Chapter Eighteen

Amelia's POV

"Well," Jeremy said. "That was interesting."

"Of course you think so," I replied with a groan, burying my face in my hands. "You're not the one who's about to get disowned."

"Yeah, that sucks," he said, sounding quite unbothered about it. "But don't worry, they're not going to disown you."

I perked up at that.

"Really?" I said, looking up hopefully. "She was just bluffing, right? She didn't mean it, right?"

"Oh, she totally did, actually," he replied without an ounce of sympathy.

My mouth popped open.

"What the—"

"I was just saying that you'll find a way to make it happen," he added.

"Make what happen?" I asked.

"Make Julian Lake fall for you," he replied calmly. "Aren't you Isabella Domitia?"

Again, I got that strange feeling. Like he was testing me. Like he could see through my pretence somehow.

'But that's impossible,' I reminded myself. 'There is no way he knows.'

Still, remaining in such an enclosed space, with his probing eyes on me, was making me uneasy. I opened the door and got out, heading into the house. I was hoping to avoid him, but he caught up pretty easily.

"Come on, Sis," he said. "It was nice while you weren't being cold to me."

"And it was nice when you weren't bugging my room," I retorted, refusing to look at him. "Or picking fights with my ex boyfriends in public. What did you do that for, anyway?"

"He called you a whore," Jeremy replied, like it should be obvious.

And it would have been, if he had been a different type of brother. But he wasn't the type of brother that defended his sister when she was being humiliated. He was the type that bugged her room and spied on her conversations.

"Hah," I said. "I'm not buying it."

"That's sad," he replied flatly.

"What's sad is that I leave for a few days and return to find my room bugged by my younger brother," I replied, turning to face him. "Care to explain what you did that for?"

His only response was a mysterious smile. Of course. I rolled my eyes and headed upstairs.

"Good night, Isabella," he called after me.

I ignored him.

I had more important things to do than deal with his weirdness, anyway. Like figuring out what to do about Julian Lake.

Since I had blown my chance of meeting him at the party, I had to find some other way to do that.

'I really don't want to be disowned,' I thought.

My eyes fell on his jacket from the bar, draped over the back of a chair. I got it back from the drycleaners' this morning. As I stared at it, an idea began to take shape in my mind.

Julian Lake didn't recognize me, and he didn't seem like the sort of guy to pick calls from people he wasn't familiar with. But since I still had his jacket, I could use it to arrange a meeting with him.

Fortunately, he had given me his number at the bar. I took out my phone, but before I could call him, Mandy called me.

"Hey, Mandy," I said.

"Hi, Bella," she replied, cheerful as usual. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Perfect. So… I was just calling to know what's up. With the party."

"With the…" I stuttered, then my heart skipped a beat. "Oh my gosh, the party!"

"Don't tell me you forgot," she said.

"Of course I didn't," I replied.

I totally had.

"It's just…" I added, "that there's a problem."

"What is it? Is everything okay?" she asked, sounding concerned.

'Nope,' I thought, sighing silently.

"Of course!" I replied brightly. "Everything is fine. I just need money, and I was wondering if you could lend me some."

"You… need money?"

"Yeah! I don't know if you've heard yet, but something embarrassing happened while I was out at this birthday party with my parents, and now they've blocked my credit card!" I said, lying through my teeth.

At this point, I didn't care if Jeremy heard me saying that. A girl has got to do what she's got to do.

"Oh my god, that's terrible!" she exclaimed. "Another one of your exes?"

"Yup!" I said. "And Jeremy got into a fight with him and caused a scene. My parents are hopping mad right now."

"Gosh, I feel for you, girl," she replied. "Alright, I'll send you the money right away. How much do you need?"

I rattled off a sum I never could have dreamt of having when I was still living downtown, and Mandy sent it immediately.

"Whew," I muttered as I got off the call.

Now all that was left was to call Julian Lake and arrange that meeting.

'You have got this, Amelia,' I thought. 'You are going to turn this messy situation around.'

This story was going to end with Julian Lake's wedding ring on my finger.

……

"A party is all fine and good," Jackie said, lifting a glass of wine to her lips, "but you're not still going after Julian Lake, are you?"

"Nope," I replied with a straight face, "not anymore."

I had, of course, practiced this straight face in front the mirror last night before bed. I knew this question was going to come up.

"Good," Jackie replied.

I didn't want to keep looking at her face, so I turned to Ray instead.

"We're okay now, right?" I said.

She was watching me carefully, and didn't respond for a while.

"You really don't have your eyes on Julian Lake anymore?" she asked.

"I just said so," I replied.

"You're serious?" she prodded.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I replied. "Have I ever lied to you before?"

"Yes," she replied flatly. "Tons of times."

I blinked in the ensuing silence.

'Damn you, Isabella,' I thought.

"Girl," I said, placing one hand dramatically on my chest, "I am not even going to let myself breathe the same air as Julian Lake."