Shattered Rose (Winsor Series)

by T Gray

  I detangled myself from his grasp and walked off the porch, trying my best not to look back over my shoulder at him. My hands were shaking and my thoughts were going a mile a minute. I gripped the steering wheel with both hands, making the leather stretch as I twisted it. Taking a calming breath, I turned to Issy. “Ok, tell me where to go.”

  “Wow, you are getting good at this,” she said nodding, shooting Jake a final goodbye wave. “If your face wasn’t a complete give away, I’d almost think you were over him.”

  “I am over him,” I lied, hating Issy for being so incredibly perceptive.

  “Its ok, Avery. You’re doing better than most girls. I actually think he wants you back. I’ve never really seen him pursue a girl more than once before. This is new territory for me.” Her tone implied that she was impressed, but it didn’t make me feel any better. I had just spent the last four months on a downward spiral with Jake being the center of all of it. Now that I was finally seeing some light in the dark tunnel, he was back, like my kryptonite, making me fall for him all over again.

  “Issy, be straight with me. Do you really think Jake will ever be more than the sporadic boyfriend he was before?” It was the first time I’d ever asked Issy for advice on Jake, but I had to know. He was invading my thoughts again and my stomach was still in knots from his scent when he held me on the porch.

  “I think Jake is complicated.” She was matter of fact and honest, yet it left the door open. My inner voice was yelling at me, but a smile crept on my face regardless as I thought, You never know.

  “Lord, I pray you keep her eyes firmly open so that she can see when others are there to deceive or hurt her.”

  12. AFTER PARTY

  I was laughing hysterically as Issy belted out another Madonna song at the top of her lungs. It wasn’t that Issy had a bad voice…it was just that it was a loud voice, and not fully in key. Her lightheartedness had improved my mood drastically. I didn’t even try and kill her when she grabbed my phone and texted Parker back for me. They engaged for barely a minute before he wised up. I was actually impressed that he knew me well enough to call it. He ended their conversation with a “good luck with your dad, and give Avery back her phone!”

  “Amazing,” Issy said as she set the phone down. “He totally nailed me. I thought for sure you two were well into the dirty talk phase.”

  “Oh my Gosh, Issy, what did you text him?” I asked with horror in my voice.

  “Just that he looked sexy in his shorts and that I looked forward to rubbing out all of his hurt muscles.” Her voice was pure innocence as she turned up the stereo. I couldn’t help but laugh, mostly because Parker already knew it wasn’t me. The thought did make me blush, though. Parker was sweet and kind, and I really liked him. But the only person that popped into my head when I heard “sexy” was Jake. My smile remained until Issy got to the chorus of Like a Virgin, which quickly brought me back to reality. I hit the power button as fast as I could.

  “Hey, I was singing that!” Issy yelled as she reached for the stereo.

  “No, we have to focus.” The forty-five minute drive to Issy’s dad’s house was almost over and I needed some preparation this time. I walked into a lion’s den with Issy and her mother, and I refused to do it again. “What should I expect here? You made it seem like all was peaches and cream with your mom, and you two hardly said a word to each other.”

  “What to expect?” Issy sighed, posing in the thinker position. “Ok, well my dad will act like we are best friends. I will play along. My stepmom will say all the wrong things, and I will either ignore her or say something rude. Her son will likely be reading a book or playing a video game, so he is a pretty low threat. In all, it will feel like a perfectly dysfunctional meal.”

  “Ok, then clarify for me, please, why you wanted me here? I thought you and your dad didn’t get along.” I was totally confused at this point. It seemed more that her mom was the estranged one.

  “Avery, just have my back. My stepmother tends to bring out the worst in me. You seem to bring out the best in me. I was just hoping they would balance each other out.”

  Her comment surprised me, but I finally understood. Sometimes you just need a friend to be there, even if they don’t do anything at all. Maybe Parker was right about Issy. I followed her instructions down a long driveway until out of the trees loomed the largest house I’d ever seen. No, house wasn’t the right word…it was a mansion.

  Issy punched some numbers on the keypad and the gates opened, giving us access to the front drive. The house was split level and three stories. It was a butter-yellow color with cream trim and had multiple balconies on each level. The entire yard was filled with tall trees and plush landscaping, making it seem even more expansive than it was.

  “Oh, here we go again. Avery, you really need to stop gawking.”

  I shot her a dirty look and parked the car, carefully watching her body language as she got out of the car. I’d know Issy for months and had never seen her so tense. She grabbed her purse and whispered under her breath, “Here we go.”

  As if given new resolve, she shot me a big smile and pointed to the front door. I followed slowly, turning around with every step to take in the beauty.

  The door opened before we even got to it and a young man in khaki slacks and a cotton button-up dress shirt and tie stood there smiling. He was handsome in a rugged kind of way, and his broad face and tussled hair didn’t seem to match his preppy attire.

  “Issy, the prodigal daughter returns.” His voice was full of humor, but also had a tension to it. He was watching Issy carefully as if trying to read how she would respond to him. I quickly deduced that those two didn’t get along.

  Issy walked past him without a word and waved her hand to dismiss him. I watched his face tense as he shut the door behind us and walked away.

  “Your butler?” I asked as he disappeared around the corner.

  “No silly, we’re not that rich. He’s my dad’s assistant. My stepmom is obviously smart enough not to let a woman have the job again.”

  “You weren’t very nice to him,” I reminded her.

  “That’s because he’s a jerk, and not really worth my time or energy,” she explained, but I noted a slight catch in her voice and the way her body stiffened when she first saw him.

  “Issy!” Her father said as he approached her with his arms spread wide. He was a mass of a man, well over six feet and relatively built for someone his age. Issy was a good foot shorter than him and seemed to get swallowed up in his huge hug.

  “Hi Daddy,” I heard her say in a muffled voice.

  “You look beautiful as always, and I love the pink much better than the blue from this summer.” He was touching her hair as he said that, and I almost lost my composure. I guess Issy’s look didn’t have quite the effect she wanted. His attention was suddenly diverted to me, and his massive presence was such that I pulled my sweater tighter around me hoping to find some comfort. “You must be Avery.”

  “Yes sir, thanks for having me.”

  “Of course! Any friend of Issy’s is always welcome here. Shall we go see Anna?” He wrapped his arm affectionately around Issy and led us though the enormous foyer. I glanced up at the set of stairs that each curved up to the second story like mirror images of themselves. My eyes squinted as I thought I caught a glimpse of someone peaking through the rails, but he disappeared so quickly, I was sure it was an illusion. I turned back to follow Issy’s father, not wanting to lose them in the vastness of the house.

  The décor of his home was drastically different from Diana’s. Everything here was rich and ornate with lots of gold and wood tones. There wasn’t a piece of furniture that didn’t look like it was taken from a mid-century European castle. I felt uncomfortable in the space, like I was a tourist who shouldn’t touch anything.

  We finally made it to the living room, which was no different from the rest of the house. The floors were gold marble and the walls and ceilings were lined with intricatel
y carved walnut paneling and gold leaf. The furniture was a royal purple with gold trim and looked horribly uncomfortable.

  Anna was moving around a vase of flowers as we walked in and practically squealed with delight when she saw Issy. Her mannerisms were eccentric and borderline obnoxious as she grabbed Issy in a bear hug.

  “We are so glad you are here! It’s been way too long!” Her voice sounded odd as if it had been trained to hide the southern accent that was all too apparent. She had bleached blond hair and her dress was so incredibly short and tight that I could see her string underwear beneath it.

  I was sure I stood there with my mouth wide open as I took in the sight of it all because I didn’t even notice the assistant walk up behind me until I heard him say, “Don’t worry, it’s a lot to take in all at once.” I turned to look and he winked at me before fixing the vase that Anna had just left dangling too close to the edge of the table.

  Issy finally detangled herself from the clutches of her overzealous stepmom and came to stand beside me. I took one look at her and almost couldn’t control the giggles.

  Her face was red with fury and the likeness to her hair was quite a sight. Tears threatened my eyes as I tried my best to maintain my composure. When Issy saw me, she started laughing so hard that I had no more resolve, and the room came to a halt as everyone watched us succumb to gut-wrenching fits of laughter. I looked up, and Anna seemed annoyed, making it even harder to stop. The only one who didn’t seem taken aback by our outburst was the assistant who watched with a sparkle in his eye. I was sure I was making a horrible first impression, but it didn’t matter at the moment.

  We finally got ourselves under control and wiped the tears out of our eyes. The room was silent for only a moment and then Issy’s dad clapped his hands and said, “Let’s eat!” as if nothing had just transpired. Issy grabbed my hand and bounced into the dining room, starting to look a little like her old self. We sat opposite of Anna and her son, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, and Issy’s father sat at the head of the table. I was surprised when his assistant excused himself and didn’t join the family for dinner.

  I leaned to Issy and whispered, “What’s he do again?”

  “Oh just about everything. Grant’s my dad’s right hand man,” she whispered back.

  “Why didn’t he join us for dinner?”

  “Would you if given the option?” she replied with such sarcasm that the giggles almost returned.

  “Yeah, I see your point,” I whispered back and turned my attention to Anna who was tapping her wine glass with a fork.

  “I want to make a toast to Issy,” she said standing. “To a beautiful girl with so much spunk and unrecognized potential.” She raised her glass and drank a sip, acting as proud as if she had delivered the Gettysburg address. Issy’s father beamed with pride, and I couldn’t imagine how a man so obviously smart in business didn’t just catch the way his wife subtly insulted his daughter.

  I saw Issy get up from her seat, and I immediately sensed trouble.

  “To Anna,” she began, holding her own glass. “A woman with impeccably bad taste and even worse table manners.”

  I closed my eyes, sure I had heard incorrectly, but the audible gasp from her stepmom and the stern “Kaitlyn Isadora!” that followed proved me wrong.

  “What?” Issy shouted, her jaw rigid. “Insults are only allowed if they are underhanded?”

  “I want you to apologize right now,” Issy’s dad demanded with full authoritative measure.

  “Tell you what, Daddy, I’ll apologize to her for being honest when she apologizes to me for sleeping with my mother’s husband,” Issy retorted and the room got so quiet, we could have heard a pin drop. I looked down at my plate, wanting to disappear. I was wrong, the silent tension with her mom was a hundred times better than this moment.

  Anna stormed away from the table, and Issy’s dad put his head in his hand and started rubbing his temples. Issy sat down, and I could feel her shaking, but her face was stone cold, devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

  “Kaitlyn, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.” Her father’s voice was resigned and lost.

  “Don’t call me that,” Issy said flatly, not even acknowledging his comment. “Are we going to eat soon? I’m starving.”

  Her dad looked up at her, and Issy flashed him an innocent smile. He excused himself from the table, not saying another word. It was just us three left: Issy, myself and her quiet, little half brother who couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old. He was perfectly adorable with straight brown hair combed over to the side, and he was wearing thin, round glasses. His resemblance to Harry Potter was striking.

  “Are you ok?” I whispered to Issy, not sure what the next step in the protocol might be.

  “I’m fine, just hungry. Let’s eat.”

  “Without your dad?” I asked, feeling really uncomfortable eating their Thanksgiving meal without them.

  “Oh, they’ll be back shortly. Anna’s going to have a temper tantrum, he’ll console her, and then they’ll return. Better to shut her up now than hear it all through dinner,” Issy said flippantly as she filled her plate. I watched her brother do the same, careful to not make a sound. I wondered how she could say all of that in front of him with no remorse. I felt sorry for the little guy and was disappointed in how Issy was acting.

  “Hi,” I said, addressing him with a smile. “I’m Avery. Did I see you peaking through the stairs earlier?”

  He looked down sheepishly and nodded his head.

  “I bet you are a master at hiding, especially in this big house. Are there any secret hiding places I should know about?” I asked the last part in a whisper, as if we were having a secret conversation.

  He took the bait and nodded enthusiastically, “There’s one door from my father’s study that leads right to the kitchen. I sneak in when Rosa’s not looking and get her homemade chocolate chip cookies.”

  “That sounds fabulous! Is Rosa a secret spy?” I asked playing along.

  “No.” He chuckled. “She’s my nanny, but she’s strict on the sweets.”

  He was an adorable kid and super sweet. I looked over at Issy who was eating her food in silence, intentionally ignoring the whole conversation. I rolled my eyes and returned to her little brother.

  “So I told you my name, what’s yours?” I asked.

  “Its Andrew, after my father, but everyone just calls me Junior.”

  “Well Junior, it’s very nice to meet you,” I said and was just about to reach my hand out to shake his when Issy’s father and Anna returned to the table. Anna had obviously been crying and was still carrying her tissue. Issy’s dad looked more irritated than ever, but quietly served up his plate. The silence went on for what felt like hours, and then suddenly the focus was on me, the one neutral ground in the room.

  Soon came the onslaught of questions about my school and classes, where I was from and how I liked Winsor. I was really starting to hate talking about myself and felt like I had been on two exhausting interviews today.

  I attempted to change the subject by asking Issy’s dad if he enjoyed Winsor when he went there. He seemed genuinely happy to talk about his experience until Issy piped in about how much her mom also loved the school, even though she sacrificed her education to raise her daughter on her own.

  The room was silent again until Rosa brought in the desert and refilled the wine. I was careful this time not to drink too much, but did notice that Issy was working on her third glass.

  “So, are you two heading back to school tomorrow?” Issy’s dad asked.

  “Yes sir, I’ve got to get back. I’m not sure about Issy.”

  “Nope, its Black Friday. My favorite shopping day of the year.” Issy suddenly came to life as if she got the escape route she had been waiting for all evening. “In fact, Daddy, I promised Mom I’d be ready before the sun comes up, so I better make sure I get home in time to get a good night’s rest.” She already had her napkin on the tab
le and was standing up.

  “But you just got here. I thought we could take a walk by the lake. I was really hoping to talk to you.” He seeming genuinely disappointed that she was leaving.

  “Next time, Daddy, I promise.” She walked over, kissed him on the cheek and left. I excused myself, thanking them again for a lovely dinner and followed her out of the room. Never in my life had I experienced anything like this day. I had sat down for two Thanksgiving dinners and was leaving hungrier than before either of them. How anyone could eat under that kind of strain was beyond me.

  Grant was standing near the foyer as we headed to the front door. He was watching Issy closely and I saw her immediately tense as he smoothly asked, “Running away already?”

  Her eyes became like daggers as she hissed, “Go to hell!”

  Seconds later, she was practically running out the door to my car. I watched as she stood with her hands on the roof for just a second and then turned around, her face completely blank. “Let’s go! I’m dying to get this party started!”

  I got in the car, but refused to turn on the ignition. “Issy, you were deplorable in there…to everyone. I’ve never been so uncomfortable in my life.” I didn’t mean to lecture, but I was really upset.

  She sighed and put her head in her hands. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to even begin to be there for her. I drove out the gate and waited for Issy to point me in the right direction.

  Ben lived only five houses down, but it was a mile down the road. His gate was open, and we could hear music through the car windows before we even got to the house. The music snapped her out of her daze and Issy looked up with a huge grin.

  “Please don’t be mad at me,” she begged, wanting me to smile too. “I promise first thing tomorrow, I’ll call my dad and apologize, ok? Besides, you get to meet all my old friends tonight, and I really want you to have a good time.”

  I couldn’t resist smiling as I watched her animated apology. I had to admit, it felt good to get out of the stuffiness of Issy’s world and see something that felt more like Winsor.