Chapter 19
D aniel wore slip-on sneakers and Eric was in light beige loafers. I no sooner noticed than I had to let the thought go because they were both shaking my hand.
“You’re welcome here. As is any friend of my mother, or companion, was it? Not to mention the boys, of course. You’re welcome here.” Daniel walked past me to visit the moveable bar while Eric remained to stare at me.
He pointed at my face, asking bluntly, “Who did that to you?”
I didn’t get to answer because Daniel beat me to it. “Don’t mind him, he’s a plastic surgeon. He can’t help himself.”
Dina laughed and walked back to sit on the couch again. “It wasn’t one of the boys.”
“Of course it wasn’t.” He still stared at my face, tilting his head curiously. “If it was one of the boys, we would have a big problem. A huge one. So, who did it?”
I swallowed before answering. “My family is having me followed by a private investigator, or they were, in Manhattan. He was kind of … inept, and he accidently hit me in the face. Phoenix helped me chase him down, and then your brother basically threatened him away over the phone. Now? I’m hoping that’s all over. ”
He nodded, quickly, his expression saying he remembered something about the topic. “That’s right. Phoenix actually called for help, which is so unusual. Did you get ice on it right away?”
I cleared my throat, biting back the need to mention Phoenix might need more help with how badly he was feeling. Instead, I answered, “Yes, sir. As quickly as I could.”
“Good. We’ll keep an eye on it. I think you’ll heal just fine, but we’re here if we can help with the pain.” He joined Daniel and began to make a drink.
Someone else entered the room—Kit, from the video call. He leaned against the doorway for a few long moments, considering his mother. “Of course it could be argued that it isn’t a great idea to bring a girl being tailed by a PI to our home, Mother, but I suppose what is done is done.”
Dina groaned. “Ever the sourpuss, Kit. Lovely to see you, regardless, darling.” He kissed her on the cheek before he turned to me.
“A pleasure to meet you in person, Alatheia. I would say your visit is unexpected, but it isn’t, if you know my mother. Thank goodness she took the helicopter and arrived in time to tell us you were already on the way.”
She patted his cheek. “Who do you think taught you?”
I realized then that she didn’t just take the helicopter to try something new. Dina came on purpose to make sure her sons didn’t stop me from visiting. I swallowed, not entirely surprised to find myself somewhere where I wasn’t particularly wanted.
“I see.” After the scene in New York with my aunt Tricia, I certainly couldn’t return there, but I could stay out of their way. “I will try to stay out of the way and out of everyone’s hair.”
“No, you won’t,” a female voice answered, laced with the sound of Louisiana.
I only ever heard a true southern accent on television, so I grinned to hear one in real life.
I recognized Rosalind, from them pointing her out earlier.
She’d replaced her white sundress with a pink halter dress, but she remained barefoot, as I had seen her before.
I wondered if she preferred no shoes in her house, and glanced down at my own in instant worry.
“You’re welcome here. Kit is nervous around new people, but the boys are glad you’re here.
Frankly, I’m not sure they would’ve come home if she hadn’t agreed to join us, which I think their granny knew, too.
So Alatheia is here to help your mom and keep your boys happy.
PIs won’t get anywhere near this house. We all know that.
” She stepped into the room, offering me an elegant hand.
“I’m Rosalind Lent, and this is Stephen. ”
I hardly noticed the man behind her, but in his defense, Rosalind had a lot of presence.
Stephen looked exactly like Julian, while Jeremy clearly favored Rosalind.
I couldn’t help but be mildly amused, since they called Kit Dad, but none of them looked like him.
Genetics , I thought mildly, are weird .
She embraced me gently, and her perfume sweetened the air around us.
“Are you bruised anywhere else or just your face? I love your pearls, by the way. They remind me of something I once wore.” She let go of me to kiss her mother-in-law on the cheek.
“Message received, Dina. Are you comfortable, Alatheia? Can we get you anything? We keep that house in a constant state of readiness for Dina and any guests she brings, so I hope you found everything comfortable enough.”
“Whoa.” Jeremy stopped abruptly as soon as he entered the room. “Why didn’t anyone tell me she was here already? I wouldn’t ever leave her here to face all of you alone.”
Kit audibly groaned then went to serve himself a drink. “We’re not scary. Alatheia has been fine without you.”
Jeremy put his arm around me, giving me a gentle squeeze of welcome. “At the very least, she’s pretending to be. I think we all know that none of you are fine, or at least that would be the last adjective I picked. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Just water, please,” I managed, but my tongue felt thick and clumsy. I hated talking in crowds, particularly if every ear in the room was listening.
He released me, moving toward the bar. “One water, coming up.”
Eric nodded, approving my choice. “Stick to water, too, Jeremy. It’s early for you all to start getting into trouble already.”
Jeremy didn’t comment. Instead, he poured two glasses of water, handing me one before adding, “Come sit next to me.”
I followed him to the unoccupied couch as Julian entered eating an apple. He widened his eyes when he spotted us. “Granny, you are here so early, and you brought Alatheia. Why wouldn’t you tell us she was already here in the big house?”
“Why are you eating?” his mother asked in return then shook her head. “We’re eating in a half an hour.”
He grinned. “Yes, but what are we eating, because I’m not into the whole vegan thing you’re doing.”
Dina caught her breath, cringing slightly. “Oh.”
“Gwenyth Paltrow does vegan. I saw it online, and it’s good for you. Still, we have a guest. I wasn’t told about any food allergies.” She paused. “Do you have any food allergies, Alatheia?”
I shook my head. “No, Mrs. Lent.” I couldn’t help but think thank goodness I don’t .
With my family in charge of my diet, I’d be dead.
They probably would’ve given me a peanut, just to make sure they did the job right.
I caught my breath, surprised at my own dark turn of thoughts. It isn’t that bad, is it?
“You’re not gluten free or a vegetarian or vegan? As Jules just pointed out, we can actually accommodate most dietary restrictions pretty easily.”
I shook my head. “No. I can eat anything. I’m not picky.” Just grateful to be fed, truthfully .
“We’re having steak, then. Would you prefer a soda to water? We even have the kind with sugar in the back of the garage,” Rosalind said. “I’m not vegan this week.”
Julian sat down on my other side with a huff. “She hides the good stuff. I’ll still eat my dinner, Mom. I could eat all day.”
“He’s not kidding.” Jeremy smiled at me, his eyes going a bit hot as he scanned my outfit. “You look pretty. Where did you get that necklace?”
I touched it and smiled automatically. She said it brought strength, so maybe the charm worked. More likely it worked the power of suggestion, but I would take whatever strength I could borrow. I nodded toward his Granny. “Mrs. Lent—sorry, Dina—loaned it to me.”
Rosalind perched next to Daniel before giving a vague wave of one hand. The Lent women really mastered the hand wave. “That makes it easier to tell you not to call us Mr. Mrs. or Dr. Just use our first names. It’s easier.”
She was sitting awfully close to Daniel, I noticed, sipping my water and glancing at her shoes. Wasn’t she married to Kit? None of my business. I was going to keep my mind off questions like that while smushed between her two sons. Seemed a way safer bet, anyway.
“Yes, ma’am. I mean Rosalind. Thank you.”
Stephen offered me his hand. “I didn’t officially say hello. It’s nice to meet you, Alatheia.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Handshakes out of the way, I wondered if I could breathe again.
“Alatheia is living with her aunt and uncle, the Samuelses. In Granny’s building.” Jeremey squeezed my arm.
Kit and Stephen both made faces and Daniel shook his head. “Not sure I know them.”
“You’re lucky.” Kit stretched out his feet reclining on the sofa. Oh right. Their shoes. Then again Rosalind’s bare feet threw me off—what dynamic did bare feet add to a shoe theory? There were things to ponder. Kit added, “No offense, Alatheia, but your uncle is an asshole.”
I smiled, not offended. “I don’t know him. He’s never home.”
“Are you staying for the summer?” Rosalind sipped her drink while Dina rose. “I’ll go find Barrett and Phoenix. The baby being late, yes. Your oldest, no.” She exited the room humming as she went.
I shook my head. “I’m supposed to stay with the Samuels’s for now, but I’m sure they’ll move me on soon.
I don’t have any living parents, so I get shuffled from one of my mom’s siblings to the next until I turn eighteen.
I think the plan is boarding school after I can no longer live here, so I honestly don’t know how long I am actually here. ”
Barrett entered, his hair wet from the shower, and he smiled at me as soon as his gaze hit me. “Sorry, lost track of time. She’s not going to boarding school, by the way. That isn’t happening.”
It was sweet that he thought they could change things, but I was pretty sure my fate was set. He sat down next to Jeremy, reaching behind him to rub the back of my head. I wondered if any of them were bothered to be touching me at the same time? Were we about to cross a line?
“That’s hard.” Rosalind had a kind gaze when I glanced her way. “Where were you before Park Avenue?”