Page 66 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
I tried to take in my surroundings, but the house was enormous. The guys’ apartment in New York had stenciling on the walls but the beige walls had no scrawling paint, instead just an occasional picture hanging around. I would have loved to stopand view each work of art, but Dina was leading the way, so I tried to keep up.
We finally entered a living area, where someone set up a rolling bar in the center of the room. All of the furniture—couches, chairs—were striped gray and white. A matching gray rug tied the space together, traveling sideways through the room, almost at a diagonal. Leafy large plants sat in corners, with convenient lamps near each sitting area. All of it glowed under the dramatically bare chandelier hanging from the ceiling. My head tilted back as I stared up at it, a huge domed ceiling of lighter wood than I saw outside. Windows covered one wall, the one facing the ocean, and the door matched the window shades in hue. Overall, the room screamed rustic sophistication.
“This is where we always gather.” Dina sat down on one of the couches before patting the cushion for me to sit next to her. “This furniture will be cleaned out tomorrow in preparation for the party they throw every year. There are two parties every summer, a big one and a small one. We’re here for the big one.”
I remembered Phoenix got kidnapped at the small one from Barrett’s story, but I bit my lip to resist mentioning it.
“What do they do with the furniture?” I asked instead.
She picked up and swirled one of the cocktails in a martini glass from a nearby tray. “They have it stored elsewhere and new furniture comes in that is party appropriate. Afterward, they put it back in storage. Very few people are ever invited to see the house under normal circumstances. They are protective, understandably, of their space.”
I found it interesting, especially since, according to their sons, they weren’t protective—particularly—of them.At least not since Phoenix got taken. Julian mentioned they were weird, but I still didn’t feel like I knew what he meant.
Two men’s voices caught my attention moments before they entered the room. Their conversation snapped off abruptly when they saw us.
“Mother,” the taller of the two men said. “You’re here early.”
We are early?She rose and crossed the room, kissing first him and then the other man on the cheek. “Yes, I thought early was best for tonight. Alatheia …” She extended her hand, and I quickly rushed over to take it. “These are two of my four sons. This is Daniel and Eric. Boys, this is Alatheia, my companion who has become good friends with the boys.”
Daniel and Eric. Not their father, Kit, who I met over the video call. Two of their uncles, then. Genetics were funny. Barrett looked just like Daniel, and as Phoenix had said in the art gallery. For his part, Phoenix really did look like Eric.
I extended my hand, terrified they might be mean like my family.Are they going to be awful?“Hello, thank you for having me.”
I hoped I said it right. Unable to stop myself, I dropped my gaze to check their shoes.
19
Daniel wore slip-on sneakers and Eric was in light beige loafers. I no sooner noticed than I had to let the thought go because they were both shaking my hand.
“You’re welcome here. As is any friend of my mother, or companion, was it? Not to mention the boys, of course. You’re welcome here.” Daniel walked past me to visit the moveable bar while Eric remained to stare at me.
He pointed at my face, asking bluntly, “Who did that to you?”
I didn’t get to answer because Daniel beat me to it. “Don’t mind him, he’s a plastic surgeon. He can’t help himself.”
Dina laughed and walked back to sit on the couch again. “It wasn’t one of the boys.”
“Of course it wasn’t.” He still stared at my face, tilting his head curiously. “If it was one of the boys, we would have a big problem. A huge one. So, who did it?”
I swallowed before answering. “My family is having me followed by a private investigator, or they were, in Manhattan. He was kind of … inept, and he accidently hit me in the face. Phoenix helped me chase him down, and then your brotherbasically threatened him away over the phone. Now? I’m hoping that’s all over.”
He nodded, quickly, his expression saying he remembered something about the topic. “That’s right. Phoenix actually called for help, which is so unusual. Did you get ice on it right away?”
I cleared my throat, biting back the need to mention Phoenix might need more help with how badly he was feeling. Instead, I answered, “Yes, sir. As quickly as I could.”
“Good. We’ll keep an eye on it. I think you’ll heal just fine, but we’re here if we can help with the pain.” He joined Daniel and began to make a drink.
Someone else entered the room—Kit, from the video call. He leaned against the doorway for a few long moments, considering his mother. “Of course it could be argued that it isn’t a great idea to bring a girl being tailed by a PI to our home, Mother, but I suppose what is done is done.”
Dina groaned. “Ever the sourpuss, Kit. Lovely to see you, regardless, darling.” He kissed her on the cheek before he turned to me.
“A pleasure to meet you in person, Alatheia. I would say your visit is unexpected, but it isn’t, if you know my mother. Thank goodness she took the helicopter and arrived in time to tell us you were already on the way.”
She patted his cheek. “Who do you think taught you?”
I realized then that she didn’t just take the helicopter to try something new. Dina came on purpose to make sure her sons didn’t stop me from visiting. I swallowed, not entirely surprised to find myself somewhere where I wasn’t particularly wanted.
“I see.” After the scene in New York with my aunt Tricia, I certainly couldn’t return there, but I could stay out of their way. “I will try to stay out of the way and out of everyone’s hair.”
