Page 107 of The Ring
I noticed when TJ arrived, he wasn’t with Weberly, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s nearby, perhaps planning a dramatic entrance. Maybe she’s planning to play the video onone of the TVs in case someone didn’t already see it online. I wouldn’t put it past her.
Despite the possibility of encountering her, I stay put, eavesdropping on their conversation.
“You’re no longer a child. It’s time you stop acting like one,” his father continues.
I can almost feel TJ rolling his eyes.
Do you know the phrase that says money can’t buy happiness? Well, I disagree, but I will tell you one thing for sure—money can’t buy good parents. That’s something TJ and I know all too well.
I keep listening as he berates TJ. He should come up with new material—it’s always the same, yet it bothers me as much as ever. He goes on, and my anger towards him starts to bubble up.
I should ignore it and go back to my brother.
I should ignore it. It’s no longer my business anymore.
I should?—
“I didn’t raise you to be use?—”
Fuck it.
I turn around and approach them. “Trevor, I haven’t seen you in so long,” I say to TJ’s father.
“Tristan,” he corrects, looking as irritated as he always does when he sees me.
If it were up to him, we definitely wouldn’t be on a first-name basis, which is why I call him by a first name. But to add more to his annoyance, I call him by thewrongone.
He’s the type of person who expects, the moment he enters a room, for everyone to already know his name, and he comes from a generation that believes respect should be given simply because someone is older.
Sadly for him, I come from a generation that believesrespect should be earned and not granted just because someone was born a few decades before me.
“Who?” I feign confusion.
“Me,” he points at himself, “that’s my name, the exact same name as my son, yourex-boyfriend.” He emphasises the last word a little too much for my liking.
I’m pretty sure he threw a party when we broke up.
I gasp dramatically. “So his God-given name isn’t TJ?” I turn to TJ, who’s watching me with amusement. “No wonder we broke up. Turns out we barely knew each other.”
Of course, I know his name is Tristan James II Winthrop.
He may have my name tattooed on his back, but I’ve had his name tattooed on my heart long before that.
It’s the same name as his father, which is why, for a long time, he has gone by TJ instead of Tristan or James.
“Well, as Shakespeare put it, what’s in a name?” TJ chimes in.
We’re both fighting really hard to keep straight faces.
“True,” I smile at TJ, then turn to his dad. “And who are we to disagree with Shakespeare, right,Trevor?” Right now, if he were a caricature, there would be smoke coming out of his ears.
Chapter 65
TJ
Ilove many things about Cornelia, but right now, I especially love her perfect timing.
“Is your brother around?” my father asks Cornelia, making it sound like a threat—as if he’s going to run to him and tattle on her.
