Page 129 of Mr. Aster
I chuckled, avoiding the question, and looked at the women in their cute cocktail dresses. “You know, the more time I spend with you guys, the more I drink.” I looked at her, “I think all we do is drink.”
Avery arched an eyebrow at me, “Avoiding the question with a weak-ass observation about how we enjoy socializing isn’t going to get you out of answering it.”
I rubbed my face in my hands. “I’m sorry,” I said, shaking my head.
“Don’t apologize,” she said, “It’s understandable. What Idon’tunderstand is why you’re avoiding everyone. We’ve all grown closer, and I know you’ve been in Los Angeles since the relaunch party at the winery. You haven’t returned texts or calls, so I want to know if you’re okay.”
I hadn’t intentionally avoided their texts and calls. I’d just been so consumed by wanting to hear from one person in particular that the rest annoyed me because they weren’t from him.
“I’m just trying to figure it out, but I don’t want to talk about it because, when I do, I get pissed and even more confused about things.”
“Well, babe, after reading your article,” she patted me on the knee, “I have to say that you had us all fooled for a minute when you werefakedating.”
“No shit,” Nat said, the girls all sitting and joining us. “Here’s a dirty martini, sweetie. It’s how I dealt with all my breakups, especially when new, hot men were around.” She sipped her drink, peering through the glass wall to where the men were congregated inside the house. “Those Hawk brothers are fine as fuck, and you’ve got not one butthreeto choose from. Or, if you want to be like me, choose all of them.”
“I heard that Colton is in a relationship,” Ashley said. “But their reputations proceed them, much like our darling husbands before they met us and settled down.”
“Not the relationship I want to jump into,” I said, chuckling. “I’m still dealing with the last billionaire who threw my ass away.”
“I don’t get that,” Mickie said. “John talked to Seb at the event, and he insists that Sebastian was very into pursuing a deeper relationship with you.”
“John talked to him?” I asked, wondering if something had transpired during the conversation that made Sebastian decide to take off.
“Yes, but only to try to coach him on how to not fuck a good thing up,” Mickie said. “Sebastian didn’t argue at all. I think he’s just busy with work.”
I felt my hopes die in that moment. From how Mickie talked, it didn’t seem like she and John were worried about any of this. Not hearing from Sebastian for two weeks was tossed into thehe’s a busy, working mancategory, so there was nothing to worry about. I wish it were that easy.
“All I have are black-and-white facts. Sebastian called that night but didn’t leave a message. The next thing I knew, my mom told me he’d packed his things and left. I tried to call him back, but he didn’t answer. I haven’t heard back from him since. That doesn’t sound like a man who’s interested.”
“Busy men can be that way,” Nat said. “Trust me?—”
“No, I don’t accept that,” I said, stopping this before we made excuses for this man’s bad behavior. “Are you trying to say it’s okay that my boyfriend hasn’t so much as texted me? I’ve heardnothingfrom him, not even that he was leaving. There is no excuse in the world for that blatant disregard of me and my feelings.” The women didn’t interrupt as I unleashed what I’d been holding inside. “So, what, should I wait around for him to finally find time in his busy schedule to call me and tell me everything is fine, and I’ve been worried for no reason? Thatthisis what I should expect from being in a relationship with Sebastian Aster? Fuck no. It’s not a relationship. It’s me, sitting around and waiting for him not to be busy long enough toremember I exist, then come rattle my cage and act like I should be grateful for his acknowledgment.”
Nat exhaled, “I’m sorry, honey. I was just trying to make it a bit easier.”
“I know, but you can’t make it easier,” I said, smiling warmly at her. “I don’t want to hear any excuses on his behalf. We shouldn’t have to work so hard to dream up reasons why he isn’t calling me.Everyonehas at least five spare minutes. He’s not in a submarine, for fuck’s sake. The fact is our relationship started as quickly as it ended. Dude probably just needed to get laid and back to the land of the living again. I’m glad I could help.”
“Don’t talk like that,” Ashley said. “We have all seen the way that man looked at you. He?—”
“Oh,God. Please, don’t,” I said, practically begging. “I don’t care. I can’t care. I don’t want to talk about it or him. If I’m looking at the facts, and after two weeks of nothing, I can assure you that the looks you all saw and the words he expressed to me were misinterpreted. If they were what they seemed, he would be concerned that we haven’t communicated in any way. But he’s not, so I will follow his lead.”
“Well, no one ever accused Sebastian Aster of having any manners. Goddammit, it really pisses me off,” Natalia said, annoyed. “It’s also probably why he didn’t get laid by his wife for years.”
I half smiled but didn’t want to keep this conversation going. I would rather talk about flies on cow shit than sit around like teenage girls, making up hopeful scenarios about why Sebastian suddenly fell off the face of the earth.
Fortunately, the men’s voices grew louder as they wandered out to the terrace, and now it was time to meet this famed trio of billionaire brothers. One thing was certain: three tall, dark, and handsome men could pull my mind away from the one consuming it every waking hour these days.
“Ladies,” Jim said, with Spencer, Jake, and John trailing behind with the three hot stallions, “dinner will be done within the hour. For now, please allow me to make some introductions of our new business associates.” He stepped to the side and pointed toward the first dark-haired man, “This is Mr. Colton Hawk,” then he pointed to the man whose yellow-amber eyes would bring any woman to their knees, “Mr. Titus Hawk,” he smirked toward the last smoking hot brother, “and Mr. Wyatt Hawk, all of Hawk Enterprise.” Jim nodded formally and stretched his arm out toward Avery. “Gentlemen, this is my wife, Mrs. Avery Mitchell, my brother’s wife, Mrs. Ashley Mitchell, and Spencer’s wife, Natalia, whom you met when she insisted on becoming your realtor.” He chuckled, continuing down the line, “This is Dr. Mickie Aster, John’s lovely wife, and lastly, the one who will make you three famous with her columns inLifestylesmagazine, Miss Darcy Burke.”
“The pleasure is ours, ladies,” Titus spoke first, and the other two exchanged greetings.
“If you’ll excuse us, I believe a drink is an order now that we’re finished discussing business for the day,” Jim said, then led the men over to the bar.
“Well, drop ten points for going to Jim’s house for a casual get-together,” Nat said. “I swear, that man cannot lose the CEO air about him sometimes. Usually, he’s more himself at these little get-togethers.”
Avery laughed, “Well, this is the first time having them in a more casual environment, so he’s still in CEO Jim mode. He’s got to keep the pecking order in check, of course.”
I laughed. “I’m sure once the drinks start flowing, all of them will unwind,” I exhaled, wanting to stay lowkey and relax but knowing I had to get the inside scoop on at least one of these guys. “Even Jake seems uptight?”
