Саманта Янг – The Impossible Vastness Of Us (страница 8)

I HAD TO admit I was charmed by Charles Street.

Gil, our driver, was a pleasant, tall bald man who looked to be in his early forties, with broad shoulders and thick biceps. I think he was more bodyguard than driver.

He somehow found a spot to park on the street that was paved in red brick, lined with trees and had quaint gas lamps, antiques stores, restaurants and boutiques. The smell of flowers filled the air and it felt like we weren’t in a city at all.

So far Hayley had bought two dresses that were hundreds of dollars each.

I had bought a cute notepad.

“You have to start looking,” Hayley said as we strolled toward where Gil was standing at attention by the car.

“What am I supposed to be looking for?” I said. “I have no idea how the kids at this school dress.”

“I never thought of that. Damn. I should have asked Eloise. Sorry.”

“I don’t think she would have helped.”

“What do you mean?”

“Behind the ‘Daddies’ and chirpy smiles is a girl who is not happy to have me here.”

I waited for Hayley to tell me I was being silly. She surprised me again by eyeing me carefully and replying, “Has she been rude to you?”

“No, but she wasn’t that welcoming, either.”

“Give her time.” She nudged me with her shoulder with a coaxing smile.

“Whatever.”

“You better tell me if Eloise crosses the line into rude. Her father has spoiled her a little.”

“I can handle myself,” I said, too stubborn to accept her help.

“Finn!”

I jerked at Hayley’s random yell.

And then I followed her gaze and realized she wasn’t being random.

My stomach flip-flopped.

Finn Rochester had just come out of the boutique I’d bought my notepad from earlier. He glanced over at us, his eyes narrowing on me.

Before I could stop her Hayley hurried over to him.

“Hayley.” Finn nodded politely.

I hadn’t realized Hayley had met Eloise’s boyfriend but then I’d forgotten she had actually spent months around these people before dropping me in the middle of it. Not only had they apparently met, but they knew each other well enough to be on a cozy first-name basis. My resentment simmered to the surface.

“Finn, how are you?” She smiled at him like he was the most interesting boy in the world. I knew Hayley well enough to know that she was impressed by his family name and his natural air of cultured superiority.

“Well. And you?”

“We’re shopping.” She raised the bags in her hands to elaborate.

He took in the one tiny little bag in my hand. “You don’t shop?”

He seemed so bored by his own question I wondered why he’d bothered to ask.

Before I could say anything, Hayley said, “Well, India has a dilemma. Perhaps you could help.”

“I’d be happy to.”

I snorted. Loudly. Because he sounded like he’d rather do anything else in the world than help me.

His eyes cut back to me but I refused to be intimidated by him and his masculine beauty. I stared back until he turned his attention to Hayley.

I did a little inner fist pump of triumph over winning our staring contest.

Hayley seemed to eye our interaction with interest. She smirked a little as she said, “What do the girls at your school wear? India needs a wardrobe for the semester.”

Without looking at me he shrugged. “Stick with designer. There are numerous stores on Newbury Street. Introduce yourself to the staff, explain she’s attending Tobias Rochester and they’ll be able to help you.”

“Wonderful, thank you.” Hayley beamed, not at all annoyed that Finn had referred to me as “she” rather than by name.

What? Was he afraid to say my name in case my trailer trashiness rubbed off on him?

Dipshit.

“You’re welcome.” He gave us a nod. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

As we watched his tall form stride away, I decided he was perfect for Eloise. He had the broad shoulders and narrow waist of a swimmer, long legs, a face worthy of the Greek gods and expensive clothes that fit him to perfection.

He was beautiful and wealthy just like his girlfriend.

And he was just as welcoming.

“I like him,” Hayley said quietly. “There’s something mysterious about him.”

“He’s a snob.”

She frowned at me. “No. I don’t think so. I think he’s just sad.”

“Sad?” I made a face. “How so?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he needs a friend.” She nudged me pointedly.

I gave a huff of laughter. “Oh, yeah, I can see that happening.”

“What?” Hayley seemed confused as we started walking toward the car again. “I think you two might get along if you just make an effort. You know he’s the kind of boy I would have loved to see you with if Eloise hadn’t gotten there first. A boy like that needs someone to shake him up a little. You’re so good at shaking people up.”

I grunted and rolled my eyes at her teasing. “You, Hayley, I’m good at shaking you up. I’m pretty chill with everyone else.”

And anyway... Hell would freeze over before Finn Rochester would ever look at a girl like me.

And it would seriously, seriously take a miracle to make a boy that cold appealing to me in any way. It didn’t matter how pretty his face was.

* * *

Large wrought-iron gates swung open into a courtyard from the sidewalk and hugging that courtyard was Tobias Rochester High School. Housed in an imposing Federal-style building that was set back from the street, it looked like the king of the pretty row houses in the fancy neighborhood in Beacon Hill.

I stared up at the building, trying to ignore the pounding of my heart.

Unfortunately, my morning had gone speedily downhill. When I woke up it was to sunlight spilling into my beautiful, peaceful new room. I was surprised by how well-rested I felt. Seriously, now I understood why people often described beds like a cloud.

I’d then taken an awesome shower in my huge new bathroom and I’d put on one of the many outfits Hayley had forced me to buy the day before. I was wearing Armani skinny jeans and an oversize Alexander McQueen T-shirt. Hayley (or Theo actually) had even bought me jewelry, and I was wearing a new watch and bracelet, as well as a pair of small diamond studs in my ears. A pair of Tory Burch flats finished the casual but expensive look and, as much as I hated to admit it because I felt like the walking privileged, I looked pretty good.

And that’s where all the “good” stopped.

Theo wasn’t at breakfast because he went into the office really early. Hayley was still in bed and Eloise was sitting at the breakfast table being waited on hand and foot.

I decided to help myself in the kitchen, hoping to make conversation with the cook, Gretchen, only to discover Gretchen really didn’t want me in her kitchen. I think it was the glaring and the shooing hand gestures that gave her feelings away.

I ended up out in the dining room with my new soon-to-be stepsister. The silence between us was so thick it was stifling as we ate.

Gil came to inform us that it was time to leave for school and I grabbed up my new school satchel (I never, ever thought I’d use the word satchel), and hurried after Eloise.

The tense silence continued between us during the thirty-minute drive to school. When we pulled up to the school, Gil opened the door for Eloise and she shot out of the car as if I had the plague.