Page 9 of Dating His Brother

“If your life is suddenly so full and meaningful that you have something better to do, prove it. Tell me what you’ve been up to other than the usual…Jet-setting around the world, getting drunk on expensive cocktails with your friends, and burning up your inheritance like it’s on fire and turning to ash if you don’t spend it fast enough.”

“You’re the one who budgets my inheritance,” I defended. “If I’m going through it too fast, I trust that you’ll tell me.”

“That’s not the point,” he sighed.

“Then what is the point?” I flew to my feet. “Why are you so hell bent on marrying me off to someone? Forgive me, Jada. But you’ll have to give me a better reason than ensuring that I have a date to bring to holiday gatherings and dinners with you two.”

“You’re sad and lonely,” he shot back. “You try to act like you’re not, but I can see you are. And you have been ever since Mom died. Our mother didn’t worry about what would happen to you after she was gone because she assumed you’d find a loving husband to spend your time with, to enjoy your wealth with. She had our father for that, and she wanted the same thing for you.”

“Dad worked all the time, just like you,” I reminded him. “Mom taught me the lifestyle she picked up as a survival tactic. It’s not my fault that women of her generation, herfriends...did more with their time other than just partying. In fact, that’s all they did too. They just did it in the name of charity. Now you expect me to do the same, only in the name of finding a husband?”

“A husband who will keep you company and maybe even start a family with you!” he barked. “You know there’s a whole other section of our inheritance set aside for our children. The ones our parents expected us to have. You want us to be the only ones utilizing that?”

“You’re planning to have more kids?” I asked in surprise.

They both grew tense and quiet. Jada’s gaze dropped. “Well, actually…”

“You’re pregnant…again.” I murmured in shock. “Of course. Now it makes more sense. With your second kid on the way it’s more important than ever that Auntie Isabella is more than just a rich socialite. And you’re trying to set me up for how much more absent you’ll be, taking care of your family.”

“I don’t want you to depend on just me for all of your emotional support,” he said softly, looking guilty for the first time since I came in.

It hurt to think my own brother thought I had to have a boyfriend just to keep from getting jealous of his new family. I had been so excited when he and Jada welcomed their first into the world—even if the circumstances were less than ideal. Jada and Jack hadn’t even known she was pregnant for the first two trimesters.

He was letting me know that he was about to be even busier with Jada and preparing for the new baby, then everything that came after it was born.

“You should have told me,” I insisted. “I’m happy for you. Really, Jack. Just how selfish do you think I am?”

I stood and walked over to hug Jada, which I had maybe only done once before. I wasn’t always the warmest person, but I wasn’t the cold, heartless wasp Jack seemed to think I was either.

“Congratulations,” I told her, turning to my brother to offer a hug as well. But things were still tense between us.

I slumped back down in my chair and thought it over some more. Of course no part of me actually wanted to do it, because there was no part of me that actually believed it would bring me true love. But I knew how desperate he was for this to happen…not for me, but to relieve his own misplaced guilt for moving on and starting a life of his own…One that didn’t have as big of a place for me in it as it used to.

“I made it this far with you traveling all the time and being gone so much,” I told him after a while. “I would be fine, with or without this big spectacle to find me a husband.” I let out a heavy sigh. “But...if this is what you want and it makes you happy…”

“I wantyouto be happy,” he corrected me. “And I think this could be your ticket to happiness.”

“I think it sounds like a fairytale,” Jada swooned. “And you’re the princess! Oh!” She quickly snatched up a pad and paper and scribbled something down. “I’ll talk to the stylists. Maybe we could even have you wear glass slippers! What do you think?”

“Noglass slippers,” I growled. “But fine. Okay.” Once again, I caved. “I do expect a designer gown and all the works. If you’re going to force me to do this, I at least want to reap as many benefits as I can.”

“The benefit will be finding true love!” Jada chirped.

Jack and I both shot each other a look at that. Neither of us were natural romantics, even if Jada seemed to turn him into one. He still had his limits.

“Or just finding a decent man who you enjoy spending time with…enough that you think you could actually see yourself spending the rest of your life with him,” he added.

“And lets say I do find this man,” I grinned. “I expect Heartstring is prepared to pay for all the expenses of the wedding?”

“Oh of course!” Jada’s eyes grew wide as she scribbled down more notes. “I can see it now. Heartstring’s bachelorette and the wedding of the century! Victoria will have a PR field day with it!”

I sat there and tolerated listening to the rest of Jada’s plans for the big ball which was already in the works, even before I had agreed. It was never really up to me. I was just along for the ride, and they were the ones driving the whole train wreck.

Three weeks from that day, we would all gather at some glamorous venue for the biggest party of the year. Everyone would be dressed in black tie formal with champagne flowing all night long. I could already imagine the icky feeling of being in the spotlight, with all those strange men staring me down like a prized pig. Despite what Jack seemed to think, nothing about that sounded the least bit appealing to me.

Finally, they released me from the meeting with a promise that there would be so much more to discuss and plan in the weeks leading up to the ball. On the way home, I stopped by a children's boutique and started browsing for clothes for my future niece or nephew, and a few for the new big brother. I didn’t want him to feel left out.

As I looked at the tiny dresses, booties, and hats, I wondered if I would ever want children of my own. I wasn’t so sure about that part, but a companion didn’t sound so bad as long as the guy was tolerable. Either way, I didn’t have high hopes for my ability to deliver the fairytale romance and happily ever after ending that Jada was dreaming of.

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