“Very true.” We ate in silence for a while before he asked about Jessie. “I haven’t seen that girl for weeks. Heard some tourists talking about her B&B today, though. They’re loving it there.”
“She actually came in to see me earlier. William’s fiancée cheated on him and it’s all over the news. It looks really bad.”
“He’s a Kent,” he said dryly. “Chances are he was cheating on the poor girl, too.”
I doubted that was true, but William was the one subject Dad and I didn’t really see eye to eye on. He might look the part of a bad boy now, but he’d never do something like that. At least, the version of him I used to know wouldn’t have.
While I disagreed with my father’s opinion, I didn’t bother defending William to him. There was a lot of bad blood there, and it ran deep. Jessie had managed to escape Dad’s ill feelings toward her family but only because he knew she hadn’t been involved.
William had asked his dad to give us money to pay for some of Dad’s treatments back in the day. He hadn’t discussed it with us, and Mr. Kent had shown up with his checkbook and demanded to know how much we needed.
Dad had slammed the door in his face and had never forgiven William for an act he’d deemed demeaning and humiliating. I knew that hadn’t been his intention, but I couldn’t deny that it played out that way.
Pride was a funny thing. My father might not have ever had a lot of money, but he had boatloads of pride, enough to match every cent in the Kent family fortune. It’d been something he’d clung to during that time, and while I didn’t always understand it, I respected it.
I wouldn’t disrespect him now by trying to defend the honor of a boy who sure as heck wouldn’t thank me for it. It didn’t matter anyway. Will was gone, and he was never coming back.
Chapter 7
WILLIAM
As I surveyed the contents of the open suitcase on my bed, I decided I had most of the essentials and slammed the lid shut. Sliding it off and placing it upright on its wheels, I spotted my phone still lying on the nightstand where I’d plugged it in just yesterday morning.
It felt like a year had passed since, and it was the longest my phone had ever been off, but I hadn’t felt like turning it on yet. Suppose I have to do it sometime.
Bracing myself for the storm I would face once it powered up, I grabbed the stupid device and held the button to turn it on. My voicemails and notifications went nuts, streaming in for a solid few minutes as everything connected.
Friends, agents, other connections in Hollywood, my sister, reporters, and fucking Angelina had been calling me nonstop. Predictably, my social accounts were filled with messages and posts from fans and foes alike. There was so much speculation out there that it was difficult to know where to even begin.
My public-relations people had called and sent emails trying to schedule a meeting to “discuss the situation,” the network was trying to determine if Angelina and I would still be able to work together, and the woman herself wanted to know if she could come over later.
I sighed and tossed my phone on the bed before heading toward my en suite bathroom. While I packed my toiletries, I considered what to do about the messages I’d read. There were still a ton of them waiting to be worked through, but I’d get to those when I got to them.
The only call I returned once I walked back into the bedroom was Jessie’s.
My sister answered on the first ring. “I’m so sorry, Will. I saw the news. I can’t believe she did that to you. If you need me to come out there, I can be there by tomorrow. I’m not above kicking some skinny actress ass for my big brother.”
I chuckled for the first time in what felt like weeks. “Thanks, Jess. I needed to hear that.”
Wedging my phone between my ear and my shoulder, I pulled out the suitcase’s handle and slid the matching toiletry bag over it to sit above the handgrip.
“I’m being serious, Willy.” God, my sister was the only person who got away with calling me that. I almost groaned out loud at the nickname, but she wouldn’t stop using it no matter what I did. I didn’t even think she realized she’d used it. “I’ll get someone to help out with the bed and breakfast. It’s about time I go out there to see your fancy house anyway. If the trip comes with a side of ass-whooping for anyone who even looks at you funny, that’s fine by me.”
“I know you’d do it in a heartbeat, but you don’t need to come out here.” I gave my room a last onceover, checking that I’d left nothing behind before striding to the door and switching off the light.
“What are you going to do, though?” she asked, and I heard the worry in her voice loud and clear. “Is the engagement off?”
“I don’t know.” I raked my hand through my hair, giving my head a little shake. “All I really know is that I need some time to process and disconnect from all this craziness. I need fresh air and open spaces.”
“Are you coming home?” she asked without missing a beat, the worry replaced with hope and excitement.
I smiled in a way only my sister could make me. “Yeah, Jess. I’m coming home. I haven’t been able to set foot out my door without being bombarded by paparazzi. LA is definitely not the place for contemplation.”
A squeal so loud that I pulled the phone away from my ear and could still hear it came out of her. “I’m so glad you’ve decided to escape that place and those people. Home is exactly what you need. It’s so beautiful and peaceful here.”
“You don’t need to sell me on the place, Jess,” I said with laughter threatening to cut me off. Fuck. What is it about Jessie and the thought of home that already makes me feel like the stench of bullshit is evaporating?
“I’ve already packed my bags,” I said. “I’m literally on my way out the door right now.”
She let out a whoop before clearing her throat. “Have you given any thought to where you’re going to stay? I have an open suite if you want to take it. I know you might not want to stay in the house with all the other guests here, but the grounds are still as beautiful as always, and the location can’t be beat.”
“I’ll take it,” I said. “Any chance you’ve got one of the garden suites open at the back?”
I accepted her offer without telling her about the hotel room I’d already booked. I should’ve known she’d want me to stay at the B&B, but I hadn’t wanted to intrude. None of this was her fault, and I didn’t want to inconvenience her just because I’d decided to go home on a whim.
Jessie had turned our old family manor house into a pretty successful business. Sure, it was still my family home too, but for all intents and purposes, it was hers.
“I’ll do you one better than a garden suite and open up one of the garden cottages for you. How’s that?”
“Jess, you don’t have to.”
“It’s already done, big brother. You’re coming here for peace and quiet. A cottage is better than a room for that. Besides, Lucy at the Grand owes me a favor. The guest will be just as happy there as she would’ve been here.”