Page 25 of The Last Resort
“No need to worry about that, Matthew. My people will find you, along with any clone accounts or people pretending to be you. I’ll have money on there being a few fake Matthew Royal accounts already following me, and then fans following them thinking that they are you.”
Wheels within wheels.He’d never been big on social media. His Instagram had a couple of followers, his Facebook profile was mainly used so he could be a member of some design groups, and TikTok was where he secretly went for book recommendations.
“Okay, but I don’t want any feedback on the books I like on Book Tok. No one gets to yuk my yum.”
Bryce gave him a look that said his brother would be googling what on earthyuk my yummeant the second his guests were all gone.
Jordan rested his chin in his hands and batted his eyelids at Matthew. “You can like whatever you like, Chloe has recently got me into dragon-shifter romance. And it’s hot. But tell me, Matthew dearest, are you still re-reading Twilight for the tenth time? Ouch.”
Chloe’s slap on Jordan’s hand was more theatrical than anything, but he still played the wounded hero. So much so, that his fiancée was forced to kiss his fingers better. One by one. Laughter rippled around the table at the playful exchange. Then Chloe let out a gasp. “Do you know what we need to do? We need to get Matthew a girlfriend.”
“No, we don’t. Let him find his own,” grumbled Bryce from over the other side of the table.
Thanks Bryce. I don’t need a world-famous matchmaker.
Chloe waved him away and turned back to Matthew. “I can have a short list of models and actresses on your desk in the morning, but first I need to ask you some important questions. Do you consider it a matter of life or death to make a good entrance at the Met Gala? Are you willing to be in LA and keep the entire month leading up to and including the Oscars free of all commitments? What characteristic do you find the most attractive in a woman?”
Matthew picked up his glass of wine and considered her questions. “Well, I haven’t given either the Met Gala or the Oscars more than a second of my time over the past million years, so my answers to your questions are as follows, I don’t and no. And as for your last question. I like smart women. So if you happen to know of any women who might have a working knowledge of the ins and outs of architectural design or AutoCAD, feel free to give them my number.”
Vivian mumbled something about him not taking Chloe’s offer seriously, but when the conversation moved on to the subject of real estate, Matthew deemed he’d made his point clear. He didn’t need anyone playing cupid.
I am a grown man. If and when the time comes for me to look for love, it won’t be in the pages of some glossy magazine. Or on the red carpet at an awards show.
The Royal family was about to get its first mega star, they didn’t need another.
“Have you two settled on a house yet?” he asked. It was time to put someone else under the spotlight for the evening. He was done with being poked and prodded for everyone else’s amusement and interest.
Jordan and Chloe smiled at one another. Jordan brushed his hand over his fiancée’s cheek. “Yesterday morning, Chloeand I made an offer on an estate forty-five minutes out of NYC. We are waiting on the realtor to come back to us tonight. Hopefully the answer will be …”
“Yes,” whispered Chloe, her eyes brimming with tears. “A home. A real home for us.”
“We will of course be keeping my apartment in this building, and Chloe is going to keep her house in LA. It makes sense for us to have a base in the city as well as one on the West Coast.”
His brother and future sister-in-law were busy making plans.
“So you are going to be based permanently on the East Coast, Chloe?”
“Absolutely. There will be none of that long distance relationship crap in our marriage. I want to wake up next to my man every morning.”
He could have sworn Jordan blushed at that last remark. But Matthew was too busy fighting back the tears to say anything. Jordan had been through a lot. Drug addiction, rehab, and a mental breakdown. Chloe was the best thing that had ever happened to his brother.
Over on the sideboard, a cell phone buzzed. At the sound, Chloe leapt from her chair. She scurried over and picked up her phone. Jordan rose and followed her. He stood next to her as she answered the call.
The loud squeal of delight that escaped the popstar’s lips was enough to inform the greater New York tri-state area that their offer on the house had been accepted. A beaming Jordan hugged his fiancée. Bryce and Vivian rose from their seats and cheered. A slightly bemused Matthew did the same.
He took another sip of his wine. He was thrilled to see both his brothers finding happiness and settling down. But tonight, witnessing their joy brought home the fact that hisown life was empty. Until now, he hadn’t realized just how empty his existence was, or how lonely.
The thought of Rachel and kissing her soft lips yesterday morning slipped into his mind. He could imagine being with someone like her. Easy going, with a warmth about her that spoke of long nights in front of a fire toasting marshmallows.
There would be more of those soft kisses, coupled with gentle words of love. And when she eventually lay naked beneath him, he would make love to her body and soul. They would be joined as one, and everything in his world would make perfect sense.
Where on earth did that come from?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Aspen, Colorado
Early Wednesday morning
