Page 10 of Conflagration
Well. Here we fucking go.
WHEN WE get to my parents’ estate, Megan and I venture to the backyard, where my parents’ annual Labor Day party is in full swing. She, as promised, slips off to the bar for her preemptive champagne, and I’m intercepted by Dad, who’s already talking business with a new potential client.
I’m struggling to concentrate, and Dad must notice because he signals to a passing waiter and orders me a drink. My tie is choking me, and it’s not from the September heat. No, it’s more than that. My brother, the brother who hates my guts, is inside the house, and after eleven years and a whole lot of fucking distance between us, I have no idea how things are going to go.
I spot Cohen across the yard and excuse myself so I can get the scoop on Knox’s date.
“Hey, kid,” I say nonchalantly as I stroll up to him. He eyes me wearily. “What? What’s that look for?”
“Look, I know I was just a kid when things went down with you and Knox, but I know enough. The only reason he’s here is because of Charlie. So please, please, don’t go fucking this up. Mom needs this. Our family needs this.”
I’m a little taken aback at his insistence. Cohen’s always been the quiet, nerdy kid, and he’s never even mentioned what happened between us before. And I have to admit, it kind of hurts that he’s so quick to defend the brother who left him twelve years ago. Sure, I might not have been the best, but I was there when he needed me. It’s almost enough to just let me live up to my reputation. But at the same time, I know he’s right. Mom, if no one else, needs this.
“Okay, okay. Calm down, killer. I won’t screw this up for Mom. Or anyone else. Now who’s Charlie? That the girl Megan saw him with at the boxing gym?”
Yeah, she made sure to tell me all about the sexy little brunette he was making out with after she’d gone to Clarksville to personally extend an invitation to the party. Let’s just say she was less than impressed. But me? I’m intrigued about this woman. I’m guessing she has something to do with Knox’s change of heart when it comes to being a part of the Wellington clan.
Cohen shakes his head at me. “No. No way, Branson. Don’t even think about it. She’s Knox’s girl through and through. She and Megan couldn’t be on more opposite ends of the spectrum if they tried. So don’t even go there.”
“Hmm. We’ll see about that,” I whisper under my breath.
“What was that?” he asks, and I shake my head and give him a warm smile.
“Nothing, kid. Come on. I think it’s time I say hello to our brother.”
As we start to walk towards the door, Cohen gets sidetracked by an old family friend. He looks panicked when I walk away, and I grin at him. He pales. I grin again.
I may be a dickhead, but I’m pretty sure I did Knox a favor by getting him away from Megan. Let’s see if I can’t do it again.
AS I open up the doors, I hear my wife’s exasperated voice, and when I step in and see her gaping at a gorgeous brunette, I can’t help but smile. The way Megan’s looking at her lets me know she’s the one here with Knox. Megan couldn’t be more obvious if she tried. My wife is as bitchy as she is beautiful, and she’s always been gorgeous. But jealousy? Not a good look on her.
Crossing the room, I join Megan at the island, where I place my hand on the small of her back. I'm barely bothered by the fact that she flinches, and even though I want to sigh and just leave, I keep up pretenses as I study the woman across from us. The way she's glaring at me lets me know she's aware of who I am and what I've done. Her eyes rake over me, but she's not checking me out. No, I'm pretty sure she's sizing me up, and I feel a slight prickling on my neck, knowing she's comparing me to Knox. Plastering on a smile I know can only be construed as fake, I turn to Megan.
“Megan, why don’t you introduce me to your friend?” I ask as my eyes move back to Charlie, checking her out and not making it any secret that I like what I see.
My brother sure knows how to pick them. I let my gaze linger on her chest a little longer than it should. More for Megan's benefit than my own, and I feel her stiffen next to me. Good. Perhaps she'll remember that feeling when she sees Knox again.
“This…girl is not my friend,” Megan says emphatically, as if that’d be the worst thing in the world.
My eyebrows rise as I look back and forth between the two of them, feigning ignorance and pretending I have no idea she's Knox's girl.
The brunette reaches her arm across the island, and I offer mine to shake. “Charlie Davenport. I’m assuming you’re Branson?” she asks. Oh yeah, she knows exactly who I am. And by the looks of it, she’s not impressed.
Disregarding her blatant disapproval, I bring her hand to my lips and place a gentle kiss on the back of it, but she quickly pulls away. I don't miss the way Megan's scowling, but I ignore her. I'm about to ask who she's here with when Cohen enters the room. Charlie all but squeals when she sees him, and a quick burst of jealously flows through me as they greet each other with familiarity. Not because I want her, but because her greeting is the polar opposite of the one she gave me. Deservedly so, but still—it fuckin' hurts more than it should. Pushing the thought out of my mind, I let the feeling slide off, more than used to the cold shoulder, especially where Knox is concerned.
A moment later, Knox and Mom enter the kitchen, and it's as if Megan and I aren't even here. He's more concerned about Cohen's hands on his woman—not that I can blame him. His track record with brothers and girlfriends isn't the most stellar, thanks to your truly. He takes her out of Cohen's arms and makes a big show of planting a kiss on her lips. I start to sweat, and I'm not sure I'm ready for this—being in the same room with him again, knowing how much he hates me. Taking the coward’s way out, I slip back out into the backyard, but not before I hear Charlie's declaration. One I'm sure is meant for me.
“Don’t worry, Rugged. You’re all the Wellington I’ll ever need.”
THOSE WORDS should've been enough for me to know that Charlie has eyes only for Knox, but they're not. I wrecked his life once when it came to a woman, and I'm not letting it happen again. Even if it means he'll end up hating me even more, I'm doing something I should've done a long time ago. I'm acting like the older brother I should be. My methods, however, leave little to be desired, but no one ever said that I was a genius.
Somehow, later on in the evening, I’m able to catch Charlie sitting all alone on a bench, drinking a glass of wine and listening to the music of the blues band Mom and Dad hired for entertainment. Knox is off regaling old family friends with war stories, and to be honest, I wish I could be a part of it. But he looks comfortable as long as I keep my distance, so I’ll give him that. I’ve never seen Mom and Cohen look as happy as they do tonight, and I know it’s because of his presence. So I won’t do anything to mess with that. It’s my own damn fault, and part of me wants to just get out of here and leave them to their reunion in peace. I should leave well enough alone, but when I spot her, I just can’t help myself.
As I approach Charlie, I notice that her eyes are closed and she looks completely relaxed. Only feeling slightly guilty that I'm about to change, I push forward, ready to gauge her interest in my brother.
"Is this seat taken?" I don't bother waiting for her to answer before sitting down on the bench next to her.
She opens her eyes, and I swear, she rolls them in my direction before shifting in her seat so she's facing away from me.
