He grabbed his keys and his wallet, and I knew he wasn’t going to discuss this any further. My father thought that his word was gold and expected everyone to obey him.
He expected wrong.
I didn’t plan on having anything to do with Beck, but it wasn’t because my father had ordered it so.
That only made me want to get to know him more. It made me die of curiosity to know why the hell they hated each other so much.
“I’ve got some meetings this morning.” He tucked his phone in his pocket. “I’ll see you all at dinner.”
He wouldn’t be seeing me. If I wasn’t at work, I would eat my dinner in my room. I refused to sit around a table with them and pretend like we were some happy little family.
I didn’t respond to him, but Amelia kissed him and wished him a good day. I couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes.
I walked away before he could say another word. The kitchen counter was covered in food, and I smiled at the cook my dad had here several days a week. It still made me feel awkward, and I hated that there was someone here to serve me.
I knew these people were all used to it, but I was not. Nothing about this felt normal to me.
“I can make you something if this isn’t to your liking.” Her smile was warm and reached her eyes that were touched by age.
“This is more than enough.” I grabbed a couple of waffles before loading them down with fresh fruit and syrup. I started to walk back to my room, but at the last minute thought better of it. I pulled out one of the chairs at the island and sat down across from where she stood.
“I’ll give you your space.”
“No. Please, stay.” I cut into my waffles. “Have you eaten?” I motioned toward the food, and she looked at me like I was crazy.
“I’m fine. Thank you, Josephine.”
“Josie,” I corrected her. “What’s your name?”
“Liz.”
“It’s nice to officially meet you, Liz.” I stuffed a bite of the delicious breakfast in my mouth. I may not have liked being waited on, but I couldn’t deny the woman could cook.
“You too.” She folded a dish towel and straightened it out on the counter. “Are you ready for the school year to begin?”
I don’t know what it was about her, but there was something that reminded me of my mother. There was something about her that made me feel more at home than anyone that lived in this house.
“Not really.” I laughed. “I’m not used to going to a school like that. Plus, I know no one.”
“At least you’ll have Lucas.”
I made a face at her, because there was no way in hell that she didn’t overhear that conversation, and she laughed quietly.
“I’ll pick up your uniforms in the next couple days.”
Ugh. I totally forgot that they all wore pretentious uniforms. “Yay.”
She leaned onto the counter, her fist resting under her chin. “Clermont Bay Prep is a good school. A lot of people would kill to get in there.”
I was such a spoiled little brat. “I know that. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.” I pushed some hair out of my face. “I just never thought this is where I’d end up.”
She looked at me with so much sympathy on her face that I knew she knew about my mother. There was no way that she didn’t. “I’m sorry about your mother.”
Her words stabbed through my chest. No one had said those words since I had been here. Technically, Beck had said them last night, but that was out of guilt.
She was the first one who had genuinely been sorry for my loss.
I hadn’t even felt like my father cared.
“Thank you.” I stared down at a strawberry and pushed my fork into it slowly.
“I know how hard it is to lose your mother.” Her voice sounded distant, but I couldn’t stop myself from looking up at her. “I didn’t lose mine as young as you, but the loss of your mother is something you will never get over. But it will get easier.”
My chest felt like it was going to cave in on itself, and even though I appreciated what she was saying, I also desperately wanted her to stop talking. The only way I didn’t feel overwhelmed by my mother being gone was to not think about her at all. But it never seemed to work. Something always reminded me of her.
“Thank you.” It was the only thing I could think to say. “I miss her.”
“I know you do.” She moved around the kitchen a bit. “But you owe it to her to live a wondrous life.”
My gaze snapped up to hers.
“I obviously didn’t know her, but that’s what I want for my children. I want their lives to be wonderful and filled with love.”
The thought of Beck popped into my head, and I forced it back. I didn’t like Beck Clermont. He was a carbon copy of the men I had sworn I wouldn’t allow to control my life, and he was just as cruel as they were.
“What do you know about the Clermonts?” I blurted out my question before I could think better of it, and she looked a little shocked. I couldn’t blame her.
“They’re a nice family.” She searched my eyes. “Why do you ask?”
I looked over my shoulder, but there was no one there. Amelia always seemed to disappear the moment my father was gone.
“I’m sure you heard all that this morning.” I motioned to the foyer where my father had been yelling. “I just don’t understand what their aversion to the Clermonts is.”
“Are you curious about all of the Clermonts or just one?” She raised an eyebrow, and I knew my face flushed red with embarrassment.
“Well.” I pushed my food around on my plate. “I would like to know why they specifically hate Beck so much.”
Liz sighed and leaned back against the sink. “Beckham used to spend a lot of time here.”
My breath caught. He spent time here? I was shocked by that information.
“He and Lucas and those other two yahoos he runs around with were close friends.”
“What happened?” I pushed to the edge of my seat. I would have never guessed that any of them had been friends. Not with the way they hated each other now.
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “They were all over here one day, then the next, poof. No more. Lucas hasn’t been the same since then though.” She tapped her fingers against her thigh. “I really shouldn’t be telling you any of this.”
I knew she probably feared my father just like everyone else, but I needed more information. I needed to know what happened.
“They just stopped being friends?”
“I’m sure something had happened.” She shrugged. “But whatever it was, I didn’t hear about it. I only hear things your father is okay with me hearing.”
I knew exactly what she was saying. These walls held secrets. Secrets that weren’t just held from her but from me too. Secrets that kept my father thriving.
“Beckham is a good boy though. He has always been kind and respectful.”
I felt like she knew another boy entirely. I would never describe Beck as either of those things.
“But I would stay away from him if that’s what your father wishes. He must have his reasons.”
Yes, he must, but I wasn’t important enough to know what they were. Whatever Beck had done, my father didn’t want me anywhere near him.