“What are we supposed to do?”
“I packed a bag for her, they’re probably going to have to skip town for a few weeks while it calms down. I think it’s the best idea. And I need you on board.”
Joey pinches the bridge of his nose. “Yeah. Okay. It’s probably the best thing. Still can’t believe my little sister is running around with a celebrity.”
“Trust me, I know how you feel. Never would have seen it coming in a million years.”
“We’re not telling her about the story yet, right?”
“No. God. She’ll flip out. She’s nervous enough. But she needs to know. I’ll tell her as soon as the party is over.” Or Jack will.
Joey sets the bottle down and folds his arms across his chest. “So does she know about you yet?”
“Know what?”
“That you’re leaving.”
I let out a breath, hating how much I was hiding from Keri Ann at this moment. “No. Not yet.”
“Are you really going?”
“Yes, Joseph. I’m really going.”
“How soon?”
“Honestly? Not soon enough.”
He uncrosses his arms. “When? Give me a date.”
“None of your business.”
“Okay.” He blows out a puff of air. “How long for?”
“Why do you want to know?” I roll my eyes.
“I—I just do.”
“It shouldn’t make a difference to you if I’m leaving next week or next month. Or if I stay six weeks or six years. Up until three days ago you weren’t even here. You haven’t been interested in anything I’ve done for the last three years.”
“So it’s temporary?”
“What makes you say that?”
“You just did. You put a maximum time on it of six years.”
I huff out a breath. “Whatever.”
“So how long?”
“I haven’t decided yet. And I can promise you one thing. It will have nothing to do with you.”
I hear Keri Ann on the stairs and step away from Joey.
But he reaches out and takes my wrist. “You’re right. It shouldn’t have anything to do with me,” he says in a low voice. “But don’t think it won’t affect me.”
Pasting on a smile, I free my wrist and turn to see Keri Ann walk in, looking breathtaking.
THE ART AUCTION event, held at a hotel on Hilton Head Island, where Keri Ann’s work is being exhibited, is amazingly successful. It was an honor for her to get picked to be part of a representation of up and coming Southern artists. There are tons of super art buffs among the attendees, and they all love her recycled style and use of natural materials and sea glass.
She gets some great press, and of course Jack Eversea shows up and shows everyone in no uncertain terms that Keri Ann is the center of his universe.
It is epically romantic. An electromagnetic love pulse. You can almost feel the hearts of millions of women breaking in an outward ripple across the globe. The romance in the air is palpable. If I’m not careful, I’ll read far too much into the way I’ve caught Joseph watching me all evening from where he’s hanging out with Colt and Colt’s date not too far away.
Jack and Keri Ann disappear off to talk with a local reporter, and rather than look like a spare part I head for the fresh local shrimp display.
Joseph joins me as I walk. “Eversea said the story broke. He’s going to take Keri Ann away tonight. Apparently he has a plane on standby at the private airfield here.”
I smirk. “Of course he does.”
Joey shakes his head. “I hope she knows what she’s doing.”
Irritation surges. “It’s not like you plan who you fall in love with,” I snap. Luckily we’ve reached the shrimp and a waiter walks past with a tray of champagne. “Thank goodness,” I say, stopping the waiter and snagging a glass.
Joey takes one too, less hurriedly than I had mine. “Thank you,” he says to the server, then looks at me over the rim of the glass, his blue eyes burning. “To the utter foolishness and bad timing of love” he says. Then he raises the glass and brings it to his lips.
“I assume you’re talking about your sister and Jack Eversea. I’m not drinking to that.”
Joseph shrugs, and I watch him take the sip, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows. I’m staring at his throat. I wonder if his skin tastes salty. “How about to forgiving someone for their mistakes? Will you drink to that?”
Shaking my head, I raise my glass. “While I am happy for Keri Ann, I’d personally like to raise my glass to one’s head ruling one’s heart. Something I’m sure would be your normal toast.” I take a sip.
“I’m not going to beg you to stay.”
My heart lurches into my throat, causing me to almost choke on the bubbly liquid. “Why on earth would you?”
“I should. I want to. Because I never should have let you go to begin with.”
I stare at him.
A muscle ticks in his jaw. He’s totally serious.
Too little, too late I want to shout at him. “But you did.” I shrug, trying to make my voice casual.
“Well, I don’t want to make your choice difficult by asking you to stay.”