I found it far easier than I expected to keep Veronica’s secret over the next week. Mostly because Noah refused to help me with our business management assignment, so I couldn’t have told him even if I wanted to.
I still couldn’t believe we’d been paired together, but I was doing my best to approach the whole situation maturely and leave my emotions aside. But every time I tried to talk to him about the assignment, he said we’d discuss it later and walked away. Of course, later never came. I knew we had a few weeks before it was due, but it was frustrating not being able to at least get a start on the project.
I shouldn’t have been surprised Noah was avoiding me. He’d made it clear multiple times he wanted nothing to do with me, but the chasm between us only seemed to be growing larger. I wondered if his hatred for me was being fueled every weekend when he went to spend time with his grandfather. Seeing William at Luther’s party had reminded me how intensely that man despised me, and I knew how much he influenced his grandson.
There was one moment during the week, however, when I briefly questioned the hostility between Noah and me. Just one. It was Noah’s eighteenth birthday on Tuesday, and a cake was organized for him at dinner. He’d barely cracked a smile as they’d placed the cake in front of him. The whole dining hall was singing happy birthday to him, and yet he didn’t seem all that pleased. He likely had something much more extravagant planned for his birthday celebrations, so this was probably no more than an inconvenience to him.
But when he lowered his head to blow out his candles, his expression changed. His eyes lifted to mine, and for a moment, something flared between us. There was passion in his gaze, but I couldn’t tell whether it came from a place of animosity or somewhere else. Whatever the emotion was, I felt it with such intensity that it briefly took my breath away. His eyes danced with mischief as he lowered his mouth and blew out his candles. The moment was over as soon as those flames had guttered though, and I questioned whether it had happened at all.
I spent the rest of the week counting down the hours until my trip to New York. Matthew had invited me to join him for some work event on Saturday night, and while I wasn’t all that excited about the function, I was looking forward to spending time in the city with him.
I was even more excited about the drive to New York. Cress’s parents had arrived in the city, and she was visiting them for the weekend, which meant we’d be road-tripping to New York together—Cress driving, of course.
We left straight after school on Friday, and the trip was so much fun. We chatted about our boyfriends, sang along to the Spotify playlist she’d put together for the journey at the top of our voices, and ate so many snacks we were both feeling slightly ill before too long.
When the jagged New York skyline rose up ahead of us, I let out a squeak of delight. I had so many great memories from my last trip to New York. I’d been sightseeing with my friends and had gotten to know my father a little better. And it was the place Wes and I shared our first kiss, which was pretty unforgettable.
My previous trip to the city had also included its fair share of drama and food poisoning—both things I was eager to avoid this time.
“Thanks for driving me,” I said as Cress pulled up outside my father’s apartment building.
‘Anytime,” she said, reaching out to give me a tight hug. “Thanks for letting me sing Taylor Swift songs on repeat the whole way here.”
“Not a problem.”
I climbed out of the car, got my bag from the back, and waved at Cress through the window as she moved off down the street. It was sad to say goodbye even though I’d see her for the drive back on Sunday. I spent every day with Cress, and it felt weird to know she wouldn’t be sleeping in the bed next to mine that night.
As I entered the building, the concierge welcomed me and helped me carry my bag to the elevator, which I took to the very top floor. As the doors opened on the penthouse level, I found my father’s butler, Caldwell, waiting just inside the entrance.
“Miss Isobel.” He greeted me with his familiar condescending drone.
“Caldwell.” I smiled back as sweetly as I could. “How are you?”
“Very well, thank you.”
“Good to hear. Is my father—’
I didn’t get a chance to finish my question as a high-pitched squeal sounded from inside the apartment.
“Isobel!” My mom dashed toward me and pulled me into her arms.
“Mom?” I gasped. “What are you doing here?”
“Surprise!” She squealed again as she stepped out of my grasp. “Matthew invited me to join you both for the weekend. And things are so quiet at the café I couldn’t bring myself to say no.”
“You’re spending the weekend with us?” It was hard to contain my excitement.
“I sure am.”
“You actually left the café for a whole weekend for the second time in a month?”
“I did.” She sounded so proud of herself, and I had to admit I was proud of her too. It took courage to step away from work when it was your entire livelihood. Mom found it nearly impossible to hand over control to someone else, but she didn’t need to worry because I knew Norma would have everything in order while she was gone.
“Hello, Isobel.” Matthew appeared in the hallway, a shy smile on his lips.
“Hey, Matthew.” My voice was still brimming with joy from the surprise of seeing my mom. “You managed to convince my mom to join us?”
He nodded. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course, it is. I’m excited to spend the weekend with you both.”
He released a breath and his smile grew. “I’m glad. Have you had dinner yet?”
“No, but Cress and I ate our body weight in snacks on the way here. I thought it would be too late for dinner by the time we got in.”
“Yes, we’ve eaten as well,” Matthew replied. “But we could always go for dessert, if you both like? I was thinking ice cream.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said. I was already overloaded on sugar, but I was in such a good mood and I couldn’t say no to ice cream.
“Definitely.” Mom agreed, which was no surprise with her sweet tooth.
Matthew chuckled. “Okay, let me grab my coat.”
Mom went to get hers too, before the three of us set out into the New York streets. Matthew took us to a small ice cream store just down the road from his place. It was surprisingly fancy for such a tiny place, and it had such a wide array of unusual flavors I had no idea what to pick.
I was a little surprised when Matthew went for two scoops of peanut butter brownie chip. He seemed to me like more of a vanilla ice cream kind of guy. They even had an Earl Grey tea flavor, which I could have easily pictured him choosing. Mom got honeycomb while I went for the Christmas special, which had chocolate swirls and was laced with chopped pieces of candy cane. It tasted amazing.
As we sat around one of the small tables on the sidewalk outside the store, I kept being struck by how natural it felt to hang out with Matthew and my mom. When I’d first met my father, I never imagined the three of us doing anything together—let alone something as casual as going for ice cream.
I’d always struggled to picture how my parents had gotten together in the first place. Matthew was so refined and his life was so regimented and filled with luxury. My mom was more of a free spirit, fighting every day to make her way in the world. They seemed so different. And yet, somehow, they were so comfortable as they sat next to each other, smiling, and stealing tastes of each other’s ice cream.
We didn’t stay out too late because I was tired from school and traveling. My mom wasn’t faring much better. She looked as exhausted as I felt. She’d probably been up since the crack of dawn and worked up until the moment she’d been whisked here on Matthew’s plane.
As we got ready for bed, my mom came into my room to say good night.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” I said, cuddling up under the sheets as she leaned on the doorframe, watching me. Last time I’d visited Matthew’s apartment, I’d thought the incredible view of the New York skyline was its best feature, but hopping in this bed had changed my mind. I’d now decided that this bed alone was the best thing Matthew had spent his vast wealth on. It was like lying on a cloud.
“Me too,” she said. “Good night, Iz.”
She went to leave, but I called out to stop her. “Why did you accept Matthew’s invitation? I know how busy you are, and I never would have thought you’d agree to let him fly you here…”
“I’m surprised I agreed too,” she said, looking thoughtful. “But I realized that if I said no, I’d be missing time I could have spent with you. I guess I’ve come to realize recently that the moments we spend together as a family are worth far more than my pride.”
“That makes sense,” I said.
She shared a smile with me before she left the room. Her response made me question my feelings toward Matthew’s wealth. When I’d first met him, I had never wanted to accept a cent from him. But, slowly, I was starting to realize all the things he offered me were because he cared for me. And each day that passed, he felt more like family.
I’d been putting off my college applications partly because I’d been unwilling to accept his generosity. But, maybe, like my mom, it was time I put my pride aside and let him help me.
WHEN I WOKE the next day, I didn’t need to look at the time to know it was already late morning. I felt like I’d slept for days, which was certainly possible in a bed this comfortable. I could have easily stayed under the covers for a few more hours, but I was sure my mom and Matthew would already be awake.
Although I was grateful for the extra sleep, I wanted to make the most of my time in New York, so I climbed out of bed and walked into the en suite bathroom to shower and get ready for the day.
I knew Matthew was taking us to an event that evening, but his plans for the rest of the day were still a mystery, and I wasn’t sure what to wear. I settled on a casual pair of jeans and a hoodie. Whatever we were doing, it was freezing outside, so I was probably going to have to add a jacket, scarf, and gloves on top of that.
Matthew was in the dining room when I went down for breakfast.
“Good morning, Isobel.”
“Morning.”
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah, that bed is amazing. It was heaven.”
“I’m glad you like it,” he said before he gestured to the table in front of him. “Help yourself to breakfast.”
I marveled at the huge spread of food that covered the long dining table. Almost every breakfast option I could think of was within reach, and I wondered if Matthew had told his kitchen staff to prepare one of everything in their repertoire in the hopes there would be something my mom and I would like.
“Thanks,” I replied with a smile. “This all looks great.” I buttered some toast and filled my glass with some fresh orange juice. It wasn’t like the cheap stuff my mom and I drank. It tasted like it had been freshly squeezed from oranges that had been grown lovingly in someone’s backyard.
“Is my mom here?”
Matthew shook his head. “No, she went out a little while ago.”
“Where’s she gone?”
“To a yoga class.”
“Yoga?” The shock in my voice must have sounded a little silly. I’d just never heard my mom talk about yoga before, let alone go to a class. “She’s gone to a yoga class?” I repeated Matthew’s answer, just to be sure it was correct.
“Yes, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, sure, I just didn’t know she was into yoga.”
“Oh,” Matthew replied with a slight shrug. “I remember her being very fond of it when we first met.”
“Huh,” I murmured. “I had no idea.” I took another bite of my toast as I considered it. I was so close with my mom I thought I knew everything about her. Although now I’d met my father, I was realizing there was a whole part of her past I actually knew nothing about. The yoga wasn’t a big deal, but it made me wonder what else I had to learn about her.
“Are you ready for the day?” Matthew’s question pulled me from my thoughts.
“I mean, I think so, but I don’t know what we’re doing.”
“Well, like I told you, New York is very special this time of year, so I’ve got a few things in mind.”
Before I could question him further, my mom walked into the dining room. She was dressed in sleek black athletic wear, and there was a slight sheen of sweat covering her skin. She looked exhausted but happy.
“Morning, Iz,” she said through slightly heavy breaths.
“Morning, Mom. How was yoga?”
“It was wonderful,” she said, letting out a long, relieved sigh. “I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”
“I didn’t even know you knew what yoga was,” I replied.
She laughed. “I used to practice all the time when I was younger. But I pretty much gave it up when I got too busy at the café. I’ve been meaning to get back into it for a while, but Rapid Bay doesn’t have a yoga studio. There’s one right down the street here, so I thought I’d check it out.”
I’d never once seen her practice while growing up, so I had a suspicion it wasn’t just the café that had put a stop to her yoga. When she wasn’t working, she was looking after me. Whether it was driving me around, cooking us dinner, or helping me with homework, she rarely had a moment to herself. I’d always tried my best not to be a burden, and I’d helped out at the café almost since I could walk, but it was nice to see my mom finally doing something for herself.
“That’s great,” I said. “It looks like it was hard work.”
“It was,” she agreed, running her hands through her damp hair. “The first one was always going to be tough. I should jump in the shower.”
She went to walk around the dining table, but her foot caught the edge of a chair, and she stumbled forward. Matthew was up in a flash and reached out a hand to steady her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. At first, I thought it was sweet he was so worried, but then I realized my mom was really leaning on him as she found her feet.
“Yeah, Mom, are you okay?” I said, rising slightly from my seat
“Oh yes.” She forced out a laugh as she righted herself. “I’m fine. My legs are just a little heavy. I guess I’m even more unfit than I thought.”
“You shouldn’t push yourself so much,” Matthew murmured.
“I know.” She nodded as she let go of him. “Thank you.”
I didn’t think yoga was that exhausting. But then again, I’d never done yoga in my life, so what did I know? It made sense my mom was tired after trying it for the first time in eighteen years.
“I’ll go take a shower, and then we can get going,” my mom continued. “What time do we need to leave, Matt?”
“As soon as we’re all ready,” he said. “I’ve got a lot planned, and we should probably get back here for five so we can get ready for the evening.”
“You haven’t told me much about the event,” my mom said.
“Yeah, same,” I agreed.
“It’s just something I need to show my face at for work,” Matthew replied. “We shouldn’t need to stay long. I’m sure we’ll be back here in time for another trip to the ice cream place.”
“Sounds perfect,” my mom replied.
As we all went to get ready for a day out in New York, I found myself wondering about the evening that awaited us. When Matthew had first mentioned it to me in Rapid Bay, it had seemed like this event was one of the main reasons he’d invited me to New York in the first place. If it was just something he needed to quickly show his face at before we bailed to get ice cream, why did he want me to be there so badly?
