The party was at an estate, not a mansion. We drove in and went past Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, and more than a few BMWs, and a helicopter was parked in the back . . . by the other helicopter. I leaned forward from the back seat. “Who are these people?”
Kelly giggled in the front passenger seat.
Justin glanced up in the rearview mirror, driving. “I should’ve explained that half of my family are cops, or a similar position like yourself, and the other half is in business. One side of that family is in the oil business.”
“Which are you?”
“I’m the black sheep. I have a business degree, and I’m an entrepreneur during the week and a bartender at night.”
I grunted, leaning back and taking in the scenery. This was not my world, that was for sure. “And let me guess, bartending is paying the bills.”
“For now.” He looked up, meeting my gaze in the mirror again. “I’ve got some things in the works, but I’m not in any hurry.” He gave Kelly a fond look. “I’m enjoying my life right now.”
She gave another giggle, and this one I knew by heart. It was the one that was a mix between sigh-I’ve-found-my-Prince-Charming and I’m-a-total-and-complete-goner-even-if-he-turns-out-to-be-a-dud-somehow. I had no idea Justin was this connected, and when we parked, I walked next to Kelly. “You knew about this side of him?”
Justin was ahead of us, leading the way as a woman was coming out from a large white barnlike structure to greet him.
“He told me recently.”
“How recently?”
“Last night, when he officially asked me to move in with him.” She was biting her lip, gauging my response.
Well . . . okay then. My chest was a little tight. “And you said?”
She took a deep breath, still eyeing me. “I told him yes. That we talked about it, you and me, and you were fine with it. You are, right? I mean . . .” She gazed around, her eyes big and wistful. “Look at this, Jess. When he first asked me out, I just thought he was a cute bartender. This is like a dream come true.”
“Kelly!” Justin was waving, standing by the woman, who I now recognized as a model. Her face had been up on Times Square for an entire month.
She squealed before waving back. “We’re coming!” Dragging me with her, or trying, she hissed under her breath, “That’s his cousin. Vivianna Harper. It’s her boss that owns this place, but she works with the rest of their family. I don’t know how. Investor maybe?” She hurried the rest right as we drew within earshot. A wide smile took place, and she let me go, extending her hand to the woman.
Justin did the introductions.
Mine was a “hey” grunt, and when Justin was about to say what I did for a living, I interrupted. “I bartend at Katya too.”
“Oh!” Vivianna perked up. “I didn’t know that was the place you were working at, Justin.” Her hand rested on his arm, but she turned to me. “I know the owners.”
Oh—a myriad of curses swept through me. I wasn’t thinking them, feeling them, saying them. I was them. I was embodying a whole litany of curses.
Justin’s cough sounded forced.
I grated out, “You don’t say?”
“Oh yes! And they’re here—” Cue a repeat of my cursing episode. She kept on, having no clue. “Or one of them. I know there’s two owners, but I know Ashton. I’ve only heard of Tristian, but Ashton and I used to model back in the day, during college. We kinda bonded because we were both going against our family wishes, you know. Doing our own thing for a while, but then he went out to Cali for a few years. We recently reconnected. What a wonderful surprise. Justin”—she turned to him—“I bet he has no idea you’re my cousin.”
This seemed like a great idea.
I needed to take lessons from myself. If I thought it was a great idea, do the opposite. I should’ve stayed for breakfast and borne through a morning of Healthy Chelsea Montell. It would’ve been better than this.
“Come on. Justin, you probably know most everyone here . . .” She faltered, seeing Justin’s arm curving around Kelly’s waist. She blinked a few times before another smile came over her, this one softer, gentler. “Who’s this?”
He’d already done introductions, so his head inclined toward Kelly. “This is my girlfriend.”
A whole new wondrous look came over Vivianna. She blinked a few more times, her eyes darting to Kelly’s hands before lifting back to Justin. “This is serious then?”
His arm tightened around Kelly. “It is. She’s moving in with me.”
“Oh.” Another few blinks before she swallowed, her neck stretching from the motion. “So this isn’t a random or casual stop-in, huh?”
“It’s not, no.”
Kelly shot me a look, biting her lip all over again.
Viv’s disdain was thick as she glared at Kelly, then to Justin. “You drove all the way here to drop this on our lap?” Her tone turned clipped, and her hand gestured to Kelly when she said this.
Gone were the niceties.
Justin’s arm moved from behind Kelly. He took a step forward as Kelly moved back a step, her head lowering as she gave me another fleeting look.
Oh, fuck. I was hoping I was reading my best friend right because she wanted a breather from this sudden weird interaction. I cleared my throat. “So, huh, Viv. Where’d you say our boss was? Maybe we could get the rest of the night off.”
She seemed dazed, so it was a pause before she responded. “Wait. Tonight?”
I nodded.
She looked to Justin and Kelly for affirmation. Justin said, “We’re all supposed to work tonight.”
She shifted back on her heels, her very high heels, and why was she wearing heels? She was a model. Good grief. That wasn’t jealousy on my part. Nope. It’s not like longer legs would’ve helped me in my life at all.
“Viv—” Justin started.
I finished, “Hey! Vivianne.”
She was glaring at Justin but drew in a sharp breath before her head snapped in my direction. Her eyes were sparkling from irritation. “It’s Vivianna.”
“Right.” I laughed. “You should probably know what my day job is. I’m a parole officer, so I’m really hoping that you don’t have any parolees in there, and if you do, they can’t be drinking or doing drugs. I mean, I know some parolees are allowed alcohol, but that’s pretty rare, so if I see it, I gotta report it.”
Her eyes were blinking rapidly. “Excuse me? What?”
“Yeah.” I kept on, sounding casual. “Normally in situations like this, on my day off, I don’t like to cause waves, but you know, you’re being a bitch to my best friend, so that ship sailed. Like”—I whistled, the sound before a bomb drops—“so far sailed that you can’t even see the yacht thing of whatever was happening before. And also, you’re pissing me off.”
“Oh, good god, Jess.” Justin dropped his head, muttering under his breath.
Viv’s eyes were latched to me, glaring. I was fairly certain she’d tell us to leave, or that’s what I was hoping for. “You’re a parole officer.”
“Yep. Excuse my demeanor. If I wasn’t pissed right now, I might give you two thumbs up. But when you started referring to my best friend as ‘this,’ that made me more in the mood where I can show you the teeth that I do still have.”
“You’re out of your jurisdiction.”
“It doesn’t quite work like that. Parole officer. There are some differences, but the main one is that I can’t give you a ticket, so you’re safe to speed in front of me.” I was smiling as I said every word, still sounding casual, like I’d just finished giving her a weather report.
“Too bad Justin didn’t take you to his other side of the family. You would’ve fit right in.”
“Well, that would’ve defeated the purpose of ‘getting away for the day.’ You know.”
She glared at me before including Kelly and then moving to Justin. “I see you actually haven’t changed that much, Justin. Still slumming.” She turned on her heel but said over her shoulder as she began to leave, “You can show yourself around, thank you.”
Justin’s mouth was hanging open, but a choked laugh ripped out of him. He laced his hands together, raised them up, and cupped the back of his head. “I can’t believe that just happened.” He was taking me in, his eyes wide. “All of that and you know the real reason she left is to make sure no drugs are visible. My cousin can handle a catfight, that’s not a problem for her, but good call on the little threat.” He started laughing as he reached for Kelly, then pulled her to him and buried his head into her neck and shoulder. “Please don’t leave me because a part of my family are rich assholes. I try not to associate with them.”
Kelly wound her arms around his neck, hanging on to him as well, a little laugh slipping from her.
He lifted his head, his hands dropping to her waist but holding her against him. “But fair warning that the rest of my family are just as bad. I wanted to drop the bomb on them that you exist, but knowing Viv, she’ll be on the phone and calling what relatives aren’t here to get here ASAP.”
Kelly’s laugh dried up. “Really?”
He nodded, more somber now. “It’ll be fine, though. The only one I really want to introduce you to is my aunt. She’s everything this side of my family isn’t. Kind. She’s a big reason I am who I am. I lived with her for most of my life.”
“Really?” she whispered.
“I only care about her. I swear. I’m not a part of all the family bullshit, and I don’t have to kiss ass because I’m not dependent on them for money. Drives them all crazy.”
Kelly was back to swooning. “Then I absolutely cannot wait to meet this aunt of yours.”
Justin’s gaze grew dark, and he was starting to lower his head right as I clued in on what was about to happen. I turned, coughing, and gestured toward the main house. “Yeah. I’m, uh—going there.”
They were still kissing when I got to the barn.
