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by P. Roper


  “I will require a lock to be installed in a room that only I have a key to. I mean, it’s your house, so I wouldn’t demand you not have your own. But this,” I pointed to my back, “will not happen again. Or I will be gone before you probably notice. Contractual obligation be damned. Understood?” He nodded, taking a single step forward. “Good.”

  With that, I hoisted myself up onto the counter and brought my coffee back to my mouth. “My turn?” he asked hesitantly.

  When I nodded, he stepped into me, his hands just barely touching my crossed knees. “Deliah, I am sorry. It occurred to me in the many hours I had to think last night, that you were pretty well thrown to the sharks. That was never my intention. I promise that I will try not to leave your side for the remainder of the events we are set to host. At least until you tell me you feel comfortable enough. I want you to swim and possibly even thrive here. I can’t let you simply sink.” His thumb traced tiny circles on my knee. “I will have a lock installed and I’ll respect your privacy there. Ellen will still have a master key, as she keeps one for every single lock on the property. But you will be safe, that I can promise.”

  With his eyes on mine, his hands urge my legs to uncross before he steps between my separated knees. His hands run up my thighs and my sides, until they are rested against my ribcage. “I want you to want to be here, pretty girl. I don’t want to hold you captive with a piece of paper. I’ll burn the fucking contract. I really don’t care about it.” His tongue runs along his bottom lip. “Will you tell me what actually happened?”

  “What happened doesn’t matter. You know what your brother is capable of.” I raised an eyebrow and he nodded. “And as for your mother, she’s going to choke over my Christmas and New Year’s dresses. But that is all I will say on the matter.”

  A half smile settled over his features. “Well, I’m very interested to see what you have in mind for that. But I need you to know that her opinion on you is also irrelevant to me. She’s particularly bitter because she wanted me to marry her best friend’s daughter, who would make any one of the Kardashians look like the next Mother Theresa.”

  I laughed at that. “Damn. Well then, you’re welcome,” I gave him a pointed look.

  “Thank you for not running last night,” he said quietly. “I panicked when I went back to the room and you were gone. I checked every room in the house. And had Noelle searching too. She actually found you asleep and demanded that I go back to my room and wait until morning.”

  “For future reference? Before seven am is definitely not morning after an event like last night.”

  He laughed at that. “Yeah, that’s what she was reprimanding me for when you came down here.” His eyes shifted around before meeting mine again and he cleared his throat. “I need to know where we stand.”

  “Well,” I raised my eyebrows and tilted my head, “currently you stand between my knees. But I’m actually sitting.”

  “Pretty girl,” the nickname came out as a growled warning.

  “Sorry,” I smiled. “Honestly, I’m not a hundred percent sure. I want to move forward as if last night never even happened, but it did. And I’m still sort of processing that.”

  “Fair enough,” he stated before dropping his hands and stepping back. “Will you spend the day with me? I won’t even touch you, I promise. I just enjoy being near you, Deliah.”

  I slid off the counter and planted my hands on his chest. “Nathaniel, stop making promises you can’t keep.” His face and bobbing Adam’s apple showed that he was startled, but he nodded. “Okay. Well, I need to shower last night off of me and get dressed. Meet you back here in like half an hour?” He nodded again, so I turned and left the room.

  Heading upstairs, I locked myself in his bathroom hoping he would take a hint and allow me some space. I needed to wash away everything that had transpired in the last twelve hours or the toxicity would actually seep from the surface. And I knew that wouldn’t bode well for me.

  Twenty-eight minutes later I made my way down the stairs dressed in an oversized sweater, a maxi skirt and ankle boots. Despite saying he’d meet me in the kitchen; Nathaniel was sitting at the bottom of the staircase. The beautiful, tall, broad man looked more like a boy in that moment. Soft and a little lost; with his long legs bent all up, elbows on his knees and his head resting in his hands.

  He heard my boots on the stairs and looked up at me. His dimples made a cautious appearance on his face. Those dimples softened me. I returned the smile, though neither met our eyes. I stopped a couple stairs above him and when he stood we were eye to eye. Keeping true to his ‘promise’ to not touch me, he waved me toward the door with a flourish that made me chuckle.

  “Let’s go for a drive. We can figure the rest of the day out from there?”

  “Sure,” I said, reaching out and pulling open the grand door. “Where are we driving?”

  “Where the road takes us?” He answered, but it also sounded a lot like a question.

  And that’s exactly where we went. We took a winding road up to the Yankee Division Highway and followed that for a while before taking a road headed a little further north. We detoured off the highway for a minute to grab a coffee from a quaint little place that he apparently was part owner of. He pointed out some places of note along the way that I had never seen. Then about forty minutes after we left the estate, we found ourselves amongst what looked like dozens of stately red brick buildings.

  “This is where I spent the final four years of my adolescence,” he said, looking at me briefly. “Andover. Noelle actually attends now, but she’s a day student because I allowed her to live at the estate.” He parked the car, gesturing to the passenger door before exiting the car himself.

  I exited the vehicle and looked around for a moment. “Nathaniel, why did you bring me to your alma mater?”

  “I’m not actually sure,” he started, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe I just wanted you to see it? This place is a big part of me.” I nodded, wrapping my hand around his and taking a step toward a walking path just off the parking lot. “I think this place is actually why Noelle and I are so different from him. He didn’t matriculate here. But rather, was shipped off to Collegiate in New York for thirteen years. He only ever returned to Boston for Christmas, Easter and summer break.” Nathaniel paused, looking around before changing our trajectory. “See, Noelle and I had Ellen to raise us. Sure, we went to prep schools, but we were never sent away. I lived on campus here but that was my choice, with my family only half an hour away in Boston.”

  “So why does Noelle live with you, when your estate is technically further away?”

  “Ellen. When I took over the company, I bought the estate; wanting something out of the city. Ellen left my parent’s employ to come with me. At that point, Noelle was a day student in her final year at Tower. That school is actually closer to Prides Crossing than Boston. When Ellen relocated out there, so did Noelle. Ellen continued driving her to school every day. Months later when it was time for Noe to begin here as a freshman, we all sat down and she chose to not board. She ended up staying with us, so Ellen could still care for her. That was three years ago. She just started her junior year here.”

  “This place is beautiful. I can’t even fathom being a student here. But I imagine it made your transition to college less of a shock?”

  “Sort of. Mother wanted me to stay at home through college because Harvard was only a 9 minute drive. But I didn’t want to go back there. So I lived on campus for two years and then when my trust kicked in right before my junior year, I leased my own apartment nearby. I stayed there until I moved out of the city. This place prepared me for the general dynamic of living on campus, but I don’t know if anything can quite equip a person for college; let alone the Ivy’s. They’re a different breed.”

  “So suffice to say that Ellen is also why you and Noelle are an entire thermometer warmer than the rest of the Halsteads?”

  He laughed, “Ye
ah, you could say that.”

  I nodded and we kept walking, loosely holding each other’s hands. He pointed out his residence hall and some of his favourite places on campus. We wandered until the day began to wane and the air around us became colder. When we got back to the car, he opened my door for me before letting himself in.

  “Thank you for indulging me today.”

  “It was my pleasure. Learning about your youth was charming.” A tentative calm had settled between us again.

  “Home?” he asked.

  “Home,” I replied, leaning back into the seat.

  Halfway back to the house, his hand found my knee. His warmth bled through the fabric there. I looked at him, in all his hesitation, with a small smile before returning my attention out the window.

  Chapter 12

  Snow dusted the estate as December passed. Nathaniel and Noelle taught me to skate. Ellen always had all manner of hot beverages available. Audrey sent more cozy sweaters with some much needed winter gear. And before we knew it, Christmas was almost upon us. I had spent an entire day shopping with Noelle, and while she came home with an SUV packed to the roof with gifts, I struggled. Money wasn’t the issue; I was given a black card for the sole purpose of shopping. But what do you buy people who have everything and anything at their fingertips?

  I mulled over website after website before finally asking Audrey. “I’m having a crisis,” was how the phone call had begun.

  “What sort of crisis? Cosmetic or cosmic? Or neither? Both?” She laughed to herself.

  “I don’t know what to buy for gifts. Christmas is in a handful of days and I am still empty handed. What do you get for people who have it all?”

  I heard shuffling papers in the background, realizing that she must have still been at the office. “Okay, first, who do you want to buy gifts for? I can confirm that Nate has signed both your names to most gifts. He figured that you’d want to get something from you personally for Noelle. And he obviously didn’t buy himself anything. On the subject, I’ve sent a gift basket to the shopkeeper beneath your old apartment. But is there anyone else I need to make a last minute call for?”

  “Uh,” I hadn’t thought of that. “Well, Nathaniel for sure. And Noelle. They're really the only two in the family I know. And no? I mean, James is the only person I can think of. Other than yourself -”

  “Let me just interrupt that thought? I assure you, Dee. Both James and I have received extremely generous Christmas bonuses. As have much of the staff. I was more curious if you had anyone from before, that you would like to send a basket to?”

  “Oh. No. No one.” I paused, “wow, that sounded pathetic. My lifestyle wasn’t exactly conducive to having personal relationships and I don’t have family left. Is all I meant.”

  “I got you. No worries. As for your gifts, I have some thoughts. I’ll send you some links. They may give you some ideas and then let me know if you need me to actually pick anything up for you. I’ll be leaving the city tomorrow and I’ll be at the estate for a couple days until I head to my parent’s house for Christmas day. I’ll also be bringing both your Christmas and New Year’s dresses. Do you need anything else from here?”

  “I’ll get back to you today. If I need anything, I’ll include it in the email?”

  “Of course. And Dee? Take a deep breath. I have a feeling you haven’t in a while. Between the two of us, we’ve got it all under control.”

  I thanked her and we said our goodbyes; my phone dinging with an email notification as we disconnected the call. She was right though. Audrey and I had become somewhat of a dynamic duo. The woman knew this world and this family inside and out. I often found myself in awe of all the things she just seemed to know and how easy she made her thoroughness look.

  Finding exactly what I needed within the email she had sent me, I replied. I also needed a pair of black pumps that I had forgotten to pick up and a set of lashes. Because what nature had given me simply wouldn’t quite cut it for the ensembles I had planned for the coming weeks.

  Later that week, I heard Audrey talking in the foyer while I drank my morning coffee at the kitchen counter. “Oh, she’s here somewhere. Everything here can go upstairs. Take a left at the top and it’s the third bedroom on the right. Meet me down here after.” There was a pause and then I heard her heels clicking in my direction.

  “There you are,” she smiled as her face preceded the rest of her into the room. Another woman was following her, wheeling a large tote behind her. “Dee, meet Mallory. She’s going to give you lashes. Better than any set of removable falsies I could buy. Plus this way, you don’t have to worry about all that glue-ons entail.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mallory. Everything else is in my room?” I asked, redirecting my attention to Audrey.

  “It is. I’m going to leave you in Mallory’s capable hands though. Is Nate in his office?”

  I nodded and she headed his way. Meeting the lash technician’s eyes, I asked, “So, how does this work?”

  She smiled and went about setting out her supplies, explaining while she worked. Two hours later she finally let me look in a mirror, and almost audibly gasped. Audrey was right, boxed lashes could not compare to these. Mallory was going over the care they would need when Audrey returned to the kitchen, Nathaniel in tow.

  “Look at you!” she exclaimed. “What’d I tell you? Ugh!” Audrey laughed. “Anyway, I’ll be right back. I’m going to walk Mallory to the car.”

  The two women left the room, already chatting and Nathaniel approached me. “Having a good day?” He asked with a tilt of his head and a half smile.

  “Yeah, not totally the day I planned but I’m definitely not complaining,” I said. “I have a couple things I still need to do, but I’m free all evening.”

  “I have a three am conference call with London,” he made a face. “I hate time zones. But it will be my last one for the year, hopefully.” Running a hand through his hair, he took a step back from me. “I suppose the sooner I let you get to it, the sooner I get your attention again?” He chuckled to himself.

  Audrey stepped into the kitchen as I slid off the counter. “Nate! Go read a book or work out or something. We girls have shit to do.” He saluted her and backed out of the room.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know how you do it. He just listens to your commands, no questions.”

  “You know he’d listen to yours too, if you ever gave him any. You’re just nicer to him than I am.” She told me as she set about making lattes. “I didn’t have time before the drive out here, or I would have wrapped the gifts I brought with me from the city. But I can help you with them now, if you need. I’m also dying to see those dresses you’ve been keeping very secret.”

  “Oh no, no one is seeing those until the days they are intended for.” I grinned, taking the cup she offered. And heading for the stairs, knowing she would follow. “Oh! Also,” I paused at the foot of them. “Can we schedule regular lashes? I feel like this is going to be a no turning back situation.” I said, circling my face and laughing.

  “Sure, I’ll have Mallory out here every 3 weeks?”

  “Perfect,” I stated, ascending the staircase.

  The next few days passed in the blink of an eye. More and more gifts found their way underneath the large tree in the family room. Some were placed under the giant foyer tree too, but I assumed that they were more decorative than anything else. The three of us, with Audrey and Ellen, had quietly celebrated Noelle the night before her Christmas Eve birthday. Ellen made Noelle’s favourite meal and a seven-layer chocolate on chocolate cake. Then we passed the rest of the evening with gifts and a movie.

  By the time I made it downstairs to the party on Christmas Eve; my wild hair had been tamed pin-straight with a middle part. My deep red lipstick matched the soles of the expensive shoes on my feet and the dress that I commissioned for the event. I had taken a picture of Gisele Bündchen’s 2008 Met Gala dress to a designer in Boston.
But asked that my dress be festively red, rather than the pastel tone she had worn. It left legitimately nothing to the imagination, with its tight silk that moved over my skin like water. The bottom flared out and trailed behind me slightly, and the intricate detailing sparkled every time I moved.

  I felt infinitely more confident, having chosen my ensemble for myself this time. Sure it was racy, but it was also beautiful. I could multitask. I needed to look like a million bucks and prove a point simultaneously. So, with a bright smile on my face, I strode through the foyer into the sitting room, where all the furniture, save for the Christmas tree, had been removed and people were imbibing. A couple tuts and sharp intakes of air followed me through the room. I stopped at the bar that had been set up there to grab a drink before making my way through the remainder of the crowd and coming to a stop beside Nathaniel.

 

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