Page 24 of My Fault
Before he could respond, one of the goons got out of the pool and sat down beside me. Water from his body dripped all over me, and I jerked away, irritated.
“You want some help with that, babe? I could rub it on your back.”
“Beat it, Hugo. My little sister and I are having an important conversation,” Nick ordered him.
Hugo got back up without a need to hear it twice. Good.
“Are we hanging out tonight?” Hugo asked. Nick nodded. “Stakes are high, bro, we need to win these races no matter what.”
Nick’s eyes shot arrows at him. Interesting.
Did I just hear the wordraces?
“I said leave.”
Hugo looked bewildered for a moment before glancing at me and seeming to realize he’d said too much.
When he and the rest of his friends left, I turned around and looked at my stepbrother.
“Races?”
Nick put his glasses back on and stretched out in the direction of the sun.
“Don’t ask questions if you don’t want answers.”
I bit my lip, intrigued, but still, I wasn’t going to press him. Whatever Nicholas Leister was wrapped up in couldn’t interest me less.
Or so I thought.
That afternoon, I decided to spend some time with my mom. William’s company was having a gala that night, and she’d told me we needed to go as a family. I wasn’t particularly excited about it, but I knew there was no getting out of it: William had been working on the event for months, and we were expected to be there.
I found myself sitting on a sofa in my mother’s dressing room. Her bedroom was even more lavish than mine. Decorated in cream tones with a California king bed, it looked like a luxury hotel room and had two walk-in closets. I’d never thought a person needed even one, but when I saw the hundreds of shirts, ties, and suits William had, I understood.
That night would be important for my mother. Obviously, many close friends and important industry heads and law people would be there, not all of whom had had the honor of meeting my mother in person. She was so nervous that it was funny.
“Mom, you’re going to look gorgeous no matter what you wear. Why don’t you just relax?”
She looked at me with a radiant smile. It was wonderful, seeing her so happy.
“Thanks, Noah,” she said, holding up a white-and-green dress for me to see. “So this one?”
I nodded, thinking about what the evening had in store. IfNicholas was going to take off again to get in trouble, then I would be free to do the same—or so I told myself, by way of consolation.
“Your dress is marvelous, too,” my mother said, and in my mind, I saw it again. “Honey, don’t make faces, you’re not going to die just because you dress up a little for one day.”
“Sorry,” I said. My mood had been like a roller coaster lately. “It’s just that going to dinner and a gala isn’t exactly what I’m in the mood for.”
“It’ll be fun, I promise,” she said, trying to cheer me up.
I thought of Dan, of how much he would have liked to see me in the dress I had on that night. What was the point of getting all pretty if no one I cared about was going to notice me?
“I’m sure,” I said, trying to put a happy face. “I guess I should go get ready.”
My mother dropped what she was doing and came over.
“Thanks for doing this for me, dear. It means a lot.”
I nodded, trying to smile.
