“Why not? We’re all friends here.” Well, not really, but we could be. Just because our parents were all vying for the same thing didn’t mean we had to be at each other’s throats at all times. We might be our parents’ children, but we didn’t have to follow in their footsteps.
And Zander was his name? I had to remember that. I’d been pretty close with Alex.
Giselle chuckled. “I don’t know about that. I hardly know you.” She took another sip. “Plus, I don’t really have friends—and I bet you don’t, either. In fact…” She paused as she threw a look around the place, at the other would-be heirs and Dex and Jett. “I doubt any of us have friends. Maybe the twins, but that’s because they had their whole lives to make connections here, and with the other heirs. Us? We’re all walking into this thing late. It’s the fourth quarter, and when the game is over, only one of us will be the winner.”
She wasn’t wrong there, I supposed. “You have such an optimistic personality. Has anyone ever told you that? You just radiate positivity—” When she glared at me, I asked, “What, too much?”
“Just a bit.”
I laughed. “Can’t help it. I do want to say, though, you look good tonight. I don’t know which one I like you better in: white or black.” I watched as she looked away, a slight frown on her pouty lips.
God, those lips looked soft. They definitely looked like the kind of lips that would be easy to kiss and get lost in. After that thought, my mind went someplace else as I wondered what else those lips would be good at.
Shit. Not a good thing to think about right now, while in plain view of everyone here.
Giselle didn’t say anything. She perked up a little when one of the twins approached us—Jett, judging by the beer in his hand. Dex hadn’t gone for any of it. He now stood near the fire, talking to Cade. Or trying to, anyway.
“Well, well. Look at you. Such a switch from the other night,” Jett spoke with a smirk. From what I’d gathered so far, it was his usual expression. “It’s like you’re a whole different person.” He was an outgoing sort of guy, a very flirty one, but still, I didn’t like how close he stood to her. Hell, he stood closer to her than I did, and he already had a girlfriend.
Not that I was, uh, trying to date Giselle. I was just… fuck, I didn’t know what I was doing when it came to her.
“Maybe I am,” Giselle said, sounding like she enjoyed talking to Jett ten times more than she did talking to me. Or maybe I was just reading the room wrong. “Where’s Shay?”
“Oh, she’s with Slade. I don’t think they’re coming tonight. Shay likes parties, but Slade is kind of a loner. Kind of like that guy.” He pointed to Cade near the fire. “Who’s he, again?”
“Cade Cunningham,” I said.
“Ah, right, right. Cade Cunningham. I’m not going to lie, it’s going to take me forever to know all your names. By the time I finally get them right, most of you will be gone.” Jett laughed at that, but neither Giselle nor I thought it was particularly funny. “Tough crowd,” he muttered. “Ooh, I see Piper’s here.” He saluted us and went to greet Piper as she got out of her car.
“Jett is definitely a character,” I said. It was now my turn to frown.
“He is unique,” Giselle agreed. Her fingers absentmindedly tapped against the bottle she held, and she took another sip. It was then I realized she wasn’t looking at me. In fact, she hardly ever spared a glance in my direction, almost as if she didn’t like me.
My eyebrows came together. “Did I do something to you?”
Finally, she whipped her head in my direction. It took her a moment to say, “What? No, no. I… it’s me.” Giselle once more looked away, only this time I was able to see a hint of uncomfortableness on her face. It reminded me of the look she’d worn when we ate dinner at that Black Hand event. She’d hardly spoken at all then. “I’m not used to these things. I’m not used to people. I… my father has always kept me close. Having friends, going out; I never did any of it.”
I supposed being a girl, things were different for her. There were different expectations for her than there were for, say, me. I guess I never realized how much that could weigh on you. “Well, we should change that, don’t you think? Live a little. After all, you only live once.” I meant it as supportive, but she must’ve taken it the wrong way.
“You’re right.” And then she walked away, moving to stand near the bonfire as well, only on the other side of it from Cade. Clearly, she wanted to be alone, so I let her go.
That wasn’t to say I didn’t watch her, because I totally did. I watched her so intently I didn’t realize someone else had moved to stand beside me, her arms crossed. “She’s pretty, isn’t she?”
I snapped back to reality, turning to meet Piper Lipman’s blue gaze. It must’ve been an innocent question, because Piper looked like she was watching Giselle, too. Now that—that was a pairing I’d love to see.
I mean, hey, I was a guy. Seeing two sexy girls go at it would be a dream come true. But while Piper might swing that way, I didn’t think Giselle did. Although, I reminded myself, I hardly knew the girl, so who could really say?
“She is,” I finally said.
“I’d be careful with her, though,” Piper warned me. “It’s always the pretty, quiet ones you have to watch out for.” She gave me a smile, and then she joined Dex and Jett on a log ten or so feet back from the fire. I’d arranged a few seats around it before anyone had got here.
Piper’s warning was probably smart. Giselle was mysterious. There was something about her I couldn’t put my finger on, and that meant she was dangerous. Maybe not in the classic sense, but that innocent, wide-eyed face could be an act. She could be playing all of us.
I decided to grab a drink and find Zander. Maybe I could pry some information out of him regarding Giselle. He had to know her better than anyone else here. I found him leaning against a tree a ways away from the fire, a glower on his face. He really didn’t look happy.
“You are a ray of sunshine, you know that?” I spoke, and then I wanted to hit myself. Not a good idea to mock the person I was trying to get info from. Sometimes I just couldn’t help it, though. Things just came out of me before I completely thought them through.
Zander glared at me. “And you aren’t funny. I hope you know that.”