“What do you mean, relative?” Hunter asked. What kind of a dig was that?
“I’ll drink to relative,” Jerrod said, raising his glass in a toast, and thinking it would be a miracle if he and Rain made it to their tenth anniversary. He suspected she was already getting restless. Hence, Thanksgiving in New York. Hence, the expensive diamond sparkler around her neck.
“Go on,” Peggy said. “One more thing you’re thankful for.”
“I’m thankful for the ocean.”
“Seriously?” Rain asked.
My sentiments exactly, Steve thought. The ocean? That’s exactly the sort of sappy thing Dad would have come up with. And what a loser he was. “I’m thankful the San Diego real estate market is so strong.” Not fucking strong enough, mind you. Never strong enough. “I’m thankful I was able to persuade Hunter to let us join you here in beautiful Rosarito to help you celebrate.” I can’t wait to get the hell out of here. “I’m especially thankful that my mother is such a great cook.” He narrowed his eyes across the table at Becky. The ball’s in your court, his eyes said.
“You’re so full of shit,” Becky said obligingly.
“Is our mother not a great cook?”
“Our mother is indeed a great cook,” Caroline said. “And you are also full of shit.”
Everybody laughed.
And you are so fucking smug, Steve thought. Let’s see how smug you are later on tonight.
Becky noted the anger that flashed through Steve’s hazel eyes, like a sudden bolt of lightning. He’d always been scornful of his older sister, minimizing her accomplishments and belittling her comfortable lifestyle, but it was only lately that Becky had come to realize his enmity went far deeper than that.
He’d always been their mother’s favorite, told his entire life that he was the special one, that all he had to do was smile that killer smile and the world was his for the taking. Except it hadn’t quite worked out that way. His charm had carried him only so far before people started expecting more. They wanted a glimpse behind the killer smile and were inevitably disappointed to find there wasn’t much there. He’d failed at everything he tried, probably because he never tried very hard. In fact, in his most recent incarnation as a real estate agent, when times were so good that all you had to do was show up in order to collect a six-figure commission, he couldn’t be bothered doing even that. Soon sellers took their business to other agents; buyers went elsewhere. Commissions dwindled. What little money he made, he gambled away. His mother had always been there to bail him out, but even she couldn’t help him this time. They were in debt up to their eyeballs. They owed money to everyone, people who would gladly wipe that killer smile right off his face.
And here was Caroline, his beautiful, boring sister, a high school math teacher, for God’s sake, quietly going about her business, and she seemed to have all the answers. How the hell had that happened?
Becky rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache. She’d had a lot of them lately. Probably the stress of a bad marriage combined with the more recent stress of what she was about to do. Could she really follow through with their plan? Could she really be part of something so horribly evil?
“Your turn, Becky,” Rain said.
“I’m sorry, everyone. I’ve had this terrible headache all afternoon, and it seems to be getting worse.” Tears filled Becky’s eyes, and she made no move to hide them or brush them aside. She rose to her feet. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said, pushing back her chair and getting to her feet.
“Oh, sit down,” Steve said. “You’re fine. Don’t be such a prima donna.”
“Fuck you.” Becky turned and stomped away.
Well played, Becky, Steve thought, watching her leave. He needn’t have worried. Maybe they weren’t so ill matched after all.
By the time she reached the lobby, Becky’s eyes were dry. She stationed herself behind a large floral arrangement that afforded her a sweeping view of the area. Now all she had to do was wait.
“Shouldn’t you go after her?” Fletcher asked Steve.
“What—you think I’m as crazy as she is?”
“I should go check on the kids,” Caroline said.
Hunter stood to kiss her cheek. “Hurry back.”
“Oh. So sweet,” Rain said. Gag me with a spoon, she thought.