“Brynn, love, Frances is waiting for you at the end of the corridor.” He pointed down the hall. “She’ll take you to your room. Let her know if you need anything.”
Pressing her lips together, Brynn nodded, wrapped her arms around her middle, and walked down the hallway. When she was out of sight, Trevor turned to Allie. “I think I’m running a bloody hotel.” Allie gave a little laugh and he smiled at the sound.
“Why don’t you go ring your father? He must be worried sick.” He grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together, leading her toward her room.
“I can’t believe he’s dating again. It’s surreal, you know. We just lost my mom and he’s ready to move on.”
“Men tend to get over these things faster, plus, your mother was sick for a long time.” The words were out of his mouth before he could pull them back.
Allie stopped in the middle of the hall. With a sigh, Trevor turned and faced her. “I’m terribly sorry. That was a callous thing to say.”
She gazed up at him in the dim hall light. “Yeah, it was.”
He lifted her hand, kissing the back of it. “I’m sure he loved your mother very much.”
She glanced up at the ceiling and flattened her lips. “Sorry I yelled at you today. It wasn’t your fault. I was frustrated, and I took it out on you.” She sighed and shifted her focus to him.
Trevor lifted one shoulder. “No harm done.” He leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the corner of her lips. “Go call him. I’ll be in the office if you need me.”
***
Taking a deep breath, Allie willed herself to calm down. She’d already flown off the handle with one family member today—better not make the same mistake twice.
She grabbed her cell and called home. When no one picked up, she tried his phone. He answered on the third ring. Allie could hear loud voices and laughter in the background. “Hello?”
“Dad, it’s Allie. Where are you?”
“Hey, Al, I’m kind of in the middle of something. Can I call you back?”
“Brynn’s here. She took a cab to Trevor’s and she’s spending the night. I’ll make sure she gets to school in the morning and then I’ll come by the house. We need to talk.” She hit the end button and frowned.
What the hell was going on? Her father wasn’t worried sick. He didn’t even know Brynn had left. One daughter missing and the other had run away. And her dad was out on a fucking date. Unbelievable.
She had done her best to take care of her family—she’d failed miserably, but at least she tried. What had her dad been doing? He’d left everything to Allie and lost the business. Didn’t he give a damn about all that Allie had sacrificed for her sisters? For him?
It hurt like hell, feeling used.
Immediately, she regretted the thought. She didn’t quit school and take care of her mom and sisters because she wanted her dad’s gratitude. She did it because it was the right thing to do.
But it was time to reclaim her own life.
She squelched that little voice in the back of her head. This was her life. She had chosen it, no one had forced it on her.
That didn’t mean she wasn’t still pissed. Of course her dad deserved a life, especially after what he had gone through with her mom, but it was well past time that he picked up the slack at home.
She left her room, intending to check on Brynn. In the hallway, she met Mags and Frances, the latter carrying a tray of food.
“I’m taking a nibble to your sister. I brought an extra cup because I thought you’d want to join her. Mr. Blake said to make sure you eat a sandwich since you barely touched your dinner. He was very adamant.”
Of course he was. “Thanks, Frances.”
Mags held up a champagne bottle and a glass. “I thought I’d join in too, dearest. Come along.” Holding the bottle aloft, she wiggled her ass down the hall, leaving Allie and Frances lagging behind.
Brynn’s room was in the same wing as Allie’s but around the corner. Painted a pretty shade of robin’s-egg blue, it was a little bit smaller than Allie’s room, with no sitting room attached.
Brynn sat on the bed with her knees drawn up, her arms tightly hugging them. She watched Mags with wide eyes.
“Hello, my dearest.” Mags patted Brynn’s cheek before kicking off her designer heels and lowering herself to the bed. “We’ve decided to keep you company. What fun.”
Brynn’s eyes skittered to Allie with a WTF look.
“Brynn, this is Mr. Blake’s mother, Mrs…” Allie stalled, unable to remember Mags’s last last name.
“Call me Mags, my little cherub.”
Frances poured tea and handed out sandwiches. “You poor lamb,” she said to Brynn. “Press nine on that phone if you need anything at all.” She whisked the tray off the dresser and was gone a moment later.
Mags sipped from her flute. “That woman is priceless. Now, what is wrong with you, my pet?”
Brynn opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and looked helplessly at Allie.
“Brynn just needs a little time to settle in, Mags,” Allie said.
Mags tsked. “Now, children, don’t try to hide the truth from me. I’ll just have to force Frances to tell me, and then she’ll feel guilty for being a tittle-tattle.”
With a sigh, Allie briefly explained her family’s situation and Monica’s recent departure with bad boy Brad.
“Allie, dearest, why didn’t you tell me all this?” Mags asked.
“I didn’t want to unload my problems onto you. Anyway, Brynn’s upset because my dad has started dating—”
“My guidance counselor, Ms. Castor.”
Mags put her arms around the girl’s shoulders. “So many changes,” she said.
In a move that surprised Allie, Brynn buried her head in the crook of Mags’s shoulder and cried. Trevor’s mother petted Brynn’s hair and murmured soothing sounds. After several minutes, Brynn finally pulled away, her face splotchy and damp. “What did Dad say? Was he mad that I left?”
Not wanting to hurt Brynn further by telling her the truth, Allie lied—seemed like she was doing a lot of that lately. “He was fine with your staying here for the night.”
Brynn looked relieved. “Thanks, Al.”
Picking up her champagne glass, Mags raised an eyebrow. “Now finish your tea, girls, and eat something.”
Brynn went for the cookie first. “What are these called?”
“Jammie Dodgers,” Allie said. “They’re Trevor’s favorite.”
***
The next morning after breakfast, Allie showed Brynn the garage. Simmons gave her the grand tour and Allie didn’t know if her sister was more impressed with the cars or the hot blond chauffeur. When he was through showing Brynn the classic roadster, he tossed Allie the keys to the Mercedes.
“So, what do you do for Mr. Blake?” Brynn asked Allie as she climbed into the car.
“Oh.” Allie stalled while she buckled her seat belt. “Answer letters, bring him tea.”
“Why can’t Arnold or Frances bring him tea?”
Allie swung the car around the circular drive. “They’re busy running the household.”
“Oh. He seems okay. I mean, it’s nice of him to let me stay and everything,” Brynn said. “Are you in love with him or something?”
“Of course not,” Allie snapped. “What would make you say that?” She quickly scanned her memory from last night. Had she done something that would give Brynn the impression that she and Trevor were involved? She came up blank. Facing forward, she pulled out onto the street.
“I don’t know. I just thought last night, when we were talking to him in that salon place, the two of you sort of seemed like a couple.”
Allie didn’t say anything else as she drove Brynn to school, but her heart was pounding. A couple? No, they weren’t a couple. She was temporary. This whole situation was just temporary.