Fractured Things - Samantha Lovelock Page 0,30
ago.
“You like it?” Cecily asks while her eyes twinkle in amusement at my obvious automotive insta-lust. I just nod my head, a massive smile spreading across my face. “Good. Let’s go find Spry. We wouldn’t want you to be late for your lunch thing, would we?” She pats me on the shoulder while trying to smother her own smile in the last swallow of coffee from her mug. “We’ll take care of the license switch, and you’ll be able to drive yourself around in no time.”
Still dumbfounded by her offer, I let my aunt usher me to the front door, with a quick stop in the kitchen for me to grab my purse and phone. She texts Spry and hugs me goodbye before gently shoving me outside, her tinkly laughter echoing behind me. The sight of her driver heading to the Caddy gets my feet moving, and I slip into the backseat, giving the older man our destination and settling in for the short drive.
Forget butterflies and their small, delicate wings—I have full-grown, fat-ass geese flapping and squawking around in my gut as we pull up to the imposing house. I haven’t been back since that night, and I can still feel the cold slither of the horror and devastating sorrow that engulfed me and nearly swallowed me whole. The memory of Sunday and I running from here that night flutters in front of my eyes, and the sound of my name leaving Poe’s lips wrapped in confusion and anguish echoes through me.
Maybe this wasn’t the best place to meet. Maybe this whole idea is stupid. I mean, does it really matter if anybody outside of the Bradleighs looked for her the first time? And why would anybody be willing to help me look for her again?
Spry waits patiently as I try to decide if I’m going to get out or have him take me home. The decision is made for me though, as the door opens from the outside, and a man I remember as Hendrick, Mr. Halliday’s valet, reaches his hand in for mine.
“Good afternoon, Miss Bradleigh,” he nods politely in greeting, a small smile on his pleasant face. “Mr. Halliday has asked me to escort you to the study.”
“Thanks, Hendrick. It is Hendrick, right?” I ask, and he nods. “Might as well get this over with. Lead the way.” I turn and wave goodbye to Spry, my stomach clenching again as the Caddy rolls smoothly away from me down the long driveway. Taking a deep breath in through my nose, I blow it out between my lips, square my shoulders, and follow the valet inside like I’m going into battle.
Luckily for me, the study is in the opposite wing of the sprawling mansion from the macabre mess at the end of September. Walking the quiet hallways, I let Hendrick get a ways ahead of me as I take in my surroundings. The walls are lined with beautiful framed oil paintings, small gallery-style lights suspended above them, and abstract sculptures are resting on carved pedestals here and there. Something my mother told me once floats to the surface of my memory—the harder it is to figure out what a piece of art is supposed to be, the more expensive it probably is. By her logic, these sculptures must be worth a small fortune. Still, I can’t help but think how cold and impersonal the house is.
I wonder what it was like for Poe growing up here? How can you actually be a kid in a land of look-but-don’t-touch?
Like I summoned him with the power of my mind, I turn a corner and walk straight into Poe’s shirtless and sweat-slicked chest as he comes jogging up the stairs from the lower level. Putting my hands up in a natural reaction to steady myself, I find my fingertips lingering longer than necessary, tingling with familiar electricity as they take a tour over his well-defined pecs.
“Star?”
His voice snaps me out of my reverie, and I pull my hands away quickly, dropping them to my sides.
“Hi. Uh, good morning. Or rather, good afternoon, I guess. You know, since it’s after noon.” My features arrange themselves into a stupid grin while I pray for the floor to open up and swallow me whole to save me from further pun-y embarrassment.
“Did you come to thank me for the ride back to California?” Ignoring my ridiculousness, he cocks his head slightly to one side, slowly licking his kissable lower lip before giving me the sexy