It was stupid.
“Happy holidays,” Dad boomed, clapping some gray-haired man on the shoulder. “Arnold, how good to see you.”
I stiffened at the familiar name. He was the man responsible for sending Finn away. Even if he was helping, right now I didn’t like him. His eyes clashed with mine over Dad’s head. “It’s a lovely night out for a party.”
Dad nodded and laughed. “Indeed it is. Though it’s not as nice as that California weather, is it?”
Arnold shook his head, his eyes still on mine. “Not quite. Right, Carrie?”
“Uh, right.” I lifted my chin, raising my voice to be heard over Tinkerbell’s incessant barking. “Nice seeing you again, captain.”
He came to my side and dropped a kiss on my head. “I trust you’ll be wanting to speak with me tonight?” he asked quietly.
“You’d be right,” I gritted out. “After dinner.”
“I’ll meet you in the drawing room,” he agreed, squeezing my hand before moving on to my mother. “Darling, you look fabulous.”
I smiled and greeted his wife and two young children, then took a steadying breath. I had a lot of questions for him, but they would have to wait for now.
The doorbell rang again, and Dad opened it. Tinkerbell barked even louder. “Ah, hello, hello. Happy holidays,” Dad boomed. “Come in. It’s great seeing you again, Chris.”
Chris. That didn’t tell me which one this was. But then I saw the guy with him—young, tall, blond, and really hot—and I knew right away. It was the Stapletons.
My intended family…if my family had their way.
Dad beamed at me. “Ah, Riley. Carrie is home, so you won’t be drowning in old people talk tonight.”
“Sir, I must be old myself, because I’ve never been bored.” He placed a hand on Dad’s arm and met my eyes, his smile widening. He had dimples. Freaking dimples. “But I must confess, I’m excited to get to know you better, Carrie. I’ve heard so much about you.”
I pasted on my generic smile and extended my hand, shaking his. His hand was rough and huge on mine, and he seemed friendly enough. If I had met him on this level before I’d met Finn, maybe he would have stood a chance with me. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t Finn. “I hope it was all good.”
He laughed, deep and rumbly. Tinkerbell hopped up on hind legs, whining at his feet. Riley squatted down and pet her, grinning. “Indeed.”
“Good.” I bent over and whispered. “Then they were lying.”
His smile slipped for a second, but he laughed and straightened to his full height again. Tinkerbell slinked back to Mom’s side. “I think we’re going to get along nicely, you and I.” He held out his arm. “Shall we go get a drink?”
I made a face. “I’m not old enough.”
“I won’t tell,” he whispered. “Come on, cutie.”
I raised a brow. “Cutie?”
“Too soon?” He sighed. “I thought since we were getting along so well, we were there. Nicknames and all that.”
“Uh…” I eyed him, torn between genuinely liking him, and not wanting to lead him on. He might be handsome and he might be a catch, but he wasn’t mine to catch. My hook was already taken...or whatever fishing metaphor fit in this situation. I wasn’t exactly the fishing type. I leaned in and dropped my voice. “Look, I have a boyfriend. My parents don’t know about it, so they didn’t tell you, but I do. Have a boyfriend. Who I love.”
He held a hand to his heart, his other arm still extended to me. “You wound me. What part of my drink invitation said ‘I’m looking to get into your pants’? I must’ve missed it, because I’d swear I simply asked you to keep me company in a dining room—not my bedroom.”
I laughed, then covered my mouth. Mom looked over and smiled, obviously thinking her plan was working. “So you’re not trying to get into my pants?”
“No, of course not.” He skimmed his gaze over me. “Not yet, anyway. I mean, I just met you. Give a guy a little credit, will ya?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, because not knowing a girl has stopped guys before.”
“I’m not just any guy. I’m one of a kind. A Stapleton through and through.” He put a hand on his chest, and for a second I thought he was serious, but he broke out in a grin and dropped his hand. “Was I cocky and serious enough? Did I pull it off?”
“Yeah, you almost had me.” I laughed. “You’re something else.”
“I get that a lot.”
I blinked up at him, fluttering my lashes a little. “From girls you flirt with?”
“I’m not flirting. I’m chatting, darling,” he said, drawing out the syllable to sound snobby. “And while I’m sure you’re quite lovely under that dress, I have a secret, too.” He offered his arm again. “If you want to hear it, you have to follow me.”
This time, I curled my hand into his elbow and let him. “Spill it, Stapleton.”
He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Oh, you’re bossy. I like that in a woman.”
I sighed, but inside I felt alive. It had been so long since I’d gotten to relax and be myself. It felt good. “It comes part and parcel with being a Wallington.”
“Ah, yes. I think I saw that in the informational packet your dad gave me about your blood lineage.” As we crossed the foyer, he added, “Did you know my parents want me to marry you and make little trust fund babies? They made it quite clear.”
I stopped walking and looked at him, my jaw dropping. “Uh, okay. That was a sweet proposal and all, but no thank you.”
“Sweetie, that wasn’t a proposal.” He shuddered. “I am not my parents, and I have a feeling you aren’t yours either. I’m betting you don’t like being told what to do. Am I right?”
I bit down on my lip and nodded. “They told me the same thing—that I should marry you for the greater good.”
“I’m shocked.” He snorted and opened the door to the dining room. “Or not. But at least they’re open and honest with us, right? They seem to forget this isn’t the Victorian times, and we’re not—”
“And we’re not children who will do as they’re told,” I finished for him, smiling. I liked this guy. There was something about him that made me relax. “You’re right, I think we’ll get along great.”
He nodded and picked up a glass of pink stuff, handing one to me. “Drink it before they come in.”
“On it.” I tipped it back and took a big gulp. It was fizzy and slightly sweet. And delicious. After I swallowed, I lifted my glass and pointed it at him. “You don’t act like them.”
“Neither do you.” He took a thoughtful sip. “I think it’s why we like each other. I mean, really, why am I in a tux for dinner with friends? How pretentious can we be?”
I giggled and took another sip. This stuff was even better than the wine coolers Finn always got me. I’d have to figure out what it was so we could keep it stashed at his place. “We hired help to replace the help. For one day. Like, what?” I held out my arm. “The house will fall apart in twenty-four hours?”
He rolled his eyes. “My parents are the same. When I’m done with college, I’m going to get a normal-sized house, a normal job, and marry a normal girl.”
“They’ll just die,” I said fluttering my lashes. “Can you imagine the reaction?”
His gaze dropped to my mouth and heated, but then he looked away. “They’d have a heart attack, I’m sure.”
I tried to ignore the look he’d given me. So what if he’d stared at my mouth for a fraction of a second? It didn’t have to mean anything. And honestly, I didn’t want to stop being silly with him. Ever since I came home, I’d been pretending to be something I wasn’t. I wasn’t the girl who left here all those months ago. I was different.