felt. I wonder if there’s another card sandwiched between this one and that’s how Brooke manages to charge half the store and not be turned away. I leave and buy a few more things, trembling at the cost of them, and am frankly relieved when Durand shows up to take us back to the Royal Castle.
On the drive home, Brooke chatters my ear off and offers tips about how to pair up some of my purchases to create the perfect designer “ensemble.” Some of her suggestions make me giggle, and I’m startled to realize I didn’t have such a bad time with Brooke today. Her enthusiasm is a bit much, sure, and she’s kind of over the top, but maybe I was being unfair when I questioned Callum’s taste in women. If anything, Brooke is at least entertaining.
“Thanks for the ride, Durand,” I say when we pull up to the front door of the mansion. He stops the car here instead of driving around to the side like he did yesterday when we arrived from Kirkwood.
Durand helps Brooke out of the car and up the stairs. I trail behind like the extra that Savannah referred to Brooke as.
“I’ll bring in the bags,” he tells me over his shoulder.
All of it makes me feel awkward and useless. I really should get a job. Maybe if I had my own money and some real friends, I could start feeling normal again.
When I dreamed of my future, it didn’t include limos and mansions and mean girls and designer labels. The pendulum of my life has swung too far in the opposite direction.
Callum is waiting in the foyer as Durand carries my bags inside, Brooke and I trailing behind him.
“Thanks for your help,” Callum tells his driver.
“Darling!” Brooke comes alive at Callum’s voice and throws herself at him. “We had so much fun!”
Callum nods in approval. “I’m glad.” He glances my way. “Gideon is home. I want you to meet him…without other distractions. After that, why don’t we grab a late lunch?”
“Gideon?” Brooke’s eyes light up. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen that darling boy.” She rises on her tiptoes and pecks at Callum’s cheek. “Your lunch plans sound delightful. I can’t wait.”
The throaty delivery nearly makes me blush. Callum coughs awkwardly.
“Come on, Ella. I want you to meet my oldest.” There’s a lot of pride in his voice and I follow him curiously to the back of the house, where a gorgeous blue-and-white tiled pool decorates a perfectly manicured lawn.
Inside the pool is a human arrow, slicing through the water with clean, even strokes. Next to me Brooke sighs. Or maybe that’s a moan. Either sound makes sense because even in the water you can appreciate the sculpted muscles of the eldest Royal. And if the other Royal sons are anything to go by, he’s probably not hard to look at out of the water, too.
I guess I can see why Brooke was excited to hear his name, but it’s a little creepy given that she’s dating his dad. Adults are complicated, I decide. It’s not my place to judge their relationship.
After two more laps, Gideon stops and hauls himself out of the pool. In his Speedo it’s easy to see there’s no shrinkage problem for this guy.
“Dad.” He rubs a towel over his wet face and then drapes it around his neck. He doesn’t seem to notice or care that he’s dripping water all over the deck.
“Gideon, this is Ella Harper, Steve’s daughter.”
His son flicks his eyes over me. “So you found her.”
“I did.”
They talk about me like I’m a lost puppy.
Callum’s hand lands on my shoulder and propels me forward.
“Nice to meet you, Gideon.” I wipe my hand on my jeans and then stick it out.
“Likewise.” He shakes my hand and despite the coolness in his tone, I find him to be friendlier than anyone else in this house, other than his father. “I’ve got some calls to make.” He turns to his dad. “But first I need to shower. I’ll see you later.”
He brushes by us. As we turn to watch him walk away, I happen to catch a glimpse of
On the drive home, Brooke chatters my ear off and offers tips about how to pair up some of my purchases to create the perfect designer “ensemble.” Some of her suggestions make me giggle, and I’m startled to realize I didn’t have such a bad time with Brooke today. Her enthusiasm is a bit much, sure, and she’s kind of over the top, but maybe I was being unfair when I questioned Callum’s taste in women. If anything, Brooke is at least entertaining.
“Thanks for the ride, Durand,” I say when we pull up to the front door of the mansion. He stops the car here instead of driving around to the side like he did yesterday when we arrived from Kirkwood.
Durand helps Brooke out of the car and up the stairs. I trail behind like the extra that Savannah referred to Brooke as.
“I’ll bring in the bags,” he tells me over his shoulder.
All of it makes me feel awkward and useless. I really should get a job. Maybe if I had my own money and some real friends, I could start feeling normal again.
When I dreamed of my future, it didn’t include limos and mansions and mean girls and designer labels. The pendulum of my life has swung too far in the opposite direction.
Callum is waiting in the foyer as Durand carries my bags inside, Brooke and I trailing behind him.
“Thanks for your help,” Callum tells his driver.
“Darling!” Brooke comes alive at Callum’s voice and throws herself at him. “We had so much fun!”
Callum nods in approval. “I’m glad.” He glances my way. “Gideon is home. I want you to meet him…without other distractions. After that, why don’t we grab a late lunch?”
“Gideon?” Brooke’s eyes light up. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen that darling boy.” She rises on her tiptoes and pecks at Callum’s cheek. “Your lunch plans sound delightful. I can’t wait.”
The throaty delivery nearly makes me blush. Callum coughs awkwardly.
“Come on, Ella. I want you to meet my oldest.” There’s a lot of pride in his voice and I follow him curiously to the back of the house, where a gorgeous blue-and-white tiled pool decorates a perfectly manicured lawn.
Inside the pool is a human arrow, slicing through the water with clean, even strokes. Next to me Brooke sighs. Or maybe that’s a moan. Either sound makes sense because even in the water you can appreciate the sculpted muscles of the eldest Royal. And if the other Royal sons are anything to go by, he’s probably not hard to look at out of the water, too.
I guess I can see why Brooke was excited to hear his name, but it’s a little creepy given that she’s dating his dad. Adults are complicated, I decide. It’s not my place to judge their relationship.
After two more laps, Gideon stops and hauls himself out of the pool. In his Speedo it’s easy to see there’s no shrinkage problem for this guy.
“Dad.” He rubs a towel over his wet face and then drapes it around his neck. He doesn’t seem to notice or care that he’s dripping water all over the deck.
“Gideon, this is Ella Harper, Steve’s daughter.”
His son flicks his eyes over me. “So you found her.”
“I did.”
They talk about me like I’m a lost puppy.
Callum’s hand lands on my shoulder and propels me forward.
“Nice to meet you, Gideon.” I wipe my hand on my jeans and then stick it out.
“Likewise.” He shakes my hand and despite the coolness in his tone, I find him to be friendlier than anyone else in this house, other than his father. “I’ve got some calls to make.” He turns to his dad. “But first I need to shower. I’ll see you later.”
He brushes by us. As we turn to watch him walk away, I happen to catch a glimpse of
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