Standing By: A Knight's Tale #2 Read Free

“Because I think that’s exactly what you’re doing.”
    Paige unhooked her legs from his waist and straightened her mini-skirt. Her narrow eyes and pinched expression made my blood boil.
    “I want the two of you out.” My voice was firm.
    “My house is under construction, Hayley,” Paige crossed her arms. “As usual you’re being unreasonable.”
    “You have got to be kidding,” I sauntered to the door and opened it. “Get out or I’ll call Dad. No, better yet, I’ll call Parker. He’s in town.”
    She gasped, uncrossed her arms and headed toward the guest room, within a few seconds she came rushing out with her purse and headed to the open door with Kevin following.
    “You’ll be sorry, Hayley,” she warned me.
    After she had left, I called Parker, her older brother a.k.a. my older half-brother. He promptly arrived at my house to nourish my broken heart and cook us dinner.
    “He’s not worth your time, Hay-Bear,” he said while grating cheese. His lasagna was one of the best I have ever had. He looked up; those dark brown eyes that are almost the exact color of his hair were staring at me. “You shouldn’t waste a second glance at a guy like him; we told you he was a scumbag.”
    “These tears aren’t about him; it’s Paige. She didn’t care about my feelings, Parks.” I sipped the glass of wine I held. “Actually, she gave me that narrowing gaze that says I’m going to eliminate you. Why can’t she be more like a sister to me?”
    “You know her, Hayl,” He covered the baking dish with foil, opened the oven and set the dish inside. “I told you not to let her stay at your place but you didn’t listen to me. For what’s it’s worth, it’s their loss. Not yours.”
    “I lost my boyfriend to my sister,” I reminded him.
    “Sadly, Hayl, I know the moment she snaps her fingers, you’ll forget about today, and do whatever she wants. You’re too nice.”
    “Hayley, Hayley. You know I love you, right child?” Mom doesn’t wait for me to answer but continues with the bomb she’s about to drop. I wish for once she said… “ You know I love you. ” And stop right there.
    “When I say different,” she says with some exasperation as she points to me with her index finger. “I mean your appearance. Don’t you agree, Augustine?” I stare at Dad holding my breath because I fear he was going to agree with her. “She needs to change those baggy clothes, use some makeup, the list is infinite. Who’ll want to date you?”
    I eye her Louis Vuitton purse and wonder if she has a hidden binder with a rigorous diet to slim these curves of mine she hates, the ones she swears look hideous with my midget like height. Oh, and don’t forget the list of approved outfits that I should wear along with a new and improved hairdo of her choice. Yes, a complete makeover to land the guy .
    “She’s perfect,” Dad tells her and I let out the breath I was holding. “Stop harassing our child, Caroline, she’s fine the way she is.”
    “Don’t be stupid, Augustine.” Mom turns her attention to me. “If you go to Vegas, you might want to catch a man there, Hayley.” She uses her long perfectly manicured nails to scratch the glass of my display case. “At this pace, your biological clock will run out before you lose that virginity of yours.”
    “Why do I continue to keep trusting you with my private information?” I gasp, and she gives me her infamous warning death glare. Yet, I add more. “Dad, get your ex-whatever out of my shop.”
    “You’re impossible today, Hayley, I taught you better than that,” she yells, sounding like a howling hyena. “Augustine, when or should I say if , Hayley marries, you’ll pay as we agreed. A big wedding fit for a princess. Bigger than the one that girl from England, what’s her name?” she snaps her fingers. “Yes, Kate. Bigger and grander than hers. Just because the other one is eloping to Vegas of all places, it doesn’t mean you should expect the