Page 84 of A Beginner's Guide to Forever
Gerri nods, a vacant look in her eyes, and Richard is busy looking at his phone. My eyes stray over to Hart’s, and he gives me a wry look that tells me to relax and not try so hard.
I take another large gulp of my cocktail and hear him lightly chuckle beside me.
Being in possession of the knowledge that Hart’s father is having an affair means it’s impossible to feel comfortable around his parents.This is beyond strange.
I excuse myself to head to the restroom. I just need a minute.
Taking in my appearance, I’m surprised to find that I look relatively normal, not rattled or anxious. I smooth the front of my dress; it’s been a long time since I was nervous around a boy’s parents. The last time I spoke to them, I was following a scripted presentation. I find that easier than sitting in the formal den struggling to make small talk. Dinner might end up being a chore. I wash my hands and then decide I’ve stalled long enough.
As soon as I open the bathroom door, I take two steps and run into a firm male chest.
I stumble back a step.
“Hayes.” I didn’t know his cousin was here.
“Alessia,” he says coolly, appraising me.
“Excuse me.” I try to move around him, but he sidesteps, blocking my path with his tall frame.
I raise one eyebrow. “What’s going on?”
“I need to speak to you.”
Taking my elbow, he tugs me into the library and closes the door behind us.
I don’t even have a moment to admire the beauty of the room we’re standing in, with its rich wooden floors and darkly paneled walls, rows and rows of bookshelves filled with volumes of classic literature.
“I figured I’d made myself clear with you, yet here you are. Back again.” He makes a tsking sound. “Like a bad penny.”
My stomach tightens, pitching sideways. “What is your problem with me?”
He shrugs, looking almost bored. “I only want what’s best for Hart.” He reaches into the breast pocket of his jacket and retrieves a stack ofbills. “Which is why ... this is for you.” He lifts my hand and places a lot of money in my outstretched palm. “Twenty thousand dollars.”
I glance at my hand, struggling to make sense of this.
“Leave him alone for the next few months until he can pick himself up and move on, and I’ll double it.”
At my stunned expression, a wry look overtakes his face. I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen him smile. Where Hart is sunny and open, Hayes is smug, arrogant, and filled with brooding male energy and misplaced hatred.
“And he will move on, you know. This thing between you two—I’ll admit, I don’t understand it, but I do know it won’t last.”
“Wow.” My lips tip up in a smile as I appraise the weight of the cash in my palm. “You’re an even bigger asshole than I thought.”
I shove the money at him and turn to walk away, but Hayes isn’t finished. “Eventually he’ll tire of you, you know. Even if it takes years, someday you’ll be old and wrinkled and he’ll still be Hart. Wealthy and powerful and distinguished. And wealthy men like him, like me, we never end up with someone like you. You’ll be traded in for a younger model. We both know I’m right.”
I hate that there’s a kernel of truth to his words. Hate that I can feel myself begin to doubt everything I thought I’d felt.
I’m not generally struck speechless, and I’ve negotiated much more complex deals than this one, but I have no idea what to say.
“Tell me I’m wrong.” His eyes flash with an emotion I can’t read.
On the African plains, predator and prey settle their differences by either fight or flight. It’s the same emotion I’m experiencing right now. Part of me wants to flee; the other wants to take him down and drag him through the mud.
“Screw off, Hayes.”
“That’s what I thought.” Finally, he smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You know this has an expiration date. You might as well take the cash. Use it for your little project.”
I’m not sure which is more insulting. The fact that he thinks he can bribe me or that he’s called the work of the foundation mylittle project.
