Page 77 of The Eleventh Hour
She blinks at me and turns to Dane. “And who is this handsome young man?”
“This is-”
“I’m her boyfriend,” Dane says quickly and smirks lazily.
I’m so flustered for a moment I can’t do anything but stare at him.
“Right, this is Dane Galbraith.”
Jeraldine gives me a strange look. “Funny, the young man over there introduced himself as your boyfriend.”
“I have two,” I say and immediately panic when my mind corrects me with three. Where the hell did that come from, and why did it feel right and wrong at the same time? A dark voice and hands I know better than I know my own pops into my mind and whispers the word ‘mine’ so loud it’s all I can hear. My heart aches. I miss him.
I shiver, and Dane moves closer. “Cold, love?”
I look up at him, and he leans forward and presses a kiss to the corner of my lips. I want to lick the spot and see if I can taste him there. He almost pushes Gideon from my mind.
I belatedly shake my head.
“Ahh, there she is.” My father’s booming voice drags me from the confusing thoughts. He comes striding in, his partner Richard at his side. My father looks impeccable as always in his normal suit. I wonder if he even owns a t-shirt.
Richard gives the room a bored, level look but doesn’t peel away when Edward comes marching towards me. He doesn’t hesitate to hug me, and I hug him back, laughing softly.
“Hello, Miss Shade,” Richard says politely, but he turns to Dane and starts chatting away, leaving my father drawing me away from the group.
“I took care of that thing for you, my darling.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“You are most welcome. He is charming, enchanting, even. Reminds me of River when he was a little tyke.” My father rubs his hand across his chin, and there is a dark concern in his eyes. “Have you heard anything about the young woman, his mother?”
“No. Nothing yet.” I let out a defeated sigh.
“Do we have to keep up this pretense? Can’t we just be family? I don’t understand what you’re so afraid of. I can take care of it, whatever it is.”
I jerk my head back and look around. “Dad, leave it. I…You can’t, just trust me.”
My mouth opens and closes, but I can’t think of anything to say. The guilt wells up, threatening to drown me, steal my sanity, and pull me into darkness. There are secrets and demons waiting for me there, but my father pulls me into a hug, and it fades away.
“I’m here for you. This time, I’m going to be here for you. I just couldn’t bear it if you disappeared again.”
I blink back tears and hug him tighter. “I won’t, I promise.”
“Dinner is served,” A voice says from the doorway.
My father leads me into the dining room and guides me to a seat on his right. I narrow my eyes at my father, shake my head a tiny fraction, and move down one. River catches on quickly and slides into the spot between my father and I. Dane sits next to me on the left, and Rafael beside him. On the other side, Richard sits beside Dad, Jeraldine beside him, then Stevie and Andy.
Plates are set before us. I try to determine what the food is, but there’s barely three mouthfuls on the plate, and I don’t recognise anything. I pick up my fork and poke at it dubiously.
Dane leans in close. “It’s salmon. Try it.”
I scowl and lift a delicate forkful to my lips. The taste is full of flavours I can’t identify, but it does taste good.
Edward and Richard talk of local events with Rafael. It amazes me how easily he’s able to slip into a persona that enables him to so completely charm my dad.
The door opens, and Phil stomps in. “Sorry, I’m late.” His tie is crooked, and his shirt is buttoned in the wrong hole. Phil looks harried.
He pulls out the empty seat beside Andy and sits down before he looks down the table, and his eyes darken when they see me. He leans in close to Andy and whispers something in her ear. She shies away from him and shoots him a dirty look.