Page 37 of Rebel Secrets
And of course, I always complained about my perfect siblings.My sister was Type-A on steroids, and my brother made playboys look like philanthropists.But the more cringey stuff, like the wealth and the lifestyle…I never really talked about it.
Her family was wealthy, yes, but mine was a level above wealthy.And it made me uncomfortable to talk about it.
“Yes,” I drew the word out to about five syllables.“I mean, I just assumed you knew.”
Not true, but hell, everyone could Google.All she had to do was a simple search.And I’m sure she had.
“Well, sure, I knew you came from a rich family.I guess I just never thought about it being mega-yacht and second-mansion-in-the-Hamptons rich.”
“Replace the yacht for a villa in Tuscany, and you’d be close.”
Rain’s eyes widened.“Damn.I mean, my parents are loaded, but yours are on another level, aren’t they?”
And this is why I didn’t tell people about my family.They looked at me differently.
I just shrugged.She knew the answer to her question just by the look on my face.
“Shit.”She made a face that was both amused and resigned.“There is such a thing as too much money, huh?”
“My parents’ wedding was more of a business merger.My granddad’s not poor, obviously,” I waved a hand around at the building I lived in, which he’d bought on a whim because he’d always wanted to run his own newspaper, “but my dad’s family…yeah.”
“So, how’d you turn out so normal?”
This is why I loved Rain.She was the sister I’d never had.My actual sister and I had never really been close.I’d blame the age gap of eight years, but really, we just didn’t have anything in common.
And now my eyes started to tear up.
“There are a few people around who would say I’m not.”
Rain rolled her eyes.“And they’re assholes, so ignore them.Seriously, you’re the least snotty rich person I know.”
“I mean, you know I went to prep school.I was pretty much an outcast there, although I did make a few fellow outcast friends.We kept each other grounded, you know?”
Nodding, Rain pushed herself up to sit on the bed cross-legged.“Yep.I get it.I know you told me you stayed because you love it here, but I’m beginning to think there’s more to it.”
In all the time I’d been in St.David, I’d never mentioned my fiancé to Rain.I didn’t like to talk about him.Ineverwanted to talk about him, but my mom and sister would always manage to work it into the conversation.I should be over it by now.
And I was over him.Had been for a while.I didn’t even really think about Michael anymore.
Except, I’d never told Rain about him.I didn’t ever talk about him, except to my therapist.And even then, not as often as we had six years ago when it was fresh and it’d hurt like I’d been shot in the heart.
“I guess, maybe, it might have something to do with my failed engagement.”
Rain blinked.“Say what now?”
I shrugged, like it wasn’t really a big deal, even as I couldn’t hold her gaze.“It was a long time ago.A couple of years before I moved here.We were engaged in our senior year of college.It ended after four years.”
“You were engaged forfouryears?Did he cheat on you?”
“Not physically.Emotionally…” Another shrug.“He fell in love with someone else.”
Rain reached across and squeezed my hand.“That sucks.I’m sorry.”
“I know it was for the best now.We weren’t right for each other.”
Except that’s not what I’d thought at the time.I’d thought we were perfect.And he hadn’t.
“Well, I say you dodged a bullet.”
