Royal Pain in the Ass Read Free Page A

t-shirt.   I had a funny feeling that what I ’ d packed wasn ’ t what this family was used to seeing.  
    I shrugged and decided that it didn ’ t matter.  I ran a brush through my still drying hair.   If I left it to its own freewill, it would usually make pretty waves and I was feeling especially lazy today.   I didn ’ t usually wear make-up, but I decided to wear some eye liner and shadow, just a little.   I didn ’ t like it when it looked like I was wearing make-up, just enough to hint.   One of the things my mom used to tell me was when you have to wear make-up to be pretty, you aren ’ t.
    I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror.   The eye liner always made my grey eyes pop and with a hint of silver on my eyelids I knew how I looked.   My black hair was drying into nice waves.   I smiled as it decided to cooperate with me today.   It was the closest I came to lying low.  
    I didn ’ t know why I felt like I did today.   It wasn ’ t like me.  I usually didn ’ t give a damn about what people thought of me, but somehow I was feeling the slightest bit insecure.   This whole situation had thrown me for a loop.   After twenty-one years of accepting that my father was not more than an abstract thought, I may have found him, or rather he may have found me.
    I opened the door to see Laurel waiting for me.
    “ Are you ready, my lady? ”
    “ Yeah, were you waiting out here the whole time? ”
    “ Yes, you asked me to wait. ”
    “ Oh, you could have waited in there with me, I would have hurried more.   I ’ m sorry.”
    Laurel looked at me with the same bewildered look.   “ There ’ s nothing to be sorry for. ”
    “ Um, okay then. ” I shrugged.   “ What time is it? ”
    “ It is almost seven. ”
    “ That ’ s not bad, even for me. ” I smiled.   Getting ready was something I could do in a jiffy if I had to.
    Laurel fought back a smile.
    “ Why fight a smile? ”
    Laurel looked taken aback.   “Pardon?”
    “ If you want to smile, smile.   Don ’ t fight it.   Smiles are precious.   Enjoy every one of them. ”
    This earned me a small smile.   “ The dining room is this way. ”
    She led me through a maze of corridors and hallways twisting this way and that.   Yeah I was definitely lost.   She presented me to an archway and at the table James was sitting so was Angelica and another woman who I could only guess was Millie, his wife.   She looked like she was in her early thirties, but she had to be older, Angelica was at least sixteen.   Probably older, but not based upon the way she acted.  
    “ Good morning, ” I offered, waving to everyone.   They all looked up.   James smiled, but Angelica and Millie didn ’ t.  Millie looked much older when she scowled, I immediately added at least ten years to her.
    “ Breakfast is served at seven o ’ clock sharp, ” Millie scolded.
    I pulled my phone out.   “Sorry I ’m five minutes late.   I kind of got lost.   This house is a maze. ”  Millie had honey brown eyes, I ’ d never seen such a warm color look so cold.   “I ’ m sorry if I offended you. ”
    “Don ’ t be silly, ” James smiled.   He shot his wife a warning look.   “Come, sit, join us.”
    “ What are you wearing? ” Angelica sneered.   I looked down.  
    “ Clothes last time I checked. ”
    “You ’ d actually go out in public dressed like that? ”
    “Yeah,”
    Angelica shook her head and looked at me like I was insane . 
    “Anyway,” I looked around the table, only James was paying attention to me.   Millie ’ s shoulders, which had been a graceful arch before she saw me, now held tension in them.   I also noticed her jaw was clenched and she seemed downright angry with me.   “ So, what ’ s for breakfast?”
    “ Whatever you like, ” James smiled.   “ The cooks here are really phenomenal.   Eleanor,”  he called and a plump woman looking to be in her early thirties came in, a warm smile on her face.