AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, maybe on someone else but not on you,” Harper says.
I pull the dress down, turning the phone towards the ceiling to floor mirror. I inspect the tag. The crimson bodycon dress fit me like a glove in the swank Austin boutique. I shrug holding it against me. The spaghetti straps compliment my brown skin. The deep v-neck neckline means I have to go braless to pull it off. The knee length is the only tame feature. It’s definitely a statement dress, leaving little to the imagination.
“Hunter.”
“I’m in here Daddy," I call over my shoulder. “We’ll talk at S&J," I tell Charlee and Harper.
“What time is the reservation?”
“Now for your late tail,” Harper teases Charlee.
“Whatever! Perfection takes time ladies.”
“The speed dating starts at seven. We need to get there early to get the best seats,” I tell them. This argument is the center of their existence, Harper is always early, Charlee is always late.
“Which means, Charlee, sweetheart, if you want a man, you need to get there on time.” I laugh glad to see Harper’s spunk coming back.
“You know what Harper Anne,” Charlee adds a country twang to her voice, “you can shove it where the sun don’t—”
“Hunter, what is this?” I jump startled by my father at the top of the stairs. He is waving a sheet of paper in the air. I roll my eyes glancing back at my phone.
“All right later dudes. I’ll see y’all in a few. Save me a seat.”
We say our goodbyes and hang up. I drop to the couch beside the island facing him. The frown on my Daddy’s face tells me he’s gearing up for a lecture.
“Hey Daddy, how was your day?” My heart rate spikes at seeing his handsome face twisted in disappointment. I paste a smile on my face aiming for my best sweet-as-pie grin to cancel out the scowl on his.
My parents joke that I’m their perfect creation. I have my mother’s alluring eyes and pouty lips. But I’m my father’s twin, from my brown skin to my taller than average height. I have his slightly wide nose and his smile. A smile I use like a Black AmEx to gain access to anywhere and anything. However, proves defective tonight.
“Hunter we need to talk, now. Meet me in my office.”
This is bad. I don’t mind pissing people off, but not Daddy. He holds the keys to this mansion, and quite honestly I care what he thinks even though he has a tendency to overreact.
“Can we talk later? The girls and I have reservations,” I offer hoping to give him time to cool off, to rethink whatever is scattering around that head of his.
He lets out a heavy sigh. “Five minutes Hunt.” Then he stalks off.
I grab my phone. What have I done to bring this on? I search my mind coming up empty-handed. Let me lay my clothes out and then go see what he wants.
I grab a pair of stilettos and toss them on the floor. I open a drawer finding earrings, a necklace, and I push around my rings looking for my favorite chunky ring for my middle finger. I lay them out on top of the island. That should cut down the time I need to get ready. I can’t be late.
I leave my room walking through the house towards Daddy’s office. Our house is quiet, as the staff moves around invisible. The only sound I hear is my shuffling slides. I lightly tap on his door.
“Have a seat.” Daddy rubs the back of his neck, turning in his chair. He’s in his high back leather chair behind a desk large enough to seat at least six people. He leans forward resting his hands on top. The pose would seem harmless if I didn’t see steam rising from his ears.
“What is it, Daddy? You’re scaring me.”
“Hunter, I’m at my wits end with you.” He runs a hand over his face, letting out a deep sigh. My father is the soft one of my parents. He doesn’t raise his voice. He’s reasonable. He’s level headed. All I have to do is smile and apologize, and he’ll hide my dead bodies from the world, even my mother.
“Whatever it is, I’m sorry Daddy.” Blink. Blink. I add a good batting of my lashes for good measure.
“Baby, I don’t believe you.”
“What?” I hold my breath until my lungs burn, screaming for relief.
“Things have got to change around here.” His hands steeple in front of him, and my heart drops. He lifts a sheet of paper tossing it in my direction. I pick it up from the desk, and immediately I hear the sounds of crashing metal against metal in my head, like a thousand car pileup.
“You approved the trip.” Sort of. I can’t whisper the truth that I had to top my last trip. The pressure of every event being compared to the last is real.
