Page 14 of Worlds Collide

I let out a huge breath, take out my phone, put on a thirty-minute timer, then fall face first onto the mattress and sleep takes me instantly.

I feellike I’m about eighty percent on my way to being alive, and I know exactly what will get me the remaining twenty. I spring up and take a quick shower, then throw on the first shirt and pants that I find in my bag, and I’m out the door fifteen minutes before I’m due at the Crawfords’ house.

As is usual with all wealthy families’ beach houses, there’s always someone helpful around, so I get a coffee in a thermos filled with ice, and take my time walking over to the beach.

The next day, when I wake up alone and naked in my bedroom, I realize that the coffee must’ve induced some kind of emergencysetting in my brain in order for it to function, because I can barely remember a thing beyond when I arrived at the rehearsal dinner and greeted everyone.

It’s just as well, I suppose. I don’t think I talked a lot, so I probably didn’t embarrass myself?—

And who gives a fuck if I did embarrass myself?

I don’t care aboutrepresenting the family nameorshowing that I have class. I was surrounded by the people closest to me and their families, so even if I did embarrass myself nothing bad will come of it.

I’m only sure about this because Iknowsomehow that I didn’t talk to Wolf. If I do or say something stupid in front of him then I might very well die of mortification.

Wicks, the butler of the mansion, once more saves my life by giving me coffee and I show him my appreciation the best way I know how.

“Wicks, if the Altons ever let you take a vacation you call me up and go to my villa in Lake Como, it’s the only place on earth where life is always good, okay?”

“Of course, sir,” he tells me with a head bow and his haughty British accent that makes it clear who is the one with more class here.

“And if they don’t give you those vacations, then I suggest you get a good lawyer,” I joke and wink at him. Because I have way more experience with career butlers than one would think reasonable, I don’t expect any type of reaction, but I get a tiny smirk as a pleasant surprise.

“Miss Beatrice Alton has been on my retainer since her fifth birthday, Mr. Sounders.” Now there’s a veiled smartass response if I’ve ever heard one.

I smirk at Wicks and wink again. “Lucky guy,” I sing-song. Henarrows his eyes at me which makes me laugh out loud. “You can trust that she’s safe from me, Wicks. No matter how much my parents wanted me to marry a respectable young lady from a good family, I managed to resist.” He nods at me like he expects me to keep it that way, so I shake my head with the smile still firmly in place and walk away. “Have a good day, Wicks.”

“You too, sir. Enjoy the festivities.”

“Here’s hoping,” I mutter to myself as I open the door to the porch. I once more take my time walking along the shore.

I’ve only ever come to the Hamptons with my parents before. Not to take a vacation or have any type of fun at the beach of course, but to attend charity galas and the most exclusive events of the summer for the filthy rich.

I’ll never have to step foot in that kind of event ever again if I don’t want to. Which I don’t.

My gaze lands on the huge tent on the patch of beach in front of the Crawford house and I wince internally. There’s nothing more filthy rich than the Crawford heir’s wedding in the Hamptons... But today and tonight will be nothing like those events I was thinking about.

Theo and Mike are cool, kind, and down-to-earth people. Despite the fact they both grew up well-off, they’re still humble and hard workers who have done everything they can to make their mark on the world by themselves.

The advantages they’ve had because of their privileged upbringings are undeniable of course—just like mine—but it’s Mike who goes to the gym every day to get as strong as he can be and who studies tape constantly. Not his parents.

It’s Theo who wakes up most days at ungodly hours to start preparing the day’s treats at his bakery, certainly not his father.

And I’m the one who bled, cried, and sweated for the title of Summa Cum Laude at Hopkins, not my parents.

We were all lucky to be born to privileged families—yes, even me—but we didn’t choose to. What we do choose to work on is what makes us good men.

Because I am a good person. I am.

Diana and Peter believe it—and I hope they keep believing it when I tell them I’ve known I’m bi for more than a decade and didn’t say anything—and they’re the two adults I trust the most in this world.

They know their stuff.

I walk up the porch steps just as Wolf comes out of the house.

It feels like every cell in my body comes alive at the sight of him.

Finally, I can really start my life. I haven’t ever been able to be myself but that all changes today.

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