“Hello, Court. How are you?”
“I’m good.” Huh. What’s up with his voice? “Is Dad there?”
“No. Why?”
“You sound like you’ve got a larger-than-usual stick up your ass.”
“What, I can’t ask my younger brother how he’s doing?”
I snort. “Not in that weirdly hushed, dignified tone. But since you’re asking and Dad isn’t around, yeah, I’m doing great. My girlfriend moved in with me.”
“Congrats. Is this Ms. Fifty Dollars?”
I swear. Fifty dollars of Skittles. My family and friends may never let it go. “Yes.”
“Guess she decided you’re worth more than that.”
“You know, fifty was all she had on her. She gave me her entire fortune at that moment.” It really is a good line.
Edgar laughs. “If that’s how you want to explain it.”
“You know it’s true because she moved in with me, even after meeting Mom.”
“Hey now. You came to Tempérane and didn’t stop by to see me?” He sounds peeved.
“No, no. She came here.”
“What? When?”
“Last week. It was fucking weird. It’s like she thinks I can stop the divorce. She must’ve been desperate because I wasn’t coming to Tempérane to play my part in her ‘hospitalization’ dramas.”
Edgar curses. “I didn’t know she’d do that or I would’ve warned you. It had to be a last-ditch effort. I guess nobody told you, but the divorce was finalized today.”
“Oh.” I don’t really know what to say or even think. It isn’t like I didn’t know it was coming. But it sure as hell feels different than I imagined it would.
Before, I thought it was simply a case of just desserts—what Mom deserved for doing her best to ruin Tony and Ivy’s lives. She wasn’t even sorry about the whole thing. And I was too bitter and pissed off when she said that she never loved me, not really. But now, I’m just sad and disappointed, for her and for all of us. It didn’t have to be like this in my family. We could’ve been happy. Mom could’ve been gentler and nicer, and we could’ve been…a real family.
Finally, I exhale shakily. “Did she get anything?” She’s always worried about that—getting what she “deserves.” Her social standing, her reputation and influence—they all matter to her a great deal.
“The house in New Orleans. And her jewelry, except for the family heirloom pieces. But that’s it.”
Damn. I doubt Mom’s lawyer is a dimwit, because she doesn’t like dimwits. “Dad got his money’s worth out of Percy.”
“Yeah, the man’s a fantastic attack dog, if you need one.” Edgar pauses for a second. When I don’t say anything more about the divorce, he says, “So. You want to work to for Blackwood Energy?”
Aaand there it is. “No. Tell Dad to stop making you ask.”
“I did, but he won’t take no for an answer. But listen, even if you don’t want to work for Dad, you need to think about your future, especially if you’re getting into a serious relationship.”
I sigh. “What is it you’re trying to say? Just spit it out.”
“Nothing. Just that it sounds like you and Ms. Fifty Bucks are getting serious, and that means you need to get off your butt and start thinking about what you’re going to do with your life. Women don’t respect men who sit around and have no direction. They think men like that are wasting their lives away without accomplishing anything. Which, you know, they kind of are—”
“How the hell would you know?” Edgar, despite being much older than me, hasn’t had a single serious relationship. “Besides, I don’t need to work to make a living. I’m already rich.”
“Oh, I’m sure you can find someone who’ll be happy with your money. But she still won’t respect you.”
Acid floods my gut. There’s no love without respect. Is that why Skittles said that there’s no way whatever she’s feeling for me can be love? “Are you saying this to get me to join the company?” I say, hating the anxiety slowly rearing its head.