Page 45 of Collateral Damage
“It’s a good thing Ethan is marrying Sybil and not you, Cooper.” Amelia laughs, her voice airy and warm, reminding me so much of her daughter that my chest aches. “Ethan notices these things, and they’re so important to my girl.”
I gulp down my wine. I highly doubt Ethan notices shit about interior design besides “looks good” and “looks bad”, but she’s right that Ethan and Sybil are meant to be together. He’s the better choice.
He’s about to prove it when he proposes to her in front of the people she loves most. I can’t think of a better way to propose to her. Sybil has always been and will always be a family-first girl.
“They’re here!” Dad booms, practically sprinting into the kitchen with Gregory on his tail. I’ve never seen these men look so young and enthusiastic as they do right now. I imagine this ishow they were in college when they met. “The doorman called to let us know they’re in the building. They’ll be up any second.”
We hurry to the living room where Sybil’s two little brothers wait and turn the lights off. A minute later, the sound of the front door unlocks, making this moment all too real.
Voices murmur in the hallway, and Sybil laughs freely at something Ethan says. Hearing her relaxed laugh is the confirmation I need that she’s in the right place with the right person…
But I don’t know if I can be here.
All summer I’ve been trying to talk myself out of my feelings, but there’s no denying the truth. I’m head over heels for Sybil Laurence—so far gone I don’t even recognize myself.
And there’s nothing I’ll ever be able to do about it.
Ethan flips on the lights as the happy couple enters the room.
“Surprise!” everyone yells in unison, and shock flits across Sybil’s pretty face.
Dressed up from dinner, Ethan wears a crisp suit and tie, and Sybil’s body is perfectly fitted into a velvety red dress. It complements her striking hair and hugs her curves in all the right places. She’s breathtaking in a way that digs into my soul.
She turns to Ethan, and he’s grinning openly. “But it’s not my birthday…”
That’s when Ethan drops to one knee.
And I watch, my smile fake, my stomach hard, and my world turned upside down, as Ethan asks Sybil to be his wife. Her pretty cheeks flush, and her eyes fill with loving tears.
She looks so happy.
Her eyes dart away from my brother to all of us, sweeping across the people she cares about and brushing right past me—I’m insignificant in her decision—and they land on my brother. He tells her he will be the luckiest man alive if she’d become his wife, and it’s the truth.
“I will,” she whispers. “Yes.”
He beams as he slips the diamond onto her left ring finger, then stands to pull her into an embrace. It’s a three-carat solitaire on a gold band. Not too big and not too small. Perfect for our girl—hisgirl.
They kiss, and everyone cheers, especially her little brother Chandler, who whoops like his favorite baseball team won The World Series. I’m happy for them, I really am, but I’m miserable for myself. I need to get over her like I need oxygen, but somehow, I’ve forgotten how to breathe.
Twenty
Sybil
Present - Age 27
“Filming in NYC gives us a lot of opportunities, but it’s also a city with limited square footage,” Perry says. “Money talks, but there’s only so much we can do with our budget.”
Cooper and I exchange a skeptical glance. Sorry, but our companies have invested an insane amount of money in this venture. Budget shouldn’t be an issue. Perry catches our shared look and backtracks. “It’s enough money, don’t get me wrong, but you’ve seen what we had to offer to get the talent on board. We’re using most of our budget on them.”
“Don’t ask for more money,” Cooper starts.
Perry holds up his hands. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Somehow, I doubt that.
We’re in Cooper’s office for a producers meeting, and I have to admit, being here feels odd, like walking onto hostile ground that once was home.
When Ethan and I dated, I came here often. Boy, have things changed. While the building is the same, Cooper and Ethan havemoved to the highest floor. Soon Ethan will be the CEO and Cooper the COO, so it makes sense. But such proximity to their father and the other leaders of King Media makes everything feel much more real. Even though Ethan has softened over the years, Cooper has hardened. I can’t help but wonder what their father thinks of them.
