AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A thoughtful look came over his face, and then his gaze cleared, his lips curving into a smirk. Fuck, no. Whatever he was thinking wasnotgood.
“Knox was asking me about the Greenwoods. What their background was like.” He tried to communicate something with his eyes to my mother, who instantly seemed to get it, her smile widening.
“Oh, I see.”
They did not fucking see. At all.
“Knox,” she continued, blithely unaware. “It doesn’t matter to us if you want to be with someone that hasn’t…had the same opportunities in life as you, let’s say. When I met your father, I was a struggling model, living in a tiny, cramped flat with three other girls, and he never made me feel like I was less than him. I know there are certain expectations placed on you, especially with our position of influence, but it would be hypocritical of us—”
“No. That’s not—”
My dad interrupted me before I could finish my sentence. “Well, you were hardly a struggling model, darling. As I remember, you had a huge billboard up in London, and your flat was in Chelsea.” They both laughed, and I groaned, shaking my head.
“Seriously, whatever you’re thinking, it’s so wrong.”
“But your mother is right. If you’re interested in Elena, you don’t have to worry about our acceptance. We just want you to be happy. Now, I know that she’s a little different from the other girls you’ve been around all your life, a little less…polished, but maybe that could be a good thing. She doesn’t appear to be interested in our money, seems very independent, in fact…” His words died away as the object of our conversation appeared from the restaurant kitchen doorway, because that was just my fucking luck.
She glanced over at us, biting down on her pouty lip, and my traitorous dick jerked. Even in the kitchen staff uniform—sensible black with a white apron, hair tied back into a neat ponytail—she looked good to me. Fuck my fucking eyes. And brain. And everything in me that wanted her when I didn’t want to want her. Wanted to hate her.Didhate her, in fact.
“Elena!” My mother was already waving her over, ready to make my life even more hellish. Elena had no choice but to come over to us, giving my mum a small smile and completely avoiding my gaze.Good.
“I’m not really supposed to be talking with the patrons,” she confided before crouching down so she was level with JoJo’s high chair. Her smile softened, tugging at something inside me. “Hi, JoJo. Would you like to do some colouring?”
“Yesss.” JoJo nodded enthusiastically, and Elena straightened up.
“I’ll be right back.”
The second she turned away, my mum cleared her throat, and she and my dad had a whole conversation with their eyes. My dad nodded, pulling out his phone and showing her something on the screen.
“What are you two doing?”
They both ignored me, and I didn’t have a chance to say anything else because Elena returned, placing some sheets of paper and a set of crayons in front of my sister.
My mother placed a hand on her elbow, drawing her attention. “Elena, what time does your shift finish? Do you have a driving lesson afterwards?”
“Twelve, and my driving instructor is picking me up from here after that.”
“Do you have any plans for this evening?”
Elena shook her head slowly. “No…”
“Wonderful!” She gave Elena a bright smile. “One of my charities, the Benhall Foundation, is holding a dinner tonight. I’ll arrange for you to be collected after your driving lesson, and my stylist will find you something appropriate to wear. You’ll attend as Knox’s date.”
“What the f— What?” I stared at my mother in horror. She had to be joking, surely.
“I-I can’t. Um. I don’t think Knox—” Elena bit back the rest of her words, sliding her gaze to me, then back again, a pink flush appearing on her high cheekbones.
“Knox would be honoured to have you as his date. Wouldn’t you, Knox?” My father’s voice was steel, but his eyes twinkled with amusement. Fuck him, and fuck my mother for coming up with this plan.
“I did have plans—”
“Cancel them.” He turned to Elena. “Maria and I will be attending the dinner too, but Knox will accompany you.”
Her wide-eyed gaze darted between the three of us, and then her shoulders slumped in resignation. “Okay. Thank you for inviting me. I…I’d better get back to work.”
“Of course. We’ll see you later.” My mother threw her another bright smile. As soon as Elena was gone, she gave me a thoughtful look. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. It’s clear that you’re into her.”
“You’re right,” the traitor, aka my dad, chimed in. “And the same goes for her. Reminds me of the way you used to look at me, back in the beginning.”
