Page 35 of Walk on the Wilde Side
She glances back at the house. "Seems like you do pretty well. This is a beautiful house."
"We do all right." I'm not sure if she's already digging into my finances, but I'm getting that "it's all about money" vibe.
Deidre looks me up and down brazenly, and I'm feeling a little like cattle and also realizing how shitty it must feel for women when I do it to them. "You certainly are as hot as Indi described. And big," she adds, then her gaze drops to my crotch.
Indi and Jameson return with the drinks. "Zander, Deidre has a Harley Davidson."
Deidre looks at me. "Do you ride?"
"I had a bike for a while, but I gave it up. Needed something more practical."
"Aw, shame. We could have taken a ride up to my beach house in Halverston."
"So, they don't allow cars in Halverston?" I ask. Indi gives me a quick scowl. It's her fault for blindsiding me with date night.
"No, of course they do. The trip is just more fun on bikes." Deidre overlooks my sarcasm. It seems she wasn't blindsided, so she's willing to put in more effort, but honestly, I'm already out. She's hot but the personality is lacking.
The dinner goes about as awkwardly and painfully as the before dinner drinks. Deidre likes to talk about herself, which is fine, but the bragging about her career and success and even her fucking plastic surgeon's amazing talent made an otherwise tasty dinner unappetizing. Indi looked more uncomfortable with each passing minute, and I felt bad. I could have tried harder to pay attention and seem interested, but I didn't want to encourage the possibility of a second date. Even though I had no doubt Deidre would be great in bed, she wasn't worth the effort.
Jameson comes out to the patio where I stayed while Indi walked out her friend. He's got his keys. "Got to go pick up Rio and her friends from the movies. Guess that didn't go so well."
"Gee, what gave it away?"
Jameson chuckles. "She was hot, I'll give you that."
"Then it all went downhill after the great pair of fake—apparently—tits."
Jameson glances back over his shoulder. Indi is still outside saying goodbye to Deidre. "Look, don't be too hard on Indi. She's just worried about you. We all are. You're not yourself lately. She thinks you're lonely."
"I would never say an unkind word to Indi, so you can turn off the protector shield."
The front door opens and closes, letting us know that Indi is back in the house. Jameson leaves the patio, kisses her and walks out the front door. Indi's hands are in the back pockets of her jeans, and her head droops shyly as she steps out onto the patio. In high school people called her the school jewel. She was beautiful and smart and popular. Everyone loved her, especially my brother. But Jameson was a Wilde, and Wildes didn't end up with school jewels. At least that was what he told himself all those years. Instead, he stood in the background, pining for her, as she dated his best friend Zach. It took a long sequence of events, both good and bad, to finally bring them together. I'd never seen my brother so happy.
"I'm so sorry about that, Zander. I swear she's not like that at work. She's professional and smart and clever, but boy, I thought she wouldn't stop bragging about her quick climb up the corporate ladder. As if those manmade boobs didn't have something to do with it. She was sure using them to her advantage tonight. When she dropped her napkin and Jameson dove for it, I thought she'd shove them right into his face." Indi pauses. "Forgive me?"
"How can I ever be mad at the school jewel?"
She smiles. The smile helped win her the title, too. It's one that leaves a lasting impression. Indi pulls out a chair and sits across from me. "You have my solemn promise that I will not do it again." She laughs softly. "I got the sense that she was insulted by your lack of interest. I don't think many people turn her down in life. When she caught me alone for a second, after she walked in, she told me you were so fucking hot she couldn't wait to get you in bed. But just now she told me you were a little too raw and primitive for her taste. She wanted to make sure that I knew it didn't work because she wasn't interested. What an ego."
I laugh. "I've been called many things but can't remember the last time someone called me raw and primitive. Like a caveman, I guess."
"A caveman who she couldn't wait to bed," Indi adds. "Oh boy, I messed up. I really thought she'd be your type."
I raise a brow at her. "My type? The big boobs, tight dress and plump lips?" I roll my eyes up. "Yeah, I guess I can see why you thought that."
"Well, I missed the mark on everything."
I look at Indi. "You don't need to worry about me. Am I lonely? Maybe a little since Jameson found his happy ending, but honestly, I don't think there's a match for me out there. I'll just bounce through life having great sex and never committing. Not a terrible life sentence."
Indi sits forward, and her expression softens. "You know—Kiki says that Nev and Dane are not a good match. She says Nev is not in love."
I pretend like her words aren't having a profound effect and put on my best whatever expression. "I'm working for the guy, and he's not good enough for her. Not even close." Before she can say anything else. "Just like I'm not good enough for her."
"Shouldn't you let Nev decide that?"
I shake my head. "Okay, Miss Matchmaker, time to retire. Find someone else to focus on. Ronan needs someone to rein him in. He's drinking too much, and he can't seem to hold down a job."
"Nope, like you said, time to retire. The rest of you boys are on your own."
