AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Damn, if that wasn’t the cutest thing I’d ever seen.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend?” The dark-haired woman’s bitter tone chilled me to the bone, her back stiff in a chair that was probably older than my entire apartment building.
“Fleur, this is London McCrae,” Spencer introduced me, his arm sliding around my waist. “London, my sister Fleur and her husband Parker Linden. The boys are Harrison and Matthew.” Spencer kissed Jane’s cheek and set her down.
“Pleased to meet you,” I said warmly, trying to break the ice. Spencer had warned me that his oldest sister would be harder to win over than his mother, and the way Fleur looked at me made me think Spencer might have downplayed it.
“How did the Blackwell Charity Auction go?” Spencer asked Fleur, trying to shift the focus.
“Grandmother was pleased,” Fleur said smugly. “Quite a bit more than she was with you after our Christmas party.”
Spencer’s expression tightened, and I saw color tinging his cheeks. “I conducted myself appropriately.”
“Are you certain she thought so?” Fleur asked, her eyes challenging him. “Or were you in such a hurry to return to New York that you didn’t speak with her after that night?”
“Fleur, this isn’t the time for this discussion,” Raynard interrupted, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. He didn’t look in my direction, but Fleur’s eyes were still fixed on me.
After a moment of awkward silence, Eloise spoke up. “London, my dear, may I ask about your name? I find it quite intriguing.”
“My mother has a fondness for city names and chose them for all her children,” I replied. “Austin, Rome, Paris, Aspen, and me.”
“Ah, I see,” Eloise nodded, her eyes brightening with interest. “You have four siblings?”
“More, actually. I come from a large blended family,” I said with a smile.
Before I could say more, Benedict entered the drawing room to announce that dinner was served. As we made our way to the dining room, Spencer leaned in and whispered, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I replied, giving him a reassuring smile. “What about you?”
He chuckled. “Oh, this is just another typical dinner with my family,” he said, his tone a mix of amusement and resignation.
I nodded, understanding Spencer. Family dynamics could be complex and difficult for outsiders to navigate.
My jaw dropped when I entered the dining room in Spencer’s family home in York. Instead of the functional dining room I was used to in my parents’ house in San Ramon, or the similar one in the family’s house in Scotland, I found myself in a room that seemed straight out of a Regency romance novel. The giant table had to be antique, and there were paintings on the walls that my sister Aspen would have gone crazy over.
“Are you familiar with art?” Fleur asked as if she already knew the answer and it wasn’t flattering to me.
“A little,” I said honestly. “My older sister, Aspen, owns an art restoration company based out of San Ramon. She’d love these.” I gestured to the artwork.
“San Ramon?” Eloise asked.
“Yes, it’s a city in California.” I sat in the chair Spencer had pulled out for me and hoped the movement didn’t look as awkward as it felt. “Her business is called Carideo Restorations.”
“Why Carideo?” Raynard asked. “Isn’t that Italian?”
“Yes, Aspen’s father was Marcus Carideo, and I think he was of Italian and Spanish heritage. I’m not positive, though.”
“And you?” Fleur asked. “What are you?”
“Fleur.” Spencer’s voice was sharp.
His sister rolled her eyes. “I apologize. That wasn’t politically correct of me. What I meant to ask is where your family comes from. McCrae is Scottish, but you sound American.”
“I am.” I could feel the tension radiating off Spencer, and reached over to put my hand on his knee. “My father’s from Scotland and moved to the US after he met my mom. I was born in California.”
“So, what is it you do for a living?” Eloise’s smile made me think maybe she wasn’t simply trying to find something else to pick at.
“I’m an actress,” I said, trying to keep my tone light and pleasant.
