing lovingly up at Bradley. “So we’ve had a change of heart concerning the venue for the wedding.” Mom pinches her smile as if she’s unable to contain her joy, and my heart breaks a little for my father. Not once have I ever seen her brim with happiness around him the way she is now. “We’ve decided to host it right here at the country club!” she sputters as if announcing the fact they’re having a bouncing bundle of joy, and in a way they are, each other.
Sabrina wiggles in her seat. “I’ve always dreamed of a country club wedding!” She nudges Duncan hard in the ribs. “Of course, we can’t have one now that the two of you will be here. We’ll go with the marina instead. A sunset wedding with a twilight cruise around the harbor.” She brays like a hyena. “Scar Scar will be my matronly of honor, of course.”
“Scarlett’s not matronly.” It comes out stern like a warning. I don’t mind piping up to defend her. I’m sick of Sabrina’s blank check to destroy her sister any way she pleases. “Scarlett is anything but. She may