was? What if he had some kind of power over me? What if…I lost my train of thought when he took hold of my hand. He gave me a look so tender, guilt at thinking those things about him sizzled through me. Zach was great and kind, and I felt safe around him. Man, I was becoming paranoid.
Cassie grunted. When I glanced at her, shadows danced behind her scrutinizing gaze. I could guess what she was thinking. Why was I on a date with someone I didn’t know very well? I had no answer to that question.
Zach pulled me into motion. “I come from Ireland, if you must know. Most of family is there, but I haven’t been home in quite some time.”
“Why not?” Cassie asked before I could, her gaze intent on Zach.
“I pissed off my sister when I refused my inheritance. We haven’t spoken since.”
“Oh,” I said. “I’m sorry.” Just what kind of messed-up birthright would compel him to refuse it? No wonder he didn’t want to talk about his past. “That must be awful.”
He shrugged. “I hardly think about it anymore.”
Zach led us to Sam’s car. I didn’t know college students could afford a brand new Mercedes. It was probably a graduation present. How would that be? Even Cassie had only gotten a Camry.
Sam leaned against the driver side door with Natalie pressed tightly against him doing the usual. They were completely oblivious to the crowd of onlookers that had gathered. I should have suggested taking my car, but I didn’t want to subject myself to the ridicule.
My beast was as long as a hummer, and nearly as boxy. I just wished it was half as cool. Not many people thought it was as great as I did. I loved the thing because it was once my Mom’s.
Roger, it seemed, was a bit of an eccentric. He lived off campus with a bunch of roommates in a large house that his parents left him when they retired.
How would it be to spend every day basking in the Caribbean sun on your own private beach? I hoped to find out one day.
We pulled up to the scrolled ironwork gate separating us from the vast estate beyond. The hedge-lined private driveway wound in and out of copses of trees. I couldn’t see the house, but it had to be a doozy from the look of the sculpted gardens—as in plural.
Sam rolled down his window. He pushed a button a few times impatiently.
“Yeesss,” said a butlerish voice.
“Quit messing around, Roger,” Sam said. “Why do you have the gate closed?”
An imperious laugh rang out. “I feel dramatic today. Welcome, friends and all.”
A loud buzz pierced my ears. Even though I expected it, I jumped. Zach laughed, placing his arm around my shoulder. I grimaced, looking away.
“Great!” Natalie said with a huff. “He’s on one.” Natalie turned around in her seat, eyeing Cassie. She gave her a small smile, not genuine at all. “I promise he’s usually not this bad.”
I glanced at Cassie, wondering if she found Roger annoying or funny like I did. The only thing I could see in her was bright, shining curiosity. Her face was aglow with mirth. Why was Natalie being so harsh? Did she have a complicated past with Roger? I hoped he was decent for Cassie’s sake.
The lawns were expansive. We must have driven a mile before we reached the house. Sam pulled the car into a parking spot on a lower lot. I stifled my gasp when I got out of the car.
The place was more than massive; it was colossal. A grand set of triple ascending stair cases rose above us like the proverbial stairway to heaven. Two gigantic turrets jutted over the sculpted hedges on either end of the building like gilded upside-down sugar cones.
When we reached the top of the stairs, I asked, “Why didn’t we park up here?” There was plenty of room. An entire lot lay empty.
“It’s one of his rules ,” Natalie grumbled, walking by arm-in-arm with Sam.
The house was a French Tudor classic on steroids. Leaded diamond glass gleamed in the sunlight from five stories of windows cozily set in aged stucco charm. The raised
Cassie grunted. When I glanced at her, shadows danced behind her scrutinizing gaze. I could guess what she was thinking. Why was I on a date with someone I didn’t know very well? I had no answer to that question.
Zach pulled me into motion. “I come from Ireland, if you must know. Most of family is there, but I haven’t been home in quite some time.”
“Why not?” Cassie asked before I could, her gaze intent on Zach.
“I pissed off my sister when I refused my inheritance. We haven’t spoken since.”
“Oh,” I said. “I’m sorry.” Just what kind of messed-up birthright would compel him to refuse it? No wonder he didn’t want to talk about his past. “That must be awful.”
He shrugged. “I hardly think about it anymore.”
Zach led us to Sam’s car. I didn’t know college students could afford a brand new Mercedes. It was probably a graduation present. How would that be? Even Cassie had only gotten a Camry.
Sam leaned against the driver side door with Natalie pressed tightly against him doing the usual. They were completely oblivious to the crowd of onlookers that had gathered. I should have suggested taking my car, but I didn’t want to subject myself to the ridicule.
My beast was as long as a hummer, and nearly as boxy. I just wished it was half as cool. Not many people thought it was as great as I did. I loved the thing because it was once my Mom’s.
Roger, it seemed, was a bit of an eccentric. He lived off campus with a bunch of roommates in a large house that his parents left him when they retired.
How would it be to spend every day basking in the Caribbean sun on your own private beach? I hoped to find out one day.
We pulled up to the scrolled ironwork gate separating us from the vast estate beyond. The hedge-lined private driveway wound in and out of copses of trees. I couldn’t see the house, but it had to be a doozy from the look of the sculpted gardens—as in plural.
Sam rolled down his window. He pushed a button a few times impatiently.
“Yeesss,” said a butlerish voice.
“Quit messing around, Roger,” Sam said. “Why do you have the gate closed?”
An imperious laugh rang out. “I feel dramatic today. Welcome, friends and all.”
A loud buzz pierced my ears. Even though I expected it, I jumped. Zach laughed, placing his arm around my shoulder. I grimaced, looking away.
“Great!” Natalie said with a huff. “He’s on one.” Natalie turned around in her seat, eyeing Cassie. She gave her a small smile, not genuine at all. “I promise he’s usually not this bad.”
I glanced at Cassie, wondering if she found Roger annoying or funny like I did. The only thing I could see in her was bright, shining curiosity. Her face was aglow with mirth. Why was Natalie being so harsh? Did she have a complicated past with Roger? I hoped he was decent for Cassie’s sake.
The lawns were expansive. We must have driven a mile before we reached the house. Sam pulled the car into a parking spot on a lower lot. I stifled my gasp when I got out of the car.
The place was more than massive; it was colossal. A grand set of triple ascending stair cases rose above us like the proverbial stairway to heaven. Two gigantic turrets jutted over the sculpted hedges on either end of the building like gilded upside-down sugar cones.
When we reached the top of the stairs, I asked, “Why didn’t we park up here?” There was plenty of room. An entire lot lay empty.
“It’s one of his rules ,” Natalie grumbled, walking by arm-in-arm with Sam.
The house was a French Tudor classic on steroids. Leaded diamond glass gleamed in the sunlight from five stories of windows cozily set in aged stucco charm. The raised
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