As soon as I walked in, I saw Cody fixing
Britney’s hair.
He saw me, glanced at the gift box in my
hands, and smirked.
“Britney, you’re really trying hard to marry me,
huh? Buying some overpriced vase just to suck
up to my grandpa.
“Don’t think just because Grandpa likes you,
you’ve got this in the bag. I still gotta want
you.”
I looked at Cody, ice in my veins, and answered
flatly, “Grandpa and I both love this antique
piece. I respect Grandpa, so I got him a gift.
Don’t flatter yourself.‘
He scoffed, “You’ve been drooling over me for
ten years. No one’s gonna believe that crap.”
Britney, who was clearly having a thing with
Cody, looked at me with those big, sad eyes.
“Sis, don’t pressure Cody. No matter where
Cody’s heart is, he’ll marry you for the good of
the family.”
I rolled my eyes.
I just walked straight into the living room and
gave Grandpa Stern the gift.
He was thrilled, which only made him like me
even more.
“Britney graduates this year, time for her to get
hitched. Tell Grandpa, which one of these
boneheads caught your eye?”
The whole room went silent.
Everyone knew Grandpa Stern adored me, even
more than his own grandkids.
He made it clear early on: I was his dream
granddaughter–in–law, and whichever of his
grandsons married me would take over the
Stern dynasty.
Everyone was staring, waiting for my answer.
Cody, though, just looked smug and
unbothered.
I ignored him, smiling sweetly. “Grandpa, can
we talk about this after graduation? It’s only a
few more days.”
99
He looked surprised, studied me for a moment,
then nodded thoughtfully.
Cody’s mom, Meredith, chimed in with a fake-
sweet voice.
“Britney’s a girl, of course she’s shy.
“A smart girl like Britney is obviously going to
pick the most successful guy.”
What she meant was obvious: to everyone
there, Zack, who used a wheelchair, was a total
dud, even though he was smart and talented, it
just didn’t matter to her.
