wanted and, if the latter exceeded the former, they made the sacrifice. So, what was the benefit T. J. had estimated from supporting his father’s nemesis? she wondered.
“You can trust me, Amelia.” T. J. flashed a smile so charismatic it made her think he should have been a politician. He was so carefully put together that he must have practiced his facial expressions in the mirror—“this is the face that communicates sympathy; this is the face that communicates happiness.” Amelia wondered if anything about him was genuine, or if it was all part of a larger calculation.
“Thanks, T. J.,” she said. She didn’t trust him for a second. “I really appreciate your explaining that. I was a little worried when Adam told me who you were.”
“I can imagine,” T. J. said. “Which is why I wanted to make sure it was all on the table from the start. Also, I haven’t told Tom, so no need to worry about that.”
“Okay,” Amelia said. She actually hadn’t thought about whether or not Tom knew. She turned to her computer, hoping he’d get the hint that she wanted him to leave.
“Incidentally, I have a lot of confidence in your brother,” T.J. said. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Adam this summer. I’m going to turn him into an all-star business guy. I see a lot of myself in him, you know.”
She almost laughed. Did T.J. really think it would make her happy that he saw himself in her brother?
“Well I don’t really like the business side, so the more you two can take care of it, the better it will be for me.” She smiled weakly. “On that note, I’m going to get going on some coding.”
“Of course,” T. J. said. “Code away!”
That went exceptionally well, he thought, as he left the room. Engineers were definitely weird, but he prided himself on being able to get through to anyone.
Chapter III
Burberry Plaid and Something Fruity
P atty could not wait for sophomore year to begin. In preparation, she had started a master cleanse diet, eating only raw fruits and vegetables and drinking a daily mixture of molasses, cayenne pepper and lemon juice.
It was alternately nauseating and boring, but after three weeks, she had lost eleven pounds. To reward herself, she went to Neiman Marcus, the highest-end department store in the high-end Stanford Shopping Center, to pick out a new outfit for the first day of school. She used her mother’s account to buy a cute Marc Jacobs floral-print romper and bright-blue French Sole ballet flats. Very stylish, but not too over-the-top, and all under five hundred dollars, so her mother wouldn’t even notice the purchase when the monthly statement arrived.
She rode the escalator down to the first floor, comforted by the high ceilings, busy make-up counters, and elaborate handbag displays showcasing the newest autumn trends. There was something so pleasing about the place and its promise of fresh starts and pretty new things. It melted away all her stress.
And by “all her stress,” she was thinking about Chad. He and Patty’s older sister, Shandi, had gone on vacation together in June, and then he’d moved out of the Hawkins house and into an apartment in San Francisco for his summer internship with a private equity firm. Patty didn’t really know what “private equity” meant, but her father had been very impressed that he’d landed such a prestigious role. He had explained to Mrs. Hawkins, to her and Patty’s (secret) disappointment, that Chad’s long working hours would make it impossible for him to come to Sunday dinners any more.
But Patty knew that Chad’s internship had ended last week (she’d snuck into Shandi’s room and read her day planner) and that he’d be back on campus in a couple of weeks to start his second year of business school.
She couldn’t get their last night together out of her head. His finger touching her thigh as he wiped away the drop of ice cream – it was enough to make her want to rip off her clothes
“You can trust me, Amelia.” T. J. flashed a smile so charismatic it made her think he should have been a politician. He was so carefully put together that he must have practiced his facial expressions in the mirror—“this is the face that communicates sympathy; this is the face that communicates happiness.” Amelia wondered if anything about him was genuine, or if it was all part of a larger calculation.
“Thanks, T. J.,” she said. She didn’t trust him for a second. “I really appreciate your explaining that. I was a little worried when Adam told me who you were.”
“I can imagine,” T. J. said. “Which is why I wanted to make sure it was all on the table from the start. Also, I haven’t told Tom, so no need to worry about that.”
“Okay,” Amelia said. She actually hadn’t thought about whether or not Tom knew. She turned to her computer, hoping he’d get the hint that she wanted him to leave.
“Incidentally, I have a lot of confidence in your brother,” T.J. said. “I’m looking forward to working closely with Adam this summer. I’m going to turn him into an all-star business guy. I see a lot of myself in him, you know.”
She almost laughed. Did T.J. really think it would make her happy that he saw himself in her brother?
“Well I don’t really like the business side, so the more you two can take care of it, the better it will be for me.” She smiled weakly. “On that note, I’m going to get going on some coding.”
“Of course,” T. J. said. “Code away!”
That went exceptionally well, he thought, as he left the room. Engineers were definitely weird, but he prided himself on being able to get through to anyone.
Chapter III
Burberry Plaid and Something Fruity
P atty could not wait for sophomore year to begin. In preparation, she had started a master cleanse diet, eating only raw fruits and vegetables and drinking a daily mixture of molasses, cayenne pepper and lemon juice.
It was alternately nauseating and boring, but after three weeks, she had lost eleven pounds. To reward herself, she went to Neiman Marcus, the highest-end department store in the high-end Stanford Shopping Center, to pick out a new outfit for the first day of school. She used her mother’s account to buy a cute Marc Jacobs floral-print romper and bright-blue French Sole ballet flats. Very stylish, but not too over-the-top, and all under five hundred dollars, so her mother wouldn’t even notice the purchase when the monthly statement arrived.
She rode the escalator down to the first floor, comforted by the high ceilings, busy make-up counters, and elaborate handbag displays showcasing the newest autumn trends. There was something so pleasing about the place and its promise of fresh starts and pretty new things. It melted away all her stress.
And by “all her stress,” she was thinking about Chad. He and Patty’s older sister, Shandi, had gone on vacation together in June, and then he’d moved out of the Hawkins house and into an apartment in San Francisco for his summer internship with a private equity firm. Patty didn’t really know what “private equity” meant, but her father had been very impressed that he’d landed such a prestigious role. He had explained to Mrs. Hawkins, to her and Patty’s (secret) disappointment, that Chad’s long working hours would make it impossible for him to come to Sunday dinners any more.
But Patty knew that Chad’s internship had ended last week (she’d snuck into Shandi’s room and read her day planner) and that he’d be back on campus in a couple of weeks to start his second year of business school.
She couldn’t get their last night together out of her head. His finger touching her thigh as he wiped away the drop of ice cream – it was enough to make her want to rip off her clothes
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