Page 56 of Big Balls
Tate speaks up, counting the problematic musical issues on his long fingers. “Amy Winehouse. Lizzo. Dua Lipa. Adele.”
I wrinkle my nose. “That’s pathetic. What is he doing? Looking up heartbreak songs in a fashion magazine?”
Tate considers it for a moment, then nods. “Yeah, probably. He’s really sinking into the role, for sure.”
I make a gagging sound, and Sebastian laughs.
“Fine, so he’s making some questionable music choices. That hardly seems like an emergency worth flying all the way here about. So what do you really want?”
Jackson speaks up again. He definitely seems like the most normal guy here. “We wanted to let you know what it’s like to date one of us. So you’re ready.”
I shake my head violently. “Don’t. There is zero reason for us to be having this conversation. Remember? Ethan told me the only person he was interested in a relationship with is dead.”
Sebastian swears, an interesting combination of words that I am fairly certain is biologically impossible. “He is honestly the stupidest person to walk the earth.”
I shrug, trying my best to replicate his forced nonchalance. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
He shakes his head, a real smile on his lips this time. “Unlikely.”
Tate tips his head toward me. “If you’ll let us talk for a bit, maybe you’ll understand what the issue is.”
I throw my hands up. “I am absolutely dying to hear what you have to say. Please. Please tell me everything you can about what to expect when I date a billionaire. I’m sure it will come in handy with one of my students’ fathers.” I pause. “Or the recluse who owns the property. I heard his first wife was kept in the attic though, so…”
The men stare at me like I’ve gone off the deep end. “Not into literature?” I shrug. “Your loss.”
Jackson leans forward in his seat. “Listen, this isn’t aboutWuthering Heights. We all know that isn’t the best of the Bronte books anyway.”
Sebastian smacks the surface of my little kitchenette table. “It’sJane Eyre, you philistine. She’s talking aboutJane Eyre.”
“That book sucks too,” Tate announces. “And none of that has anything to do with why we’re actually here.”
Jackson scuffs his shoe along the worn carpeting. “She started it.”
I shake my head. “All of you. You’re like children. I don’t know what you think us regular people are like, but some of us have things we need to get done today. Now, if you could quit wasting my time, that’d be great.”
The men straighten up at the tone of my voice, and I am secretly pleased. It’s very satisfying to make these men who could buy and sell the entire county do what I want them to.
Except they’re still here staring at me, so they’re not quite ready to leave yet.
Tate smiles again, clearly the group diplomat. “You already know how Ethan is about the press and his privacy.” He nods approvingly. “There’s not really a good way to avoid the press forever, though. Not once they figure out you two are actually dating.”
My face heats. “There have already been rumors. My brothers keep giving me shit about it.”
And there were plenty of articles in the various tabloids and social scene pages. Apparently Ethan Alexander was plenty newsworthy simply by existing. I felt as if he’d had his own private photographer, because every single time he and Katy and I were out together, we’d end up in the papers the next day.
After the first time we’d ended up in the press, I decided it was best to pretend it wasn’t happening. I didn’t want to bring it up to him, and it felt harmless enough, at least before The Sex.
Tate nodded. “I’m glad you’re already aware. I was worried we were going to have to tell you about the photos.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t say anything to Ethan about it because I didn’t want him overthinking any of the good times we were having with Katy. I worried that if he saw all the press coverage and the rumors flying around about us, then he’d quit being the awesome dad he really was, all in the name of his privacy.”
They all look fairly thoughtful at my words. I wasn’t expecting to throw them off so early and so quickly in this stupid conversation.
I give his supposed friends a decidedly unfriendly glare. “Ethan is a great father. Don’t you for a moment think that you can come in here and talk down about his parenting skills to me because I have seen firsthand how much he loves his daughter.”
Tate shakes his head. “Zoe, he knew about the pictures too.”
That shuts me up. “Oh.” I feel stupid, but how was I supposed to know? He could have said something to me, I guess, but maybe he was trying to protect me from finding out in his own weird way.
