The Consequence of Falling: New York Times Bestselling Author Read online

  “What are you going to do now that you’re graduating?”

  “Go to college.” I snuck a glance in his direction. “Duh.”

  The side of his mouth twitched and I decided I’d pay good money to see his full smile. “What college? What are you going to study?”

  “Business,” I said slowly, wondering if there was a catch to him being nice to me. “NYU, actually. Dad said that’s where you are now, but if we run into each other there you can just pretend you don’t know me.”

  He chuckled, a deep sound that made my pulse kick. “Not a problem, princess. I wouldn’t be caught dead hanging around with a lowly freshman anyway.”

  “I’m surprised you have anyone to hang out with at all.” I glanced at him at the same time that he looked at me, and our eyes locked. For a second, as I looked into his eyes, I forgot what I was going to say. I blinked away when I remembered who he was and why he was even here to begin with. I cleared my throat and added, “Don’t call me princess.”

  “Is your boyfriend also going to NYU?”

  “Columbia.”

  “Fancy.”

  “Not really.” I made a face.

  Most of our classmates were going to Ivy League. I had a really bad junior year, so I had no chance at that. My senior year hadn’t been any better, if I’m honest, which I wouldn’t be with Nathaniel. He didn’t need to know that I’d been skipping school and had let myself go from potential valedictorian to “only had a chance at a public university because her dad was a major donor there” status.

  “Are you planning on working for your dad at some point?”

  “I guess that’s what I’m supposed to do.”

  He pulled up to the curb outside of my dad’s building and looked at me as he set the gear in park, leaving the car running. I met his gaze only because I was confused why he wasn’t turning it off, and found him staring at me. If I wasn’t in such an awful mood all the time I knew I would have appreciated this guy paying attention to me, employee or not, but I was in a mood all the time, therefore, I snapped.

  “What?”

  “What do you want to do with your life?”

  I opened my mouth and closed it, frowning. No one had ever asked me that before. Not even the school college counselor had asked me that. Everyone assumed I’d take over my dad’s business. It wasn’t like I could explain to people that I wanted nothing to do with the brewery. Because of White Oak Brewery, I’d been afforded an incredible life. People would think I was a complete idiot if I didn’t take over one day. It’d been my grandfather’s, handed down to my father, and it was assumed it would be handed down to me. Even Dad didn’t ask me whether or not I wanted to be part of it, because he knew I felt like I had no choice and he liked it that way.

  I always tried to tell myself that if he owned something cooler, I’d be okay with working there for the rest of my life, but beer? I hated beer. I’d never say those words aloud, but I hated it. If I had a choice, I’d do something a little more meaningful with my life. I’d said that to my mother once and she’d assured me I could do both. I knew I could, but I really didn’t want to be stuck with the brewery.

  “Presley?” Nathaniel’s voice brought me back to the moment.

  “I want to work for my father. It’s what I’m supposed to do.” I smiled. I’d never smiled at him before, so I knew he’d be surprised. It didn’t matter that my smile was fake.

  It was the only one I had to offer. No one cared it wasn’t genuine, because no one looked closely enough to know the truth. Why bother?

  Three

  Three years later

  “You know that whole hoes before bros rule only works if there are bros to brush off in the picture,” Jamie said from the bathroom.

  “Please,” I scoffed as I applied my makeup. “You’re the one in the relationship. I’ve been brushing them off like it’s my job.”

  Jamie laughed. We were getting dressed for a Halloween party. We were both going as pink ladies—the bad-girl versions—with skin-tight black jeans, black bodysuits, and killer heels. I had a feeling my mother, who was a huge fan of Grease, would be proud. If I were on speaking terms with her right now, I’d send a picture. Not that she’d receive the picture given she was sailing around the world with her new boyfriend. I felt my excitement dwindle as I thought of her. I set my makeup brush down and walked to the kitchen, picking up one of the orange and green Jell-O shots we’d made for the occasion. After two years of partying hard, Jamie and I had decided that this year we’d tone it down and be good girls, the kind who focused on school. So far, we’d succeeded, but tonight was looking a little bit like the former years.

  “Jamie, did you already take a shot?” I counted the little cups. There had been fifteen and we were down to ten. “Or five?”

  She laughed, walking toward me. “I couldn’t taste the alcohol in the first two.”

  “So you took three more to make sure?” I raised an eyebrow and turned to her. She shrugged, plucking another one from the counter and squishing it into her mouth.

  “Tonight’s about having fun.”

  I lifted a little cup in the air. “To having fun.”

  * * *

  Two hours later, we were in the Meatpacking District with Jamie’s boyfriend and a few of his friends and their girlfriends. I would’ve felt like the sixth wheel had it not been for Adam, whom I’d just met and who had kept me laughing the entire time. He definitely seemed like the kind of guy I could settle down with. A nice, good-looking man with big aspirations.

  “Why in the world would you want to become a politician?” I asked. It was the only downfall I could see affecting this potential thing between us.

  Adam shrugged, smiling. “I want to change the world.”

  “I’ve known a lot of politicians,” I said. “My father included, though he only did it for a short time, and the only thing it changes is your morals.”

  “I’m up for the challenge.”

  The way he said it, with a warm gleam in his eyes, made me feel like maybe he’d be the one to survive politics. Maybe he’d be the one to change the world. Who knew? When he smiled at me, I felt like genuinely smiling back.

  “I guess I’ll be on the lookout. Maybe I’ll vote for you if you get on a ballot. If I feel you’re a good fit, of course.”

  “Maybe I should take you out and prove I’m the perfect fit.” His eyes twinkled as he said that, and I smiled wider.

  “Maybe you should.”

  Two of the guys and their girlfriends stood up and one walked over and clapped Adam on the shoulder. “We should head out.”

  Adam nodded and looked at me. “You should give me your number so we can set something up next weekend.”

  I tapped my number into his phone and waved goodbye as Jamie saddled up in the seat beside me.

  “Well, well, well,” she said.

  I rolled my eyes. “Don’t start.”

  “I won’t.” She laughed. “I knew you guys would get along though. He’s one of the good ones.” She turned to her boyfriend, Mark. “Right?”

  Mark nodded, taking a sip of his beer. “He’s the only guy I’d trust to date my sister.”

  “Did he?” I asked. “Date your sister?”

  “No.” Mark laughed. “I just meant, he’s that good.”

  “Well, I don’t even know if he’ll call or if we’ll go on a date and if we do, if we’ll hit it off.” I shrugged, sliding my drink toward me. “I’m going to take it one day at a time.”

  “He’ll call,” Mark said.

  “And you’ve already hit it off,” Jamie added, raising an eyebrow.

  We were sitting near the bathroom, but had a clear view of the front door, which I was still looking at since Adam left. When it opened again and a new wave of guys came inside, my stomach clenched the way it always did when I say him. Nathaniel. It was built-in annoyance, at least, that’s what I told myself I’d seen him around campus and at parties for the last two years. He’d graduated with his
degree my freshman year, but he’d been working on his master’s, something I knew my father was proud of and also paying half of. Dad saw Nathaniel as an investment, as someone he could groom into a shrewd and successful businessman. Dad didn’t seem to see his tattoos and bad-boy image, although if he did, he didn’t mind it.

  “Holy cow. He looks so fucking good with that haircut,” Jamie commented.

  I blinked away from Nathaniel and looked at her. “Who?”

  “You know who.” She shot me a look. “I don’t know why you insist on being so mean to him.”

  “First of all, he’s mean to me first and then I can’t seem to help myself. I fire back.”

  “He likes you. It’s classic boy-likes-girl, therefore boy is mean to girl elementary shit.”

  “No.” I glanced over at Nathaniel again.

  He seemed to command the room everywhere he went. He wasn’t even the best-looking guy in his group of friends, but that didn’t matter. His arrogance and the way he carried himself spoke for itself. He was the epitome of “fake it till you make it” and he’d definitely made it all right. He’d made it and earned all the love from my father that I only hoped one day could be for me. Maybe when I started answering his phone calls and visiting him. I lifted my drink and took a big gulp, hoping to wash away the guilt I felt seeping into me.

  “I can’t believe you don’t see it,” Jamie said. “I bet you if you made a move on him, he’d break down and tell you he’s in love with you.”

  I scoffed. “He’s too full of himself to be in love with anyone other than himself.”

  As if hearing my words, which was impossible given the loud music playing in the restaurant-slash bar, he looked up and saw me. As our eyes locked, I felt my heart pound harder. He lifted his glass to me, and I did the same in a faraway cheer before taking a sip and tearing my eyes from his. By the time the restaurant shut down and the DJ got louder, more friends had joined us, and I was too busy talking to Danika about her Russian upbringing to look for Nathaniel again, though there was no use in lying. I definitely wondered if he was still here. Jamie’s words had really struck me. Never in a million years would I ever have considered he was attracted to me. He wasn’t. The last time we’d crossed paths, he’d called me an over-privileged brat, and his opinion probably hasn’t wavered since then.

  I set down my second drink and decided to not have another. Between the Jell-O shots and these drinks, I’d definitely met my quota for the night. I wasn’t normally a lightweight, and even if I was, that was something I’d never admit aloud. My father owned a beer company, for goodness’ sake. I couldn’t be a lightweight, and yet I knew my limits.

  “Let’s dance,” Jamie shouted over the music.

  Danika stopped talking, mid-sentence. I shot her an apologetic look. “You can keep talking later. I definitely want to hear more about the church seating arrangement though.”

  She smiled. Jamie tugged my hand and pulled me out to the dance floor. “Oh my God, that girl doesn’t shut up.”

  “Jamie.” My mouth fell open. “We’re supposed to be showing them the ropes. She’s your Little, isn’t she?”

  “She is but that doesn’t change the fact that she won’t stop talking.” She moved, swinging her hips side to side. We’d taken it upon ourselves to be Big Sisters in our sorority this year and that was the price we paid. “We can switch. You can have her and I’ll take Morgan.”

  “No way. I love Morgan.” I laughed. “Where’s Mark anyway?”

  “Getting me another drink.”

  “Where’s—” I looked around. Jamie grabbed my arm.

  “Stop worrying and start moving.”

  I did as I was told, letting the music drown out my thoughts and worries. I’d think about my unfinished macroeconomics paper tomorrow. Mark came back with Jamie’s drink, which she offered me and I turned down. As they started dancing together, I backed away a little and danced with the guy behind me, then another. Somehow, moving around had led me to right beside Nathaniel. We looked at each other at the same time, and he stopped talking to his friend, mid-sentence. His eyes ran down my body and back up slowly, and he smiled when he caught my gaze again.

  “Grease?” he asked. I nodded, blushing, grateful it was dark in here. “It looks good on you.”

  My brows shot up. “You’re saying something nice to me?”

  “Oh, come on.” He chuckled. “I’m not that bad.”

  “You are, actually.”

  He reached out and pulled me toward him. I felt every single nerve ending explode inside me. What was he doing?

  “Have you spoken to your father lately?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? That’s what you want to talk about?”

  “He’s worried about you,” he said. “I told him I’d check up on you but I didn’t want to be . . . creepy about it.”

  “Creepy meaning what?”

  “Showing up at your apartment at midnight.”

  “Is that why you’re here? Because you knew I would be?”

  “No.” He frowned. “Ryan dragged me here.”

  “Right, you don’t do the party scene.”

  “I have too much to prove,” he said. “I don’t have time for the party scene.”

  “Some would say you’re wasting the best years of your life working. Do you even date?”

  “You’re worried about my love life, princess?”

  “Just asking a question.” I groaned. This was why we didn’t get along.

  “Well, don’t you worry about me. I definitely date.”

  “Hey, we’re going to head to Erica’s party. Do you still want to skip that one and go home? We can drop you off on the way if you—” Danika stopped talking when she saw that I was standing with a guy, or maybe it was the guy I was standing with that made her words catch. Either way, her clear green eyes looked about ready to bulge out of their sockets.

  “I’m good. I’ll take a cab home from here.” I smiled.

  Danika nodded, still looking at Nathaniel. I rolled my eyes and moved to block her from continuing to make a fool out of herself. Nathaniel looked perplexed and amused by this.

  “You don’t like your friends looking at me?”

  “I don’t like my friends making a fool out of themselves,” I said. “And there’s not much to look at.”

  His mouth twitched. “Is that why you were staring at me when I got here?”

  He hadn’t even looked at me when he got here, because he was right, I had been staring, so how he knew that was a mystery to me. I wasn’t going to admit that though, so I shrugged it off.

  “I was just trying to figure out the easiest way to get out of here without having to talk to you.”

  “Yet here you are.” His barely there smile turned into a full-on smile that made him look stupid handsome.

  I wanted to slap myself for thinking that. It was the alcohol, I told myself, not that I was drunk, but it had to be the effects of alcohol in my brain. That was it.

  “Do you like me?” I blurted out. Definitely the alcohol.

  His expression turned serious. “What?”

  “Do you like me, like do you think I’m attractive and like me, like me?”

  “I’ve never thought about that before.”

  “Ever?” There was a hint of disbelief in my voice because I truly couldn’t believe that he’d never thought about whether or not he found me attractive. I was attractive.

  “Not once.”

  My eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you.”

  “You think real highly of yourself, princess.” He laughed.

  “Don’t call me that.”

  “Then stop acting like a brat who needs to get her way even in this.”

  “I’m not, I’m just asking a question.”

  “Which I answered. Twice.” He raised his glass to his lips and took a sip, his eyes never leaving mine. He brought it back down slowly, still watching me. “It’s not my fault that you don’t believe that someone in this wor
ld wouldn’t find you attractive.”

  “Whatever.” I turned away from him and started walking toward the door.

  I wasn’t going to continue to make a fool of myself in front of him. If he didn’t like me, he didn’t like me. It stung, but what could I do? I sighed, taking my phone out to text Jamie. Maybe I should go to that party, after all. After I sent the message, I brought it down and started to wave for a cab. How could he not find me attractive at all? God, I was starting to sound like a narcissistic idiot, which was probably why he didn’t like me in the first place. How could I be stupid enough to believe that there was a chance he did? The guy called me a princess and a brat every chance he got.

  “Need a ride?”

  His voice startled me. I glanced at him briefly. “Nope, I’m good.”

  “I’m heading out anyway. You might as well let me take you.”

  I looked at him again. “Did my dad let you keep one of his cars? Is that what you’re driving?” Now I was really being a brat, but I really didn’t care.

  “No, actually, I turned him down on the car note.”

  Of course. I rolled my eyes. It didn’t surprise me in the least that my dad would offer to buy Nathaniel a car. Even with Mom’s ridiculous alimony payment, Dad had money he didn’t know what to do with. He wasn’t flashy or anything, but he definitely liked to make sure his people were living comfortably, and no one was more his person than Nathaniel.

  “Come on. Let me take you home, princess.”

  The way he said those words made my face burn. Let me take you home, princess. He made it sound like an explicit promise. I shivered, because of the wind, not the words. I brought a hand up again to hail the next cab, but not fast enough. He drove by with no means to slow down.