Turns out old man Conrad wasn’t too pleased that his son failed, and I only found out from Dad a few weeks later that Jerry whipped his butt for losing.
I felt guilty and tried to talk to him, only to hear that he hated my guts, hated my family, and didn’t want a thing from me but an admission that I cheated.
I’ve had to live with the hatred and rivalry from Bolton ever since.
He makes a play for every woman I’ve ever shown interest in and never fails to ruin Christmas with his bitter attitude. Dad finally tried not inviting them for the festivities, but Ma loves Aunt Lynn and wouldn’t hear of shunning the other woman because her husband and son are assholes.
So every year we grit our teeth and put up with them so Aunt Lynn can spend time with her family.
And every time Bolton fucks up, I get a call from my parents letting me know I need to try and sort him out. Today is one of those horrible times, and instead of trying harder, I find myself looking around as he rants and raves, practically foaming at the mouth.
Do not hit your cousin, Wyatt. Ma will not be happy.
I keep repeating that mantra over and over, looking anywhere and everywhere but at him in case it makes me lose my temper.
And then I see her, the most perfect woman I have ever seen in my life.
I say “woman” because even though she looks no older than nineteen, this girl carries herself with a quiet maturity that is breathtaking. I want to know everything there is to know about her.
With her dark blond hair blowing in the gentle breeze and the way she smiles at the girl walking beside her, I instinctively know that she is nothing like the women I usually date.
Nah, this girl is not just pure; she’s one of those rare gems who genuinely cares more about people than she does about money, looks, or prestige.
“Are you fucking listening to me, Lane?!”
I drag myself back to the conversation and turn back to Bolton, wishing I could just clock him one and wash my hands of the fool. I do not want to be here speaking to him a moment longer when I could be talking to that vision who just captured my heart.
“I stopped listening a while back since you’re not saying anything I haven’t heard before, Bolton. You can stand here insulting and cursing at me all day and it wouldn’t make a difference. You’re failing the semester and will be lucky not to flunk another year. You’re so high right now it’s a wonder you can stand up straight, and from the charges on your credit cards, you’re drinking, too. Your parents aren’t footing the bill for your schooling because your father cleaned out Aunt Lynn’s trust fund last year. If you want my parents to keep paying your way, you get your shit together. Or you’re on your own, pal.”
He doesn’t like that, but then I didn’t really expect him to. Jerry has poisoned this kid so badly that even if we were to give him everything his greedy heart wanted he’d still hate us all.
Too bad for him my father is one of those old-school bastards who believes that being born rich doesn’t give you an excuse to be lazy. I went to college on a track scholarship after I proved to scouts that I had what it takes to go pro or even attend the Olympics.
I spent four years of my life training and keeping my grades up. I could have graduated early if I wanted to. There was no easy ride for me or any of my siblings.
The fact that Bolton gets a free ride and still can’t find it in himself to earn it with good grades makes me sick.
Bolton starts yelling again, and by this time we’ve drawn a crowd. The blonde beauty looks over and winces, smiling apologetically at me before turning with her friend and walking away.
The feeling of loss I get is so acute that I make up my mind to find out who she is and anything else I can before the day ends. It’s not every day that I feel this strong attraction, and if I know myself as well as I think I do, I’m going to go after her with everything I’ve got.
I leave not long after, Bolton still unhappy while I haven’t done anything but piss the kid off more.
“You sort that kid out?” Dad asks when I reach the car and dial his number.
“What do you think?”
“Tell me again why I’m footing the bill for that kid when I didn’t even pay for my own sons to get an education.”
“Ma,” I say, grinning when all I get is a resigned sigh. “He’s not worth this, Pop. I say we leave him to it and just wait till they kick his ass out.”
“Yeah? And then I’ll not only be footing the bill for his old man to sit at home and do nothing, but him, too.”
That’s true but I don’t have a solution to this problem and we both know it. The Conrad men seem to be that irritating breed of human who have no respect for hard work or earning your own way.