by Holly Renee
She was beautiful, but there was an edge of sorrow in her eyes.
“I’m not hungry.” Lucas pushed past me, his shoulder brushing against mine, and I could smell the liquor on him. Whatever Lucas did last night, he went hard.
“Get your shit together, Lucas.” My father’s booming voice stopped him in his tracks. “Senior year starts in just a few short days, and I expect you to act like a Vos.”
I knew he was talking to him, but I felt like he was directing that at both of us. Like he expected me to act like that name was supposed to mean something to me.
Lucas didn’t reply. He forced himself up the stairs, his anger still radiating off him, and I actually felt bad for him even if he was being a jerk.
Joseph was my father, but I hadn’t had to deal with him like Lucas had. I hadn’t had to live up to any of his expectations because he didn’t have any for me.
When Lucas was out of view, my father’s attention turned to me. “I gave you my permission for you to work at that country club, but I don’t want you to hang out with Beck Clermont.”
I could have told him that I wasn’t. That Beck hated me as much as they hated him, but I refused to.
He may have been my father, but he wasn’t my parent. He didn’t get to slip into my life and suddenly tell me what to do.
“I’ll hang out with whoever I choose.”
“No. You won’t.” He grabbed his suit jacket off the table and slipped his arms inside. “This year is important for you. You live under my roof now, and you’ll follow my rules.”
What he meant to say was that this year was under his control. He hadn’t given a shit practically my entire life, but now he thought he could dictate what I did or didn’t do.
“What’s wrong with Beck Clermont? Tell me, and I won’t hang out with him again.”
Amelia wrung her hands together and looked back and forth between me and my father. Whatever reason they had to hate Beck, it wasn’t something that was going to go away any time soon.
“I thought you were friends with Mr. Clermont.”
“We’re business associates,” my father corrected, his tone brokered no room for argument. “And I bet that Mr. Clermont would agree that the two of you have no business being around each other.”
He grabbed his keys and his wallet, and I knew he wasn’t going to discuss this any further. My father thought that his word was gold and expected everyone to obey him.
He expected wrong.
I didn’t plan on having anything to do with Beck, but it wasn’t because my father had ordered it so.
That only made me want to get to know him more. It made me die of curiosity to know why the hell they hated each other so much.
“I’ve got some meetings this morning.” He tucked his phone in his pocket. “I’ll see you all at dinner.”
He wouldn’t be seeing me. If I wasn’t at work, I would eat my dinner in my room. I refused to sit around a table with them and pretend like we were some happy little family.
I didn’t respond to him, but Amelia kissed him and wished him a good day. I couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes.
I walked away before he could say another word. The kitchen counter was covered in food, and I smiled at the cook my dad had here several days a week. It still made me feel awkward, and I hated that there was someone here to serve me.
I knew these people were all used to it, but I was not. Nothing about this felt normal to me.
“I can make you something if this isn’t to your liking.” Her smile was warm and reached her eyes that were touched by age.
“This is more than enough.” I grabbed a couple of waffles before loading them down with fresh fruit and syrup. I started to walk back to my room, but at the last minute thought better of it. I pulled out one of the chairs at the island and sat down across from where she stood.
“I’ll give you your space.”
“No. Please, stay.” I cut into my waffles. “Have you eaten?” I motioned toward the food, and she looked at me like I was crazy.
“I’m fine. Thank you, Josephine.”
“Josie,” I corrected her. “What’s your name?”
“Liz.”
“It’s nice to officially meet you, Liz.” I stuffed a bite of the delicious breakfast in my mouth. I may not have liked being waited on, but I couldn’t deny the woman could cook.
“You too.” She folded a dish towel and straightened it out on the counter. “Are you ready for the school year to begin?”
I don’t know what it was about her, but there was something that reminded me of my mother. There was something about her that made me feel more at home than anyone that lived in this house.
“Not really.” I laughed. “I’m not used to going to a school like that. Plus, I know no one.”
“At least you’ll have Lucas.”
I made a face at her, because there was no way in hell that she didn’t overhear that conversation, and she laughed quietly.
“I’ll pick up your uniforms in the next couple days.”
Ugh. I totally forgot that they all wore pretentious uniforms. “Yay.”
She leaned onto the counter, her fist resting under her chin. “Clermont Bay Prep is a good school. A lot of people would kill to get in there.”
I was such a spoiled little brat. “I know that. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.” I pushed some hair out of my face. “I just never thought this is where I’d end up.”
She looked at me with so much sympathy on her face that I knew she knew about my mother. There was no way that she didn’t. “I’m sorry about your mother.”
Her words stabbed through my chest. No one had said those words since I had been here. Technically, Beck had said them last night, but that was out of guilt.
She was the first one who had genuinely been sorry for my loss.
I hadn’t even felt like my father cared.
“Thank you.” I stared down at a strawberry and pushed my fork into it slowly.
“I know how hard it is to lose your mother.” Her voice sounded distant, but I couldn’t stop myself from looking up at her. “I didn’t lose mine as young as you, but the loss of your mother is something you will never get over. But it will get easier.”
My chest felt like it was going to cave in on itself, and even though I appreciated what she was saying, I also desperately wanted her to stop talking. The only way I didn’t feel overwhelmed by my mother being gone was to not think about her at all. But it never seemed to work. Something always reminded me of her.
“Thank you.” It was the only thing I could think to say. “I miss her.”
“I know you do.” She moved around the kitchen a bit. “But you owe it to her to live a wondrous life.”
My gaze snapped up to hers.
“I obviously didn’t know her, but that’s what I want for my children. I want their lives to be wonderful and filled with love.”
The thought of Beck popped into my head, and I forced it back. I didn’t like Beck Clermont. He was a carbon copy of the men I had sworn I wouldn’t allow to control my life, and he was just as cruel as they were.
“What do you know about the Clermonts?” I blurted out my question before I could think better of it, and she looked a little shocked. I couldn’t blame her.
“They’re a nice family.” She searched my eyes. “Why do you ask?”
I looked over my shoulder, but there was no one there. Amelia always seemed to disappear the moment my father was gone.
“I’m sure you heard all that this morning.” I motioned to the foyer where my father had been yelling. “I just don’t understand what their aversion to the Clermonts is.”
“Are you curious about all of the Clermonts or just one?” She raised an eyebrow, and I knew my face flushed red with embarrassment.
“Well.” I pushed my food around on my plate. “I would like to know why they specifically hate Beck so much.”
Liz sighed and leaned back against the sink. “Beckha
m used to spend a lot of time here.”
My breath caught. He spent time here? I was shocked by that information.
“He and Lucas and those other two yahoos he runs around with were close friends.”
“What happened?” I pushed to the edge of my seat. I would have never guessed that any of them had been friends. Not with the way they hated each other now.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “They were all over here one day, then the next, poof. No more. Lucas hasn’t been the same since then though.” She tapped her fingers against her thigh. “I really shouldn’t be telling you any of this.”
I knew she probably feared my father just like everyone else, but I needed more information. I needed to know what happened.
“They just stopped being friends?”
“I’m sure something had happened.” She shrugged. “But whatever it was, I didn’t hear about it. I only hear things your father is okay with me hearing.”
I knew exactly what she was saying. These walls held secrets. Secrets that weren’t just held from her but from me too. Secrets that kept my father thriving.
“Beckham is a good boy though. He has always been kind and respectful.”
I felt like she knew another boy entirely. I would never describe Beck as either of those things.
“But I would stay away from him if that’s what your father wishes. He must have his reasons.”
Yes, he must, but I wasn’t important enough to know what they were. Whatever Beck had done, my father didn’t want me anywhere near him.
Whatever had happened, it had turned a group of friends into enemies. If Liz was right, whatever had happened between them had to be bad.
Friendships didn’t end over simple misunderstandings.
Either Lucas or Beck had done something. Maybe they both had.
The boys of Clermont Bay weren’t to be trusted. Not a single one of them. If I was smart, I would hide away from all of them. I would spend my year with my head down and my mind clear. But Beck had no intentions of letting that happen.
I wasn’t disillusioned enough to think that Beck was doing anything more than using me as a part of whatever the hell game he was playing. But even having that knowledge, I was a fool. Because there was a part of me that wanted to surrender to him.
My heart hammered in my chest violently, and I knew that I had no choice.
Beck Clermont would use me however the hell he wanted.
Chapter Twelve
Josie
School started tomorrow, and I should have been preparing.
I knew that, but I didn’t want to think about it.
Going to that school meant I wouldn’t be able to avoid Beck.
I would be in his element, in his kingdom, and there wouldn’t be a single place to hide.
But I couldn’t think about that today.
When Sam, the manager of the golf course, had begged for someone to pick up a last-minute shift on the course after someone called in, I quickly volunteered.
I needed the money, and I needed the distraction.
“I’m going to have you working at the desk this morning.” He ran his gaze over me. Sam was attractive. He was older than me, sure, maybe by half a dozen years or so, but he still had a boyish charm about him that I doubted he would ever lose.
I followed him through the club, having never really been to this side before, and I absently thought about Beck.
But he wasn’t worth my time.
I didn’t have time to worry about what Liz had said about him or what my father wouldn’t.
I wasn’t the girl who fell for the hot jerk simply because he had made me feel things I had never felt before. I was smarter than that.
Any experience I had before him didn’t feel like that. They had felt like fumbled, sloppy messes compared to Beck. I didn’t want to think about how much practice he had to have to be that impactful.
I wasn’t an idiot. I knew a guy didn’t know how to turn on a girl that well by sitting at home and twiddling his thumbs. And a guy who was that good with his mouth and a simple touch of his hands was not a guy who was also good with hearts.
That was plain and simple.
If I wanted to continue thinking about Beck Clermont, I needed to focus on how to avoid him. I couldn’t let thoughts of his cocky smile slip in or the way my heart hammered any time I saw him.
I didn’t have time to think about any part of him today. I was here to work, and I couldn’t afford to be distracted all day. Not by him or anyone else.
We rounded the corner toward the front desk, and I tightened my ponytail. If I could impress Sam today, then I could possibly get a job in his department in the future. I liked working in the dining room, but Allie had told me that working on the course paid a lot better. And that’s all I needed to focus on.
More money, more security.
“Mr. Clermont.” My head snapped up as Sam spoke his name, and I quickly peeked around him. Sure enough, the man who owned the club stood there in a blue polo and a pair of khaki shorts.
“Hello, Sam.” Mr. Clermont reached out and shook his hand before smiling at me.
“I didn’t realize you’d be here today, sir.” Sam seemed so nervous around him, and I realized that maybe I should be too. But I couldn’t bring myself to. He had been nothing but kind to me since I started and that provided me with a sense of comfort even if it was fake. “Let me just get Josie set up, then I’ll get you ready to go.”
“We were actually hoping that Josie could be our caddie today.”
My heart stopped as I heard Beck’s voice. He was leaning against the desk behind his father, and he had the largest smirk on his face when his eyes met mine.
Sam looked between him and his father. “I have several experienced caddies for you, sir. Josie hasn’t been trained yet.”
“That’s okay.” Beck pushed off the desk, and I couldn’t help but look him over. He wore a pair of black shorts and a bright white polo with a single Nike logo on his chest.
He shouldn’t have looked that good. It was what I was used to seeing men in after a round of golf, but it was different with him.
I feared that everything was.
“Who better to give her some on-the-job training?” He was talking to Sam, but he was still looking at me. I knew he was the boss’s son, but I still worried about how Sam would react. There was no way in hell he was going to give me a position over here if I was off frolicking with the boss on day one.
“Sam has already asked me to run the reception desk.” I avoided looking at Beck, and instead, smiled at his father. “I don’t want to leave him stranded.”
His father smirked, and it reminded me so much of his son. I wondered if he had been just like him once upon a time. I wondered if that was where Beck’s pride came from.
Mr. Clermont was handsome for an older man, and I could imagine him in high school. I imagined him to be exactly like his son.
“Josie, my dad owns this place. You probably shouldn’t tell him no.”
My gaze jumped to Beck, and I wanted to kill him. “I didn’t tell him no. I was telling you no.”
I crossed my arms, and his dad chuckled. The sound was warm and kind and made me think maybe he was nothing like his son at all.
“Josie, why don’t you join us? It’d be good for Beck to see someone actually working for once.”
Beck scoffed, and I couldn’t help but smile at that.
I opened my mouth to answer but quickly looked back to Sam. Mr. Clermont may have owned this place, but I had still volunteered to work for Sam, and I wouldn’t leave him stranded.
“Go ahead.” Sam smiled, but it was tight. “I’ll pull one of the other caddies in to cover the desk.”
I could feel my cheeks redden and my stomach tighten with anticipation. I had no idea what Beck was doing.
He was here with his father, and I didn’t want to be anywhere near him.
I didn’t care about what he owned or what kind of pow
er he thought he had.
I didn’t want to give him any kind of power over me.
But I didn’t have a choice.
Sam handed me a key to a golf cart that I had no idea what to do with, and I followed Mr. Clermont and Beck outside into the crisp morning.
“You ever been golfing, Josie?” Mr. Clermont asked as Beck quickly grabbed his bag of golf clubs before he could.
“I haven’t.” I wasn’t sure what to think of him being so chivalrous, even if it was for his dad. It seemed out of character for him.
“Have you ever driven a golf cart?” He climbed into the passenger seat, and my heart rate spiked. Surely, he didn’t actually expect me to drive.
“Never.” I held the key out in his direction. “Maybe you should drive.”
“No.” He shook his head and patted the seat. “It’s time you learned. Especially with you working here.”
Beck climbed into the back seat that faced backward, but he turned with his arm over the seat and watched me. He was grinning, and the look on his face was enough to make my body remember every single one of his movements from when he had touched me.
From when I had begged him for more.
I climbed into the driver’s seat, Beck’s arm pressing against my back, and I pushed the key into the ignition. The cart was so quiet I barely even knew it was on, and I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do next.
Mr. Clermont reached forward and clicked a switch that said Forward, then I did the only thing I could think of and hit the gas. All three of us jolted forward, and Mr. Clermont shot his hand out to catch himself.
“Shit.” I heard Beck swear, and a small laugh bubbled out of my mouth.
“Oh my God. I’m sorry.” I was still laughing.
“Do you even have a driver’s license?”
“Yes. I have a driver’s license,” I snapped at Beck’s smart-ass question. “I told you I had never driven a golf cart before.”
“Help us, Lord.” His voice was cut off by his father’s.