Page 17 of The Brides Brother

“I didn't interact with—what do you mean?”

“Exactly. He feels like he's not good enough, and as a result, he keeps working like a dog as though he's trying to gain the respect of the whole family.”

I sighed then and hated just how tormented she was.

“Rory, let me make something very clear,” I told her. “I don't have any problem with David. His credentials aren’t the most prestigious, but he has a lifetime to make his name. And if he doesn't, you’ll be taken care of regardless. So, as long as he doesn't hurt you, I'm fine. The only place where I want to be involved is the wedding because of your status as a member of our family. This is an opportunity, as I told you, for us to honor business contacts. The owner of the vineyard we're using is a partner we’ve had an exclusive contract to export their wines for the past fifteen years. We’re not even paying for the venue or much concerning your wedding. No one's trying to restrict you; we're just trying to take advantage of the situation, amongst other things. I don't think we’re asking for too much.”

I stared at her and then she sighed and looked away.

“Someday you’ll understand a bit better,” I said, and she frowned even more deeply.

“And as for your photographer, I saw her work. She's alright. She doesn't have to leave.”

“What about the event planner, Victoria?” she asked. “She's annoyed me from the first moment I met her and she opened her mouth.”

“That's another one of the business partners we cannot offend. Her father is on the board of Qattara and you know what that means and what that does to our partnerships with their hotels all over the world. There's no way that suddenly firing his daughter when she's already months into planning the wedding will bode well for either of our families. So please tolerate her till this is over, and if that gets too hard, then you can put your attention on Evelyn instead. She seems to have a beef as well with her so it might make you feel even better.”

Afterwards, without a word of response, she got up and returned the half-eaten tub to the freezer.

“I'm sleeping here,” she said and went on her way. I couldn't help my amazement but once again Evelyn popped into my mind, and I instantly got up and headed straight to the shower.

Chapter Ten

Evelyn

“Is that him?”

I was instantly startled at the sudden voice overhead.

I instantly shut my laptop, and at the shock on Anna’s face, I knew that I had done something very unnecessary and very shameful.

Sighing, I shut my eyes knowing the mockery that was coming, but instead, all I heard was silence. Until I reopened my eyes and saw that she was quietly eating her diced cubes of watermelon, all while trying to control her smile.

“I was working. I was editing his photos.”

“Right, you mean the shots you've been working on for the past six hours and have already sent off and have no business looking at again?”

My gaze darkened at her.

“Why do you act like this?”

She laughed then and continued eating.

“It's a relief to be able to laugh at you because I’ve hated being the only dumb one for so long.”

“I'm not dumb,” I told her. “I have no business with him.”

“Why?” she asked, and her question somewhat startled me.

“Why should I?”

“You're not attracted to him? I mean, you've been staring at him, and you did call me in a panic earlier.”

“It wasn’t in a panic, and I haven’t been star-” I stopped then because who was I kidding. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him from the second we parted from the vineyard. To an extent, it almost felt as though I was losing my mind because the more I stared at him, the more aroused I felt, and it had been forever since I had felt this way about someone. I was excited about it and truly couldn’t understand why I was so hesitant. Man, was there really any risk here besides me having a good time?

Just then Anna set her bowl and fork down and started to open up my laptop once again.

“Don't fight it,” she said. “Just let me see.”