Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
When Dante came in from the balcony, his expression was fierce and his gait was wide. Escaping Octavius, no doubt. Honesty could see Dante’s father through the balcony glass, sipping his drink and peering up at the sky.
She was instantly frustrated on Dante’s behalf. If he was this upset, then shame on Octavius for being so cool.
She stood, ready to leave with him, when Dante crossed to her. He cradled her elbow and leaned down to say, “I have to make a phone call. Sorry for the interruption. You okay here with everyone?”
“I—”
“Good.” He released her and on his way to the exit called out to the room. “Enjoy dinner. I won’t be long.”
Then he was gone, leaving Honesty to exchange glances with his mother, who was sitting across from her, cradling Brody and Reagan’s sleeping daughter.
“Let him be,” Simone advised before smiling down at the baby in her arms.
“Dramatic,” Brody muttered, pushing to stand.
“Stay put,” Reagan told him. “You are not needed.”
“You too,” Chloe told Zander. “Give him space.”
Both men slanted glances at their women. Clearly they’d reluctantly agreed. Neither moved.
“The ladies will be taking this party to the unoccupied portion of the balcony,” Jaylyn announced as she waved to a waiter. “Three glasses, chilled Dom Pérignon, and a non-alcoholic bubbly for this one.” She pointed at Reagan. Then to Dante’s mother, she asked, “Are you joining us, Simone?”
“I have a Diet Coke.” Simone tapped her glass with one red fingernail. “I’ll be holding this baby as long as Reagan allows.”
“Happy to allow,” Reagan said. “I pumped, so there is an emergency bottle in that baby bag. Ask Brody if you need anything.” She blew her fiancé a kiss.
Honesty sent a longing look at the doorway, tempted to follow Dante herself.
The idea of him suffering in silence bothered her more than it should have.
He was a grown man. He could handle this without her interference.
The urge to chase after him wasn’t as strong as the urge to be surrounded by the Crane women—and one Crane-to-be. She followed the ladies to the balcony.
Two waiters were outside, one carrying the champagne and glasses, the other busying himself lighting the heating elements. Out of the corner of her eye, Honesty saw that Octavius had returned from the other balcony.
“Come on.” Chloe looped her arm in Honesty’s. “There is fresh air and fewer assholes out here.”
Honesty chuckled.
Once they were seated around the gas fire table with glasses of bubbly for each of them, Honesty decided to tackle the topic head-on.
“Is this typically how they interact?”
“Usually Dante is as cool as a cucumber,” Chloe said. “At least the few times I’ve seen him.”
“His behavior is unusual,” Jaylyn confirmed. “In his defense, he’s been stuffing down his emotions for a decade. He was filled to capacity. He was bound to spring a leak at some point.”
“Have you seen that magic trick where you put a piece of clear tape on a balloon and then stick it with a pin?” Chloe asked. “You think it’s going to pop, but it doesn’t.”
Christian had showed Honesty that gag once.
“That’s what Dante is like,” Chloe concluded. “He’s been poked, and anger is leaking out.”
“That wasn’t the pop?” Honesty glanced into the room where Octavius sat by Simone’s side, cooing at the baby. She supposed it could have been worse.
“Not even close.” Jaylyn shook her head.
“What Dante has managed to do with his life is admirable. Impressive, even,” Honesty said in his defense. “He dropped out of Northwestern to take on a business he knew nothing about, help his mother, and bury his beloved grandfather. Has Octavius ever told Dante that he was proud of him?”
Reagan and Chloe looked to Jaylyn for an answer. Jaylyn leaned back in her chair and threw one black boot over the arm while sipping her champagne. “I don’t know. These grown men need to handle their shit. I’ve got my own problems.”
Jaylyn had a point. It wasn’t Honesty’s place to insert herself into family drama, even if it was in Dante’s defense. Or maybe especially for that reason.
Chloe mentioned Jaylyn’s ring designs and the two began talking animatedly.
Reagan leaned over the arm of her own chair to whisper to Honesty, “I think it’s nice that you’re looking out for Dante.
He has seemed very alone since I’ve met him.
Which, I guess technically is his own fault for leaving Chicago the way he did. ”
Honesty appreciated Reagan riding to Honesty’s defense despite her soon-to-be family ties the Cranes. But…
“That was a long time ago,” Honesty told her.
“What about now?” This from Chloe, who had abandoned the jewelry convo to ask.
“Now they’re navigating treacherous waters. Sex with the ex,” Jaylyn said against the rim of her champagne glass.
“J, be nice!” Reagan scolded.
“I’m always nice,” Jaylyn argued.
“It’s true.” Honesty finished off her champagne and splashed more into her glass. “I’m not sure what the future holds for Dante and me.”
“And there’s no reason for you to give us any answers.” Reagan nodded. “It took Brody and me a minute to find our way. He was going to leave for New York and look how that turned out.”
“Yes, but Dad wasn’t wrong.” Jaylyn surveyed the ladies’ dubious expressions.
Honesty decided to put a pin in her own balloon and keep quiet for the moment.
“Dante went to LA because of an emergency,” J said. “But there’s no emergency anymore. There is absolutely no reason he can’t run his foundation from Chicago, or, hell, why he has to run it at all. Dad runs multiple businesses and he’s never around.”
“I think that’s the problem,” Honesty said.
“Point being, there is no reason for Dante to travel to LA if he doesn’t have to travel to LA,” J replied. “Simone’s not there most of the time! Plus, he has you. You’re here.”
“He doesn’t necessarily have me,” Honesty said. “He was pretty clear about wanting us to be temporary until he went back to the West Coast. And I agreed.”
“But I like you,” Jaylyn said, before pushing her lower lip into a pout.
“I like you, too.” Honesty had to smile. It was the truth. She liked how brazen and brave and authentic J was. It was refreshing.
“You can’t expect Honesty and Dante to stay in a relationship because you want him to live here.
Or because you’ve made friends with Honesty.
” Chloe refilled her own glass of champagne.
“And anyway, you and I became friends, but I have to split my time between you and Zander. If Honesty stays single, she’ll be all yours. ”
Jaylyn laughed. “A fair point. Unless she moves to California.”
“Unlike your brother, I’m not planning on leaving Chicago,” Honesty interjected. “My business is here. My family is here.”
“That makes me sad for him.” Jaylyn quirked her lips as if debating whether or not to continue.
“He’s happier since he’s reconnected with you.
Tonight, notwithstanding. Overall, what I’ve seen of him when he’s with you has been good.
There’s the spark of hope in him that has been missing for a long time. ”
“Sex will do that,” Reagan joked.
Jaylyn ignored Reagan’s comment. “Like I said, Dad wasn’t wrong. Dante goes where he’s most needed. And now that he’s been challenged by Octavius Crane? He’ll probably leave Chicago out of spite.”
Honesty hoped not. This time she’d planned on parting amicably. “If he decided to leave Chicago, I would hope it would be because he wanted to leave, not because he wanted to spite your father.”
“Do you want him to stay?” Jaylyn asked, her dark eyes filled with hope.
“I… I have a full life. Now, with the charity and my work, I’ll have plenty to do.” Which wasn’t answering the question and they all knew it. “I would never ask him to rearrange his life to accommodate me. I’m not sure there’s anything to accommodate for.”
A wave of sadness covered her as she admitted that out loud. Except for night after night after night of amazing sex, she and Dante had…what? A friendship? There had been no professions of love. No moment where emotions had boiled over and one of them had admitted to feeling more…
Plus, real relationships were more than having sex and working together on a project.
There were sleeping arrangements to decide—his place or hers?
If he moved here, he would have a place of his own.
Then they would need to coordinate dinner plans, plus-ones, and date nights—not for two weeks, but for the foreseeable future.
She sighed as she realized she was painting a mental picture and it didn’t look like accommodation. It looked…well, great.
Great or not, it was a fantasy. Relationships took time and effort—from two people, not just one. And if Dante wasn’t willing to put in that time or the effort, what was the point?
But if he was, would you be willing to give it another try?
Yes. The answer came as swiftly as an arrow to the heart.
For two weeks they’d been trying each other on for size. She’d attended not one family function, but two within that narrow span of days. She had been “in.” It was hard not to see that as a sign that they were meant for more.
“If he comes to his senses and admits he’s crazy about you, please consider changing your mind about dating him, okay?” Jaylyn asked.
“Yes, I could use a spare babysitter,” Reagan teased with a pretty smile.
“And we could double date!” Chloe chirped. “At least until Jaylyn decides not to be single anymore.”
“Fuck you, I’ll be third wheel on your dates for as long as I please.”
Everyone laughed, including Honesty. As good as hanging around these incredible women and their complicated Crane counterparts sounded—Jaylyn included—Honesty wasn’t going to ask more of Dante than he was capable of giving.
She had been there, done that, and had the Northwestern T-shirt to prove it.
“Thanks for including me. In this. In your lives,” Honesty said. “Since losing my brother, it’s been nice to be around siblings again. I see how much J, Brody, Dante, and Zander love each other. And they don’t exclude anyone from that tight circle, which is beautiful.”
She and Christian had been each other’s better halves. Losing him had made her feel split in two—forever fractured.
“Aw, I’m teary-eyed now.” Reagan blinked her lashes.
“Me too, someone take this from sappy to happy.” Chloe sniffled.
“I’ll do it. To sisters!” Jaylyn held up her glass.
Reagan and Chloe leaned in with their glasses. Honesty hesitated.
“You count,” J told her.
“Okay fine.” Honesty tinked the other flutes with her own. While she wouldn’t go as far as saying that Reagan or Chloe felt like sisters, Jaylyn kind of, almost, sort of did.
Honesty’s thoughts turned to Octavius and the mess left unsorted. “Are Dante and O the types to let this one lie, or can we expect more fireworks when Dante comes back?”
“Hard to say.” Jaylyn shrugged. “But he has you to decompress with tonight. I assume you’re not done with your arrangement yet.”
“No, not yet,” she admitted. That was a topic she should broach. She couldn’t continue not knowing when he was leaving town or if they’d see each other again afterwards. She had to prepare to say goodbye so that she could resume her normal life.
The one without him in it.