"Mother," I greeted Grace in the entryway at Bellevue, letting her give me one of her half hugs, touching only my shoulders as she kissed my cheek.
"Christian! I'm so glad you could make it, darling. And this must be Anastasia," Mom said, releasing me only to pull Ana into a tight hug.
"It's so nice to meet you, Dr. Trevelyan-Grey. You have a beautiful home," Anastasia replied, immediately earning points with my mother for her good manners.
"Please, call me Grace. Come inside."
"Thank you, Grace. I brought a chocolate cake for us to share for dessert." Anastasia gestured to Taylor, who was carrying a large plastic cake container.
"Well, isn't that thoughtful of you?" my mother cooed. "We'd better hide that away. Chocolate cake is Christian and my husband Carrick's favorite and Elliot will eat anything sweet." She led her way through the house and to the kitchen, asking Gretchen to put Ana's dessert somewhere neither Dad nor Elliot would look. "Now let's introduce you to everyone."
With my hand lightly touching Anastasia's back, we followed Mom back to the front of the house and into the formal sitting room where we found Dad, Elliot, and Mia.
"Ana!" Mia said, throwing herself at Anastasia, engulfing her in a hug. "I can't believe you made it. I mean, Christian said he was coming today and would bring you, but he hardly ever comes for brunch… Elliot and I expected him to ring and cancel!"
"We're here, aren't we?" I grumbled, angry at myself that I'd let my family down so often that my appearance at a family gathering was apparently so noteworthy. Come Monday morning, I would ask Andrea to schedule me to attend brunch at least once a month.
"Yes, you are, and good to see you, son," my father said, shaking my hand before clapping me on my shoulder, in the only sort of affection I could tolerate from him. "I'm pleased to meet you, Anastasia," he said, shaking her hand. "How about a drink? Wine? Or a mimosa?"
Each accepting a mimosa from Dad, Anastasia and I sat down on the three-seater couch with Elliot, opposite where Dad and Mia were sitting.
"El? Casey not here today?" I teased. With Elliot's never-ending parade of blondes, I doubt he'd introduced me to the same woman twice.
"Casey was months ago," Mia chided me. "Most recently was Megan."
"Melanie," Elliot corrected Mia, "and no, she won't be coming. She started getting clingy, so I cut her loose. I'm single and looking for some action!" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Anastasia, making me fantasize about putting him out of business via a pair of our mother's rustiest garden secateurs. My face must have given me away because he quickly settled down.
"I wish you wouldn't speak like that," our mother said to Elliot with a sigh, seating herself in an armchair beside Mia and Dad. "Anastasia, Mia told us she met you at the mall and you were being followed. What happened?"
I was about to explain to the family Ana's stalker situation when I heard shifting on the gravel of the driveway. Looking through the front windows, I saw a familiar black E-Class Mercedes pulling up. Gleaming, top of the line, I knew it was the very best—after all, I'd paid for it. I panicked for a moment before pulling myself together.
"Mom? Elena Lincoln is here. What does she know about Anastasia? Have you told her anything?" I knew my voice sounded panicked because the entire family was regarding me strangely, and Anastasia was biting her bottom lip in worry.
"I've told her nothing at all. Other than Friday, when I spent the afternoon with your sister, I've been on evening shifts in the ER. I haven't spoken to Elena for a week, and wasn't expecting her here today."
"Mia? Have you said anything?"
"Don't look at me. I don't even go to Esclava anymore, even though you half own it. You know what I think of the old witch…"
"Mia!" Grace reprimanded. While it was no secret Elliot and Mia could not stand her friend Elena, Grace didn't like to hear them being openly rude about her.
"I don't have time to go into it, but I am distancing myself from Elena professionally. I don't want her knowing anything about Anastasia. If she asks, Ana is a family friend who we invited to brunch. That's all she needs to know. Promise me?"
My bemused family agreed as the front doorbell rang. A minute later, Gretchen led Elena into the sitting room. Elliot, Dad, and I standing as propriety demanded, my mother also stood, air-kissing her bleached, botoxed friend.
"Elena? I wasn't expecting you today? Is everything alright?" Mom inquired.
"Fine, fine, thank you, Grace," Elena rasped, her voice patently insincere. "It's just been so long since we've caught up, I thought I'd drop by."
"Shame it's in the middle of our family brunch," Elliot mumbled only just loud enough to be heard. Elena pretended not to, her eyes raking across everyone in the room before landing on Anastasia. Seated between Elliot and me, I could see Elena pondering who she was.
"Elliot. Is this your newest lady friend? Introduce me."
"Sure, Aunty Elena." Elena flinched at the name Mom had insisted we call Elena when we were children. Once we were teenagers, Elena requested we no longer use the term, as it made her feel old. "This is my friend, Anastasia." Dropping an arm around Ana's shoulders, he looked and sounded like a letch.
"Elliot!" Mom, Mia, and I all growled at the same time.
"Sorry—just being friendly!" Elliot almost looked contrite.
"Elena, this is Anastasia, a friend of the family. Anastasia, this is my old friend Elena Lincoln," Mom introduced.
"A pleasure to meet you," Anastasia lied. My girl was no idiot—I could tell she'd placed Elena as the same Mrs. Lincoln who'd visited Grey House on Friday. Yet she was sweetness itself.
"And you," Elena replied, giving her the once over. "Forgive me for asking, but I've known Grace and her family forever, yet I've never heard of you?"
"Then perhaps you don't know my family as well as you think you do," I interjected coldly, not trying to disguise my irritation that Elena had shown up unannounced at a family function. After abandoning her on Wednesday, followed by four days where I refused to see her or take her calls, this was Elena's way of 'yanking my chain,' so to speak.
Bitch, if you treat me like a dog, I might just bite you.
Mia stifled a giggle. "Ana? I can't decide which dress to wear to the Coping Together ball. We've got a few minutes before brunch—can you give me an opinion?"
Looking at me, I subtly nodded. I'd rather Anastasia safely upstairs with my sister than in the same room as the botoxed-blonde-bitch. Looking at her now—fake boobs, fake hair, fake interest in my mother and what she was saying—I was determined to extricate this woman from my life and my family's ASAP. Mia led Anastasia upstairs, Elena taking her place on the lounge. After giving my father a pointed look, he begrudgingly offered her a mimosa.
Turning to me, she started in her saccharine voice, "Christian. It's good luck you're here today. I was worried when you left our luncheon on Wednesday, and you haven't taken my calls since. What was the emergency with Mia? Is everything ok?"
"A misunderstanding," I said, standing and walking over to the bar, ostensibly to refresh my drink. Truthfully, my skin was crawling sitting that close to Elena. I do not know how I'd once enjoyed seeing her naked. Now her company was enough to revolt me. "Dad? Elliot? If you have a minute, I'd like your opinion on a new business venture I'm considering." Elena's eyes lit up, no doubt expecting I was going to broach the idea of a new salon in Bellevue. Elliot had overseen the construction of the first two salons, and as a favor for his wife's good friend, my father had handled the conveyancing at no cost. I had no intention of discussing any such thing.
Elliot rose, took the opportunity to move to the other side of the room along with our father. Carrick had never openly derided Elena Lincoln, yet we knew he wasn't her biggest fan. In a hushed voice, I outlined to Elliot and Dad my idea of a printing arm for GEH and my potential takeover of Pacific Press. Not usually one to discuss specifics with my family—especially an acquisition so relatively small—Dad and Elliot hung on my every word. It was then I appreciated they welcomed any part of my life I would share with them. I should talk to them more often.
"The way I see it, you should keep the graphic design stuff at Grey House. If they're designing most of the stuff for GEH, they'll need to see people there more often than checking out the printing presses." What El said made sense.
"There's also a publishing house I am looking at acquiring. They're in a six-floor post-war three blocks from Grey House. It's pretty run down—do you think you could look at the building for me? I want to know if it is worth renovating, or whether I should knock it over and build something new."
"Anytime," Elliot said, patting my shoulder. "Arrange a time and we can go down there, look and maybe catch lunch afterward?" My brother was so eager, all I could do was nod and agree to schedule something ASAP.
Dad was glancing between Elliot and me proudly. With such different business interests, ours rarely aligned. But because I was family, Elliot would help, no questions asked.
"What's going on with the Wicked Witch of the West?" Mia asked when she and Anastasia came down half an hour later. Noting my disinclination to even talk to Elena, my mother had stalled brunch, withholding an invitation to join us. Despite Elena stating, twice, she had no plans for the day, Grace Grey didn't take the bait, chatting to her friend for twenty minutes or so before mentioning we were about to sit down for a family lunch, and that she'd call during the week. A dismissal in anyone's terms. While still charm itself to my mother, I knew Elena well enough to know she was fuming as my mother walked her to the front door.
"Don't call her that," Mom said to Mia, although she was lacking her usual rigor.
"I don't want to go into it, right now. I just want to distance myself from Mrs. Lincoln professionally and personally. I hope you can all understand."
My father sat up, his lawyer cap now in place. "Has something happened? Something you need help with?"
"Nothing recent," I muttered ominously. This was far from the time or the place to reveal any of that. In fact, I never intended to tell my family anything about my past with my mother's good friend.
"Why are we here talking about the saggy baggy wanna-be barbie?" Elliot asked with his usual good humor. "There's food to eat, and I saw a chocolate cake in the fridge!" Dad and I both groaned. If Elliot had spotted a cake, it was probably already half gone.
"Did you leave us any?" Carrick asked, genuinely annoyed.
"I haven't touched it," Elliot said defensively. "I had just pulled it out of the back of the fridge and opened the lid when Mia and Ana came down. Ana told me to put it back—even threatened my tushie with a wooden spoon if I didn't! I was still willing to risk it until Mia said she'd give all her friends my cell number if I didn't put it back." Elliot shuddered, and I wondered if it was entirely in jest. Mia's extended friendship circle comprising many young, empty-headed, well-bred women looking for a husband to keep them in the style they were accustomed to. Not Elliot's scene.
"Please ignore my children," mother said sweetly to Anastasia. "I brought them up better than this, even if they can't remember their manners."
Anastasia giggled. "It doesn't worry me, Grace. I grew up as an only child. This sort of sibling banter is wonderful to hear."
We moved into the dining room. One lifted eyebrow was enough to tell Elliot that Anastasia would sit next to me. For as long as I could remember, it was our parents at either end of the table, Elliot and me on one side, Mia on the other. Originally it was so Mom could have Mia and me on either side of her when we were little. Over the years, it was because Mia often had one friend or another to visit, so they'd take the spare seat beside her. Things had changed a little when Elliot had brought girls home to meet the family, and I rarely showed up, but now I was the one bringing home a girl to meet the family so Elliot could sit beside Mia.
"So Anastasia? You were going to tell us what happened at the mall. Mia said you were being followed?" my father asked. His years in the courtroom making him adept at recognizing a lie, I let Ana respond to his statement. There was now more than enough evidence to prove Anastasia had a stalker and that she was at risk. After she went through the basics of what we'd discovered, me chiming in with additional details where necessary, even Carrick seemed convinced of the veracity of her claims.
"And you're staying with Christian at Escala?" Mom asked.
"Just for a little while. Since I can't stay at my apartment, Christian kindly offered me use of a spare room while I find a job. Someone from his HR area helped me fine-tune my resume, so I hope it will only be a few days…"
I could see Ana was worried my family would think she was using me, yet the thought never crossed their minds. Anastasia Rose Steele had completely won my family over. Indeed, it was clear they found her every bit as charming as I did.
"I'm sure there's no hurry. Christian has plenty of room—you should stay at Escala until they apprehend this man," Mom said, concerned. "There'd be nowhere safer."
I silently blessed my mother. Anything to delay Anastasia's departure from my penthouse was welcome. I needed time to see where this might lead.
"What area would you like to work in?" Dad asked Anastasia, changing the subject as we finished our soup course.
"I'll take anything, at this stage, but my absolute dream is to work in publishing."
I refused to look up from my soup, yet I could feel my father's and brother's eyes fixed upon me.
"Your family is wonderful," Anastasia said hours later as Taylor drove us home in the Audi SUV. "So kind and welcoming!" If Carrick hadn't already liked Ana, her leaving the remaining chocolate cake for him to enjoy had sealed the deal. I was actually disappointed—I'd hoped for another slice—however Anastasia told me she had individual lava cakes put aside for me back at Escala, and she promised to make me another cake all of my own.
"You made a huge impression on them," I admitted. After a long and rather boozy brunch, Mom had pulled out the photo albums, insisting on sitting beside my girl and showing her pictures of the three of us as children. An exercise in embarrassment, Ana seemed to enjoy it, and more than once her eyes met mine, her lips curling into a sweet smile. Mom had noticed a couple of these exchanges but said nothing. Dad and Elliot were less restrained. I was standing in the driveway, explaining the R8 to my father ahead of lending it to him for the week, when Elliot joined us.
"So… You and Ana, huh?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied coolly. I was still trying to work this out in my mind—I didn't need Elliot busting my butt about it.
"Son, it's clear to anyone with eyes that you're interested in this girl. I know your experience with women is limited. Is there anything you'd like to ask me? Or your brother? Heaven knows he's experienced enough in one aspect of relating to women."
I closed my eyes and shook my head. I'm pretty sure if I outlined my sexual experiences, it would stupefy my brother and my father. Suffice to say, sexually was the one area where I was unconcerned about how to engage with Anastasia. But a relationship? That's where I was clueless. Asking Elliot would be pointless—he was the king of fuck and duck—but Dad might have an idea or two.
"I really like her. Usually, I hate spending time with anyone, other than family, but I can't get enough of her… I can talk to her about anything and everything." I didn't know what else to say.
"Does she feel the same way?" Dad asked.
"I think so. We've kissed…" I hadn't intended to say anything to my family, but hell—I could use all the help I could get.
"Woop!" Elliot said, along with a fist pump. "Way to go, little bro! You already have her living with you. Seal the deal, man!"
"Shut up or she'll hear you, dick wad!" I snapped, spinning to make sure Mom and Mia had Anastasia suitably occupied inside. Our father scowled at Elliot, recognizing I was about to rip his head off. "It's not like that with Anastasia. I like her. Really like her."
"Then just be yourself," Dad said, patting my shoulder paternally. "You're a wonderful young man with a lot to offer a woman. Be yourself, but also try to think of things from her perspective. You can be a little… intense."
Zoning back into the here and now, I turned to glance at Anastasia. She seemed happy but weary. Taking her hand in mine, I intermeshed our fingers as we sat side by side, smiling when her head fell to rest on my shoulder. "Thank you so much for meeting my family. It means more to me than you can imagine."
"It was a pleasure! They clearly love you so much."
"They do," I admitted. "It's sometimes hard for me to recognize it."