Wouldn't You Like to Know?

Two:

Two

"Why are you buying this book again?" Eloise asked.

Whenever Colin was back home in New York, he tried to do something with all of his siblings. Eloise was always hardest to get since she was a journalist and usually traveling for a story, or working on her podcast. "It was Marina's favorite. I'm hoping that she'll see this as a gesture, and take me back."

The two of them were sitting in a coffee shop somewhere in Brooklyn. Eloise had moved there after graduating from Columbia. She could have easily saved money and stayed at home with their mother in their Upper East Side penthouse, but Eloise liked her freedom. This way, she wasn't constantly being hounded by her mother to help with Violet Bridgerton's YouTube channel.

Or about getting married.

Eloise tilted her head to the side. "You know she's not worth it, right? She was cheating on you the whole time. She lied about who she was. She was using you for publicity."

Colin glared at his younger sister. "You don't know anything."

Eloise laughed. "I'm a journalist. I know everything. I've heard things I keep from you because I care for you. Anyway, this whole hitting a photographer thing hasn't done your career any favors. How long has it been since you booked something?'

Colin took a sip of his coffee. That was something he both loved and hated about Eloise. She was brutally honest and kept him in check, even when he didn't want to be. "Almost a year. But that's why I started the production company."

"Right," said Eloise, "and Wallflowers is supposed to be your first film?"

Collin nodded. "I don't know. There was something about it I related to."

Eloise snorted. "Of course you did. It probably feels familiar."

Colin furrowed his brows together. "What makes you say that?"

Eloise gave him a knowing look. "Playing the fool does not look good on you, brother. This was you and Penelope all through high school."

Colin scoffed. "Penelope Featherington? Your little friend that always followed me around like a puppy dog? No, that wasn't us."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, it was. You liked her but you cared more about fitting in. Probably for the best, anyway. Considering the snake in the grass that she turned out to be."

Colin raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Eloise took a sip of her coffee. "You remember that little gossip Instagram that was always posting about us and everyone else at our school?"

Colin rolled his eyes. "How could I forget? It followed our every move."

"We could never figure out who did it. Well, I did. It was Penelope Featherington. That's why we stopped being friends."

He stared at her, unblinking. "Penelope Featherington? The---the curvy redhead that was always so quiet? She was that Whistledown Blast creator?"

Eloise nodded. "I had to use her phone for something one day and she left her account open. I called her out on it and that's when we stopped being friends. Of course, her father also stole money from our mother's business, but that wasn't about her. Still, it hurt to realize the girl I thought was my friend had brought my family so much grief. She's the reason Daphne didn't get married to the prince."

Colin snorted. "Oh, please. Daphne was in love with Simon Basset for years. Her and Prince Freddie were never going to make it after they graduated. Whistledown Blast breaking the story of the two of them being in love with each other was the best thing that ever happened to Daphne. She's in love, and happy, and don't forget our adorable nephew, Augie."

Eloise smiled. "Yes, Augie is adorable. But I think Daphne and Simon both would have preferred it happened without someone posting all of their secret texts online."

"Alright, I understand that. But...I don't know that whole thing seems so unlike Pen."

Eloise shook her head. "She's a snake in the grass, brother. Quiet doesn't always mean innocent. Sometimes it means people are watching very, very carefully."

Colin laughed. "Tell me how you really feel, El."

Eloise rolled her eyes. "Anyway, that's why you relate to Wallflowers. Maybe instead of focusing on trying to get Marina back, you should look up Pen."

Colin frowned. "I thought you were telling me not to trust her."

Eloise shrugged. "You're an adult, aren't you? You can do what you want. Anyway, my history with Pen shouldn't interfere with yours."

Colin raised an eyebrow. "Is this about you and Theo?"

She took another sip of her coffee. "This is about friendship and trusting the wrong people. Anyway, do what you want Colin. But be careful."

Colin chuckled. "Always a pleasure seeing you again, El."

Eloise winked at him then stood to leave. "I've got to go. I've got a meeting with my editor. But I'll see you this Sunday at dinner, yeah?"

"Course." Colin stood up and hugged his sister. The two of them parted ways, and Colin took out his phone to look up Penelope. Strangely, her old social media hadn't been updated since she had been in college. Still, he took a shot, and sent her a DM anyway.