by Jade Webb
I watch as a huge smile crosses Gabby’s face. I notice it immediately because it’s not like any of the other smiles in her repertoire: the ones she forces herself to wear because that’s what she was trained to do. No, this one is different. It’s a smile filled with love and admiration. It’s genuine.
Gabby opens her arms wide and hugs her sister. I’m far enough away that I can’t hear the whispered words she shares with her sister, but whatever they are, they bring a smile to Daphni’s face and though I can’t be sure, I even think I see Daphni flick a tear from her cheek.
As they break away, Daphni insists they take a photo and I am relegated to camera duty. I snap a few shots before Daphni announces that we need to get inside for our tour.
Again, Daphni half-drags Gabby to the entrance of a nearby stone building overlooking the park. As they approach the stairs leading up to the wide doors, Gabby stops in her tracks.
“Daphni, what are we doing at the Ohio Supreme Court?”
Smiling mischievously, Daphni tugs on her sister’s hand and pulls her forward. “You shall see, little one.”
I follow the girls inside, doing my best to remain a respectful few feet behind. Inside an older man, clad in a dark-grey suit, rushes toward them. Clutching a clipboard in his hand, he waves them forward.
“Ladies, ladies! Welcome, Miss Monroe,” he says, directing his attention to Daphni. “We are so excited to welcome you. Please, won’t you both follow me for the tour?”
Completely ignoring Gabby, he engages Daphni in a conversation about his love of her latest music video and how the concept of the video "just spoke to him.”
Gabby trails a few feet behind and I follow a few more feet behind her. She lets her hand skim along the wall as she tilts her head to look at all of the art around. It’s as if she has entered some sort of sanctuary; she’s in awe as she takes in the sights around her.
Our guide—still blabbering away to a very patient Daphni—brings us to an elevator and we all pile in. He presses the button for the eleventh floor, and I take advantage of the small confines to brush against Gabby. She bristles at my touch and I mumble out a soft “sorry.” I want to punch myself in the face. When had I become such a sod that I would make pathetic excuses just to touch a pretty girl?
Thankfully the elevator doors open and we step out onto a beautiful, shiny parquet floor. I hear Gabby’ breath hitch as she realizes where we are headed. As our guide opens the massive wooden doors to the law library, Gabby stops in her place and takes a large gulp of air, almost as if she is trying to inhale the smell of the books and the history inside the cavernous room.
“This library holds nearly a half million volumes,” our guide whispers as he leads us through row after row of bookshelves, each holding hundreds of copies of thick, leather-bound books.
He continues to drone on, but Gabby has clearly lost interest. I watch with sordid fascination as she brushes her fingers along the spines of different books. She is reverent in her appreciation and it’s truthfully the most adorable thing I have ever seen. She truly lives and breathes her passion for the law and it shows.
Gabby continues to walk deeper and deeper into the expanse of the bookshelves, going completely unnoticed by our guide and Daphni, who have not stopped talking about the genius of her music.
With Daphni and the guide distracted, I decide this is my opportunity to finally clear the air, so I stalk after her.
“Gabby,” I call out in a loud whisper.
She whips around at the sound of my voice and I catch her nostrils flare slightly in annoyance.
I hold my hands up in front of me, defensively, before she can turn away. “I just want two minutes, Gabby.”
I can tell she wants to run so I stare her down. Challenge her. And she responds. Propping her hands on her hips, she juts her chin out, allowing me to proceed.
“Look, I know you must think I’m an asshole. And truthfully, you’re probably right. But you can’t just run away from your problems, either. You need to confront them. Confront me. You can’t just avoid me for the next three months either, Gabby.”
Gabby's emerald eyes widen, an unmistakable spark of anger flashing through them. “Two and a half months," she says.
“Eh?”
“Two months and sixteen days,” she repeats and takes a step closer toward me. “My plan is to continue avoiding you for the next two months and sixteen days,” she clarifies as she shrugs her shoulders and breezes right past me.
25
Gabby
My sister gives me major side eye when she sees me, and then a minute later Liam, emerge from the maze of bookshelves. I glare her down, warning her with my stare that if she says anything, I will murder her. Luckily she is fluent in all my nonverbal eye-isms and remains silent.
Our tour guide continues to lead us through the library, still completely oblivious to the fact that Liam or I are also part of his tour and instead directing all his attention to Daphni. Truthfully, I’m used to it, so it doesn’t really bother me. Plus, I am way too distracted by the fact that I am in one of the most beautiful libraries I have ever visited.
If I am being entirely honest, however, that is clearly not the only thing distracting me. Liam completely surprised me when he had followed me into the stacks. Shows me for letting my guard down.
Well, he was right about the being-an-asshole part. God, I was at minimum expecting a half-assed apology, but instead he decides to give me a lecture. Seriously, this guy has balls. But it was for the best. Now I’m even more determined to focus all my efforts on making sure that I never have to spend any time with that Neanderthal again. Good riddance.
I decide to finally banish Liam from my thoughts and follow along for the rest of our tour. Trailing behind Daphni, I dutifully listen as our guide drones on about the architectural history of the building. It’s not until we abruptly stop outside a large black, wooden door that I finally tune back in.
As we walk inside, we are greeted with large, floor-to-ceiling windows letting in bright rays of sun onto a dark, ruby carpet. A large desk faces the door and an older woman in a pencil skirt and white blouse, buttoned up to her chin, welcomes us.
“You must be Daphni,” she exclaims as she reaches out to shake Daphni’s hand. “And that makes you Gabby! We are so excited to meet you.” She grasps my hand tightly, pumping it up and down.
“You all wait here, I will let her know you’re here,” she offers before escaping through an adjoining door.
I shoot a confused look over at Daphni, who offers only a sly smile in return.
A moment later, the woman returns with an older woman following closely behind. Daphni immediately walks over, offering her a warm embrace.
“Georgia, thanks so much for taking the time to see us,” Daphni says.
“Oh hush, Daphni. Anything for an old friend,” the woman replies.
I stand aside, still not entirely sure what is going on here. I didn’t know Daphni to have many friends, especially ones who had stable jobs and were over sixty.
“Gabby, I want to introduce you to my good friend, Chief Justice Georgia O’Neal.”
My eyes widen as I glare at my sister. How could she not prepare me to meet the chief justice of the Ohio freaking Supreme Court? I decide to kill her later and pull myself together.
“It is such an honor, Chief Justice O’Neal,” I manage to spit out, despite wanting to melt into a puddle.
“Nonsense, call me Georgia, dear. I have heard so much about you. Your sister is so proud of you. I hear you’re thinking of becoming a lawyer?”
I shoot a look of surprise over at Daphni. How the hell did my sister casually rub elbows with the chief justice in Ohio? And what had she actually said to her about me? What kind of alternate universe had we stepped into?
“Uh, yes. I’m planning on taking my LSATs at the end of the summer, actually.”
“Very good. Well, from what your sister tells me, I am sure you will do quite well.”
> I decide I can’t hold in my questions any longer. “I’m sorry, but exactly how do you two know each other?” I ask.
“Well, your sister here received a letter from my granddaughter when she was in a tough spot in her life. Daphni flew out to meet her and spend some time with her, gave her some good advice, and got her into some counseling. Thanks to your sister, my granddaughter is still alive.” She wipes a tear from the corner of her eye. “I owe a lot to Daphni.”
I can’t help but shoot a surprised look at my sister. She turns away from me, and I feel my head spin. I was seeing a whole side of my sister I had never known. A wave of guilt washes over me as I remember all the times I would get so frustrated with her for being so vapid and self-centered. Had that all been some act? Why would she hide this side of herself from the world? From me?
“That’s incredible,” I reply, not knowing what else to say.
“Well, she’s an incredible woman,” Georgia replies as she squeezes my sister’s hand. She clears her throat and offers me a bright smile. “So, I understand we have some reservations?”
“Reservations?” I respond.
“Yes, at five o’clock. You should be heading out soon,” Daphni chimes in.
“Right. Let me just go grab my purse and we will be on our way!” Georgia says before she darts back into her office.
“Okay, I feel like I am five steps behind,” I say to Daphni.
“I booked you and Georgia for high tea at the Plaza. I thought it might be a nice opportunity for you to pick her brain and hear more about her career,” Daphni tells me.
“Wow, Daphni. That’s so sweet. And so thoughtful. Thank you.”
A blush races up her high cheekbones. “Whatever, Gabby. Go geek out. But text me when you’re done so we can meet up for dinner.”
I nod in response and she gives me a quick peck on the cheek before heading out with Liam at her side. Georgia reemerges a moment later and we decide to walk to the Plaza.
After a few moments in Georgia’s company, I finally begin to relax and ask her about her career, her history working as a prosecutor, and eventually how she became a judge and then chief justice.
Only after two hours did I finally take a break to check my watch. “Oh my gosh, I’ve kept you for so long, Georgia!”
Georgia glances down at her own watch and arches her brow in surprise. “Oh dear, we certainly know how to kill an afternoon!”
“Georgia, thank you so much for this afternoon. It was such an honor to meet you, and thank you for being so patient with all my questions,” I gush.
“Of course, dear. And please, think about coming next summer for that internship,” she adds.
“Of course,” I say, still in shock that she had offered me such a prestigious opportunity.
We settle the bill—Georgia insists on paying, though she does let me leave the tip—and we make our way outside. We part with a hug and a promise for me to call her once I decide on which law school I will be attending.
I feel like I’m on cloud nine as I text Daphni. She replies letting me know she is back at the hotel bar and tells me to come join. I grab a cab and fifteen minutes later, I’m back at the hotel. The bar is attached to the lobby and I instantly find Daphni and her blue hair at the end of the long bar. To my annoyance, Liam is in the seat next to her. I push away any negative feelings, determined not to let Liam take away my high.
I grab the seat next to Daphni and drop my bag onto the ground.
“You look delirious,” Daphni comments when she sees me.
“Daphni, you are amazing. That was so incredible. She is so smart and had such good advice. And, she even offered me an internship!”
Daphni beams over at me and hands me her drink. “Celebrations are in order, then!” She orders another drink and then clinks her glass with mine. “Cheers!”
I drink the contents, letting the rush of the warm vodka sooth my giddiness. I let my eyes drift toward Liam. He’s looking down at his drink, a sullen look on his face. He looks miserable, and I can’t help but feel the smallest bit responsible.
“You’re not going to congratulate me too, Liam?” I ask.
He looks up in surprise. When he sees the smile on my face, his own face brightens a bit and he lifts his glass to touch it to mine.
“Congrats, Gabby. You’ll do great,” he says.
“Well, I don’t have it yet,” I concede. “I still need to pass the LSATs and actually get into law school.”
“Pfft,” Daphni adds. “Like you aren’t going to get into law school. You’re like, a genius, Gabby.”
“Well, yeah, I guess you’re right,” I respond with a smile. Daphni rolls her eyes and Liam lets out a quiet chuckle.
“Shit,” Daphni suddenly mutters and I force myself to tear my eyes away from Liam. Daphni slinks down in her seat, pulling me down with her. “Hide!”
26
Gabby
“What are we hiding from Daphni?” I whisper as I scoot down in my seat.
“Shh!” she hisses. “If we don’t move, he won’t see us.”
I roll my eyes in response, but follow along anyway, that is, until I hear the sound of a familiar voice clearing their throat behind us.
“Why, it must be my lucky day. I appear to have found not one, but both of the beautiful and elusive Monroe sisters.”
Jordan James. Now I know why Daphni wanted to hide. God, why didn't I just listen and follow my sister's lead and slither away? Now I get to face the Jordan James halfway rolled down in my seat with my hands covering my face. Real attractive look for me.
Daphni and I do our best to nonchalantly slide back up in our seats, but the amused quirk in Jordan's lip says all we need to know.
I watch with similar amusement as Daphni restrains herself from throwing her hands around Jordan's neck, but she knows there are far too many witnesses. Instead, she pastes on a large smile and opens her arms wide. “Jordan, what a lovely surprise.”
Jordan accepts her embrace, his arms wrapping around her tense frame. I watch the whole charade with rabid fascination. That is, until Jordan turns his sparkling blue eyes on me.
“Gabby, nice to see you again. Mind if I join you?” he asks, eyeing the empty stool next to me.
Daphni immediately jumps out of her seat. “We were actually on our way out. You know, early morning.”
“Well, it looks like your sister still has half her drink left,” Jordan comments, looking at my unfinished vodka and soda. “Shame to waste that.”
I pause, looking first at my sister and then at the half-empty glass. Truthfully, a part of me did want to celebrate a little longer. And why not do it with this gorgeous human specimen at my side? Sure, he was my sister’s mortal enemy, for whom she would spend at least forty minutes each night plotting elaborate deaths. But let’s be real: Daphni had at last thirty mortal enemies on any given day. And none of them were as undeniably gorgeous as Jordan James.
“Sure, I can stay a bit longer,” I say, and Jordan slides into the empty seat, a triumphant smile on his face. I can feel my sister shooting death glares at me. But, ever the performer, Daphni doesn’t let Jordan see her anger and instead gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before storming out of the bar. Liam falls into step with her, lowering his head to hers, looking equally annoyed.
“Looks like my sister’s a big fan of yours,” I say as I take a long sip from my drink.
Jordan laughs in response, his addicting blue eyes crinkling around the corners. “Yeah, she actually sends me fan mail every week. It’s beginning to freak me out.”
"Oh, that's nothing. You should see how she decorated her locker with all your pictures. She's scribbled your name on all her notebooks," I quip back.
A wide grin spreads over Jordan's face as he nods approvingly. "You have a sharp tongue," he remarks.
"I need one to make up for my terrible personality and mediocre looks."
I bite back a smile as Jordan's mouth drops. "I don't even know how to keep up with
you," he says. His blue eyes rake over me and while I feel a rush of excitement, it instantly fades away as I remember Liam pushing me off him. I can't put myself through this again. And especially not with someone who is as infamous a man whore as Jordan James.
I quickly swallow the contents of my drink. "No need," I reply. I slip out of the seat and reach for my purse on the ground. As I move to push my chair back in, I feel Jordan's hands circle around my wrist, stopping me.
"You're leaving already?"
"It's been fun, but I think it's time for me to head out."
"Has anyone told you what great company you are?”
“Well, I’ve never heard my cats complain,” I shoot back.
A large smile stretches across his face and he lifts his drink to his lips. “You are an interesting woman, Gabby Monroe. You bruise my ego, but you sure as hell look good doing it.”
His compliment sends a rush of crimson to my face. I focus all my attention on ignoring my stomach’s somersaults. I can feel his eyes on me and I bravely force myself to look at him. His intense blue eyes are watching me, and I curse God for making someone look this handsome. Seriously, being this pretty should be illegal: it can make very rational people do very dangerous things.
“Let me walk you up to your room," Jordan offers, jumping out of his chair.
I laugh and lightly swat him on his arm. “Nice try. I Googled you, you know.”
He groans in response. “Don’t believe everything you read, Gabby.”
“Oh, I don’t. But still, sir, you’ve got yourself a mighty reputation.”
“Well, then let me prove you wrong,” he counters. “Tomorrow night. After the concert. I’m going on first and I’ll be done early. Let me take you to a late dinner. Let me prove to you I’m not some tabloid sleaze.”
I shake my head at his tempting offer. “No, thanks.”
