Beauty and the Price

Chapter 7

Dinner With the Guest

Sang

I stood in front of my mirror, running a hand over the material of my dress. "Do you think this is fine?" I asked Wil who was laying on my bed, waiting.

He sat up, I turned to let him examine me properly. His eyes started up my legs to my hair before focusing on my attire. His cheeks tinted red as he nodded.

I'd chosen a simple but elegant pink dress that ended a few inches above my knees.

I moved to sit at my vanity, taking the hairbrush to run it over my hair for the third time. "Do think my mother will like it?" I asked quietly.

The sound of my bed creaking filled the sudden silence. Wil appeared behind me looking at me through the reflection. "Sang," he took the brush from my hand and placed it back on the vanity. "You look great, you always do," Wil mumbled. "You can wear a potato sack and you'd still steal the show."

I giggled at the image that played in my mind of me wearing a potato sack. "Because I would look ridiculous."

"Maybe. But they'll wonder how in the world someone could look that cute in something so ridiculous."

I giggled again, shaking my head. "You're exaggerating."

He cleared his throat, "downplaying, actually."

There was a knock at the door and he took a step back.

"Miss!" I recognized the voice of one of the staff members. "The guest is arriving soon."

I sighed, moving to stand. "Let me put my shoes on," I told Wil.

"I'll let them know. Try not to take too long." I nodded just before he walked out.

I rushed into my closet in search of shoes that were sophisticated enough but still comfortable.

I hurried down the stairs hearing voices and made a sharp turn to the dining room. My mother was going to be very upset, we were supposed to greet the guest as a family.

I made it to the foyer ceasing my steps, no one noticed me yet. My father sat at the head of the table and Wil was in the middle of pulling the chair back for my mother to sit at the other end of the table. Marie was already in her seat to the right of my mother as Derek stood behind her. To the right of my father's place stood a man with his back to me. He wore a dark gray suit jacket with matching dress pants, and polished black dress shoes to complete his outfit. His hair was smoothed back and looked dark brown. He must have sensed me looking as he turned to face me. His body stilled and there was a look of complete shock on his face. His eyes swarmed with emotions that I couldn't catch quickly enough.

I was also frozen in my spot.

Our guest was the same man from the beach this morning. I didn't expect to see him around so soon, much less in my own house. He appeared older now that he was more put together. I almost preferred his unruly appearance, it was less intimidating.

I glanced at his maroon tie which brought the look together. His glasses no longer had the smudges from earlier and the dark circles under his eyes were nearly gone. His face was void of any emotions now that the initial shock had worn off, for him at least. His eyes weren't the soft silver from this morning. Instead, they were steel gray. This man was the picture of perfection.

And the person I basically harassed.

My father cleared his throat bringing me back to the present. My face grew hotter now that everyone in the room had turned to me. My mother's eyes flared with anger before she hid it with a convincing smile.