It Started With A Book

Chapter 20

Do you trust me?

___

Brin's hand grazed Elliott's palm as he led her down the polished staircase.

Modern light fixtures dangled from overhead brightening the large room.

Gold ribbons wound themselves to the back of chairs and white tablecloths swept the ground entrapping stilettos and oxfords underneath.

Violin strums and bellowing cellos never sounded so mesmerizing.
At the heart of the dance floor, twirling dresses and fitted suits operated in unison.

"This is breathtaking," Brin stood, mouth agape.

"I agree," Elliott replied, but not towards the venue but to the girl dressed in his favourite colour.

"You clean up well," Brin said, the same time Elliott adjusted his cufflinks.

"Do I?"

"Of course. Now you truly look like a Hillingsworth."

What Elliott soon realized was that being a fake heir came complete with all the perks. So when he'd picked up the phone and rang the front desk for an almost impossible request, not even ten minutes later a knock fell upon the door.

A bell hop reeking of timidness presented the teen with a fitted black suit. He bolted for the elevator as soon as Elliott grasped the metal hanger.

"Wait!"

The bell hop pushed the shaggy hair out of his face, clutching the hem of his uniform, uttering a silent prayer and walked back.

"Yes sir?"

"Stay right there," Elliott dipped behind the wall, rustling through his bag. He tossed it to the side, rummaging through his wallet pulling out thirty dollars.

"Here you go."

"I can't possibly--"

"I insist," Elliott thrust the money again not even blinking at the amount.

It wasn't because he was rich or wealthy or anything of the sort, quite the opposite actually. He'd spent the previous school years dealing with irate customers, re-folding clothes for the hundredth time and explaining that a store warranty didn't mean that a customer could bring back an item they'd bought twenty years ago no matter how much they swore.

"You've managed to find a suit on such short notice which I can imagine is no easy feat. Take it."

"Thank you sir," the young man pocketed the bills, heading the way he came, retreating suddenly. The shaky frown vanished and in its place a warm smile.

"Excuse me if I'm overstepping my bounds sir but may I say the apple does fall far from the tree."

"Meaning...?"

"You are nothing like your father."

As if sensing Elliott's panic, the bell hop's eyes widened.

"You misunderstand. It's a good thing!" He cracked a laugh, while Elliott spouted a nervous one.

What kind of man was Mr. Hillingsworth anyway?

"Well I'll leave you to get to work. You probably have a lot of things to get done...uh..."

"Taylor," the bell hop interjected.

"Ah Taylor," Elliott repeated. "Nice meeting you."

"Likewise."

Brin snapped her fingers in front of Elliott's face ushering him to the present.