Wonder if he misses it.
If I had his hot wife to come home to every evening, I wouldn’t miss that lifestyle at all.
“That’s nice.” Mother smiles, revealing straight white teeth that nearly blind me. Looks like someone just visited the dentist. “I hear you’ve been given new projects at Halcyon.”
I chance a look at Winston but he’s not paying attention to us. Too busy tapping away on his phone. “I have.” I try to tamp down my excitement before my brother calls me out for behaving like a hyperactive puppy. “I’m handling all the angry calls that come into the office.”
Mother frowns. “Angry calls?”
I nod. “We piss off a lot of people in this city. There’s a lot of damage control going on. And not always of the—violent variety.”
The knowing look on her face is obvious. She’s just as ruthless as Winston. Swear to God that’s where he got it from, not Dad.
Clearing his throat, Winston sits up straight, resting his arms on top of the table. “Enough with the pleasantries. Let’s get down to business.”
“Winston,” Mother murmurs.
I frown at the both of them. “What exactly is this business we’re discussing this early in the morning anyway?”
Mother clears her throat as well, glancing over at Winston before she turns her attention on me. “It has to do with…you.”
I frown. “What about me?”
“Perry, darling. You’re not getting any younger.” Her expression is dour, as if she’s discussing something that displeases her. “It’s time for you to settle down.”
I snort. So does Winston.
“I’m only twenty-four,” I remind her. “Winston didn’t marry until he was forty.”
“Thirty-nine,” he corrects.
“Whatever,” I say to him, returning my attention to our mother. “There’s no one I want to settle down with anyway, so I can’t.”
“Ah, but you can.” Her smile is serene. “I’ve found someone for you, Perry. And you’re going to absolutely adore her.”
Wait a minute.
Back the fuck up.
“You’ve found someone for me?” My frown deepens. “What exactly do you mean?”
The room is quiet. Not even my brother says anything, which isn’t normal.
“Jesus, just cut to the chase. Put him out of his misery. I have a call to take in—” Winston checks his watch. “—twenty minutes.”
“Winston, please.” Mother sighs, her hand fluttering around her face. As if she’s…
Nervous?
“If you don’t tell him, I will,” my brother growls, his gaze cutting to mine, his lips parting as if he’s about to speak.
But she beats him to the punch.
“You’re going to marry her,” Mother says, her voice so quiet I almost don’t hear her. “It’s already been decided.”
Say the fuck what?
I can’t help it.