Page 59 of Enemies with my Bestie’s Brother
He scans the room and stops after a moment, an alarmed look crossing his face. I turn to find out what the cause for concern is, noting the surprised look from other party-goers along the way.
I gasp as my gaze falls on Grayson, highlighting the reason for Preston’s alarm. Grayson’s eyes narrow at me as he makes his way through the crowded room toward us.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Grayson
AsI’mstormingtowardWhitney, seeing nothing but red, she meets me halfway.
“Grayson—” she starts to say, but I shake my head, not letting her get a word out.
“Don’t bother, Whitney. It’s clear that I had you clearly pegged when you first came here. I knew that you were just using me to get ahead with your business. You managed to convince Penny that your intentions were pure, and she, in turn, convinced me. And you know what, you almost got away with it. I fell in love with you. Luckily, I found out the truth before anything progressed any further.”
I curl my lip up at her in a sneer. She blinks, and has the audacity to look taken aback.
“What are you talking about, Grayson? This was just an accident. You’re twins for god’s sake. It wasn’t anything but a case of mistaken identity, I promise.”
I shake my head at her feigned ignorance. Does she really think that she can fool me? She’s not nearly as good of an actress as she thinks she is.
“You kissing Preston has nothing to do with this. It doesn’t matter whether that was a mistake or not. That’s minimal compared to everything you’ve been hiding from me!”
“What are you talking about, Grayson? I haven’t hidden anything from you!” She’s shouting now, her jaw set in anger. “All I’ve done is be real with you, the way that you asked me to. If you have something else to say, just say it!”
“Oh, really, you’re not hiding anything from me, are you? Then why don’t you explain why a reporter from Home and Design Magazine showed up on my doorstep today, asking for you!”
I can still feel the shock running through my system when I saw the middle-aged woman standing outside my apartment. She said that she was there for Whitney, to report on the remodeling project that she was doing on my penthouse. I told her that I had no idea what she was talking about when she informed me that it was for a small business showcase. Not only would it be featured in the magazine’s next issue, but it would also be put out as a digital article on the website. When the woman left, I googled the magazine and saw that it had a million subscribers and was completely San Francisco-based.
It was clear to me then what had happened. No matter how much Whitney had touted that she didn’t want to gain anything from this, and was only doing this as a favor to Penny, it was all lies to cover up her true intentions, which was financial gain simply from knowing my family. I don’t believe that she’s been planning it this entire time, but I do believe that she’s been planning it since she arrived here. She knows Penny well enough to know that even if she completely refused to do this for her, Penny would push until Whitney agreed to whatever she wants. That’s the way Penny operates, and it gave Whitney the excuse to blame it on her.
“What are you talking about, Grayson? What’s Home and Design magazine?” Whitney’s voice bursts through my thoughts.
I see the flash of a camera, and in the back of my mind, I know that this is going to be all over social media, but that’s not my priority right now.
“Oh, don’t play dumb. You’re an interior designer, so even if you hadn’t called them for your showcase, you clearly know what the magazine is. Honestly, I’m sick of the games and the lying. I’m not going to be a part of your claim to fame. We’re through, Whitney.”
“I don’t—”
“Just save it, Whitney! Maybe you can go social climb with my brother, since you can’t even tell us apart.”
“Big talk for someone who confused me for an Australian model that doesn’t even look like me,” she shoots back, scowling.
I roll my eyes in response.
“Oh, I was drunk. What’s your excuse?”
“Excuse? Is you two being identical twins not enough of a reason for you to believe that it was a mistake?”
“You might as well save your breath, because as I said, we’re done. I never want to see you again, and you’re officially fired as my interior designer. You can collect your tools tomorrow morning. I won’t be there, but Landon will be to facilitate everything going smoothly, so don’t even think about stealing anything.”
Her face flashes with hurt and I realize that I might have gone a little too far with the last comment. I shake my head to clear that thought. I don’t care if I went too far. She doesn’t deserve my sympathy. She steps up, and I flinch instinctively: It wouldn’t be the first time a woman has slapped me after I’ve broken up with her.
But, she doesn’t strike me. She simply kisses me on the cheek before smiling at me sadly.
“Have a good birthday, Grayson.”
I turn and watch her leave. When I’m sure she’s gone, I march toward the exit, intent on going up to the roof for some peace and quiet. Preston intercepts me, blocking the exit.
“Move out of my way, Preston.”
