Page 91

“They came up with Catherine.”
How was Matt having such a friendlyconversation with this asshole?
Maybe I didn’t have the patience to livethis kind of lifestyle.
“Catherine won’t ride with me, anyway. Shethinks I’m a dangerous driver.”
Jackson ashed the joint like a cigarette andhanded it back to Matt, who passed it to me so as not to break theestablished rotation. Jackson didn’t even have the class to respectstoner tradition. Then again, he’d barely looked at me after ourinitial introduction. Maybe women were just accessories to him.
“How’s the leg?” he asked, leaning back alittle as he surveyed Matt’s cane.
“Still attached,” Matt replied with an easeI knew he didn’t feel.
“Damn shame you won’t be able to keep upwith us on the golf course now.” Jackson shook his head in weirdlygleeful sympathy.
I wanted to throw a punch. But Matt smiled.“A shame, or lucky for you?”
Jackson laughed, and it was the fakest thingI’d ever heard in my life. “I’m sure you’re happy to be spared.Matt doesn’t enjoy the annual charity golf weekend.”
Oh, am I finally being addressed?Itwasn’t something I was expected to respond to, though, so I faked alaugh right on back.
“Well, I guess I should go say hi to thekids,” Jackson said, almost magnanimously, as if interacting withone’s own children were some kind of favor. “Nice to meet you,Charlotte.”
I didn’t respond in kind, and he didn’tnotice because he’d already started to walk away. “What adouchebag,” I muttered, taking another hit.
“The douchebaggery is aging like wine too,”Matt said with a note of dismay. “Every time I see him, he’ssomehow slimier.”
“I’m not a rich fancy person, but I’m prettysure that’s not how wine works,” I said. “My brother sure doesn’tlike him.”
“He’s never been a Jackson fan. Although,few people are.”
“Why did your sister marry him?” It couldn’thave been for the money; the Ashes already had plenty of that. “Forhis sparkling personality?”
Matt laughed. “We were expected to find ourspouses from a pool of suitable society people. He had the mostdesirable name and the least amount of underbite.”
“Not to be offensive, but all of thisis…terrible,” I blurted. If Matt was offended, he hid it well.
“No argument here. Why do you think all ofmy friends are normal people?”
“Um, you’re friends with a famous rapper,” Ireminded him. “And other assorted billionaires.”
“None of them old money,” he correctedme.
“Fair.” I took a last puff and offered thejoint back to Matt. When he waved it away, I dropped the roach onthe ground and stubbed it out under my shoe. “I’m sorry for what hesaid. About your leg.”
“That’s not for you to be sorry about.” Mattput his arm around my waist and nodded toward the house.
“Maybe not,” I said as we walked up the pathto the stairs. “But I’m still sorry that he said it.”
“He isn’t sorry about it, so we shouldn’twaste our energy.” Matt gave me a wink. I was officially shut outfrom being concerned about his mental well-being. I didn’t likethat, at all.
Inside, I moved away from Matt. “I’m goingto the bathroom. I’ll meet you at the cake.”
There was a line for the bathroom I’d usedearlier, so I took a chance and wandered back upstairs, thinking itwould probably be quicker to use the one in Matt’s room. Turning acorner, I nearly collided with a very short person in a verygrown-up-looking gown.
“Oh, Charlotte,” Briony said, pressing ahand to her chest. “Pardon me. I was rushing and I shouldn’t havebeen.”
“That’s okay,” I said, glancing around inthe hope that I would see her mother or her nanny or anyone elsewho could prevent me from having to talk to the kid. It wasn’t thisparticular child, though I did find her and her brotherexceptionally creepy. I wasn’t good at speaking to kids in general.I always felt awkward and judged.