Becoming a Scott

Chapter 19

Christina held her head in her hands and let out a sigh, when was the torture ever going to end? Maybe waiting in the lobby would've been a better choice.

"And, of course, I told her that a woman should choose a partner who has good genes. Do you imagine me being uncle to a whole litter of baby Anders running around?" Irvin lounged in his seat, completely engulfed in his own thoughts. "I would have rather spit on my grandmother's grave and chop off my right leg!"

"Then why don't you," Christina said under her breath.

"But she was so insistent that he was the love of her life and that he could provide everything I would expect her future husband to have." He shook his head, the memory of it sending him into a renewed frenzy. "I was so foolish to think my sister was wise enough to look past physical attraction. Perfectly well behaved men are constantly tossed aside when women only seem to prioritize appearances."

Christina hated to think if he was so honest with her when she was still a relative stranger then how the hell did he act around his friends. No wonder Vanessa went abroad, she thought to herself.

"Same goes for William and Michael, the two of them are so used to getting attention from women that they fail to build the necessary skills required of an actual man."

"It's been an hour," Christina spoke in a louder tone so that Irvin was less likely of speaking over her. "Isn't a little odd that Ander hasn't shown up yet?"

"Not in the least," Irvin spat out before frowning. "Why is it your interested in his arrival?"

"Cause I'm supposed to be meeting him too."

He made a face, as if she had just suddenly slapped him, and for the first time since this whole thing began, Irvin kept quiet. Christina let out a sigh and sat back, trying to enjoy the silence before it would inevitably be ripped away once Irvin unscrambled his thoughts.

"Is it a matter of business?" He asked.

"I suppose it is,"

"Well, it can't possibly be for pleasure. After everything I've told you about him you wouldn't possibly want to attract him to you."

"Irvin, at no point, ever, have I been trying to attract Ander. And if there's anything I need to say, it's that."

He wrinkled his forehead and kept that look of disgust cemented on his features. "Somehow, I don't believe you. To think, I try to save women who I think are worth more and they all turn away from my advice."

"Maybe there's a reason for that."

"What do you mean to say, Christina? If there is another meaning to your words please enlighten me?"

Christina felt like weeping, clearly she had just managed to burn another bridge socially. One part of her was happy that she had, but the other part of her knew that this would bite her in the ass.

She stood up from her seat, "Listen, Irvin, the world has not and has never been a struggle of good versus evil between you and Ander! He is a regular man as are you! If a woman ignores you it's not that she's in love with him and if she follows your advice it's not that she can see past his schemes. Stop aggrandizing him and worry about why it's such a struggle for you to beckon a woman to her knees!"

Irvin didn't give her a moment to watch his reaction, he got up with the speed of man who's seat was lit on fire, and ran off into the clubhouse.

"Fucking asshole," she sighed before calling the waiter over. "Can I just get something that'll make me feel as if I'm not ruining my life?"

"Sure thing," the waiter grinned, "I was wondering when you were going to tell him to shut up."

"I don't know that I should've done it anyway." Christina commented with a frown before the waiter left her alone on the patio. The country club members sitting on the tables beside her were still glaring, curious but offended by her yelling.

"So..." a voice spoke up in a tone of intrigue, "how did it go?"

Christina twisted in her seat, her neck almost snapping at the force. "Why are you so late? Do you have any idea what I had to suffer."

Ander wondered into the seat Irvin had been using and gave a wide smile causing the dimples to form on his cheeks. "Oh, I know what you just suffered through, in fact, I heard it."

She fell forward, thumping her head against the table. "So you ask me to come here, show up, and then wait for me to tell Irvin he's an idiot, before finally talking to me."

"Yep,"

"Is this some kind of punishment for something I did? Did I do something wrong that made you think this was what I deserved?" Ander pressed his lips into a thin line and shook his head. "So, you just hate me? Is that where we're at?"

He sighed, "As much as you would love to assume that I dislike you to the same degree that you dislike me, it's not true. But the truth behind my actions isn't going to sound any better to you."

The waiter came by and planted a glass on the table. "A rum and coke is my go to," they explained before leaving. Christina snatched the drink without another thought on the matter, "Go on," she spoke to Ander.

"I thought you needed a little bit of perspective on the reality of your situation."

"Oh," she answered with a frightening tone, "I needed perspective?"

He frowned in exaggeration, "I get that you understand the weight of this problem your grandmother has subjected you too. But, Christina, you can't just marry any guy that agrees to this scheme."

"Did Irvin agree to this scheme? Cause if he did, I'll beg him to come back right now. You don't even have to tell me twice."

Ander rolled his eyes, "See?"

"Ander," she sat up in her seat. "I will marry Irvin if it means I get what I want."

"So, for a stake in your grandmother's will you'll spend the rest of your life with a self-indulgent, ignorant child?"

Christina leveled her eyes at him, "As if your any different."

"Oh shove it up your ass, Christina." He shouted and looked away from her.

She reeled her head back and before she could properly swallow her drink found herself half spitting it out and half choking on it. She would love to claim that the reaction was prompted by anger but the truth was that she was laughing.