“Listen to me Mae,” she gripped my shoulders. “He’s bad news.” “What do you mean by that?” she was scaring the hell out of me with her crazy eyes. Lisa had never breathed a word. Not even while she was with Ava. A guest walked past our spot in the shadows and she whipped her head up and blinked a few times. She looked down at me and anger flashed in her eyes. Shoving me away, she tried to barrel past me “Lisa wait!” I tried to grab her hand but she jumped away from me as if I had burned her. “Stay the fuck away from me!” she hissed and I had a flash back to Ava’s bathroom accident. Was this going to be a repeat of it? I took big step away from her. “You’re a smart woman, do the safe thing.” Satisfied that I wasn’t going to touch her, she continued on her way. Her blank expression replacing the anger I saw earlier before she turned. I was still in a daze when Ethan found me. He wrapped his hand around me and kissed my cheeks. “Are you alright?” he asked when he noticed how unr
“Go bug someone else Miles.” I said finally.“I don’t know many people here. Maybe Wynona, but I don’t see you coming around and playing big sister.”“Yeah have fun with that.” I told him, staring daggers into his back as he sauntered away. What right did he have to judge me like that. It was so easy for him to get on a high horse and act like everything was simple. I refused to let his words bugger me. He knew why I was here, I didn’t care what he thought was happening.“A moment of your time Mrs. Crowe.” A savvy voice called beside me, When I turned my head, I was looking down at a stout man with a checkered scarf on his neck and gauges in his ear. He didn’t fit in with the rest of the party, and smiled at me like I was supposed to know him. Oh dear. “ Of course! I answered brightly, and waited on him to continue the conversation. Perhaps something he said would jog my memory.“Well. Your husband told me about your potential…So I want you to send me your portfolio-it’s alla formali
“Papa?” I said crossing my fingers. God let him be alright.“Margaret Ricci.” I heard his gruff voice. A sigh of relief escaped my mouth.“Papa, you’re alright.”“Not with the heart attack you’re trying to give me. I want you in this house by tomorrow, do you hear me?”“si papa.” He had called my full name. I was definitely in trouble for something. My heart dropped. Did he find out about the contract?Worrying would do nothing. There was only one thing to do. Call Miles. I knew mum would be glued to dad and won’t have time to answer me.“What happened?” I asked immediately he took my call.“Well good day to you too, sis. Oh me? I’m doing great.”“I don’t have time for this. Did he find out about the contract?”“He did not. He left the house while mum was taking a nap and walked to the restaurant. He noted the changes in the restaurant, just regular stuff. But then he asked about his lovely daughter and one of the new employees informed him that no Mae Ricci or Crowe had worked there
“ Mae? ” mum asked, trepidation written all over her face. I smiled at her. Miles entered the room fully, his expression flashing between confusion, annoyance and a lack of comprehension.That would all end in a minute, once they heard what I wanted to say. I forced their faces out of my mind and turned to dad.“Mae let’s talk about this.” Mum reasoned with me.“Please calm down.” I begged. She seemed to understand because she clamped her mouth shut and folded her arms. I rushed to speak before Miles would say anything that would jeopardize us even farther.“Papa, Your son is a playboy.” Miles cursed and dad threw him a look.”What are you talking about?” He asked. I felt a little guilty but if this meant that I could take dad’s mind off the main problem it would be better.I lowered my voice and in a flurry of Italian i tried to tell them about his little escapade in school with a strange girl and made another one upset, I was just about to add a few more embellishments about a catfi
“You see, my birthday is coming up. I don’t usually do anything fancy about it but I was thinking this year could be different. That’s why I’m here even. I was thinking it would be a great choice to handle the breakfast themed table.”“Oh yeah, these people are great.” Wynona interjected. “Double win if you could get the hot waiters too.”“I-I’ll see what I can do?” she glanced at her. “Anyway, I had this brilliant idea, to have you style a dress for me. We can pick one together and you change it however you think will look gorgeous-I’ ll pay you of course. We would get a really popular piece, so people can identify the before…and then my dress would be an after,” Lindsey was very lost in her imaginings. As she spoke, she used her hands to draw the picture in her mind. I waited for her to finish.“…wouldn’t that be amazing?” She laughed in glee. “I’m so sorry Lindsey, but I can’t do that…” ”What?” She looked confused.“The thing with Saskia’s dress, it was a one time thing.”“But…it d
Did Ethan invite someone over without giving me a heads-up. I sighed loudly. I could not even force an atom of energy into my steps, they would have to manage a measly smile.I flattened my dress to my body like it would make me look more presentable. The man took a swig of his drink and dropped the glass on the bar, then he got up slowly and walked up to me. why were they drinking in the dark with just the side light? That barely showed anything.“Beth, lights on.” I paused. I waited for a second before the room was flooded with bright fluorescent light. I now had a good look at Ethan’s guest. I gaped at him when I recognized theface.“You’ve already met Jace.” Ethan said, rounding meJace grinned down at me with a charming smile. For the second time that day, we held hands. He was one of those people that loved to maintain intense eye contact during conversation, seeing as they were one of his enthralling features. With a sigh I looked away. Why was he here?“Yes, I met him. At the
“He’s a very pretentious fellow.” I commented, recalling the way he looked me over. I knew his kind, They usually came in the form of tourists to the restaurant. With their elevated sense of importance and nasal way of speaking.“It’s not about what he is, but about what he can give to you.”“I went through his website, I don’t think I’m wanted at that company.”“He told you he wanted you, did he not? I had discussed the details with him, did he go back on his word?”“No Ethan, what I am trying to say is that my designs are very different from the designs that are associated with his brand, it’s easy to tell that he doesn’t actually want me in his company. He’s just offering because you got involved.”“A lot of people would be grateful, that I got involved.”“I’m sorry that I don’t fit that mold right now, I like to know that when I’m picked to work in a fashion house it’s because I’m actually good, not because my billionaire husband forced my work on an unsuspecting victim.” My words
I was determined to give Ethan the silent treatment till I could not anymore. I just did not want my family be a part of this act The less dad knew him the better for us .From outside I could hear dad and our neighbor, Wes chanting. They had been on opposing teams since I was a kid.I plastered a smile on my face before I opened the door. At least dad would be majorly distracted by the game and not have the chance to focus on Ethan. I wore a green jersey, The color of dad’s team. Ethan for some reason had gone with the opposing team. Way to pick sides. I rolled myeyes.“Mia figlia.” dad greeted earnestly and he smiled proudly when he saw my jersey, and then his eyes fell on Ethan’s.“I see you have chosen the losing side.”Billionaire or not, football was something dad took seriously. So did Mr. Wes because he clasped Ethan on the shoulder and pulled the whole six feet of a man under his sweaty arm .“Oh please, we’ve been resting all this time. No one was worth putting energy.“You