Page 90 of Love and Other Champagne Problems

She made an offended noise on the other end of the line. “You have my full focus, babe,” she returned with a playful drawl. Her voice became serious. “It’s a pickle you’ve found yourself in.”

“You did it.” I came to a halt at the poolside, staring atmy reflection that rippled in the pearly blue water. “You said to hell with what your family wanted and chose your own path.”

“I was a teenager. The stakes were a lot lower then.” She hesitated. “And my parents… they’re not like yours.”

“They’re not the worst?”

“I was going to say they’re not as cutthroat.”

Even though Destelle’s parents were influential in their own way, it was clear they’d had children because they wanted to start a family, wanted to grow their love for each other. My parents had me for purely transactional reasons, thinking of what I could’ve provided them in the future. Destelle was right; it wasn’t a fair comparison.

“My parents might’ve threatened to disown me, but they never would’ve,” Destelle went on. “But yours… they would.”

They would, and they’d do so swiftly. They’d cancel credit cards, disable my hotel key, have me removed from the premises. My Gilfman filled closet, revoked. It wouldn’t have even surprised me if they’d try to take the suit on my back, even.

The problem was that I’d become too accustomed tothatMargot. The one who lived in the lap of luxury. I had no idea if I could even exist without everything my parents provided. It was purposeful on their part, of course. To create a life so lavish that I’d never feel comfortable leaving it.

“You told me not to choose Aaron,” I pointed out.

“I know, but—and I mean this in the most loving way—I never thought you’d listen to me. Not that Iregret telling you to do it, though. If he’s just after your inheritance, screw him. But, like, not literally.”

“What do you think I should do, then?” I asked, both her and the reflection in the pool water.

The reflection didn’t respond, but Destelle did, though it was equally unhelpful. “I can’t tell you what to do, Margot. I’m in your corner regardless, of course, you know that, but this… this is too big for me to decide for you.”

Of course, I understood her reasoning—I wouldn’t have wanted to be in the position either—but it didn’t keep me from frowning. “I thought you grew a spine, Stella.”

Destelle, from nearly a decade of knowing me, could recognize my tone. A smile was in her voice. “Not with you. You know you’ve always been the decision-maker between us.”

“I do have a more straightforward personality.”

“More like abulldozerpersonality.”

Now it was my turn to smirk a little, a twinge prickling behind my ribcage. I missed teasing with her. “I’m disappointed you won’t be home for the wedding.” It was a selfish thing to say, but it slipped out.

“I’m still coming home,” she assured me. “Just after the concert.”

“But I have to suffer through the wedding all alone.”

“It sounds like you have a cutie guy to keep you company, though.”

Not really. It wasn’t as if Sumner got to sit by me for the ceremony, for the reception. He’d be catering it, his hands busy all night, his attention forced to focuselsewhere. Even if he hadn’t been on the waitstaff for the event, it would’ve been a hard thing to explain away, why I was so interested in my babysitter.

After suffering in the heat for as long as I could, I collected my jacket and headed into the comfort of the air-conditioned country club interior. I chatted with Destelle as I headed to the lobby, and I passed by the double doors that led into the grand ballroom. They were open, which wasn’t common when there wasn’t an event, but when I glanced in, I saw why.

And the reason, unfortunately, saw me.

“Oh, Margot!” a crystalline voice called. In the room’s corner, surrounded by what looked like a camera crew, a young woman waved at me. “I was hoping I’d run into you!”

I groaned into the phone. “I’ll have to call you later.”

“You’d better,” Destelle replied, and I pulled my phone away from my ear as the newcomer approached.

Annalise Conan was known around the country club as the most beautiful woman in Addison, at least when she’d lived here. Her blonde hair was icy and long, natural ringlets that never frizzed a day in their life. She was tall, slender, fair, pleasant. She had a beautiful laugh and inspired the best warm and fuzzy feelings in everyone she interacted with. In a way, she was almost my antithesis, because everything she was, I was the opposite.

I debated on continuing walking down the hallway, but when the people around her turned, I realized itwasa camera crew, and they pointed the lens at me. It stunned me enough that I didn’t move.

“Oh, it’ssogood to see you!” Annalisesaid as she hurried to cross the room to me, her high heels snapping across the marbled floor. The four-man camera crew chased after her, attempting to get in front to capture the most ideal angle. “You’ve grown into yourself, truly!”

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