Page 52 of My Ex-Fiance's Best Men
“Todd, it’s a pleasure,” I reply and shake his hand.
“I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about you, Miss Baldwin. Though, I’ll be honest, I’ve seen a lot more online.”
Penny rolls her eyes. “Todd. No.”
“It’s alright,” I say with a soft smile. “It’s online. These are my?—”
“Your gentlemen,” Todd finishes for me, lighting up as he proceeds to shake their hands. “You guys rock. The way you swooped in, handled the whole thing. Kudos to the three of you, seriously.”
Theo chuckles lightly. “Thank you, Todd.”
“Let’s just say this whole drama has become my favorite thing to watch between executive board meetings,” Todd confesses with a sheepish smile.
Dominic gives him a curious look. “Hold on. Chapman. Of the New Haven Chapmans, by any chance?”
“That’s right,” Todd confirms. “I believe you’re acquainted with my cousin.”
“Josh Chapman, yes,” Dominic says. “He’s been instrumental to our accounting and finance departments.”
Penny and I let the guys get to know each other better while a waiter buzzes around and provides them with drinks.
“I’m so glad you guys decided to show up together,” Penny says.
“I wouldn’t have missed this. I know how important this event and the cause it’s funding are to you.”
“Yeah, that’s not what I meant,” she gives me a broad smile. “I’m glad you brought your boyfriends to the gala. It’s insanely empowering.”
I offer a shrug. “It made sense. We spend a lot of time together and we’re actually building something. Honestly, I don’t know where it’s going to lead or how it’s going to end. I’m just enjoying it now.”
“Who says it has to end?” She raises an eyebrow. “Look around you. All the ladies here are jealous and all the guys want to be August, Dominic, and Theo. You hit the triple jackpot the minute you decided to take them to Hawaii with you.”
“It feels surreal sometimes. I mean, I was sure I’d never find someone after Matthew.”
“How long did that feeling last? A few hours?” She laughs, but her humor quickly fades into a deep frown. “I saw the clip, by the way. He showed up at the guys’ beach house in the Hamptons?”
I nod. “It was embarrassing. For him, mostly.”
“What was it like for you?”
“Bitter. Unpleasant. I just wanted him to leave, but he kept droning on, torn between groveling and trying to hurt me some more. Matthew was disingenuous, and it showed. Or maybe I’ve just gotten better at spotting the difference. Either way, whatever hold he had on me before, it’s not there anymore.”
A smile blooms across my best friend’s face. “In other words, you’re over him.”
“Oh, so over him. I can hardly remember what I liked about him in the first place, let alone what made me say yes to his proposal.”
“Good. That’s really good.”
“Except now, my whole family is against me.”
Penny sigh heavily, her gaze wandering across the event hall. “Your mom is a piece of work, what can I say?”
“Yes, but Penny, I didn’t see it coming. I’m still trying to understand why they’d do something like this. Why Crystal didn’t even bother to?—”
“Speak up for you? Protect you?” she scoffs. “They’re in it together, Phoebe. Maybe this was their plan all along, to figure out a way to keep you from getting what’s rightfully yours. Think about it. They wouldn’t let you anywhere near the company’s finance department, even though that’s your professional specialization. You graduated Magna Cum Laude, for Christ’s sake.”
“I thought family was supposed to stick together.”
“Well, money clearly trumps family where the Baldwins are concerned. I’m just sad and angry that you’re going through this. I hope you’re planning to fight them with everything you’ve got, honey. You deserve that trust fund and your share in the company. Hell, you deserve a lot more than that just for putting up with them.”
