Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Ah, hence why you suggested placing the blame on me,” Melanie replies, her voice flat.
“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to—”
“No, you’re absolutely right,” she cuts me off, then gives Callie a warm smile. “It seems like the perfect way to prevent a disaster. Bryan gets to propose the way he intended, and I get to watch my little sister say yes to the man of her dreams. Everybody wins.”
I don’t know whether I like or hate her. Rarely do I find myself so conflicted about someone, but maybe it’s because I already know that Bryan isn’t Melanie’s biggest fan, and I tend to trust my brother’s judgment, in general. At the same time, this is still Callie’s sister. And no one is perfect, at the end of the day. Some benefit of the doubt wouldn’t hurt.
“When did you get in?” I ask as we all sit down together.
“Just a few hours ago,” Melanie says. “You wouldn’t believe how difficult it was to get away. There’s so much work to be done at my office, now that I’ve made junior partner.”
“Mel is a corporate attorney,” Callie explains.
Melanie seems to be the whole package—brains and beauty. “That is beyond impressive,” I say. “It takes a certain degree of ambition to make it up the corporate law ladder, right?”
“I usually get what I want,” she says, and something in her tone unsettles me. “How about you, Makayla?”
“Me? I was a junior account executive at a boutique marketing firm until recently, but now I’m looking for something different.”
“I’m not surprised. Marketing can be brutal—not everyone’s cut out for it. I’m sure you’ll find something you love eventually,” she says. The condescension grates.
Callie is too worried about how she’ll explain this to Bryan to notice, but that’s alright. I can hold my own, though I’m not sure what Melanie’s beef is with me. Maybe it’s with everyone she meets. Maybe this, right here, is why my brother doesn’t like her.
“I’ve already got a project in development,” I tell Melanie with a confident smile. “On another note, we’re going to hit the slopes again tomorrow. Will you be joining us? Have you ever been skiing?” I ask diplomatically.
“Of course,” she replies, laughing at my naivete. “The first time I went on a slope was in middle school. Our parents took us out of school so that we could go on a week-long vacation in Aspen.”
“That’s cool,” I mutter, thinking of my own humble attempt at the ski slope just that afternoon. “Well, I’ve yet to master the skis but I think we’re getting there. Hopefully, my ass will take fewer fails tomorrow,” I add with a light laugh.
“It’s a great workout if you’re looking to slim down a bit,” Melanie says, her meaning clear.
I ignore the jab and give Callie a reassuring smile. My brother is marrying into her family which means that Melanie and I are bound to cross paths again. It shouldn’t lead to anything unpleasant or adversarial.
“Here, you should try this wine,” I say and pour a glass for Melanie.
“Kay here is somewhat of a sommelier,” Callie adds.
Her sister gives me a slight nod and swirls the ruby red liquid around in its glass before taking a sip. “Not bad. I’ve had better, but I’ve never been crazy about Cabernet.”
“Oh, really?” I ask. “What are you into?”
“Bordeaux is more my style.”
“Equally distinguished, not as heavy on the palate. Yes, I get it,” I reply.
A stir behind me draws my attention; the three Anderson men and Bryan stride toward us. My heart melts. All the anxiety over dealing with Melanie gets washed away, though I’m not sure that tonight will go as smoothly as any of us might’ve hoped. Especially Bryan, whose facial expression already speaks volumes.
“Uh-oh,” Callie mumbles. “Here they come…”
“Makayla was right,” Melanie whispers. “Just blame me. I decided to pop in and see what the fuss is about this Swedish resort. Plain and simple.”
“Okay…”
But then Melanie’s lips curl into a slow, sultry smile, like a cat eyeing a canary. A chill slides through me—darkness lurks beneath her polish, layers I may regret uncovering.
“Melanie!” Bryan exclaims, clearly not excited to see her but working hard to be pleasantly surprised. “I certainly didn’t expect to see you here!”
My gaze flicks between them, and I notice the Anderson brothers have gone pale. They mask their emotions well, but I’m no stranger to their body language. Bryan isn’t the only one who dislikes Melanie. But they keep quiet.
“Honey, I had no idea,” Callie chimes in with an apologetic smile.
Melanie waves a manicured hand. “Callie kept going on about how wonderful this place is, I figured I had a week off, anyway. Might as well visit Sweden and see for myself. Bryan, I do hope you won’t mind. Of course, I’ll stay out of your way, if that’s what you want.”