Chapter 13 #2
“This seems like a thing for family,” I said slowly. Reece wasn’t saying a damn thing, and I ignored the odd whine of my heart in that moment. It would be silly to want anything more than that.
“But you’re one of my best friends. And you know me and Reece. I don’t know. I just want you to come. But you don’t have to.”
“Come,” Reece ordered, his voice a deep growl. He reached out and pushed my hair back from my face. I loved the gesture usually, but in that moment it just confused me.
“I don’t want to make things confusing.”
“You won’t. Come. We’ll do dinner, and from what Bella says, it’ll probably be something boiled and disgusting, so we’ll get ice cream after.”
“I can do ice cream.” I let out a deep breath, unsure if I was making a mistake. I looked down at the billowing linen slacks and soft top I wore and cringed. “Is this okay for dinner?”
“You look beautiful. I always love your style.”
“You’re about my height you know. You can borrow a few things.”
“But I don’t have your boobs.”
“Please don’t say boobs in my presence,” Reece said with a dramatic sigh. “At least until you’re thirteen. It’s on my list to have those discussions when you’re older.”
Bella met my gaze, and the both of us burst out laughing. That poor man and his lists. They were going to blow up in his face, but he wouldn’t be alone in that.
“Okay, if you think I look good enough for dinner, I can come.”
“That’s great. Let me go get my sketchbook, then we can go.” Bella hugged me, whispered, “thank you,” and ran to her room.
“You do look good enough for dinner.”
I ignored the innuendo in his tone and pressed my fingers against his lips as he leaned forward to kiss me.
“How are you going to introduce me to Bella’s grandparents?” I asked slowly. “I’m not asking for a relationship, I just don’t… God, no. More like what we’re going to do for Bella.”
He had stiffened as soon as I asked the first question, and my backtracking probably hadn’t helped.
“How about our friend. And somebody that we care about?” I let my hands drop and swallowed hard.
“Good answer.”
Bella cleared her throat. “If you two are done making moon eyes over each other, let’s go. They hate when we’re late.”
Reece sighed. “We won’t be late. But let’s go.”
“And now when we give them the bread that you made as a thank you gift, they’ll know that you made it, and we didn’t just pick it up at a store,” Bella said as she got into the back of the SUV.
I slid into the passenger seat, when Reece closed both doors for us, and sighed.
“I really hope we’re not making a mistake,” I told Bella before he got into the car.
“We aren’t. But I think Reece is going to need you.”
I turned, frowning. “What are you not telling me?”
“Nothing you don’t already know.” She shrugged, and went to her sketchbook, as Reece got into the driver’s seat. He raised a brow in question, and I shook my head, not even sure what I could say in that moment.
I was going to a ridiculous family event and hadn’t planned on it. That seemed to be the case day by day for the two of us these days. And I didn’t like it.
What were they going to think of me? They’d already met me of course, but I was Reece’s coworker then.
Thankfully, I had cleaned the dirt out from under my nails, but I still looked like I played in the garden all day. Because that’s what I did.
And here we were, heading towards the same neighborhood that Duke’s family lived in.
The homes were huge, on large swaths of land, and could easily be a few million dollars each.
I was so far out of my depth it wasn’t even funny.
But then Reece squeezed my hand, and I realized that I wasn’t the only one nervous.
We pulled up to the mid-century Gothic home, with an actual honest-to-God turret, and I blinked.
“Is that a turret?” I asked, my voice dry.
“Yep. Grandma won’t let me use it. It was for her office, and the front sitting room. Although I don’t think anyone actually sits in it.” With a dramatic sigh Bella got out of the SUV, and I gave Reece a look before I scrambled to follow her.
Reece was out of the SUV and by Bella’s side before I could blink, and I went to Bella’s other side, showing that we were a team.
We might look like a family, but I didn’t want to confuse Bella, her grandparents, or even me for that matter.
We were Bella’s team and that was all that mattered.
The door opened and a man who could only be labeled as a butler stood there, with his thin nose in the air. “Bella. It’s good to see you are well.”
“Hi Henry. Are Grandmother and Grandfather here?” she asked.
I knew she was trying to sound as if she was strong and unworried, but I heard the unease in her tone. I squeezed her hand, and she leaned her shoulder against mine for just a bare moment. The butler however saw the action, and his eyes narrowed.
“They are in the dining room, waiting for you. As it is summer you do not have coats, but is there anything I could take from you?”
I didn’t know if I was supposed to give him my purse or not, but I kind of didn’t want to give it up. Instead I just smiled awkwardly, and Reece shook his head.
“No, thank you.”
“Bella knows the way.”
I wasn’t sure if he was rude or not that he wasn’t showing us, but then again, I had only been in a few homes that had a butler. Duke’s family had one, but I had always been with Duke, or Chelsea. Then again, I hadn’t been back since the funeral.
I pushed those odd memories from my mind because they didn’t matter anymore, and followed Bella into the dining room.
There was a full spread of silver platters laid out on the mahogany table, as both grandparents stood by the window, a drink in hand.
He had an Old Fashioned, she a Dirty Martini, and I tried not to smile.
Duke’s parents had always said those who went dirty with their martinis must be dirty in morals, and I had thought it was a joke at the time.
Perhaps the upper echelons had their own pretentious ways to judge each other.
I myself loved a Dirty Martini, and an Old Fashioned.
Right then and there, I could use either one of those.
I had no idea what I was doing here other than being here for Bella, and yet, I felt like I needed to go home. It was a little too much for me.
“Grandmother, Grandfather. We’re here.”
“You do not need to announce yourself like a ragamuffin, Bella.” Bella’s grandmother shook her head and set her glass on the side table.
Her grandfather did the same, before leaning on his cane.
He didn’t move towards us, and I had a feeling he probably shouldn’t be standing as he was.
Then again, I didn’t know the recovery time for a hip replacement.
It had been over two months now, but I hadn’t seen these people since before the surgery.
I knew Bella had only once, so maybe this was normal now.
“Thank you for your text by the way that you would be bringing another person. Thankfully you did it ahead of time so we had a place setting. But texting, Bella. Really?”
“I’m sorry,” I blurted. “That’s my fault. It’s good to see you both again, Mr. and Mrs. Long.”
“Ms. Montgomery. I didn’t realize that coworkers came to family events,” Mrs. Long practically snarled.
“Barbara, dear. Don’t you see the connection? It seems that Reece is spending no time trying to replace our dear Cassandra.”
The blood drained from my face as Bella let out a soft squeaking sound, but then Reece was there in front of us.
“Reginald, Barbara. Thank you for the place setting, but if this is going to be how you both act, we’re not staying.”
“Do you think you can dictate how we are around our granddaughter?” Barbara asked.
“Please stop fighting. I’m sorry. I just wanted Brooklyn here. She’s my friend.”
“Is that what she calls herself?” Mrs. Long sneered. I had no idea how many martinis this woman was on, but it had to be more than a few.
“You know what, let’s just call this a wash, and I’ll be out in the car.” I squeezed Bella’s hand, but she refused to let go.
“No. This is my friend. You wanted us here for dinner, and we’re here. Why are you acting like this?”
“Why do you think we’re acting like this?
You are the one who wanted to have this dinner, Bella.
We told you at the start of the summer that this was how it was going to be.
Your mother is no longer here, and we do not have to deal with this kind of insubordination anymore.
We didn’t want to raise a child again, not when we have our future in front of us.
And now your father has finally stepped up to the plate. ”
“Watch how you talk to my daughter,” Reece snapped. “In fact, don’t talk to her at all.”
“What are you going to do? Use those workman hands to beat me up?” Mrs. Long slurred.
“Barbara, settle down.” Reginald shook his head, as bile rose in my throat. I pulled Bella into my arms, wrapping one arm around her waist and keeping her close by. I wanted to tuck her behind me, but I didn’t think she would budge.
“I’m sorry,” Bella burst out, tears sliding from her eyes.
“This was a mistake. Not even a little mistake.”
“Why did you even want us to come if you were going to react like this?” Reece spit out.
“I wanted to see if my granddaughter was whole and happy. It seems that you’re right on track for raising her into a Fox.
” He spoke the word Fox like it was derogatory, but in my estimation, the Fox half of her was the only thing keeping her steady.
I finally pulled Bella behind me, and looked at Reece, wondering what the hell we were going to do.
“No. You do not get to speak to your granddaughter in that tone.”
“My daughter is dead,” Barbara shouted. “She’s dead, and I’m not dealing with that.” She pointed at Bella as if she were a monster, and I snapped.
“Don’t you dare talk to her. Or even look at her. What is wrong with you?” I asked.
“You don’t even belong here. Thinking you can step into my daughter’s shoes.”