Page 32 of Burning Daylight

8

JULIETTE

“What do you mean you’re not coming?”

I throw a quick smile to the barista when she hands me my drink and then place the phone between my shoulder and ear as I make my way to the small table against the windows.

Normally, I don’t come this far off campus, but after thanking Beverly for the art tickets, she basically demanded I stop in here and try their coffee, because it’s the “best in the world.”

Paxton sighs so heavily, it practically vibrates through the phone. “We’ll have a celebration when you get back,” he tries to placate. “It’s already planned.”

“Yeah.” I scrunch my nose. “Who’s planning it?”

“You know who.”

My mother.

Which means it’s not really a party forme. With Martha Calloway, it’s never just a celebration to celebrate. There’s always an ulterior motive, some type of positioning or posturing for the public.

“We both know that’s as much for me as the VU Founders’ Gala is.”

There’s a rustling of papers over the line, and then, “I’m sorry, Jules. It’s out of my hands.”

He says it monotonously, and if I didn’t know my brother, I’d think he didn’t actually care at all.

I bite the inside of my cheek.

Paxton is like my father in a lot of ways, including his belief that showing emotion in public is beneath him. He’s the oldest child, and as a result, he’s had to shoulder a level of responsibility the rest of us haven’t had to endure.

As the VP of Calloway Enterprises, real estate development is all he seems to care about, and even before taking the position, he’s always shadowed our dad in a way none of the rest of us can understand.

Felicity calls him “Golden Boy.” Fitting nickname, I think.

A sudden thought hits me. “Wait a minute. When you sayyou’renot coming, do you mean you as inyou, or you as ineveryone?”

Another hesitation and then, “Everyone.”

“That’s bullshit!” I snap loudly.

The lady next to me jolts from the volume of my shout, and some of her coffee sloshes onto her hand. I give her an apologetic look and then repeat in a whisper, “Pax, that’sbullshit.”

“Come on, Jules.” Now he sounds annoyed, and that hurts, too. My feelings are valid.

“Things are tense, there are a ton of new projects we’re waiting to have greenlit, and Montgomery’s little soldiers are causing roadblocks at everyfuckingturn. Plus, you know Frank is about to start his campaign for reelection.”

“Art’s dad is running for mayor again?” I scrunch my nose, thinking about my brother Lance’s best friend. “So, making surethe mayor’s in our family’s pocket is more important than my graduation.”

He sighs like this conversation is tiring him. “That’s not what I said.”

“It’s not fair. Everybody went to your graduationandAlex’s.”

Not Lance, though, but only because he dropped out.

“Hardly the same,” he says. “VU isinRosebrook.”

I blink back the burning behind my eyes. “So, you’ll make it when it doesn’t inconvenience you too much.”

“It’s not like that.”