“Of course,” I said.
My mother left me to join a conversation with some woman with a permanent frown. Story had looked away, lip tucked between her teeth.
The breeze kicked up, and pearly pink petals swirled in the salty air. Snitch laughed, smiling as the petals brushed her cheeks and swirled around her curls. I realized it had been too fucking long since I’d seen her laugh. And damn, it was almost like fate designed that moment for her.
“You ever wonder how you can switch between my sister’s villain and her hero so easily?” West asked, sidling up next to me, pushing a cherry blossom branch out of the way. “What made you so lucky?”
He was goading me.
Baiting.
I eyed him. Worse than the West who constantly held Story at his side and shoved it in my face, was this one, the man who felt comfortable enough to let her wander the garden or leave her alone with me in the morning.
He thinks he’s won.
Every night, I lay in bed and picture ripping her out of West’s bed by her fucking hair. But I knew she would take scissors and cut the locks.
There was a showdown waiting between West and me. The only reason I hadn’t broken his face yet, was for Snitch.
He tilted his head, like he could read the words in my head.
“Brother.” At Lottie’s voice, we both turned. She was close to having the baby—our baby—so like Story, all her dresses flowed like water.
West’s brow furrowed. “You should be sitting.”
She raised her hands. “What do you want me to say? Mom told me to come get you. Apparently she needs help inside.”
He exhaled. “Fine.”
She watched him walk away. “My mother doesn’t need him. She went to the restroom to drink something harder than wine. She’s been weird all day…mad about something in the papers.” Lottie slowly turned toward me. “Anyway, he’ll be gone for at least thirty minutes.”
“Why did you do that?”
She tilted her head. “Did you want to keep talking to him?”
I still don’t know what to do with Lottie. I don’t think she was like her mother or father. As the months progressed, we hadn’t become friends, but neither had we become enemies. We existed in a space of nothingness.
“You really should be sitting.” I wrapped an arm around Lottie, steering her from underneath the silky petals and vultures.
Oh, they make such a perfect couple.
Lottie said nothing as I moved her in the direction I chose. I placed Lottie on the chaise and she smiled wispily.
“Thank you.”
As I stared at Lottie, a plan started to form in my mind—a way to help Snitch.
“Will you pretend to faint?” I asked.
“When?”
I rubbed my forehead. How long would it take to pull this off? “Thirty minutes?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
Just like that, she didn’t even question it. Lottie stared at the lemony chiffon sun, a blank look in her eyes. I think this is the part where I was supposed to ask her if she was okay.
To check in, be better, not be her fucking villain.