Page 31 of My Silver Lining

Jasper and Rafe were talking away, and I was happy to see that he’d have someone to talk to who wasn’t a pretentious prick like Hunter and Barron.

Speaking of the pretentious pricks.

“Rafe, I want to introduce you to my brother-in-law, Barron Sonnet. I thought you two would have a lot in common,” Hunter said as he walked back into the room.

Rafe shook Barron’s hand, and I waited for it. Neither Barron nor Hunter could go long without saying something offensive.

“Nice to meet you. Are you in finance?” Rafe asked.

“Let’s just say, you’re good at managing the money, and I’m good at making it.” Barron chuckled before turning to look at me. “Another blue-collar worker for you, Lu?”

My mother shook her head. “Rafe is in finance. And Bucket may have been awful, but he’s a rock star, so he’s hardly struggling financially.”

I didn’t have the energy to correct my mother about Beckett’s name, as I’d need all my strength to get through this weekend.

My grandmother announced lunch and insisted everyone meet in the dining room, but of course, Barron lingered.

“You’re an asshole, Barron,” I hissed.

“You don’t need to stick up for me, baby. My father is a blue-collar worker. So is my cousin. I’m sure your cousin doesn’t mean it offensively. Only a man with a very small dick would need to knock another man down to feel good about himself.” Rafe reached for my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine. “Your dick can’t be that miniscule, can it, Barron?”

My cousin’s cheeks were a dark shade of red, and he pulled his scotch to his lips. “I assure you, my cock is as big as my bank account.”

Rafe winced. “Oof. Most of the intelligent and wealthy men that I work with are pretty smart about investing their money and keeping their bank accounts lean. You might want to keep that analogy to yourself for multiple reasons.”

I barked out a laugh and glared at Barron, and Rafe and I followed the rest of the group into the dining room.

The table was large, and we always sat in the same seats, with me beside Gramps. Rafe sat in the chair beside me, and everyone was taking their seats just as Uncle Dalton arrived. He was married to my Aunt Jaclyn. He was a decade younger than her, and their union had been a bit scandalous back in the day, as she’d married her masseuse, though he now owned one of the largest luxury spas in Malibu.

He’d clearly arrived earlier, as it was obvious he’d already seen everyone else, and he beelined right for me.

“Hello, angel. Is this your new beau?” Uncle Dalton kissed my cheek and turned to greet Rafe.

“Yes. This is Rafe Chadwick. Rafe, this is my Uncle Dalton.”

“Great to meet you,” Rafe said. “I heard your spa is amazing. My sister has been there, and she raved about it.”

A chuckle escaped Barron’s lips. “Not shocked that these two would have a lot in common.”

“Barron, do you remember when I told you that you talk too much?” Gramps interrupted, and everyone quieted as Uncle Dalton took his seat next to his wife.

“Yes. Is there a point?” my cousin snipped, and I wanted to lunge over the table at him for disrespecting our grandfather.

“There sure is.” Gramps gave him a hard look. “Don’t do it. No one likes an arrogant prick.”

Rafe choked on the sip of water he’d just taken, just as my mother waltzed into the dining room with Francois as she sat beside my father, with her spiritual advisor on the other side of her. I think Francois had become a safety net for my mom at these functions. When she couldn’t handle any more family time, she’d claim she needed to have a reading. My mother was a unique kind of amazing. Her attention was all over the place, yet she was charming and warm and a brilliant creator when it came to business.

“Your grandfather speaks the truth,” Francois said in his very strong French accent.

“Thank you, Dr. Ful-of-shit. I don’t take advice from a man who reads crystals for a living.” Barron clapped his hands, which was his way of telling Mrs. Weston that he was ready to eat. She’s run the kitchen for my grandparents since I was young. She traveled with them to each house, which most of the staff did not do. But our family had become her family in a way.

“I agree, darling,” Aunt Louisa said, as she took her seat beside Uncle Charles. They were the proud parents of the two biggest assholes in the family.

“Let’s all try to be on our best behavior as we have a new guest, and it’s Grandfather’s birthday,” my father said.

Always the diplomat.

Mrs. Weston had plates with silver domes over each one brought out by her staff, and they placed them at every seat and waited behind us for each of them to be set down.

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