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He grinned, leaning down to whisper in her ear, “This is our family estate here in the islands.”
Embarrassment and wonder washed over her at the same time. The ground floor where they stood spread out so open and big, it rivaled the best and most expensive of hotels. Just past the front door, an arrangement of real palm trees stretched up from the first floor almost to the third. Double dark oak doors lined the walls on the first and second floor, while windows lined those of the third. One side of the third led off into some other part of the house. The very fact that she saw all of this from where she stood blew her mind.
While she wanted to continue to gawk at the house that must be worth millions, a maid glided down the stairs and approached them. Her straight back and serviceable uniform impressed Alyssa all the more. “Mr. Corde, welcome home, sir.”
“Talia, thank you,” Nathan responded. “This is my girlfriend, Alyssa. Can you show her to her room?”
The woman didn’t bat an eyelash at the fact that Alyssa’s skin was as brown as hers. She smiled and nodded her greeting. Alyssa found her voice and answered in kind.
“Mrs. Corde gave instructions for Ms. Alyssa to be placed in your room, sir. Aziz has already taken the luggage up. Ms. Alyssa, I’ll show you the way.”
“Wait, in Nathan’s room?” Alyssa squeaked.
Nathan cleared his throat. Before either of them could speak further, a woman called out from behind them, and Alyssa and Nathan turned. The woman hurrying up the few steps to the doorway appeared to be an older female version of Nathan. Alyssa knew this must be his mother.
“Nathan, darling,” she cooed and raised her cheek for Nathan to kiss. He did so and drew his mother in for a warm hug. She didn’t reach beyond his shoulder, but her fiery spirit made her seem taller. “Dad and I have missed you. I wish you would visit more often.”
“I promise I will,” he assured her and drew Alyssa to his side. “Mom, this is Alyssa. Alyssa, my mom.”
?
??You can call me Lydia, dear,” his mother said.
She offered a cheek to Alyssa too, and Alyssa gave her a brief hug and a sort of half-cheek, half-air kiss. The fact that real people greeted each other this way surprised her, but she did her best to recover quickly so she wouldn’t embarrass Nathan or look like a poor gawking tourist.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs.…um…Lydia. Thank you for inviting me to your home.”
Lydia waved a hand and turned back toward the door. “When Dad gets his second wind, he’ll come in. Of course, he only likes Aziz to help him. Oh, here is Aziz. Aziz, help Mr. Corde in, will you?”
“Of course, ma’am.” The young man, about thirty or so, who had Talia’s eyes and nose, swept out the door in brisk efficiency.
Lydia had them all seated in a living room off the main area and Talia away for refreshments in a heartbeat. Alyssa soon crossed her legs with a glass of iced tea, having declined the hot equivalent on a day like today. Nathan took her free hand and laced his fingers with hers.
“Mom, I think Talia made a mistake and put us in the same room,” Nathan began.
“Oh pish.” His mother rolled her eyes. “I may not be young, but I’m not stupid, Nathan. I know what you young people get up to these days before marriage. I will have you know I’m not completely old-fashioned. I told Talia to put you two together so you don’t have to sneak about at night. Everything is out in the open.”
Alyssa blinked at the older woman while fighting panic. Nathan’s mother fully expected them to have sex under her roof. The prospect both appealed and repulsed her at the same time. She waited for Nathan to protest the arrangement, but he had the nerve to thank her for understanding and then kissed Alyssa’s hand. Alyssa, thinking he’d lost his damn mind, dug her nails into his palm until he winced, but he didn’t release his hold.
At last, Nathan’s father entered the sitting room, a proud glint in his eyes despite the stoop to his shoulders and the obvious frailty of his overall frame. Nathan popped to his feet, and Alyssa stood as well. Her heart went out to the little old man, who must have had Lydia by at least ten years. He had to be pushing seventy, or it could be the sickness that took it out of him.
“Nathan.” The older man greeted Nathan with an echo of the voice of his son. “You’ve finally arrived. Sorry we weren’t here. I forgot another doctor’s appointment.”
“Dad, don’t worry about it.” Nathan hugged his father, and Alyssa found her chest tightening. She knew the pain of losing parents without warning. Was it worse for Nathan having his dad all his life and then knowing he would go soon? Or was it easier given he could mentally prepare for the inevitable?
When the two men turned to her, she hurried over to them and allowed herself to be drawn into another hug. Whatever she had expected, it was not this warm welcome and the complete lack of reaction to her appearance. Maybe as Nathan believed, his parents just wanted to know he was happy and settling down.
“Young lady, you can call me Dad,” Nathan’s father insisted.
Guilt washed over Alyssa, and she stuttered.
“Dad, don’t be ridiculous. They’re not married or engaged!”
Alyssa turned at the voice of another person joining them. She met the caustic gaze of a woman who appeared to be a few years younger, and identified her right away as Nathan’s sister. The medium-length blonde hair and blue eyes matched those of her father, a sharp contrast to Nathan’s and his mother’s darker looks. Her slender figure and plain clothes offered less of an impact than her mother made with obvious designer brands.
“You can call him Mr. Corde, or Leo if you don’t have any respect,” the woman ordered.
Here we go. Alyssa’s hand crept to her hip almost without her guiding it there. She gave as much as she got, scraping her gaze over the woman’s figure, and let it be clearly written on her face that she was not impressed with what she saw. Red stained the woman’s cheeks, giving Alyssa the satisfaction she sought. “And who are you?”
