All of them burst into laughter and I look at the dress on the hanger.
“The dress isn't that bad.” It’s actually kind of pretty, even if it’s not my style. It’s bright yellow and fits me tight, with the hem just above my knees. I have a pair of flats that should match it well enough because heels are out of the question.
“We nicknamed him Thanos,” Blair says through laughter.
“Oh.” I wiggle into the dress because I have to leave soon. Not only is this place fancy, but it’s going to cost me a cab ride across town. “What was Thanos’s real name?” I ask when they finally get their laughter under control.
“Dash something,” Cherry says, rolling her eyes again.
No. That can’t be right. The name Dash is not common unless you’re a reindeer, but this is a big city and I could be totally wrong.
“Belmont. Dash Belmont,” Harlow supplies the rest of his name and my stomach feels funny.
I didn’t think my dating track record could get worse, but it turns out it can. I’ve somehow made a date with the guy they’ve all said was a nightmare. It's too late to cancel, isn't it? I can’t stand him up because I know exactly how horrible that feels.
“Oh no,” Cherry whispers, looking at my face. “It’s him, isn't it?”
“Maybe?” I admit, and just after a brief pause they burst into laughter all over again. “None of you are helpful.” I sit down at my vanity to get my hair under control but then stop because what does it matter? This date is going to suck no matter what, so I go back to my closet and change.
“You’re not going?” Harlow pops up from my bed as I put on a clean pair of yoga pants.
“You should go and make his night hell,” Cherry suggests with a devious look.
“She doesn't have a mean bone in her body,” Blair reminds everyone, and I know she’s right. If I did I would have told my stepmom and sister to shove it up their asses long ago. “But this could be practice for you.”
“And a free dinner,” I point out. I’ve been thinking about this steak all night.
“You have to make it to dinner first. I walked out before we could order. That’s how big of an asshole he was.” Harlow shakes her head. That’s shocking because men fall all over her.
“I made it to dinner.” Blair holds up her finger. “Then he suggested we split the bill.”
“How did you make it to dinner with him?” Cherry gawks at her.
“He played on his phone the whole time. It’s harder to be a dick when you’re doing something else.”
“Did you split the bill with him?” I’m suddenly nervous because I’m already paying for a cab. I was hoping for a free dinner, which might be wrong, but I’m on a budget here.
“I walked out so it didn't matter.”
Okay, I can do that. If he’s really rude I’ll eat and then do the whole bathroom escape. I grab a knitted sweater and pull it over my head before I put on my favorite flats.
“Save me some pizza.” I grab my purse. “I bet I can get him to walk out on me.” They all hoot catcalls at me as I head out the door. When I hop in the taxi, I start googling insults. I figure it’s better to be prepared.
Chapter Two
Dash
“Why am I doing this?” I say more to myself than to Geoff as I lower my head on my desk.
“Because your mother is desperate for a grandchild, and you need an heir to keep the family business, or otherwise it goes to your loser cousin who is exactly one week older than you and completely unqualified.”
I look up from my desk to glare at my personal assistant. He’s been with me over ten years and he knows what he can and can't get away with. He beams at me like he’s enjoying my pain—and he just might be.
“Your great-grandfather did a number on the family fortune when he made it so the company could only be left to the oldest son as long as they had an heir by the time they were thirty.” Geoff shakes his head and blows out a breath. “And to think your father and grandfather thought this was a good idea…it’s just archaic.”
“Tell me about it,” I groan.
“Well, they did make the family fortune off breeding and racing horses, so I’m not sure they’re on moral high ground to begin with.” He shrugs as he walks to the other side of my office while scanning his tablet. “You’ve got reservations in half an hour, so I’m going to let the driver know you’ll be downstairs in ten.”
I know that all those zeros in my trust fund weren’t obtained by exactly desirable means, but since I’ve taken control, I’ve built my family's company into something we can be proud of.
My father passed away last year and that’s when my cousin Josh started putting pressure on the family trust. He knows that if I don’t have an heir by my thirtieth birthday, he gets to take over. It’s a bullshit rule my dad always joked about, and he said he would take it out.
Little did we know he would drop dead of a heart attack, leaving behind my mother and that stupid rule. My cousin, who is married with two kids already with one on the way, made it clear that he was counting down the days until he could take control of Belmont. He also knows that the head of Belmont receives a sizable trust on their thirtieth birthday and I
