The Ugly Stepsister Read Free Page A

Sam. I think it impairs your judgement in a major way.” Tom continued to look at Ellie as he spoke.
    “Sounds like your brother takes after you with the smooth comments.” Ellie threw the blanket back and swung her feet to the floor. “I don’t suppose I can get something to eat?” She turned to Sam, thinking he’d be more helpful than his brother. She wasn’t wrong.
    “Oh. Of course.” He stumbled to his feet and hurried to the door the stairs were hidden behind.
    Ellie listened to the sound of his feet against the timber tread. She heard him get about halfway up before he clambered back down. He stopped in the doorway. When he continued to stare at her silently, she bit back a sigh. “What?”
    Sam blushed. “I didn’t ask what you wanted for breakfast.”
    Tom shook his head. “What’s it matter? Give her cereal. She’s lucky I didn’t kick her out this morning. You know what Mum’d say if she knew you had a girl stay over.”
    “Yeah, but-” Sam began.
    “You’re hopeless, Sam,” Tom said.
    Sam’s blush deepened. He looked over to Ellie. “What would you like for breakfast?”
    “What are my choices?”
    “Everything.”
    Ellie grinned. “Everything?”
    Sam nodded.
    She couldn’t resist. He had said everything. “Pancakes, vanilla ice cream and maple syrup.”
    “Okay.” Sam turned and started back up the stairs.
    Ellie stared after him in surprise. She looked over to Tom when he started to laugh. “What’s so funny?”
    “You. Your face was priceless. You honestly thought he’d say no.”
    “You mean he’s going to make that?”
    Tom nodded. “And you better eat it too.”
    Ellie slowly smiled. “I think I’m going to move in here permanently. That’s my favourite meal.” Her smile widened when Tom scowled. She rose from the lounge chair and headed for the bathroom, grabbing her bag that had slipped onto the floor.

Chapter Three
    Once she’d finished in the bathroom, Ellie found the lounge room empty so she went up the stairs. She froze at the top, her feet sinking into thick carpet. The upstairs lounge room looked like it belonged in an architectural magazine. A clatter off to her right drew her attention to a kitchen. It was full of stainless steel workspaces, timber doors and was larger than both the kitchen and dining room at her house. Sam moved like he spent a lot of time in the kitchen while Tom sat on the corner of the bench that separated the kitchen from the lounge room.
    When Ellie moved closer, Sam looked up. “Do you want to eat in the dining room or out on the patio?”
    Ellie turned in the direction he indicated. The dining room was an octagonal area filled with tall windows and light. The patio was reached from a glass door leading out from the dining room. Opening the door, she stepped outside and found herself looking out over a swimming pool. She walked the length of the patio and saw it was level with the ground, which dropped away like a cliff, barely a metre away. The patio only ran along part of the back of the house. She guessed it was what people called a split-level house. All she knew was that it was nothing like her house. She returned to the kitchen.
    Sam flipped a pancake over in the frypan. “Did you decide?”
    “Dining room?” She was feeling a little out of her element. She’d never been in a house like this before. Downstairs was nothing like upstairs. She’d never have guessed this showpiece existed. What was she doing here? Panic flared and she pushed it away. Where else could she go? What other choice did she have? None. She had to stay.
    Sam flipped the pancake onto a cooling rack and poured more batter into the pan. “Tom?”
    Tom slid off the bench. “You’ve got to be kidding. She can set the table.”
    “Please?” Sam took ice cream out of the freezer.
    “Do you want me to help?” Ellie asked.
    Tom stared at her for a moment. “You would have done better cleaning off the makeup instead of putting more on.” He opened a