Page 94 of Dr. Stone
I smiled while tipping the rim of my glass for one last sip before walking over to my lady and proudly introducing her to my parents. We may have been here to honor the man who saved Sebastian Aster IV, but the only person on this terrace of the Asters’ luxurious estate who deserved recognition was my lady—the one who savedmylife.
FORTY-THREE
Andie
The sun had slippedbelow the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the magnificent Aster estate. I could never have imagined myself living in a sanctuary like this—one that rivaled every multimillion-dollar home in the city, let alone owning a place in the Hamptonsanda historic family winery overseas.
It was hard to wrap my head around the idea that people lived like this as if it were normal. I wasn’t judging. I was just standing there, quietly awed by it all.
“How are you holding up, kid?” Mickie, John Aster’s wife, asked.
I smiled, “Sort of mesmerized, I guess.”
Avery chuckled. “Mesmerized by your lover-boy’s accomplishments, or by this atmosphere where, if we’re not draped in velvet or silk, we might as well go fuck ourselves and head home?”
“Don’t let it intimidate you,” Darcy said with a smile, laughing along with us at Avery’s comment. “It’s all just a tax write-off,” she added with a wink. “Not that your handsome Jace isn’t worthy of it,” she clarified quickly, “but this is just what these people do. It’s how they…” She paused, searching for the right words. “Well, I guess it’s their version of trading office memos,” she said, lifting her champagne for a sip.
“You really did do your research on them, huh?” I asked. I remembered what I’d learned on the yacht, that the Asters’ oldest son had fallen hard for her, while she was only after her next headline story on him.
“Oh, boy,” she chuckled while the other women exchanged humored expressions. “I have every insider’s dream about these elites and how they are. Every hug, smile, flute of champagne, and nibble of caviar is a business transaction or a tax write-off. There’s almost nothing genuine behind the charm. Most of the families flown here from around the world on the Asters’ fleet of jets care about little more than their personal gain.”
“Holy shit. They flew everyone in ontheirfleet of jets?” I asked.
“Tax write-off,” I heard Jace say in a humorous voice, his hand sliding over my lower back. “Hey, gorgeous,” he kissed my cheek, then addressed the women I stood with while waiting for him to become free for the night. “If you ladies don’t mind,” he said with a smile, “I’m going to steal this lovely woman away for a moment.” He looked at Mickie and added, “I told John we’d rejoin you all where the husbands are already summoning their wives with those broody stares.” Jace lifted his half-finished bourbon glass and gestured toward the spot where the men had gathered, tucked slightly away from the crowds.
“Jesus, that lawn furniture would make Martha Stewart jealous,” Mickie said with a laugh, then she looked at Darcy. “Can you and Sebastian get your plans in gear and get married,so I don’t have to deal with your future mother-in-law like this alone?”
“We’ll see you guys in just a few,” Avery said, then turned to the women. “Let’s go pacify our drooling husbands, shall we?”
The ladies walked off, and I laughed to myself, struck by the thought that they were allinthis life but notofit. Even though Jace’s family clearly expected a few appearances, it was obvious he felt the same way. And just like that, I found myself more at ease being here on his arm than I ever expected. What I loved most was how natural it all felt, the way he and I moved through this together, like we’d been doing it our whole lives.
Jace’s hand remained firmly in place on my lower back. “Let’s get the wholemeeting my parentspart out of the way so we can actually enjoy the night,” he said, pressing a kiss to my temple.
“Let’s hope it goes smoothly,” I murmured, leaning into him. “And by the way, congratulations on tonight.” I drew in a little closer. “You deserved the recognition, whether or not you wanted to be here.”
“The whole damn night makes a lot more sense now that you said that,” he smirked as we approached the Stones. They were mid-conversation with a small group, but quickly excused themselves the moment they spotted their son.
“Son,” his dad shook Jace’s hand. “It’s an honor to be here tonight. I’m very proud of you and have been since I heard the news,” he said with a distinguished nod.
Only since he heard the news?I thought, hearing the weight of that implication loud and clear.
“Thank you,” Jace acknowledged.
“And if I remember correctly,” the sharply dressed man brought his gaze to me, “we’ve already met?”
“Yes,” Jace’s mom, who’d been quietly examining the woman at Jace’s side, said in an elegant tone that matched the guests. “Andie, right?”
“Yes,” I smiled, then quickly closed my eyes, realizing I’d completely forgotten their names, while, of course, they hadn’t forgotten mine. “I’m so sorry?—”
“Never apologize, dear,” she cut me off like a strict teacher who couldn’t stand the class clown.
“This is my mother, Victoria,” Jace finally killed the awkward exchange, “and my father, Everett Stone,” he smiled, while holding onto my back as if he were anchoring us in place. “Titus mentioned that you all met for a brief moment in Costa Rica.”
“Yes,” Victoria’s stare was on me now like she was scrutinizing a dossier. “You made quite an entrance, being there on Titus’s arm. Titus had exquisite taste in, well, everything that night.”
Everett nodded and glanced toward his son. “It is indeed an interesting turn of events,” he said, with a measured tone.
He wasn’t unkind. He was probably more ambivalent than anything else, merely acknowledging my place in his son’s life.
