13. 11.
11.
Sebastian
We got here a couple minutes early, just the right time to get a drink before I spot the strawberry blond of my sister’s head coming our way. She bounces over to us with a huge smile, dressed in a stripy jumper and black leggings. I love seeing her like this. No buttons, no matching sets or pearls.
Beatrice likes to be free, to tend to her horses, to talk to her friends about Taylor Swift. She’s a normal girl of her age, and I wish she could always be like this.
I’m overtaken by Bea’s hug. I squeeze her hard in return. My mother always tried her best to keep us in line and show a unified front. The four of us were always together at events, but since I strayed, she’s keeping Bea from me.
Since I broke the news of The Final Rose , I haven’t seen Bea. Thankfully Bea is so busy at uni, she’s blissfully unaware of how dramatic mum is being about the subject. Better like this. I don’t want Bea getting caught in the crossfire. She can start her own revolution when she sees fit.
“Look at you! College kid.” I joke.
She sways her palm over my chest. “Do I look properly broke and lost?” She makes a pose, and I approve.
Not that Beatrice Elizabeth Riggs will ever be broke, but I get what she means. She looks normal. And that’s all the Riggs’ children ever wanted.
“Who do we have here?” Bea looks away from me, with that beaming smile of hers. “The famous Callie!”
Callie seems to be taken aback, but my sister gives her no time to react. In a second, she’s over the other woman, giving her the biggest hug.
“You’re so pretty. Oh my god, Sebastian! You never told me she was so pretty!”
I clear my throat because I’m sure I tell people everything about Callie all the time. But I can’t look too long in her direction, not when she’s dressed like a dream come true. Normally I can’t get enough of her shorts showing off her shapely legs, but then she decides to kill me with that dress.
That dress . I need to swallow my groan.
“I can’t believe you’re not telling everyone how pretty I am, Riggs.” Callie fires.
“I’m sure I said it.” I arch an eyebrow and pull a chair for Bea.
“He said you’re pretty.” Bea agrees, taking a seat. “But you look like a movie star.”
Callie snorts in a very non-movie star way, and that just makes me want her even more. It’s the way she looks, the shape of her body, and that insolent mouth of hers. It’s all too alluring.
Shaking her head, Callie sips the cider I got her. “Well, and I was scared you wouldn’t like me.”
Bea gasped. “Utter tosh! I’d love anyone who puts my brother in his place.”
“Oh, that I do.” Callie smiles coyly at me and I can’t even say something witty.
I need to get hold of myself, but it’s hard.
She’s gorgeous. It’s easy like that. I always plan my days around her, but today it took an uncomfortable turn. I can’t banter because I can’t look anywhere else but her tits. They look about to burst from that dress, the fabric fits her so perfectly, it's leaving very little to the imagination.
I’m a tortured man.
I clear my throat and look to the safe side of the table, my sister. “What do you fancy, Bea?”
Bea makes a little face, looking away from Callie to check the beer taps over the bar. “Anything that looks nice.”
“How old are you?” Callie asks.
“Nineteen.”
Callie breathes out, “Gotta love Europe.”
“Proper fun over here,” I agree, and she rolls her eyes.
Once we all have drinks, Bea goes to the jugular. “So, tell me, how’s the show going?”
Callie sips, “Are you asking me about the six women your brother is currently dating?”
Bea wriggles her nose. “Ew. I didn’t think that way. Gross, Sebastian, why are you dating six women?”
I rub my face. I should know better to get these two together. “I’m not exactly dating–”
“Oh, I think that’s exactly what you are doing.” Callie insists.
“So, you like cider?” I try to change the subject but all she gives me is a half-shrug with an innocent smile.
“Can you tell me anything about the girls?” Bea asks. “Or it’s super against the contract?”
“Super against the contract,” Callie confirms before I do. “But I can say they are all extremely beautiful, and I’m sure Sebastian’s wife is one of them.”
She’s looking straight at me when she says it. They are her words, but they leave a bitter taste on my tongue.
“Is that true? Are you falling in love?” Bea pokes.
And I don’t even think about it. I eye Callie and say, “Yes.”
***
“Tell me about your classes,” I ask when Callie excuses herself to the loo.
Bea rolls her eyes, “Who cares? Let’s talk about Callie.”
I drink so I can avoid my sister’s gaze. Three pints in, I don’t trust myself to keep the charade. Bea arches her eyebrow every time Callie says something about me, or when we laugh together. They became fast friends like I thought they would, but I know what she’s trying to get from me.
“Yes, Callie is great,” I say, just to let the subject go.
“It’s Callie.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s Callie.” She repeats, putting her pint away so she can brace the table. “It’s Callie.”
“I heard just fine the second time, but Bea…”
“Callie is the one for you, Seb. I didn’t even meet the other girls, but I don’t think it’s necessary.”
“Bea, listen. Yes, we get along well, but--”
“Oh, don’t you start with the Riggs bullshit!” She waved me off. “I want the dirt, Seb. Tell me.”
I give one more look to where Callie disappeared and then face my sister. “Can you imagine the consequences? I signed a contract, Bea.”
“Ah-ha!” she screams, pointing a finger at me.
“Don’t point your dirty finger at me, Beatrice,” I say, slapping it away.
I hold no respect, and my baby sister simply laughs away, “So, you like Callie.”
It went straight up my spine. “And Callie loves her job.”
Bea pouts. “This is so romantic, Seb. You falling for her is much better than anything I could think of. There’s no way around it?”
“It’s not like I have to marry one of the girls. But I can’t date Callie.”
And for the first time, I say what is bugging me. The words I wouldn’t dare to say even when I was alone: “I’d ruin her career. She loves her job. She’s bloody excellent at it.”
“Love that you curse now.”
“Oh, thank you. Arsehole is another one I’m quite fond of.”
“Lovely use of the language. Mother would be proud.”
I chuckle, and Bea follows. Shaking my head, I take a sip, looking around the pub. I remember when I wanted to go out for drinks, but my parents were always thinking about the press. They were scared I was going to be seen drinking and people would say all kinds of things about me.
Saying that a Riggs was off the rails.
Now it seems so far away, so stupid of me to ever believe their opinion mattered.
“You know everything our parents say is a lie, right?”
Bea’s eyebrow shoots up. “Oh, well, wild change of subject.”
I nod, agreeing, but I keep it up. “They are obsessed with how things look. But nothing will ever make them happy, so just be you. You know that, right?”
Bea tilts her head and reaches for my hand across the table. “Seb, you are the oldest. Their only son. Yes, Mum loves me in pearls and soft colors, but they don’t put that much pressure on me. Just maybe marry well.”
“Oh god,” I groan. “Marry whoever you want. If you want.”
“I know.” She laughs. “I saw what they did to you, Seb. All the impossible standards. I hate them for that, and I’m glad you broke free.”
Sip from my pint, “Bloody hell.” I rake my hand through my hair. “Getting drunk and emotional, are we?”
“You’re just a pub commoner now.” She straightens up again, with a glint in her eyes. Across the pub I catch Callie coming back from the bathroom, and Bea rushes to say. “Now that you’re free, don’t let anyone say what you’re supposed to do, Seb. It’s Callie. I’m telling you. It’s Callie.”