she’d been there as well.
“But the real gossip about Brian and Freddy’s dad, well, according to Freddy, who told Dylan, who told Derrick—” Sydney started.
“Geez, Sydney. Get to the point.” Faith glared over her shoulder at the wordy redhead.
Sydney flipped her the bird.
“Nice.”
“I had the nail manicured just for you.” Sydney snickered, and Hailey laughed as well. “Anyway, Judge Goode has always treated Freddy like shit and tried to mold Brian into his perfect little Mini-Me. Freddy went to live with her mom as a kid, but the judge demanded Brian stay with him. Brian, always a ‘Goode’ boy, obeyed Daddy.”
Faith frowned. Brian had been right. The whole play on words with his last name wasn’t that creative. “What exactly is the judge’s problem?”
Sydney shrugged. “Everything? Unless you have a pedigree that goes back to the English monarchy, he views you as scum. So Freddy says. And from what I heard, he put Brian through hell, making his kid work harder than everyone, taking away his fun, his friends. Sounds like the guy is a real piece of work, withholding affection until Brian performed to the judge’s expectations.”
“Wow. And I thought your mom was bad,” Hailey teased Sydney.
“I know. My mother’s vanity knows no bounds, but I’m still her pride and joy—if only because I make her look good. Brian is hot, rich, successful, and never good enough for his father. It’s sad.”
“Only if Brian is still trying to gain his dad’s approval,” Faith added. She frowned, wondering if her presence would hamper Brian’s chances of bonding with his father, or if Brian would even care. He acted like his father still annoyed him, but he was making an effort to attend the charity event.
“Good point.” Sydney nodded. “Tonight should be interesting for you, to say the least. You get to hang out with Augusta’s hoity-toity. Good luck.” She stood and dusted her hands together. “But if anyone needs to sell or buy a house, drop my name, would you?”
Hailey laughed. “Yeah, and if they want a house built, tell them about WCC.” Gage and Dylan’s construction company.
“Gee. While we’re at it, I might as well pimp out Dylan’s psychiatric services too, hmm?”
Sydney nodded. “Not a bad idea.”
“You guys are nuts. I’m not going to talk up the Warrens’s businesses.” Faith sighed. “I’ll be praying all night that I don’t trip over my own two feet or drop food on my dress.”
“That’s classic Hailey. You’re the demure, sexy arm candy. You’ll be fine.” Sydney slapped her on the back, and Faith nearly stumbled.
“Hey. I’m not that clumsy.” Hailey awkwardly got to her feet. “At least, I wasn’t until Junior showed up. Blame Gage.”
Faith walked her friends to the door with promises to tell all tomorrow. Sydney had a point. Faith had attended her fair share of fancy parties, usually on the arm of some rich guy she’d grown to detest. She knew how to play the game. But for Brian, she wanted to be better than amazing. She wanted him to shine.
“I’ve got it bad, and I know it.” She finished doing a few chores around the apartment, then showered and readied for her night with the man coming to mean so much to her.
What to do about her feelings remained a big question. Brian had outright told her he wanted them to be exclusive, that he wanted more from her than just sex. Before she’d come to believe in herself as worthy of a future with a man who treasured all of her—not just her breasts—she would have jumped at the chance to be Mrs. Brian Goode.
Now? She wanted to be loved for herself. Brian acted like he wanted the whole of her. He treated her with such care, and he’d given her pleasure before seeking his own. Trusting that he meant what he said, however, was another thing entirely. Especially because she was afraid she’d fallen in love with the guy.
All of it was too soon. But she couldn’t help her emotional
“But the real gossip about Brian and Freddy’s dad, well, according to Freddy, who told Dylan, who told Derrick—” Sydney started.
“Geez, Sydney. Get to the point.” Faith glared over her shoulder at the wordy redhead.
Sydney flipped her the bird.
“Nice.”
“I had the nail manicured just for you.” Sydney snickered, and Hailey laughed as well. “Anyway, Judge Goode has always treated Freddy like shit and tried to mold Brian into his perfect little Mini-Me. Freddy went to live with her mom as a kid, but the judge demanded Brian stay with him. Brian, always a ‘Goode’ boy, obeyed Daddy.”
Faith frowned. Brian had been right. The whole play on words with his last name wasn’t that creative. “What exactly is the judge’s problem?”
Sydney shrugged. “Everything? Unless you have a pedigree that goes back to the English monarchy, he views you as scum. So Freddy says. And from what I heard, he put Brian through hell, making his kid work harder than everyone, taking away his fun, his friends. Sounds like the guy is a real piece of work, withholding affection until Brian performed to the judge’s expectations.”
“Wow. And I thought your mom was bad,” Hailey teased Sydney.
“I know. My mother’s vanity knows no bounds, but I’m still her pride and joy—if only because I make her look good. Brian is hot, rich, successful, and never good enough for his father. It’s sad.”
“Only if Brian is still trying to gain his dad’s approval,” Faith added. She frowned, wondering if her presence would hamper Brian’s chances of bonding with his father, or if Brian would even care. He acted like his father still annoyed him, but he was making an effort to attend the charity event.
“Good point.” Sydney nodded. “Tonight should be interesting for you, to say the least. You get to hang out with Augusta’s hoity-toity. Good luck.” She stood and dusted her hands together. “But if anyone needs to sell or buy a house, drop my name, would you?”
Hailey laughed. “Yeah, and if they want a house built, tell them about WCC.” Gage and Dylan’s construction company.
“Gee. While we’re at it, I might as well pimp out Dylan’s psychiatric services too, hmm?”
Sydney nodded. “Not a bad idea.”
“You guys are nuts. I’m not going to talk up the Warrens’s businesses.” Faith sighed. “I’ll be praying all night that I don’t trip over my own two feet or drop food on my dress.”
“That’s classic Hailey. You’re the demure, sexy arm candy. You’ll be fine.” Sydney slapped her on the back, and Faith nearly stumbled.
“Hey. I’m not that clumsy.” Hailey awkwardly got to her feet. “At least, I wasn’t until Junior showed up. Blame Gage.”
Faith walked her friends to the door with promises to tell all tomorrow. Sydney had a point. Faith had attended her fair share of fancy parties, usually on the arm of some rich guy she’d grown to detest. She knew how to play the game. But for Brian, she wanted to be better than amazing. She wanted him to shine.
“I’ve got it bad, and I know it.” She finished doing a few chores around the apartment, then showered and readied for her night with the man coming to mean so much to her.
What to do about her feelings remained a big question. Brian had outright told her he wanted them to be exclusive, that he wanted more from her than just sex. Before she’d come to believe in herself as worthy of a future with a man who treasured all of her—not just her breasts—she would have jumped at the chance to be Mrs. Brian Goode.
Now? She wanted to be loved for herself. Brian acted like he wanted the whole of her. He treated her with such care, and he’d given her pleasure before seeking his own. Trusting that he meant what he said, however, was another thing entirely. Especially because she was afraid she’d fallen in love with the guy.
All of it was too soon. But she couldn’t help her emotional
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