Page 74 of Stolen Moments

Except for me and Chris. Growing up, this place was—and still is—a soulless prison. A place where you’re expected to act and dress a certain way.

A hand lands on the small of my back, bringing me out of my thoughts. I look up into the clear blue eyes of my friend, Alexander Westfield—Lex to me. He is classically handsome with his strong jawline, sandy blond hair, and perfectly straight white teeth. He’s got that all-American-boy quality to him, and I adore him. He’s been helping me with my parental problems my entire life.

“Emery, you look beautiful tonight,” he appraises my pale pink–colored gown and smirks.

He knows I didn’t pick out this dress. Another “gift”from my mother. It was hanging in my room, with a note telling me to wear this for tonight’s festivities. She does it on purpose. She knows how much I hate the color pink.

“Hey, Lex.” I give him a hug and catch a whiff of his leathery-scented cologne. He smells expensive, rich, and all wrong.

I gently push him away, hoping the smell doesn’t linger on me all night. There is only one man’s scent I want to breathe in like oxygen.

Mason’s.

My heart flutters just thinking about him and how he plans on having an extended stay in Pine Hills next month. He was so sweet, asking if he could stay with me. I didn’t even bother asking why before saying yes.

“Where’s Lizzie? I haven’t seen her,” I ask about his longtime girlfriend, and I look around the lawn, trying to catch a glimpse of her red hair.

“She couldn’t make it.” Lex uncomfortably tugs on his blue silk tie.

“Is everything okay?” I ask my friend.

He seems out of sorts. Now that I look closer, he has dark circles under his eyes, and his hair is slightly disheveled and longer than usual.

He clears his throat and takes a sip from his flute. “Yep. Everything’s good.”

“Is she working?”

He nods, sipping his champagne again. He averts his gaze, and I shake it off.

It’s not unlike Lizzie to miss an event. She recently started a pediatric fellowship at the hospital in Greenwich—the town over.

My parents catch sight of us and head our way.

“Incoming.” I nudge Lex.

He turns in time for them and his parents to sidle up to us as well.

“Alexander, it’s wonderful to see you. I see you found Emery,” my mother coos.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Are you ready for the announcement?” myfather asks Lex.

My friend’s back stiffens, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

“What announcement?” I ask.

“Alexander is taking over the company at the end of summer,” his father, Alfred announces. “Isn’t that right, my boy?” He smacks Lex on the back.

“But I thought—”

Lex shakes his head at me, and I bite back my question. We made a promise never to question each other in front of our parents for fear they might figure out what we have been doing.

Unlike me, Lex wants to run his family’s empire. He has been working tirelessly to prove that he can run the family business. And when I say their business is huge, I mean it. The Westfields own the largest media company in the world. Their media portfolio is beyond diversified, owning everything from newspapers to news channels, and everything in between.

Both my father and Alfred pull Lex away to mingle, leaving me with a million questions. Lex takes another look back at me over his shoulder, his blue eyes flashing with regret before he walks away.

“He’s doing the right thing, listening to his parents,” my mother says, her voice grating on my nerves.

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