“Yeah?” His eyes twinkle with delight. “And what’d Dad say?”

“He . . . uses it daily.”

Rhett bursts out in laughter and I can’t help but grin. He’s always had a big laugh, but somewhere along the way, it evolved into a hearty, booming sound.

“I hesitated too long, didn’t I?”

“You’re a shitty liar, Piper.”

“It did grab his attention, momentarily, if that means anything.”

“Whatever. I gave up on pleasing him years ago. And I’ll tell you, it was liberating.” He sighs heavily. “Okay, enough about Dad and that place. Tell me what else is going on in your life, so I know you have a good excuse for not coming out to visit us for eight months.”

I cringe. “Has it been that long?”

“Since our store’s grand opening. Lawan’s trying not to take it personally.”

“I’m sorry, really. It’s just been so busy with work, and then the whole breakup and moving and all that . . .”

He tips his bottle of Corona toward me. “Best decision you’ve ever made, shedding those two hundred pounds, by the way. Not gonna lie: I may have cracked a bottle of champagne after Mom spilled the news.” To say David and Rhett did not click is an understatement. The moment we pulled up to their house in David’s Maserati and David stepped out in his polished leather shoes and suit for a casual weekend, Rhett had made his mind up. David only validated his opinion of him when he point-blank told Rhett he was an idiot for not signing a pre-nup to protect his money from Lawan, an especially prickly thorn in my father’s side as well.

It’s the only time I’ve ever seen the pre-Thailand version of my brother: seconds away from knocking my fiancé’s teeth out.

“How’s the condo?”

“Besides the psychotic Siamese cat that was sitting on my nightstand watching me sleep the other night?” I fill Rhett in on my new living situation.

“I really need to meet these camp friends one day.”

“If you weren’t already married, I’d be setting you and Ashley up. You’d be perfect together.”

“Happily married,” he corrects with a warning look.

“Whatever. Just make sure you let me know when Lawan runs off with the gardener and half your money.” A scenario my father offered up when trying to convince my brother to sign the pre-nup his lawyers had drafted, the day before their wedding.

I’m only teasing, of course. I’ve never seen a more content and loving couple than Rhett and Lawan. He makes her tea every night and drives to a bakery one town over every Saturday morning for her favorite almond croissants; I’ve never even heard him raise his voice to her.

Rhett takes a swig from his beer. “And what about you? Dating yet?”

“Not yet.” It’s funny, just a few weeks ago, that answer would have been more along the lines of “Hell no,” and punctuated with a bitter laugh. Now, though, the second Rhett asked, my mind instantly veered to the lobby at work, and to the man behind the security desk.

“Don’t worry, someone decent will come along soon enough.” He adds in a grumble, “Preferably as opposite to Worthington as possible.”

“He definitely is that,” I mutter under my breath as I take a sip of my wine.

Too loudly, it seems.

Rhett leans back in his chair, folding his arms across his broad chest. “Okay, spill it. So there is someone?”

“No . . .”

“An architect.”

“No.”

“Investor.”

“No.”

“Tennis pro?”

I cringe.

“Masseuse?”

“Stop it.”

“The gardener?”

I laugh and joke, “I don’t want Lawan’s sloppy seconds.”

Rhett’s knowing eyebrows arch as he waits expectantly. Another Calloway trait he’s inherited is tenacity. As in, the rest of our dinner will be hijacked by this one topic until I give in.

I groan. “Okay, but don’t tell anyone. Especially not Mom.”

I wait to get his nod of agreement.

“Do you remember that guy I was with at summer camp? I’m sure Mom must have told you about him. Kyle?”

“I don’t think . . .” His mouth curls with a frown and his brow tightens with concentration as he struggles.

“He was from Poughkeepsie.” I hesitate. “His father and two of his brothers were in prison.”

“Oh yeah!” Recognition fills his face, as I knew it would eventually. “Daddy’s sweet Princess Piper got caught with her pants down on the wrong side of the tracks that summer. Finally took some of the heat off me. Especially when you got fired.” He starts humming Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl.”

I roll my eyes at him. “Anyway, I kind of ran into him.” I explain.

“He’s working as a security guard at Calloway?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow. That’s something.” He frowns. “If I remember correctly, you guys got into some serious trouble together. Wasn’t there some kind of accident with a kid?”

“With one of the counselors, yeah.” My stomach tightens with the memory of that night, with how lucky we were, how bad it could have been.

Rhett’s fingers draw along his chin, scratching at the day-old scruff, as he processes. “Does Dad know this guy is working there?”

“No.” I shake my head to emphasize this.

A wide grin slowly splits Rhett’s face. “So, are you two—”

“No.”

“But you want to?”

“I don’t know what I want.” Is that even true?

My brother’s curious frown tells me he knows it isn’t.

“I want to know why he disappeared like that on me. It was a jerk thing to do.”

I want to know when exactly he stopped caring. Was it right away or over time? Or did he never really feel anything at all?

Was I just being naïve?

I grind my teeth with the thought that Kyle might have fed me adoring lines and intimate touches to get what he wanted from me before summer was over.

“Huh. Small world, I tell ya,” Rhett murmurs.

“That’s the thing.” I relay what Gus told me about Kyle requesting the transfer to our building. “What do you think that means?”