Page 57 of How to Break My Heart 1
I knew the next hour would be torturous.
Damn me for having no backbone and agreeing to support my best friend.
Then, Viviana arrives.
I hate to admit it, but she’s attractive—if you’re into blondes. She’s wearing a gray knitted turtleneck dress that hugs every curve, accentuating her full, perky boobs. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek bun, giving her a polished, refined look.
My wraparound denim dress and knee-high boots look outof place. My hair also took a hit with the wind earlier—Maddy calls it my sex hair.
Which would be great if I were actually having sex, which I am not.
Of course, Aston sits beside Viviana, across from me, with a mischievous smirk. He dressed appropriately for dinner in dress pants and a black button-down shirt. His sleeves are rolled up, making him look incredibly sexy, and his smug expression is warning me to pay attention to his next move.
This man knows how to push my buttons.
“I’m pleased we are having dinner tonight,” Mr. Beaumont begins, raising his glass to toast. “I apologize my wife couldn’t make the luncheon on Saturday.”
Mrs. Beaumont keeps her poise, staring blankly at her husband like a puppet waiting for the next move.
“What matters is we’re all here now.” Roland Whitney raises his glass. “Aside from my son. It’s always a challenge to pull Myles away from the city, especially when he’s on the verge of supposedly casting the next Patti LuPone. With the wedding not far away, he’s trying his best to get all his work done.”
Everyone raises their glasses in a toast, then sips the rich red wine—a bold, velvety blend with hints of dark berries and a subtle oak finish that lingers warmly on the palate.
Maddy smiles, but I can see in her eyes that she is over it already.
Myles’s mother glances at Maddy and asks, “And I assume both you and Myles will be living in Manhattan?”
“We’re looking around Brooklyn, actually,” Maddy replies.
“Brooklyn?” her father questions with an arrogant laugh. “My daughter willnotbe living there.”
Maddy shoots dagger eyes at Aston but shifts her focus back onto her dad, evidently annoyed by the comment. Maddy is low-maintenance when it comes to the finer things in life, which surprises most people since she comes from a wealthy family.To this day, she still uses my Netflix login because she can’t be bothered paying for it. “I like Brooklyn. Besides, not everyone can afford a penthouse on the Upper East Side.”
“The company pays for that penthouse,” her father quickly informs everyone. “The perks of being employed by the Beaumont Group.”
Across from me, Aston takes the glass and drinks the red wine in one go. His muscles have tensed. Every now and then, he looks my way, but I quickly distract myself. My attention is drawn back to him when Viviana leans over to whisper something in his ear.
“Georgina,” Mrs. Beaumont calls softly, “Viviana’s family owns a lovely property on Martha’s Vineyard. Madelina mentioned you were looking for a place?”
Myles’s mother wipes her mouth with her napkin. “It would be nice to find a place for our future grandchildren to spend time with us on vacation.”
Underneath the table, Maddy’s knee begins to bounce. It happens when she’s anxious. I move my hand to her thigh and squeeze it tight. Maddy wants kids, but I know she plans not to start trying for at least three more years. She wants to do so much before she settles into family life.
Mr. Beaumont rests his fork on his plate. “Quite an investment, Roland.”
“Yes, but like Georgina said, we are thinking about our future grandchildren.” Myles’s father lovingly places his hand on his wife’s. “It’s time for me to retire, Harvey. Pass the reins over to my son. With my own father quite frail, we’re learning to enjoy the simple things.”
I want to laugh, given that a house on Martha’s Vineyard is far from simple, but keep my expression still.
“Once the kids are done with Broadway,” Mr. Beaumont responds condescendingly. “It’s important to keep the family name alive. Is it not?”
“Harvey, please. The kids are enjoying themselves,” Myles’s father informs him.
The answer doesn’t please Mr. Beaumont. He raises his glass to his lips before following with, “A big portfolio to manage, Roland. I can’t see how Myles can continue to focus on Broadway and manage all your investments. Perhaps we can sit down and look at some alternatives. I mean, if Madelina is to focus on bearing and raising children, it’s important Myles also has the time to be around for his family.”
Aston narrows his gaze while his hands sit on the table curled into fists. I’m drawn to the way his knuckles turn so white. He relaxes them, only to reach for more wine. Not that I’ve been counting, but I swear it’s like his third glass in the space of ten minutes.
Then, his eyes reach mine, and something in his tortured stare pulls me in. I knew he wasn’t the biggest fan of his father, but assumed because they worked together, things got better since high school. The more I hear Mr. Beaumont talk, the more I realize their relationship is still strained.
