Page 79 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“You’re missing the point,” Lennox says. “This isn’t about the award or the networking. Not for you, anyway. This is about getting Kate out of your head. And it isn’t until Thursdaynight.You can teach and still come.”
“Where’s Flint right now?” Perry asks. “What if we called him to see if he can come out for it?”
Lennox raises a finger like he’s considering. “That’s not a bad idea. Flint will draw media attention, and the media will naturally mention why he’s there. Might be a subtle way to get people talking about the restaurant without directly piggybacking on Flint’s fame.”
“Except that’s exactly what you’ll be doing,” I say.
“But it wouldn’t look like it,” Perry says. “It would look like Flint’s just there to support Lennox. If the media also happens to mention Lennox is about to open his own restaurant?”
“Which they will,” Lennox says.
Perry nods. “Then what’s the harm in that?”
My brothers have more reason to be invested in the success of Lennox’s restaurant than I do. I want it to be successful, but they bothneedit to be. The farm is putting up a lot of capital to make it happen, and Lennox’s reputation is on the line. “I don’t even know if Flint is stateside right now,” I say. “Wasn’t he filming in Brazil last week?”
“Bolivia,” Perry corrects. “But he talked to Mom on Friday. I don’t think he’s there anymore.”
“Here, I’ll call him.” I pull out my phone. “This is not a complicated question to answer.”
Despite his ridiculous schedule, Flint almost always answers when one of us calls. It’s advice his agent gave him right after his first movie turned into an overnight sensation.“Never stop talking to the normal people in your life—the people who aren’t famous. They’re the only ones who will keep you grounded.”
“Brody!” Flint yells into his phone so loud, I have to move mine away from my ear, and both my older brothers roll their eyes. This is classic Flint. He’s been the loudest, brightest star in every room he’s ever been in. Even before he was famous.
“Hey. Where are you?”
“Right now? On the beach behind my house in Malibu. Where are you?”
“We’re fixing the fence in the east pasture. Me, Perry, and Lennox.”
“Oh man,” Flint says. “I’m so jealous.”
“Yeah, I’m sure you are. How’s your suntan?”
“I’m serious. I hate it when you guys are together without me.” That, I can actually believe.
“That’s why I’m calling. What are you doing Thursday?”
“Good question. Jonie!” he yells into the background to whom I assume is his manager. Or a personal assistant, maybe? “What am I doing Thursday?” he asks.
Even though it’s been years, I’m never not surprised by how different my little brother’s life is than mine.
“Jonie says I’ve got a photoshoot thing, but it can be moved,” Flint says. “What’s going on?”
I put the call on speaker and listen while Lennox fills Flint in. In a matter of minutes, we’ve made plans to meet in Charlotte for a weekend, just the four of us, in whatever house Flint’s entourage can rent for us, which undoubtedly means something enormous and ridiculously expensive.
“But just to be clear,” Flint says, “even though we’re saying this is to support Lennox, the real reason we’re all getting together is so Brody can talk to us about Kate, right?”
I breathe out a sigh. I should have known better than to think Mom or Olivia hadn’t already filled him in.
Lennox eyes me, his expression smug, as if challenging me to back out now. “Smart man,” he says to Flint.
He knows he has me. I’ll go on Thursday. I’ll spend the weekend with my brothers. I’ll probably tell Flint everything. But it won’t change anything.
Kate will still be gone.
I’ll still be alone.
I want to believe what Perry said. I want to hope.
