Page 38 of Even Beneath the Stars

"You mean like, those douchey prep-boy embroidered chinos rich frat boys wear in movies?"

And just like that, Silas redeems himself. "Yes! Thank you."

He lifts a fist and we bump knuckles, then he pulls me into a one-armed sideways hug. "You can't let these people get to you, Maggs." His tone is serious now. Sincere. "It'stheirissues, remember? Like your mom always says… Don't let whatever those issues are affect you personally. Totally not worth it."

"You're right."

"Always am."

I nudge my elbow into his ribs. He elbows me back, grinning.

Funny—Silas Carmichael and I speak mostly in sarcastic, cynical anecdotes and back-and-forths… Always have. Everything about our personalities is so vastly different. And yet, of any of my guy friends, he's always been the one I love the most. Definitely the one I'd pick to be my foster brother. Which, well—works out pretty damn perfectly.

The four of us spend the next couple of hours chatting in between serving customers. Then later on, Silas and I head home and have dinner with my mother, who gives me one of her gold-star pep talks. Fills me up with love and perspective and two helpings of apple crumble. And by the time we've cleared the dishes, she has us all doubled over with laughter as she updates us on her latest bodice ripper.

She leans in conspiratorially. "So, in a scandalous twist of fate, Lady Seraphina just found herself trapped in a too-tight corset, moments before the grand ball. And—

Silas cuts her off. "Is a corset like, one of those smoking Victoria's Secret lingerie things?"

Mom's eyebrows knit together. "Well, no, Silas—During the regency period, a corset was more of…" Then, she obviously re-thinks going further downthatparticular path with her teenage foster-son, and amends, "Sure. We'll go with that."

"Hot."

She rolls her eyes. "Anyway…As Lady Seraphina's meddling aunt tries—and fails—to free her, Viscount Percival Blackthorne suddenly—"

"FuckingPercival?"

"Language,Silas," Mom sighs.

"You can't tell me the namePercivalisn't ten times more offensive than one F-bomb."

"His friends call him Percy."

"Like that’s any better." Silas scoffs.

"So," mom continues pointedly, "Viscount Blackthorne, ever the reluctant gentleman, stumbles into the room—just in time to witness Seraphina beinghoisted upside down by two maids as they attempt to loosen the laces of her corset." She claps her hands. "And it's love at first gasp!"

Silas and I roll our eyes, but within minutes, we've dissolved into a fit of laughter alongside my mother.

It’s just the refuelling I need. A positivity boost that makes me feel full again, and optimistic that I can turn this ship around with the Finn and Xavier. I mean, if Lady Seraphina managed to get some uptight viscount to fall for her upside down and indisposed, then surely I can handle a couple of uncooperative billionaire brothers with attachment issues and questionable music taste.

ChapterFifteen

Maggie

"Oh my God, where the hell are the towels in this place?" A curvy blonde in a skimpy bikini and her wet-haired friend slide past when I enter the West Wing through the coat room at nine-thirty after my twenty-four hours off. One of them almost slips in the kitchen when she turns to glance back at me. Her friend steadies her, and they disappear down another hallway.

Isodo not have the energy for this tonight. It's Sunday bloody night, for God's sake. I toss my coat on one of the hooks. This is getting to be beyond ridiculous. And I feel so powerless to do anything to change it. I mean, I heard Denise chastising Xavier a couple of times, and then Candice on Wednesday morning—and if their words have no pull, then mine certainly won't.

I text Rita to let her know I'm here to relieve her, and she meets me a few minutes later in the kitchen looking frazzled. And pissed.

"I give up!" She throws her hands up, heading for the coat room. "The little devil is in the Solarium with Xavier's friends and refuses to go to bed. I've been trying for the past hour."

Pretty sure Rita is going to be the next nanny to quit. And yeah, after just a couple of weeks, I get it. Especially this last week from hell. But as tempting as it is, I refuse. I've become way too attached to Finn, despite everything. And I refuse to be one more person who suddenly abandons him. Even when they do find a more permanent nanny, I've vowed I'll make sure to stay part of Finn's life. He needs to know that not everyone will abandon him. That he's more than someone's job.

But man, the Rockwell boys sure don't make it easy.

I find Finn in the Solarium off the indoor pool, hanging out with Scarlett—a girl I've hung out with a few times before, who seems pretty cool. And responsible and sober, thank God. Not that things are too out of hand tonight. It's more a bunch of people hanging out than a raging party—so that's an improvement, I guess. Still, the craziest I've ever seen anyone's home life on a Sunday night.

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