Page 19 of My Ex-Fiance's Best Men
“Reprehensible, I know,” Dominic agrees. “So, what do we do about her?”
“Helen?” Theo asks, looking understandably confused.
“Phoebe,” I correct with a broad smile.
The chemistry between us is undeniable. It’s explosive, in fact. Rarely have we found ourselves so attuned to the same woman, so enthralled and eager for more. And rarely has there been a woman so responsive to the three of us, not just physically but on every other level, as well.
Last night, the conversation ebbed and flowed. She looked so comfortable, so at ease. Smiling and laughter came easy to her. It filled me with a fresh kind of energy to see we have such an effect on her.
“I’ve got a feeling she’ll blossom by our side,” I say, cutting through a piece of turkey sausage. “Phoebe has been told one too many times that she’s not skinny and therefore not beautiful enough to deserve a good man or respect. You hear that enough times growing up, you start to believe it.”
“She’s strong, though,” Dominic replies. “She’s bouncing back surprisingly well from the whole Matthew debacle.”
“It’s a good thing he sold his share in the company prematurely,” Theo says. “Otherwise, we’d still be dealing with him. Our friendship always felt like a bit of a stretch after he bailed.”
“It was a stretch,” I agree. “He kissed the opportunity for success goodbye because he wanted to blow money on trips and white lines on mirrors. The man never possessed the foresight of a good businessman. We stayed friends out of habit and nothing else. Matthew offered nothing of value, if we’re being honest.”
“Yet he asked us to be his groomsmen,” Theo says.
I nod, remembering the morning he came to us. “I was surprised, truth be told. I assumed he’d ask his frat buddies.”
“He asked us because we’re the ones he wanted to be associated with in public. We’re successful. He’s running on empty from his daddy’s trust fund.” Dominic chuckles. “I’ll give Matthew credit, he knows how to maintain the public image of a Hamptons’ guy without actually having the money of a Hamptons’ guy,” he adds. “Phoebe would’ve solved that problem, though. I don’t understand why he backed out at the last minute.”
“Good question to consider later, once we’re back in New York,” I reply, trying the Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. “Until then, however, we’ve got a beautiful woman to spoil in paradise.”
“Ah, yes, and I have a few ideas,” Theo laughs.
“She’s something else, isn’t she?” Dominic asks, adding milk to his coffee.
“Phoebe has yet to discover her full potential,” I reply. “In her career, too. They’re keeping her down, stifled in that marketing department. Doesn’t she have a master’s in finance?”
“She does,” Theo confirms. “And her dissertation paper was exceptional. Columbia University published it in one of their journals last year. It was then picked up by theWall Street Journal, among other publications.”
“Her financial predictions were on point.” Dominic frowns as he goes through his phone. He saved a copy of the article, having read it a few times to us. “The prediction model she put together has helped prevent a few real estate market catastrophes since it was published.”
“Phoebe’s got a brilliant mind,” I say. “Yet she’s wasting away in marketing while her mother, sister, and that clusterfuck spineless board of executives that’s left of Baldwin Enterprises is running the company.” I look at the two. “They’re not doing well. At all.”
Theo nods slowly. “We can’t save her.”
“It’s not our job to save her. But we can remind her of who she is and what she’s capable of,” I reply. “With her skills and that beautiful mind of hers, she could rebuild her father’s company into something we could work with. A partnership with a healthy enterprise would push us higher up the Forbes list. It’s a win-win.”
“And we could build something together personally, too,” Dominic adds.
It’s not going to be smooth sailing. Bringing the best out of Phoebe, helping her come into her own—that’s the easy part. Her adversaries will rise, though, and they won’t go down without a fight. Those motherfuckers fight dirty, and Phoebe isn’t ready to face that yet. It’ll break her heart when she opens her eyes to it and sees them for what they really are. But we can be there for her, to help her through the hard parts.
“Matthew decided to weigh in,” Theo announces, checking his social media again. “Posted a comment on Phoebe’s Hawaii invite video.”
He shows us the screen.
I expected better from my closest friends. Frankly, I’m disappointed that you picked the wrong side of this, fellas. Someday, you will regret it.
“And if I tell him to go fuck himself, I’m the mean one,” Dominic mutters. “Two-faced prick. Now he’s trying to play the victim.”
“The truth has a tendency to come out eventually,” I tell my brother.
“He won’t stop there,” Dominic says. “He clearly wants to knock Phoebe down. Wants to see her moping and suffering over his sorry ass.”
Theo whips up a cool, devious grin. “Then we give him the opposite. If he wants a social media war, I’m more than happy to oblige. Unlike Matthew, however, I have the tools and the knowledge to push public opinion fully in our favor.”
