“This is your parents’ house?” Piper dips her head to look through the window.
“One of them.”
The exterior is a light stone with white shuttered windows. There’s a porch that spans the length of the front of the house. When the weather is nicer, it holds Adirondack chairs that are set up in perfect intervals for maximum enjoyment of the view. Although I doubt my mother has ever sat outside to watch the sunset. Dormer windows peek through the roof on the third floor and there’s even a servant’s quarter with separate housing in the back.
My mother prefers this house over the chateau, so I’m not actually sure why they came back there to start with. Most likely to irritate me.
Piper, Roman, and Odie are all in my car. There wasn’t a good reason for us to all drive separately.
“Everyone ready for the shitshow?” I ask as I turn off the car. Several other cars are already parked in the driveway. I dragged my feet getting ready, so we’re probably the last ones here. At least we’re arriving as a group.
“Let’s get this over with,” Odie signs.
I hurry around to get Piper’s door and help her out. She looks incredible tonight. She’s wearing an emerald-green dress with a high neckline that unfortunately covers up her beautiful breasts. But it nips at her waist and makes me want to wrap my hands around her and pull her in close. The skirt looks like it would spin out if I twirled her. I’m suddenly tempted to do so. She’s left her long hair down, and it gently waves a fiery red halfway down her back. The strands shimmer in the setting sun.
“We should get dressed up sometime when we don’t have to be subjected to torture for hours on end. You look beautiful.”
Piper blushes and slides her hand into mine and I lead her to the house.
“So do you. I mean, you look handsome. Very nice.” Piper sucks in a deep breath and blows it out slowly before smoothing her hair back. Her wedding band catches a beam of sunlight and gold glitters. “Sorry, I’m really nervous.”
“No need to be nervous. We’re four against whoever is inside.”
The butler opens the door as soon as we step foot on the front porch. “Welcome. Sir. Ma’am.” He nods at each of us in turn.
My mother gave strict instructions that no one outside of the possible council members was invited to attend tonight. Romanis pissed to be here without Josephine, but honestly, it’s for the best. Who would want to come to this party anyway?
We only convinced him to go in order to keep an eye on what the rest of these people were up to.
The inside of the farmhouse is the antithesis of the very word. There’s nothing rustic about this property. Everything is white, from the walls, to the furniture, to the paintings. Piper looks like a jewel sparkling amidst a sea of sand.
“If you’ll follow me to the dining room,” the butler says.
We make faces at each other over his formal and stiff nature as we follow behind him. I tuck Piper’s hand through my arm, needing to keep her close. Not that I’m expecting an ambush, but I’m on high alert. There may not be a magical trap waiting for us, but there will be a social minefield to step through.
The interior of the house may be white, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple. My mother has an over the top and ostentatious sensibility when it comes to furniture. The dining room table seats twenty and has high-backed chairs with tufted white leather surrounded by ornate carvings. They make the back of the chair at least five feet tall. Each seat is its own throne, making each guest feel like royalty.
In theory.
I always feel like a child in an oversized seat when sitting at this table.
Stepping into the room, I see I was right. We’re the last ones to arrive. The other council hopefuls have formed little groups. Tucker, Francesca and my mother are speaking with one another. Almost as if it’s the old guard against the new. Except Anastasia Lexington is clinging to the former council members as if they can help her get ahead. In another group are Andrew Bartleman, Hannah King, Roy Turner, and Lucida. Danielle Dyer is noticeably absent, but I suppose since she’s already been outed from the trials, my mother saw no point in inviting her.
“Ambrose. Finally.” My mother swishes across the room to greet me and my friends. Much like the house that we’re in, my mother is wearing a white suit. It’s very elegant and probably purchased from some designer brand in Italy.
She grabs my shoulders and gives me an air kiss on each cheek. As she turns to Piper, her gaze is calculating. “My daughter-in-law.” She repeats the air kisses for Piper, who stands still as a statue, only her eyes darting to me looking panicked.
“Roman, good to see you. Odie.” My mother smiles tightly at two of my oldest friends. It’s interesting; she always dismisses Odie. I’m not sure if it’s because, as kids, she was a girl who only hung out with boys and my mother found it improper. It wouldn’t surprise me.
“Now that you’re here, we can finally eat,” she says, as though we’re forty minutes late, everyone is starving, and they haven’t been fed in months.
Guests move to the table as one. I pull out a seat for Piper, and once she’s settled, drag out my own chair. Before I sit down my mother hooks her arm through mine and tugs me away.
“Oh, it’s so boring to sit by your spouse. You should spread the love, Ambrose. I haven’t had a chance to talk to you in, oh my goodness, it’s been months, hasn’t it?” My mother tugs me toward the other end of the table.
“You were at the chateau the other day, but yes, before that, it’s been at least six months since you’ve been back in Mystic Hollows.” And probably a year before that. I look at Piper, wondering if this is a fight she wants me to have. She shakes her head. Odie gives me a dirty look when she sits down beside Piper. I know she wants to tell my mom to fuck off, but Bianca doesn’t know sign language so it would be wasted on her.
“Oh, stop.” My mother swats at my chest. “It hasn’t been that long. You’re so dramatic.”
