Page 17 of The Price of a Promise

I felt like that comment deserved a slap on the cheek, though I wasn’t entirely sure why.What had been said behind closed doors?My mother urged me to sit down in the chair beside her, leaving the last empty seat for my father, who had been held up at the office.I swallowed my frustration at Eli’s comment and sat down—of course right at Eli’s side.

“So, Cora, tell us—how have classes been?”Eli’s mother gushed.

“Oh, June, give her a moment to order a drink at least,” her husband chided with an apologetic look my way.“What are you drinking, Cora?Whiskey, neat?Or maybe a sauvignon blanc.”

I laughed politely.“Water is fine.A chardonnay wouldn’t hurt.”

While Eli’s father worked on flagging down a server, my mother folded her hands on the tabletop.“Allan should be here shortly.It’s not like him to be so tardy.”

“Maybe a meeting ran over,” Eli suggested.

“I’m sure he has a very good reason,” June said.

The knot in my gut cinched tighter.I didn’t know why my father was late, but it was weird.Axel wasn’t replying to me, which was also weird.All of that on top of staring at the weirdness around me made me feel like I could drown.

“We don’t want him to miss a second of our discussion,” Jeffrey said, grinning as a server approached.He crossed his arms and sent a too-wide smile up to the young lady.“Please, the most expensive chardonnay in the building.A bottle.”

“I certainly don’t need a bottle,” I said.

“It’s for celebrating afterward,” Jeffrey explained.“With Eli.”

“Once us old people leave,” June added with a breezy laugh.

There would be no celebrating with Eli—that much was certain.A business deal didn’t need to infringe on my after hours.Besides, I would find any excuse necessary to spend the night at Axel’s.

“I think this dinner should be celebration enough,” I said.“Look at where we are!We’re practically exalting right now.”

Eli leaned back in his seat, propping his hand on the back of my chair.I leaned closer to the table, reaching for my water glass so I could plunk the appropriate number of lemons into it—three—and get the hell away from his smarmy reach.

There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with Eli.He was just your average wealthy jerk.Famous parents, wealth beyond imagination, a lucky mixture of gene pools.I couldn’t deny that Eli was attractive.Square jaw, a disarming smile that showcased perfect white teeth.His stare had jolted me a time or two in our private high school.But the tall, blond, and mossy mix was no match for Axel’s dirty blond Kentucky charm.He could fix a tractorandget me off.Most men couldn’t do either.

Our parents occasionally spotted someone they knew in the restaurant, pausing to wave or send a quick smile to a colleague.It was like this everywhere we went.The elite circle of the city was small.We all knew each other.Knew who belonged, who didn’t.

That was what made Axel’s business idea so fragile.Men like Eli and his father—my father, too—would never allow him into their circle.His pool of potential big-ticket clients was smaller than he’d planned on.Very few men held unimaginable power.Which was why Axel’s plan needed to be rock-solid to break into the industry like he and his brothers were planning.

“Sorry, sorry, everyone.”The rough voice of my father broke through our dull chitchat.I straightened, offering a generic smile as my father made his rounds greeting everyone.He eased into the empty seat beside my mother.“I hope you all weren’t waiting too long.”

“Don’t even worry about it, Allan,” Jeffrey said.“Your beautiful wife ordered your favorite drink while we were waiting, and we’ve gotten caught up on Cora’s courses for this semester.All’s well.”

My father nodded, looking at the tumbler of high-end whiskey—his preferred drink—as though he didn’t recognize it.

“How was work today?”my mom began, in lieu of sayingWhat the fuck is wrong with you?

My father cleared his throat, finally reaching for the tumbler and giving it a swirl.He still hadn’t looked at me.“A busy day, as usual.Had a surprise meeting at the end that ran over, though.”

“Oh?New plans for hotel somewhere?”A conspiratorial smirk stretched at Jeffrey’s lips.“Let me guess.Dubai.”

My father laughed, but it was hollow.“No.Just another wishful idiot who thinks he can run things his own way.”

Jeffrey groaned.“God, they never stop, do they?”

“This one was worse than most.”My father’s jaw worked back and forth, and finally he looked at me, something dark twisting at his face.“Comes with the territory I guess.”

“I say, fire them the second they show signs of insubordination.”Jeffrey emphasized his point by punching the air.“We don’t need them.And apparently they don’t need us.”

“But what if they don’t work for you?”

“Then just have them ruined,” Eli said with a laugh.

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