Chapter Nine
Clay
The brisk afternoon fades into a chilly evening. We’re back at the hotel, taking a brief respite to shower and change before heading to dinner. My shoulder’s been tight, so I do the physical therapy I’ve been doing all year. It doesn’t help much, so I pop a couple of ibuprofen and jump in the shower.
My phone chimes twice while I’m getting dressed. I hope it’s not my agent. Tiffany is excellent at her job, but right now I’m finding that annoying as fuck. She’s hounding me to negotiate the offer to extend my contract, and that’s not a decision I can handle making right now. I glance at my phone on the counter, prepared to ignore the text if it’s from her, and breathe a sigh of relief at the group texts rolling in from my siblings. After nearly losing Flynn to a tragic accident last year, I never miss a chance to connect with them.
Victory: Noah said you’re in Paris. Are you behaving?
Noah: It’s Clay, of course he’s not.
A devil emoji pops up from Noah.
Me: Noah you’re a worse gossip than TMZ.
Me: Vic in my world misbehaving is behaving.
I send a devil emoji.
My siblings know I’m no longer the player some people believe I am, but each of us has a role to uphold in our sibling circle, and this is mine.
Seth: Clay how are you holding up after the loss?
Me: Can’t fix what happened so I’m not stressing about it .
It’s a lie, but as president of brI Enterprises, a major retail conglomerate, and co-owner of several upscale restaurants, my self-made billionaire brother has his hands full managing his empire. He doesn’t need to worry about my career.
Flynn: Did Pepper pull another disappearing act when you showed up?
Noah: I still think you should’ve brought me as your wingman.
Flynn: Clay doesn’t need a wingman.
Me: Damn right, I don’t.
Me: As for Pepper …
I send the picture I took of us in front of the bookstore, and their responses are immediate.
Seth: About time she realized how awesome you are.
Victory: You two are cute together!
Noah: Damn bro she’s gorgeous.
Flynn: I’m happy for you dude.
Noah: Can I sell this? I’ve got my eye on a new boat.
Noah doesn’t need to sell a damn thing. Like most of us, he’s got plenty of money. Even so, I feel compelled to squash that thought.
Me: Only if you want me to end you.
Noah: Oops! Too late. Already sent it to Page Six .
I mumble “Bastard” as I thumb out a response.
Me: I’m not kidding. I don’t want to screw this up.
Victory: Aw, our little boy’s growing up.
Seth: Are you going steady?
Noah: Did you carve CB + PM on a tree?
Flynn: Did you give her your letterman jacket?
“No, but I gave her a bunch of hickies.” I laugh at how annoyed she was when she spilled those beans.
I send a laughing emoji.
Me: We’re not a couple but she’s finally giving me the time of day.
Victory: If you want to keep her around, show her who you really are.
Her statement gives me pause. I wonder who Victory thinks I am. I’ve been who the world wants me to be for so long, I don’t even know who I really am anymore.
Noah: I’m sure he already has.
Noah sends another devil emoji.
Victory sends an eye roll emoji.
Victory: I’m serious. You’re a great guy, Clay. Show her the real you.
Flynn: I can vouch for the importance of that.
Seth: How to Win a Wife 101. Be yourself.
What is it with everyone pushing marriage these days?
Me: I’m not trying to win a wife. I’ve got to go. We’re all meeting for dinner.
Victory: Have fun! Love you!
I’m pocketing my phone when another text rolls in.
It’s from Seth, and not on the group thread.
Seth: You’ve been trying to get Pepper’s attention for a long time. My guess is that means she’s more than just a hookup.
Seth: I’m not saying marriage, but I vote for being yourself and giving Mr. Perfect a rest while you’re with her.
Victory is the oldest sibling, and she exudes all the hallmarks of a responsible firstborn, but Seth has always acted like he is the oldest. He’s been doling out sage advice and watching out for all of us for as long as I can remember. Since I have a tendency to be hyperfocused on goals, Seth’s ability to slow down and see the bigger picture has always served me well, even if I thought it made him boring when we were kids.
But tonight I’m not in the mood to be schooled, and I definitely don’t want to think about me versus Mr. Fucking Perfect.
Me: I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve got to run. We’ll catch up when I get back.
I pocket my phone and put on my shoes. I don’t know exactly what this is between me and Pepper, and I don’t know where it will lead. But I know this. I’m in Paris for three more days, and when Dash invited me to join them, he said they were staying for ten days. That means Pepper is here for the rest of the week, and I don’t want to spend our time together hiding our connection from her family.
Now I just have to convince her of the same.
Unfortunately, while I’m hoping to talk with Pepper about not hiding our attraction, it appears she has other ideas. She’s wearing a killer black dress with a silver design running through it, which I hoped she chose for my benefit. But she’s been acting distant during dinner, barely making eye contact with me, and my attempts at humor are met with a soft smile that feels almost apologetic.
I don’t get it. I thought we connected and had gotten past this game of cat and mouse.
On the walk back to the hotel after dinner, I try to get a minute alone with her, but she stays close to her sisters, in constant conversation with them.
“I’m excited to go to London tomorrow,” Amber says as we walk into the hotel. “Don’t forget you guys, we’re leaving at seven thirty sharp tomorrow morning.”
“You’re going to London?” I ask Dash.
“Yeah,” Dash says. “It was on the itinerary I sent you. You know, the one you didn’t look at.”
Shit.
“I can’t wait to go to Barcelona,” Morgyn exclaims.
“We’re going to have the greatest time, Sunshine,” Graham says.
I sidle up to Pepper as the others chat about their next destination and decide to play it cool. “So, where are we singles heading tomorrow?”
“I’m heading back to Charlottesville.” That apologetic softness shows in her eyes again.
Everything seems to move in slow motion as I process that new information, and disappointment sinks in.
“This is Pepper’s first vacation since graduate school,” Brindle says. “And she isn’t even staying for a full week. You should give her crap about that. We even told her we’d go to Greece just for her, because it’s the one place she really wants to go.”
“Brindle, enough ,” Pepper says softly.
“Clay, are you sticking around?” Dash asks.
“Only for a few more days,” I say absently, unable to take my eyes off Pepper, who seems unable to take her eyes off me, too.
“Do you want to hit London with us?” Dash asks.
“Or you can come to Barcelona with us,” Graham suggests.
“No, thanks. I think I’ll stick around here.”
Pepper tears her gaze away from me and waves her hand nervously. “I guess this is goodbye. I’m going up to my room to pack. I have an early flight tomorrow. I love you guys.”
“We’re heading up, too,” Amber says.
Pepper hugs everyone, and the others promise to send her pictures from the rest of their trip. She stands awkwardly in front of me, fidgeting with her hands. My chest constricts at the idea of this being it for us. I don’t know why it’s hitting me so hard, and I hate that she looks so uncomfortable after all we’ve done. I want to pull her aside and talk about it, but that’s not an option without causing her trouble, so I open my arms and say, “Get in here, bus buddy.”
The others laugh, and she gifts me a genuine smile and steps into my embrace. Hell if it doesn’t feel like she belongs there. There are so many things I want to say, but I have to keep it light with the others listening. “Thanks for hanging out with me.”
“It was fun,” she says too animatedly, and starts to pull away.
I tighten my hold just long enough to whisper, “You can run, but you can’t hide, Reckless.”