“Not quite as easy as lover-boy makes it out to be, is it?”
“What?” Elle flinched as she turned to see Josselyn leaning against the side of the house, her arms folded over her chest. “W-what are you doing here?” Her heart started to pound.
Josselyn pointed to the trellis. “I could ask you the same question … if I didn’t already know the answer.”
Great! Just what she needed! Her devil stepsister ratting her out. She tried to come up with a quick solution. A thin layer of perspiration broke out across her forehead as she offered Josselyn a contrite smile. “What can I say? You caught me.”
Josselyn grunted. “Yep, you have a flair for stating the obvious.”
“So, are you gonna rat me out?” She held her breath, waiting for the answer.
Josselyn’s jaw started working. “Maybe … unless … ”
“What do you want?” Even though she knew better, hope fluttered in Elle’s chest. She wanted … needed to go to the get-together at Edward’s house. After last night’s fiasco with Rush, she needed to see Edward in order to set things right in her mind. Bouncing back and forth between the two was futile, not to mention exhausting. It was time to make a decision. She looked closely at Josselyn, trying to figure out her angle.
“I want you to take me with you.”
Elle made a face. “To Edward’s?”
“Well duh! Where else?”
Taking Josselyn with her would be awkward to say the least, but what other option did she have? “Why?” she asked carefully.
Josselyn shrugged. “I have my reasons. Either you take me with you, or I go and tell my mom this instant, and your butt will be grounded until you’re twenty-one.” She flashed a mean smile.
“You really are a horrible person.”
She laughed. “Yes, I know.” Her expression grew hard. “I learned from the best.”
“Whatever,” Elle said, rolling her eyes.
Josselyn stood up straight. “Do we have a deal?”
Elle paused, thinking. There was no other way. “Fine,” she huffed.
“Good, how are we getting there?”
“Edward’s meeting us on the street over.”
“Fantastic!” Josselyn motioned. “After you.”
* * *
Alexander flexed his hands and looked around the spacious combination kitchen and keeping room and at the stacked-stone, double-sided, open fireplace that divided the two rooms. The blazing fire added a homey touch. The house was located in an upscale neighborhood that offered majestic views of the city. Alexander’s home, the crowning touch of the neighborhood, was positioned above every other house and was designed so that the main living areas of the home faced the view. He looked through the French doors and large windows to the glittering view of the city lights below. It wasn’t the castle, but for this world, his home was impressive. The caterers had arrived a half hour ago and were buzzing around, taking care of the last minute touches. The candles arranged on the kitchen island cast a warm glow over the room, making everything look perfect.
A nervous excitement hummed in his breast. The dinner party had been Wisteria’s idea. Things between them were progressing quickly, and she wanted to make sure that Rush felt included. Also, she wanted Rush and Edward to become friends. He’d nearly laughed at the absurdity of that idea, particularly in light of all that happened between them in the other realm. Thankfully, he’d caught himself before making a blunder. He smiled thinking how pleased Wisteria would be when he told her the news about Rush. Timing was everything, and he’d purposely withheld the information, waiting for the perfect moment in which to tell her.
The doorbell sounded. One of the servers jumped to attention. “I’ll get the door, Mr. Kingsley,” the older woman said.
“No need,” he countered briskly. “I’ve got it.” He adjusted his collar and went to the door. A thrill of pleasure went through him when he opened it and saw Wisteria standing there, looking dazzling in a royal blue pantsuit and a black silk shirt. Her dark curls bounced softly on her shoulders. He gave her a broad smile and then took her in his arms, giving her a tight hug. His lips grazed her ear, and he murmured, “You look fantastic, darling.”
“Thank you,” she breathed, rewarding him with a brilliant smile, but then hastily pulled away from him.
Her caginess perplexed him, and he felt a jolt of fear. Had she remembered? But understanding dawned as he looked and saw Rush standing behind her, a scowl on his face. The dour son was openly showing his disdain for his mother’s new boyfriend. How typical. A flash of irritation covered Alexander, and his first inclination was to teach the insolent boy a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget, but then he remembered that the whole point of the dinner was to bring the family together, and like it or not, Rush was Wisteria’s son and therefore a member of the family. Things had been much less complicated when he was king with legions under his command. In the other world, he could’ve banished him to the dungeon. He nearly laughed out loud at the irony of his thoughts. He had banished the boy to the dungeon, and that’s when the real trouble began. In this realm, he was merely a high school principal, forced to rely on diplomacy and persuasion—two things he wasn’t especially good at. He plastered on a smile and thrust out his hand. “Rush, I’m glad you could make it.”
For a split second, it appeared that the dope would refuse to shake his hand, but when Wisteria glared at him, he reluctantly held out his hand. Rush’s eyes were cold and defiant, as if he were looking right through Alexander’s carefully crafted facade. For a split second, Alexander caught a glimpse of the old Wisteria in them, sending a cold shiver down his spine. In the second it took to analyze what had just happened, the moment passed, and Alexander was able to regain his composure. He wouldn’t let his fears of the past ruin the present. “Come inside and make yourselves at home.” He placed his hand on the small of Wisteria’s back, maneuvering her into the keeping room where the appetizers would be served. Rush trailed behind them. “Dinner will be served in the California room,” Alexander explained, “but while we wait for the other guests to arrive, we have some shrimp cocktail, quiche and other appetizers.”
Wisteria lifted a sculpted eyebrow as she took in the spread of colorful appetizers that were artfully placed on the large granite-top island. “Impressive.”
It pleased Alexander that Wisteria was showing appreciation for the effort that he’d undergone in order to put this dinner party together. Their eyes met, and they shared an intimate smile.
“Nice place … for a principal,” Rush said dryly.
“Thank you,” Alexander said stiffly. He really was a little twerp. And to think he was about to bend the rules in order to help him. Wisteria placed a hand on his arm and smiled, as if to diffuse the situation. It worked. One look into her eyes, and he would’ve given the boy the moon if she asked him to.
“Something smells amazing. What’s for dinner?” Wisteria asked.
“I can’t tell you that.” He winked and made a zipping motion across his lips. “It’s a secret.”
She chuckled, and he thrilled at the richness of her voice. Suddenly, he wished that they weren’t having a dinner party with all of these people. He wanted to be alone with her, to sweep her up in his arms, to cover her with kisses, to have her keep looking at him in that adoring way. Things were so good with Wisteria that sometimes he had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Merek had not made him privy to the details of the plan, and he wasn’t even sure what the end result would be, but the here and now with Wisteria was so magnificent that he was beginning to wish that time would stand still, so that they could be here together forever. What need had he for a castle and kingdom if he couldn’t have her?
The front door opened, and they heard voices. “That must be Edward,” Alexander said. His heart clutched when he realized that Edward was not alone. The change in Wisteria was instant.
She grabbed Alexander’s arm. “What is she doing here?”
“I
don’t know, but you can rest assured that I’m about to find out,” he said crossing the distance between himself and Edward in two steps.
“Hi, Dad.” Edward offered a fleeting smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Alexander could tell from the way he was fidgeting that he was nervous. It wasn’t often that Edward went against Alexander’s wishes. Why did he have to choose today, of all days, to exert his will?
Alexander put an arm around his shoulder. “I specifically told you not to bring any guests,” he whispered through clenched teeth.
He shrugged. “Sorry, I invited Elle, but the only way she could come was if her stepsister came along.”
“This was supposed to be a family get-together,” Alexander countered, his jaw growing tight. He cast a menacing glance towards Elle. Bringing her here was like throwing a steak in front of two ravenous dogs and watching them go at it. There would be little hope for a reconciliation between Edward and Rush tonight. And Wisteria was furious. Even though his back was to her, he could feel the anger emanating off of her.
“Really?” Edward motioned toward the island. “Because the last time I checked Ms. Porter and her son weren’t exactly family.”
“Son, we’ve been over this time and time again. You know how I feel about Wisteria. That girl needs to leave! And that’s final.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I said no.”
“Do you dare stand there and defy me, your father?”
“Dad, I understand how you feel about this, but Elle is my girl.” He glanced toward Rush. “And it’s about time everybody knows it.”
So that’s what this was about. The boy had more brass than he’d given him credit for. A grudging admiration crowded out some of the anger. In the other world, he’d wanted Edward to be bolder, more sure of himself. Edward was staking his claim on the girl, and he wanted to make sure that Rush knew it. What better way to make that happen than to bring her here as his date? Rush would be forced to sit there and watch them together. Despite himself, Alexander was impressed.
“I’m sorry, Dad,” Edward said, “I wasn’t trying to mess up your evening.” He looked Alexander in the eye. “But Elle is here as my guest. If she goes, I go too.”
Alexander shook his head, feeling the fight drain out of him. “Fine, the girl can stay.” Edward relaxed, but Alexander wasn’t through. “Don’t think you’re off the hook. When I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it. You may not like it, but you will respect me.”
“Dad, you know I respect you. This has nothing to do with respect.”
“We’ll talk about this later on tonight.”
Edward looked like he might say something more, but then he nodded.
“Very well then, show your guests in and make sure they’re comfortable.” He glanced at Wisteria. “I’ll be the one doing damage control with my lady.”
* * *
They were all seated around the large table located in the California room. The room extended out over the edge of the cliff, making them feel as though they were suspended in the midst of glittering lights. Dinner consisted of thick steaks topped with caramelized onions and a creamy mushroom sauce. The roasted potatoes and asparagus were cooked to perfection, and the spinach salad topped with strawberries, blueberries, and candied walnuts was to die for, but Elle hardly noticed. She wanted to crawl under the floor. How could Edward not have told her that Rush would be here? Even from across the table, she’d been acutely aware of his presence even though he’d barely glanced in her direction the entire evening. Several times, she’d attempted to catch his eye, but he was blatantly ignoring her. She smirked watching him laugh at something that Josselyn was saying. He was leaning in close to her, acting as if he were captivated by her every word. Every so often Josselyn would touch his shoulder and smile into his eyes. Jealousy stabbed through her, and she had the unreasonable desire to rip that smug expression off of Josselyn’s face. She was enjoying every minute of this.
“Is everything okay?” Edward started caressing her arm with his thumb. “You seem a bit distracted tonight.”
She fought the urge to move her arm out of his reach. Since when had they become so familiar with each other? Then she stopped herself. Of course Edward felt comfortable rubbing her arm. They’d been dating for years. Just because she couldn’t remember didn’t mean that he couldn’t. It wasn’t his fault that she was so confused about everything. She flashed him an automatic smile and stabbed a potato with her fork. “I’m fine.”
“I can see that.” He gave her a fleeting smile, and she could see the disappointment in his eyes. He was smart enough to figure out what she could not tell him—that even though she was here with him, her focus was on Rush. She looked up and saw Ms. Porter watching the exchange between her and Edward. The condemning look on her face said it all, and Elle felt like a worthless tramp. Embarrassment smothered her as she looked numbly at her plate. She was pathetic. This couldn’t go on. She had to make a decision between Rush and Edward. Although, judging by the way Rush was acting, it seemed that the decision was no longer hers to make. He’d obviously dismissed her without much thought. She’d made the mistake of thinking that their kiss meant something. Josselyn let out a burst of laughter, drawing all eyes to her and Rush.
Josselyn put a hand over her mouth and looked contritely at the other guests, but her eyes were still bubbling with laughter. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.” She gave Rush a playful shove. “You are so funny.”
“Really?” Edward straightened up in his chair and looked across the table at Rush. The tone of his voice was cold. “If it’s so interesting then maybe you should share it with the rest of the table.”
As Rush met his glare, Elle felt a zing of energy whoosh through her. She recognized that defiant set of his chin, and knew he wouldn’t back down from a fight for anything. “I would share it … if I thought you would understand it.”
“Just what are you trying to say?” Edward’s expression grew hard, and Elle could feel him tense beside her.
A smile curved Rush’s lips, and his voice was taunting. “Oh, I’m not trying to say anything. When I’ve got something to say, you’ll know it.”
“Rush! That was uncalled for,” Wisteria blurted, her face white.
Edward clutched his napkin in his fist. His face was beet red. “Are we really doing this? Because if we are—”
Alexander nearly came of his seat. “Son, that’s enough!” he warned.
“This is ridiculous,” Edward muttered, shoving his plate.
Elle felt a wave of panic. When Rush got in this mode, there was no talking him down, but she might be able to persuade Edward to calm down. It cut to know that she was the cause of this whole mess. It was up to her to prevent disaster. She caught him by the arm. “Hey, relax.”
He shook his head and looked away.
“Edward,” she pleaded. “Look at me.” Finally, he turned to her. “You need to calm down. Don’t let him get to you,” she coaxed. “Let it go.”
As he looked her in the eye, he seemed to be sizing her up, trying to decide if he should comply with her request. She held her breath and tried to hold his gaze, hoping that he wouldn’t see right through her. She prayed that he wouldn’t realize that she was doing this for Rush’s benefit rather than his. The only reason that Rush was acting like a moron was because he was ticked that she was here with Edward. Considering what happened last night, she didn’t blame him. Finally, Edward blew out a breath, and she felt relieved when she saw the tension ease from his face. He gave her a weak smile. “For you, I’ll let it go.” He draped an arm around her chair and pulled her closer to him.
She returned his smile with a tight one of her own. Edward was a good guy—too good to get caught in the middle of her and Rush. She glanced over at Rush who gave her a blistering look. The accusation in his eyes was unmistakable. Her stomach suddenly felt queasy. She scooted back her chair.
“Are you okay?” Edward instantly went into co
ncern mode.
Her hand felt shaky as she placed her napkin over the plate. “Yeah, I need to go to the restroom.”
“I’ll show you where it is.”
“No!” She blurted out the word before thinking. She cringed inwardly as she watched Edward’s face fall. “I’m sorry,” she amended. “Just tell me where it is, and I’ll find it myself.”
The pinging of a spoon hitting glass interrupted them. “Hold on, don’t anyone leave the table. Before the night gets away from us …” he shot Edward a meaningful look “… and before another fight breaks out, I have a special announcement to make.” Uneasy chuckles rustled through the group.
Edward turned to Elle. “Wait a minute … please.” She wanted to protest, but there was something about his plaintive expression that softened her.
“Okay.” She settled back into her seat and angled her body to avoid the possibility of looking at Rush.
“Thank you for preventing me from making a fool out of myself,” Edward whispered.
She acknowledged his gratitude with a slight nod, and he put a protective hand on her knee. He was the kind of guy a girl could count on—the kind of guy that didn’t require near as much energy as Rush did. Edward seemed to be satisfied with what little she was able to give as opposed to Rush who demanded every last inch of her body and soul.
Alexander ceremoniously paused, looking first at Wisteria and then at Rush who scowled back at him. An icy distaste for the boy pricked at him, so he focused on Wisteria instead. “I spoke to Coach Harris about Rush, and he’s going to allow him to play on the football team next year.”
Wisteria cocked her head. “Really?” she asked carefully. “But I thought he was banned for good.”
Banished: Book 1 of The Grimm Laws Page 23