Page 147 of Titus
“Good night, preciosa,” he said, then ended the call.
“That man has got to be one of the most gorgeous men alive, sis,” Amelia said after catching a glimpse of Titus before he hung up. “You are very lucky, and I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you, but we all need to settle down about the man,” I said.
“Oh, please,” she answered. “You need to uncork your ass and enjoy every feeling and sensation you’re finally experiencing again.” She looped her arm through mine.
“I’m sorry… uncork my ass?” I stared at her in confusion. “What the hell does that mean in your generation’s language?”
She chuckled. “It’s the same thing as pulling the stick out of your ass.”
“That is not the same thing.”
“Anyway,” she started, ignoring me as she always did, “Jessica wants to come tonight. Is that okay?”
“She’s back?” I questioned.
“Yeah, she and I are actually looking for places to live together,” Amelia said excitedly.
“Well, isn’t that fun and exciting for the two of you?” I smiled. “Where?”
“Around Long Beach,” she answered. “We’ll see what’s available and what we can afford.”
“Well, Natalia will be at dinner with us tonight. Let’s have her look around for you two. She typically deals exclusively in high-end real estate, but she also makes exceptions. She has a lot of contacts in real estate across the state.”
“That would be great.”
“I just need to change quickly, and then we’ll head out to dinner.”
The evening was perfect. The salty breezes drifted through the cool Southern California night as the sun slid just below the horizon. The girls and I arrived when Avery, Ash, Natalia, and Darcy did.
Sienna, as usual, arrived promptly, securing the table and ordering hors d’oeuvres for all of us. As always, there were shrimp cocktail shooters, artisan cheese, and an overly elaborate charcuterie board, paired with champagne and lobster bites.
“Jesus, I could eat everything on this table,” Avery said as we all sat, joining Sienna.
“That’s why I ordered the board,” Sienna winked at her, sipping her champagne. “Hey, Jessica,” she acknowledged Amelia’s longtime friend. “It’s nice to see you again. How are your parents?”
“They’re great, thanks,” Jessica answered, taking the seat to Sienna’s right, while Nat sat to her left, across from me. “I definitely think the woman who leaked those deep-fake photos would’ve totally gotten away with that crime if you weren’t representing Charles.”
“Crime?” I looked at Jessica, shocked that I hadn’t heard about the latest conspiracy at her father’s headquarters in Santa Barbara.
She inhaled, taking a lobster bite and popping it into her mouth. “Yeah,” she said, swallowing. “My dad’s VP, Charles, had some woman come forward with harassment claims, and she filed a fat-ass lawsuit against my dad’s company for damages.”
“Why didn’t I know about this?” I looked at Amelia, then Sienna.
“It was when you were buried last fall,” Sienna answered. “And you never watch the news.”
“I swear, your dad being in the oil industry may give your family all the perks and joys of being upper class,” I said to Jessica. “But shit, sometimes you have to wonder if it’s all worth it.”
“We’re used to it by now, and Sienna is on top of bullshit these days, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Until the next one comes along,” Nat chimed in.
“I don’t even think Jim deals with that kind of blackmail for money,” Avery said, her tiny plate already full.
“He has a group of lawyers who are dozens of steps ahead,” Sienna said. “The day I see Jim Mitchell in court over a lie is the day I learn he went cheap on his legal team.”
“Speaking of legal teams and scandals,” Nat grinned. “We seem to have a scandalous traitor among us who’s doing some very illegal things with Titus Hawk.”
