Page 43 of Last Comes Fate

I had a feeling he and Xavier would get along very well.

“That’s the one Marie is obsessed with,” Joni said, pointing to the blond one.

Kate made a face. “Ew, he looks like Ryan Seacrest.”

I giggled. “Oh my God, he does.” It was the last type I would have expected Marie to have. She almost never wore anything but black—a lot like the stormy brother, actually.

“He’s better than the other one. He’s cute, but he looks likesucha square,” Joni said. “Like, get contacts, Grandpa.”

“I doubt Lucas Lyons cares much about fashion,” Kate said. “He’s too busy running the second largest media conglomerate in the world to care. Anyway, it’s the younger one whose stylist I’ve met. Party boy, that one.”

“You can tell,” I said as I handed Kate back her phone. “He looks better groomed than Nonna. I had no idea Marie liked pretty boys.”

“She likesthispretty boy,” Joni said. “Has ever since she started working for their family, remember?”

Kate and I murmured our agreement. It was a while ago, but I did remember Marie’s consistently dazed expressions when she got her first after-school job as a kitchen assistant at the massive estate. “Can you imagine crushing on someone for five whole years and never making a move?” Joni wondered.

I actually could. In fact, I knew exactly what it was like to pine for someone you couldn’t have for five whole years. And this boy was eons out of my mousy wallflower of a sister’s league.

“Well, in that case, it’s better she went to Paris,” Kate said. “Maybe she’ll pick up some lovers and some style while she’s there.”

Joni snorted. “No kidding. Ditch the nun getups. God knows she never wanted my help in the clothing department.”

“That’s because she doesn’t want tips in her G-string, Jo,” Kate said, laughing when Joni dipped her fingers in her wine and flicked them at Kate in response.

“All the more reason for you to go to Paris now and help her out,” I joked, but before Joni could reply, we were all interrupted by a knock at the front door.

I excused myself, walked through the house, and found the downstairs tenant waiting outside.

“Hey, Pete, come on in,” I said, opening the door for him.

Pete was a forty-something bachelor who worked as a gaming designer. He was quiet, preferred his computer to any kind of sex life, and had lived downstairs without a peep for the past two years. In other words, he was the perfect tenant.

“Thanks,” he said, shoving a hand into his jeans. “I, uh, won’t take up too much of your time.”

“No worries,” I said, guiding him to the back to join us. “Want a glass of wine? My sisters are here.”

“No, I’m good. Got a cold one chilling in the fridge downstairs. Oh, hi ladies.”

Kate and Joni both waved disinterestedly when they caught sight of our guest.

“Everything all right?” I asked. “Is the furnace acting up again? I can have Matthew send someone.”

“No, no, everything’s fine,” he said kind of nervously while he adjusted his baseball cap over his thinning hair. “I just wanted to come tell you in person that I’m moving out when the lease is up next month. I, uh, met someone last year, and, well, we’ve decided to move out to New Jersey. She has a house in Paterson. Bigger space and all.”

I fought not to drop my jaw. So much for having a better relationship with computers than people. When had Pete had time to date?

Probably when I was gallivanting all over England.

“Oh,” I said. “Well, um, that’s great. I’ll let Matthew know.”

“Do you have to?” Kate asked. “The house is yours now, isn’t it?”

I shot her a look. “It will be, but—”

“That’s great,” Pete interrupted. “Congratulations. And thanks, yeah. Jen, she, uh, wanted me to come out sooner, but I told her I couldn’t break the lease, you know. Couldn’t leave you hanging like that…right?”

Ah, so that’s what he was after.

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