Part 46 (1/2)

”Well you offended.” My dad says in a sharp tone. ”So what if she has a crush? How would that make my son driving her home inappropriate? Unless you think less of him than he deserves?” He has a point. I wait for her to respond, feeling smug when she only looks away. ”Exactly.”

b.i.t.c.h.

”I'm done!” Eloise calls, racing to the living room, her hands still wet. ”I've got to run. My dad needs me down at the Trinity building thing.”

Her phone rings as a car pulls up at the end of the driveway.

”Who's that?” My dad asks, smirking as he looks at the car. I figure that's permission for me to look and see.

”Justin Fletcher.”

”Fletcher...” My dad looks at Susanna for a moment before looking back to the car.

I can't look at the car. I can't look at her. I swear my face is turning red. My temper is getting the better of me.

”Yeah.” Eloise hugs my mum, kisses my dad on the cheek and waves to Susanna before patting me on the head and racing from the house.

We all watch as Justin hugs my girlfriend and kisses her on the cheek before holding the door open for her. I grind my teeth. Since when is any guy his age suddenly a gentleman?

”Isn't that your brother, Susanna?” My dad asks and the car pulls away.

I try to calm my breathing, but the feeling of betrayal makes it impossible to be calm at all.

”Yes, they started dating Valentine's Day, as far as I'm aware.” I realise her eyes are narrowed suspiciously on me. ”My brother is smitten. They knew each other a while back.”

”Young love?” My mum smiles wistfully and Susanna nods.

Love? What does Susanna know that I don't?

”Is he a good man?” My dad looks aggravated as he stares at the empty spot the car just vacated.

”He's a very smart, young, talented and extremely hard working boy.” Susanna states proudly. ”Any woman would be lucky to have him.”

Yeah right.

”He paints buildings,” I scoff without thinking and stand. ”I'm going to get a drink. Anyone want anything?”

I don't like the twinkle in Susanna's eye; it makes her look devious.

My dad's eyes follow me too, but his are more of concern than anything else.

Isaac: You better call me... NOW!

Eloise: I know, but I can't right now. I'm still in the car.

Isaac: Are you seeing him behind my back? Be f.u.c.king honest because Susanna just said that you're dating.

Eloise: I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer. I've been working with him but no, I haven't been seeing him outside of work.

Isaac: When the f.u.c.k did you start working with him?

Eloise: Two days ago but I haven't seen you and I didn't realise my dad was going to send him to pick me up!

My heart settles a little bit.

Isaac: I don't like it.

Eloise: Soon I'm going to be in a dorm filled with other men. You're going to have to learn to trust in me! I won't be putting up with this every single day that I'm away.

I don't respond. She's right; I'm being crazy. I'm going to push her away myself.

Isaac: Stay safe. I love you.

Eloise: Stay sane... I love you too.

”Everything okay?” My dad asks, leaning against the door jamb. How long has he been watching me? ”Who're you texting?”

I stuff my phone back in my pocket. ”n.o.body important.”

”You know,” he steps to the fridge and pulls out a carton of apple juice, the apple juice we always make sure we have in for Elle. ”I found myself thinking about Valentine's Day the other day.” He pours apple juice into a gla.s.s on the side. ”And the more I thought about it, the more I realised how coincidental it was that two minutes before Eloise and her male friend left the restaurant, you left with a nasty stomach bug.” He chuckles a little and leans back against the side. The overhead fan blows his greying hair around on his head, making him look a little insane. ”And then their car window was put through in a secluded spot on the edge of town that I'd never heard of before, yet there were no sightings of anybody in that area for the rest of the night.”

I think my heart just failed. I play innocent, blink my eyes and raise a brow. ”Yeah, I'm pretty sure stranger coincidences have happened.”

”Definitely,” my dad says, finis.h.i.+ng his drink and pus.h.i.+ng off the side. ”He paints buildings huh?”

”Apparently so.”

”Oh? And what does Katherine's partner do for a living?”

Blink. ”Katherine has a partner?”

”Yeah, she has spoken to you about him a few times. It's odd, isn't it, how we absorb information about people we don't like or even know that well.” He whistles a casual tune as he leaves the kitchen.

Holy f.u.c.k... he knows. Or he suspects.

Or maybe he was just speculating.

Was that his blessing? He didn't get angry, shout or warn me off. He just whistled and walked away. What does that even mean?

Eloise ”I like this one,” I say, pointing to the beige tiles with spiralling patterns. ”Lower half.”

My dad smiles and agrees. He ticks it and orders two of his staff to measure it.

”How's that ceiling plan coming along?” He turns to Justin and asks.

Justin beams. ”It'll be fit for a king.”