Page 93 of Dr. Stone
Since that evening was the last time I’d enjoyed Andie’s company—thanks to work—I felt fortunate and honored to truly appreciate this night: the night we arrived at Sebastian and Margot’s newly purchased estate in Pacific Palisades. The night we were all gathered to honor me for saving Sebastian IV, a man whose second chance at life had prompted all these random one-percenters to fly in from around the globe to celebrate.
“I still can’t believe your parents bought real estate here to call home,” I said to their youngest son, John.
“I swear, something shifted in them after I made it clear I was willing to write their asses off to keep Mickie in my life, and then, Mark went wild and free and walked out on his wedding. That softened them up, but Seb falling in love with a failing winery owner’s daughter shook them to the core. I think they just gave up trying after that.”
We both chuckled. “Sounds like something out of a damn soap opera,” I said, taking a sip of expensive bourbon.
“Isn’t everything in this ridiculous world we decided never to be a part of?” John arched an eyebrow at me.
I clinked my glass to the tip of his. “And never did and never will, my friend. It’s just too bad my brother is too tied up in it to let go and have a conscience like Seb did.”
John nodded and shrugged. “We wouldn’t have seen Seb become the man he is if life hadn’t left him a widower. That loss forced him into the arms of a woman who tamed his arrogant ass and humbled him in a way no one else ever could.”
I took a deep breath and watched Dorian, who wasn’t here to honor me but, like nearly everyone else, was here to surround himself with silk, suits, and status.
“Perhaps there’s hope for the asshole to be happy beyond empty promises for money?” I said, knowing there was really no hope for that asshole.
It wasn’t just his arrogance that trapped him in this empty life, but his need to kiss everyone’s ass to feel like he mattered. Or so I assumed. I couldn’t judge him too harshly, though. Until I met Andie, I was just like him—shallow and stuck with the fucked-up idea that every relationship was as broken as my parents’.
“There’s always hope, my man. Look at your sorry ass, even mine?”
I smirked, “True.”
My eyes scanned the area while standing in the group of men who were my closest, trustworthy friends at these bullshit events.
The Asters’ estate rose high above the cliffs of Pacific Palisades, where the hills rolled gently into the Pacific. Honestly, I was shocked that the rumors were true—that they’d settled here just two weeks ago. If I hadn’t seen the blockages with my own eyes, I’d have blamed that heart attack on old man Aster having to sign the deed for a West Coast home. In a million years, I never imagined this day coming, but here I was, standing in their backyard.
By backyard, I mean tiered limestone patios and endless infinity pools that seemed to spill seamlessly into the sea beyond, and a terrace expansive enough to host an orchestra, draped in ivy that cascaded over balconies crafted from imported wood.
The servers floated around, offering lobster canapes and glasses of chilled Cristal. I wasn’t built for this world, nor wasJohn, and it’s why he and I usually huddled together at these events when forced to attend. Even though I grew up in this lifestyle, it wasn’t who I was.
My parents immersed themselves in this life and wore it like a tailored suit or evening dress. But my life—just like John’s—revolved around the pressure of saving lives and learning how to keep people healthy through medical research. For me, it was about beating death itself in that damn OR, saving my patients and riding the adrenaline rush whenever the opportunity arose.
Margot Aster’s gratitude and new appreciation for my field of work and expertise were the reason I was here tonight. I did appreciate someone in this world finally valuing the path I’d chosen in my life.
Margot looked like royalty, as usual, standing beside Sebastian as if she were the reason he was still alive and kicking. And maybe she was, aside from those few hours when she had to trust his life with my skills and knowledge.
She offered me a subtle and elegant smile from across the patio and stepped forward as the music softened. I chuckled under my breath, watching her heels touch the stone but making no sound. The woman was born and bred to maneuver this life with flawless grace.
“Friends, thank you all for joining us this evening, and welcome to our new home. We are so grateful to be here and live closer to our children. Now, more than ever, Sebastian and I cherish our family and our health. Tonight is not just a celebration of family, health, and Sebastian’s life, but it is to honor to the man whose strength and skill is the reason Sebastian stands with us tonight.”
I instantly tensed, all eyes on me as if I were being awarded a medal at a yacht race. Shit like this wasnotmy thing. Dorian would’ve done anything for this kind of acknowledgement, but not me.
“Dr. Jace Stone,” she smiled at me. “You’ve always been like a nephew to us, but the other night, your skill and talents came to the aid of my husband, saving him and our family from despair. Tonight, we honor you as the gifted physician you are. There aren’t words to express our gratitude, so we can only come together and acknowledge your wonderful deeds.”
In proper form and fashion, the crowd—invited exclusively to honor Sebastian’s survival—responded with a low, resounding, and almost reverent applause.
I gave a single nod, desperate for this part to be over, and felt relief when the low hum of the orchestra returned, signaling the end of the introductions.
Then, as if God himself had offered me a gift, my eyes fell on Andie. I smiled when the tension inside me faded, and voices around me were muted.
She stood near the edge of the pool in a dress that made every man glance twice. She was angelic, the twilight sky highlighting her perfect body in that damn dress that appeared to be poured onto her like honey. The front plunged into a low V, with tiny straps covering her sun-bronzed shoulders, and her back bare except for where the silk of the dress gently draped over her lower back.
Fuck, I was a lucky man. As I took another sip of bourbon, I realized everything I’d been questioning since meeting her and falling head over heels for her son. Tonight, they were honoring me for saving a man’s life, but the woman whose beauty I was drinking in was the reason I wanted more than just a selfish fling, more than just the operating room.
Andie changed everything. I was no different from anyone else in this room, except they chased money and status, while I chased that damn OR and the achievements I earned there. Until her, Saint John’s was my obsession and my addiction.
I smiled. She changed me. And though I knew there was no hope for Dorian, John might just be right. If his brother could change, and if I could change, maybe all it took was letting someone with meaning and purpose into our lives to change our damaged ways of thinking. Perhaps it took the stars to align, allowing us to let our guards down.
