Page 80 of Moonshine and Magnolias
A flash of panic crossed Hal’s face and he picked up his drink. “Nothing.”
“Hal.” Rob forced down the sense of dread and waited until his brother gulped a few swallows and finally look up. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing. Wow, look at the time.” Hal glanced at his naked wrist. “I better go get food before your brunch people scarf it all down.”
He strode toward the door, but Rob blocked him at the foot of his bed. No waywas his brother getting off this easily.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be? Like, really soon?”
Rob held his ground.
“You know how I get when I don’t have my morning coffee. Are you going to move?”
He gave a pointed stare at the paper cup in his brother’s hand. “Are you going to tell me what you don’t want to tell me?”
“No.” Hal’s lips set in a stubborn line.
“Same goes.”
Hal’s eyes darted to the bed as if calculating how hard he’d have to shove to get Rob out of the way.
“Don’t even try it,” Rob said. “I know where you sleep.”
“Fine.” His brother downed the rest of the drink and leaned against the desk. “Just remember I did it for your own good.”
Like Rob believed that. Hal never did anything for Rob’s own good. A streak of dread chilled his body. “My own good? Or for the good of the curse?”
“They’re the same thing, Rob. You won’t be able to find true happiness or everlasting love until the curse is broken.”
This wasn’t going to end well. Rob moved his hand in a circular motion to indicate his brother should continue.
“Fine.” Hal picked up the tablet and rotated it in his hands. “Remember when I told you Wendy knows why we’re here?”
Rob closed his eyes. He had been proud of his brother for putting his needs above the needs of the family. Perhaps that pride had come too soon. “Yes.”
“I may have left out one or two important details. Like, that our uncle stayed here and we were the ones cursed. Or that we were going to recover his lost treasure.”
“Then what the hell did you tell her?” He pinched the bridge of his nose, relieving the sudden tension.
“That you had trouble keeping it up and were taking medication for yourproblem.” Hal pitched the tablet to Rob. He fumbled with the device as his brother hurdled over the bed in a move worthy of an Olympic track star.
“Don’t be late!” Hal bolted for the grand staircase.
A vein pulsed in Rob’s temple and he rubbed at it. While he’d love to chase after his lying brother, Hal was right. Rob went into the small bathroom and plucked an antacid from the roll on the counter. His first one in some time. He hadn’t needed to calm his sour stomach in a while. This day, the start of his new life, would not be ruined.
Once his irritation subsided, he managed to get the noose looking presentable and buttoned the cuffs of his dark blue shirt before heading to the dining room. Jordan and Sebastien stood at the bottom of the staircase, chatting with an older, dark-haired woman dressed in black pants and a green shirt proclaiming she was part of last year’s class.
Jordan linked one of her arms through Rob’s and the other through Sebastien’s. “To brunch, gentlemen!”
The scent of sausage and the hum of conversation reached them before they entered the ballroom and Jordan guided them through the crowd. The space had been turned into a proper presentation hall, with a podium for speakers and seating for other presenters. Black cloth covered the round tables, and each one was set with a small vase filled with bright yellow flowers. There were about one hundred people milling about and eating. Brandi had done a great job transforming the large area.
Rob scanned the people gathered, but Wendy wasn’t downstairs yet. His skin didn’t get the prickle of her nearness and though he could smell the ever-present peach scent of Fountenoy Hall, it lacked her feminine undertone.
Brandi waved at them, but Sebastien and Jordan peeled off before they reached her. She opened her arms to invite him to sit. “Wendy didn’t want to share you.” She beamed with happiness. Wendy must have told her of their plans. “You’ve been good for her, Dr. Robert Upshaw.”
Hopefully she’d still feel that way after Rob confessed the sins of his family.He forced a smile, ignoring the sick twist in his stomach. “Thanks, Brandi. There’s no place I’d rather be than right here.”
Within a minute, a woman in an orange Leadership Claremont shirt appeared to fill his water glass and take his drink order, and a man placed a basket of bread and a small cup of peach butter on the table. No sooner had he been left alone when Wendy entered the room. His body tightened at the sight of her.
