Chapter 20
Chapter twenty
Penelope
Danny invited Daniel to family dinner, the next day.
To his credit, Daniel looked to me for confirmation.
I was instantly unsettled by the idea of introducing Daniel to my family, but I also know it’s an inevitability.
I owe it to him to be transparent about the complexities of my life; of our life.
I owe it to him to show him the other reason I’m dragging my feet about being with him.
Of course, he knows I have Danny’s best interests first, but he doesn’t understand the situation at home.
But it’s Sunday now, and whatever is about to happen is going to happen.
I’m making chicken parmesan tonight, a family favorite, but I keep accidentally knocking the ladle over and spilling the sauce.
Danny’s watching me like a hawk from her stool at the island where she’s coloring while I cook.
I’ve been struggling to act normal, but she’s an intuitive kid and knows something’s different with me.
I just pray she doesn’t ask why, because I’m not sure I have the words.
Either Daniel’s going to see the mess at home and decide we’re not worth the drama, or he’ll understand why he can’t be a priority in my life right now.
The worst-case scenario, and the one causing my stomach to burn with acid, is that Chastity and Grace will get a sense of his net worth and make a move on him.
I’d like to think this is the least likely scenario because we’re sisters, but deep down I think I know they don’t value that word as much as I do.
I throw Danny a brittle smile that I’m sure doesn’t reach my eyes as I put the noodles in the boiling water.
Just then, the doorbell rings.
“Oh, no,” I whisper, eyes widening. He’s early. My hair’s a sweaty mess from cooking, and I’m still wearing yoga pants and an oversized T-shirt. I was going to change once the chicken went into the oven and make myself presentable.
Running my hands down the front of my apron, I let out a defeated breath.
This is real life, Nell. Not glamorous. Not put together.
More often than not, I skip showers altogether because someone needs something.
I guess this is the first test to see if he is genuinely into this life with me, or if he’s just in love with the idea of me.
“Would you go get the door, sweetheart? I’m sure that’s your father,” I say, stirring the pasta so it doesn’t stick. Sure enough, a few moments later a deep masculine voice joins Danny’s.
A few moments later, an explosion of color sneaks into my peripheral. I turn and tense when I see another huge bouquet. Oblivious to my turmoil, Daniel rests his other hand on my shoulder and drops a chaste kiss to my cheek.
“Evening, beautiful. Smells great,” he says as I take the flowers from him. I look up to see Danny holding her own bouquet. I wish he wouldn’t spend money on us and such frivolous things, but I also understand my frustration with him is misplaced.
And when Danny drops her face into her bouquet and inhales deeply, my frustration simmers.
I gave him the wooden spoon to stir while I find vases and add these flowers to the ones that he’s already given us.
When I turn back, vases in hand, I’m struck by the scene before me.
Daniel’s in a crisp dark blue suit that hugs his frame decadently.
And he’s stirring pasta and asking Danny silly questions, just to get a giggle out of her.
I’m starting to suspect that he researches silly questions before he sees her, just to have an easy way of getting to know each other without the pressure of an interrogation.
It’s wildly domestic, and in an instant, I see a possible future with him, where this is every night before he goes to The Club.
I shake my head, not allowing myself to get carried away with a future I can’t have right now.
I take the spoon back from him with a quiet ‘thanks’ before adding the flowers to the vases. We’re going to run out of vases if he keeps this up.
“I figured I’d come early so I could help cook. It’s the least I could do,” he says before leaning close and saying low, “... and hopefully make a good impression on your family.”
I fight a smile. Of course, he would make light of everything. He doesn’t know what he’s about to walk into. And maybe that’s my fault.
“Did I hear the doorbell ring? Is Baby Daddy finally here?” Chastity says loudly and crudely as she comes down the stairs. I wince at Daniel being reduced to simply my baby daddy.
If he’s offended, he doesn’t show it. Daniel straightens, a wide smile spreading across his face before he turns to her and extends his hand in greeting.
“Hi. I’m Daniel King. It’s a pleasure to meet you.
” His greeting is friendly but formal, and I can tell Chastity is stunned for a moment.
I doubt she was expecting someone like Daniel.
And my suspicions are confirmed with her response.
“Oh, Daniel. I’m Chastity. The pleasure’s all mine,” she purrs in that practiced half-seduction voice she uses with wealthy men.
“Please excuse my appearance. I was just coming down to see if I could help my sister with dinner.” Again, that word is like venom in her mouth.
I can feel Daniel’s smile slip even if I can’t see it from my position at the stove.
Daniel turns back to me, resting a hand on my shoulder.
“That’s why I came early,” he says, slipping out of his suit jacket and laying it across one of the stools.
He starts to roll up his dress shirt sleeves, but he’s ridiculous if he thinks I’m going to let him help with red sauce on shirt that expensive.
“I’ll just get changed then...” Chastity says from the hallway, her voice already retreating.
Alone again, Daniel rests a hand on my waist, standing way too close to me.
“I just need to do a few things. I’m good. Why don’t you help Danny draw some?” I say, pushing him away. My tone comes out sterner than I mean it to, and he picks up on it immediately.
“Is everything okay?” he asks, his voice low and intimate again.
I force a smile onto my face. “Of course, I just don’t want you accidentally getting sauce on your pretty shirt,” I say, pleading with him with my eyes to believe my obvious lie. He looks at Danny, though, who is watching us, and nods to me before sliding onto the stool next to Danny.
“What are you working on?” he asks, using a voice I recognize he reserves just for her. It’s soft, sweet, and doesn’t carry the teasing lilt he uses with me.
Danny explains her drawing, and they chat easily while I drain the pasta and assemble everything in a baking dish.
All it needs now is warming the chicken through and melting the cheese.
Once I’ve popped it in the oven, I turn and rest against the counter.
I wonder whether I should warn him about my sisters or just let tonight play out.
Finally, I decide I shouldn’t bias him against them, so we’ll just let tonight play out.
A few minutes later, I plate dinner and am surprised when Gen comes down the stairs herself, hair in a stylish updo and a Ralph Lauren business suit on. My jaw drops. I had assumed we were going to have family dinner in her room again, like always. She’s bedridden.
The smile she gives Daniel, though, isn’t one of a grieving widow.
It’s one of a hostess. I grind my molars and am grateful no one is looking at me.
Daniel introduces himself; Gen introduces herself, and then Chastity and Grace, who have followed behind her, both wearing elegant dresses and perfume. Who wears perfume to family dinner?
I guess we know what direction tonight is going to go in.
“Mr. King. What a pleasure to have you to dinner,” Gen says, looping her arm through his and tugging him towards the formal dining room that we haven’t used in years.
Daniel looks over Gen’s shoulder, uncomfortable.
I can tell he wants to help me, but Gen grips his arm and ushers him to sit at the head of the table.
Chastity and Grace take the seats next to him, while Grace points to the other head of the table for Danny, essentially putting her too far away for conversation.
Alone in the kitchen, I close my eyes and let out a tortured breath. I have to give them grace. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt. I have to ignore being a servant in my own home. It’s just the way that it is.
Defeat settles over my shoulders. What can I do? Scream? Throw a temper tantrum? Call them out on their shitty behavior? I can’t imagine how they would react if I called them out.
Keep the family together.
Keep the family together.
Another steadying inhale through my nose and out through my mouth and I serve dinner to my family. I serve Daniel and Danny first, but as I walk past Daniel, he grabs my wrist gently to stop me.
“Thank you,” he says quietly, ignoring Grace, who is talking about some gala or another. I simply nod and tug my wrist away.
After I’ve finished serving everyone else, I sit next to Danny, but I realize that my entire family is in this room.
It’s blood family but also chosen family.
Is that what Daniel is? Family I choose?
I know he, Danny and I make a family unit, even if it’s still in its infancy.
There’s a connection there that we’re choosing to nurture every day.
Danny and I chat to each other quietly, but I don’t miss the questions Gen, Chastity and Grace ask Daniel.
“What do you do?”
“I own a club?”
“Oh, what kind of club?”
I tense, not knowing what he’ll say. I’m not embarrassed of The White Envelope, but I also don’t know how they’ll react to his role in a sexy club.
“A members-only club.”
“Wait, a minute. King. Are you related to the Kings of West Hampton?”
I’ve been avoiding Daniel’s gaze this entire time, but I look at him now. I know his family is a sensitive subject for him, and in an instant I’m protective, ready to jump in if I need to.
His charming smile falters just slightly, but I’m not sure they notice.
“Yes. Actually. Charles King is my father.”
Poor Daniel has no idea what he’s just done. He’s dropped blood into the water. They saw his watch and suit and knew he came from money, but now they know he comes from family money. Status. Prestige. A name people recognize.
“Oh, that’s fantastic,” Gen says, delicately cutting into her dinner. “I met your parents at the Hampton’s polo match. They’re lovely people. You have to tell them I say ‘hello,’” Gen purrs, unaware of the muscle ticking in Daniel’s jaw.
“I’m sure I will,” he replies. It’s a throwaway response promising nothing. “This is delicious, Nell. Thank you,” he says. His smile remains on his handsome face, but his shoulders have inched towards his ears just an inch.
Before I can tell him he’s welcome, Grace chimes in. “Oh, yes. We’re so lucky to have a sister like Nell.” My eye twitches and Daniel raises a brow. He’s noticed how they say it, too.
I shake my head subtly and drop my eyes back to my dinner.
The entire almost hour-long dinner goes the same. Grace, Gen and Chastity alternate between asking Daniel probing questions and sharing their own rich-people connections and flattering Daniel. They comment about his watch, how he must work out, where does his live and does he sail?
He’s kind, charismatic, charming even, even as he evades their more probing questions and brushes off every attempt at flattery.
I ignore the bubbling rage inside of me when Chastity laughs at something Daniel said and rests her hand on his arm.
I don’t want to hate my sisters, but every minute that passes causes irritation to grow inside of me until it’s almost unbearable.
I push my chair back noisily.
“Let me get dessert,” I say, picking up my plate and Danny’s. Grace acts as if she doesn’t even hear me, asking Daniel if he’s going to The Children in Entertainment Defense Fund Fundraiser later in the year.
I don’t hear his response as I set the plates in the sink.
I grip the sink edge hard, my knuckles turning white. I try to take a handful of calming breaths, but the tightness around my ribs refuses to budge.
“Jealousy looks good on you,” a deep voice says as two large hands cover my own. Daniel steps into me, pressing against my back, his entire body flush with mine.
Something snaps. I spin on him.
“It’s not jealousy!” I whisper-shout. I’m not angry with him. I’m not even angry with them. I’m angry with myself? Or with this situation? I don’t even know why I’m angry.
His smile never wavers. “Come with me to the club. Tonight. I’ve already asked Cara if Danny can sleep over.”
“What?” The change of subject is so sudden it knocks the wind out of me.
“I just sat through an hour of the world’s most awkward family dinner. I think you owe it to me to come to my club,” he says, touching my chin gently and pressing into me again.
I’m torn between indignation and laughing at his ridiculousness. His hand slides around my back and pulls me against him.
I’m relieved to know their flirtations didn’t work, and he’s not asking one of them to go to The Envelope with him, but at the same time I’m still angry that my sisters would flirt so brazenly with someone I’ve been intimate with.
I guess they don’t know we’re in something of a relationship now, do they?
But are we? In a relationship? I know what he wants. But I also don’t know why I’m fighting it so much. Is it so wrong for me to be loved? Is it so wrong for someone to want to take care of me? Is Cara right and I’m fighting all of this for nothing?
“Okay,” I whisper, overwhelmed with everything but knowing that I want more time with him. If my sisters trying to steal him from me is the first bump in our very new relationship, I like the idea of spending quality time with him to talk it out and repair whatever might have broken today.
He helps me serve dessert, and it’s more of the same. Danny and I are pretty much invisible in front of Daniel’s attention. This time, I don’t mind.
Because I’m going home with him after this.
And they’re not.