Faking Forever (First Wives #4)(21)

He was greener than any Prius-driving tree hugger out there.

At least when it came to his business. He knew business. He understood the politics of the game. He negotiated contracts better than anyone on his team. So when there was a last-minute meeting that would mean an annual profit bottom line of five million, he delayed his flight by a few hours.

Victor didn’t see the problem.

Only now, his wedding called off and fiancée gone AWOL, he blinked out over the blinding sun just beyond the doors of the restaurant and questioned his own behavior.

“What the hell is wrong with me?” he asked more to himself than his brother.

“Is that a rhetorical question, or do you want me to answer it?”

Victor met his brother’s laughing eyes. “I don’t have the time to hear your laundry list of answers.”

Justin sighed. “Take a break, brother. Enjoy the beach. Maybe find some cute someone to erase Corrie. Or find a cute someone that makes you realize Corrie wasn’t the one.”

A cute someone.

Yeah . . . he could do that.



Shannon blinked her eyes open and found Justin standing over her.

“Someone is hitting the beach early,” he said, smiling.

“Might as well be me.” She scooted up on the lounger and pulled her cover-up across her lap. “How is everyone this morning?”

She’d been thinking about Victor, Corrie, and the whole mess from the minute the light penetrated her room.

“If by everyone you mean Victor, he’s fine. Annoyingly unhungover.”

“That’s too bad.” The man deserved to be cursing liquor all day after the binge the previous night.

Justin shook his head, laughed, and pulled up a seat in a chaise next to hers. “You have an unassuming sadistic side.”

“Says the man laying bets on how long his brother’s marriage would last.”

“Yes, but he’s my brother. It’s expected. You hardly know him.”

“I know his type.”

Justin sat back and stared out at the sea. “He’s really not that bad. Misguided right now, but not bad.”

Shannon wasn’t about to debate that with him. She changed the subject. “So when are you pulling out?”

“Tomorrow morning. What about you?”

“A friend of mine is flying in, and we’re staying for almost a week.”

“Here? Or are you going to Cancun?”

“Here . . . well, not this hotel, but one up the way a bit. I haven’t had a beach vacation in a while.” She glanced toward the ocean. “You can’t beat the view.”

“Oh, I don’t know. There could be more women walking around topless. That would beat it.”

Shannon rolled her eyes and leaned back. “Men.”

They were quiet for a few seconds.

“I owe you fifty bucks.”

Shannon waved him off. “Keep it.”

“No, no . . . I won’t welch on a bet. But tell me, did you say anything to Corrie?”

Shannon kept her eyes on two kids playing at the water’s edge. “If by anything you mean did I tell Corrie to leave, the answer is no.”

“So she did say something to you.”

Shannon paused, unsure of what she should reveal. “She was beside herself the night of the rehearsal dinner. Between the rain and Victor taking a later flight, Corrie didn’t see the silver lining. She was having second thoughts.”

Justin kicked his feet up and leaned back. “At least one of them was smart enough to call it off.”

She considered him from the corner of her eye. “Was Victor questioning his decision?”

“He called it nerves. I called bullshit.”

She settled her sunglasses more comfortably on the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. “Well, at least he can make his Tuesday meeting without skipping out on his honeymoon.”

“His what?”

“Every passenger in first class had the pleasure of hearing Victor tell someone that he’d be at his meeting on Tuesday. And no, before you ask . . . I didn’t tell Corrie about the meeting. Although I’d have loved to be a fly on the wall when he explained his need to leave his honeymoon early. Betting the marriage wouldn’t last the week was a little like insider trading. Hence why you don’t need to pay up.”

“In that case . . .”

Shannon smiled.

A few minutes later, after she thought the conversation had dried up, Justin’s sigh grabbed her attention. She looked over, found him staring at her.

“I’ve recently started seeing someone,” he told her.

Where had that come from? “That’s nice.”

“What I meant to say was, I’m seeing someone, but if I wasn’t, I would have asked you out. Learned what kind of idiot let you slip away.”

The weight of his stare met with a hint of her insecurity. “Well, thank you. I’m flattered. I’m in a strange place right now and probably would have said no.” Because starting a relationship while attempting to get pregnant might kill both deals.

“Probably?”

She attempted a smile. “Sorry.”

“No, no . . . it’s okay.”

Shannon returned to the study of the underside of her eyelids.