Rosie White

Chapter 16

~If you haven't read Love on Ice yet, stop reading now and go check that out because I'm about to give MAJOR spoilers into James and Olivia's future. If you're a Love on Ice fan, I think you'll like the next couple of chapters!~

I drag Alexander across the ballroom, away from my piece of artwork I donated to the auction. I don't know if he knows yet, judging by his comment asking me why I was 'against' looking at the remaining piece, I have a feeling he knows.

As we're walking, I feel Alexanders arm, which has had a permanent place on my hip so far, pull me back and sideways. I hear his greeting before I see who he's stopped to talk to this time.

"James."

When I get a glance, I'm surprised by the friendliness Alexander gets in response. All the people he's introduced me to so far have come across as pretentious rich people, but not now. This feels different.

James looks like the rest of the attendees in his crisp suite, but it's the side hug he pulls Alexander into that makes him stand out from those pretentious rich people.

"Carlson, good to see you again," James replies.

"And you James," Alexander replies, stepping back and hooking me to his side again.

His free hand moves towards the woman standing beside James, who I've only just noticed now. Alex takes her hand and brings it to his lips, "Olivia, it's lovely to see you again and congratulations."

"Thank you, it's good to see you too," She glances towards me and smiles warmly. She's beautiful.

Alexander gives me a small squeeze on my hip and when I glance up to him, he's grinning down at me. "Rosie, this is James and his wife Olivia. James works in security and has done a lot of work for me in my clubs and hotels, he also is the coach of the city's ice hockey team."

I look towards James who's holding his hand out towards me. "Rosie? Lovely to meet you."

I nod and smile before turning back to his wife as Alex continues. "And Olivia is a photographer, she runs her own business."

"Wow really? That's incredible," I smile.

"It's easy when it's something you love," Olivia laughs.

I smile back, "I want to set up my own business, so I might have to steal you away at some point tonight to talk to you."

"You do? Yes, we can definitely chat. First though, I need to sit down, these heels were not a good choice," She laughs as her husband pulls her closer to his side.

"Come on, let's go find our seats," James says, looking concerned towards his wife.

As I watch them turn to leave, Olivia continues talking looking back towards me. "Come find me later Rosie, I want to talk to you."

I nod, "I will do."

As I watch James glide his wife towards a table, I smile at the pure admiration between the two.

"Come on, we better find our seats as well," Alexander pushes me towards a back table. "The event will start soon."

As we approach the table, there's two couples in discussion. As one of the gentlemen makes eye contact with us, I feel Alex's body tense around me before his words are muttered quietly in my ear, "I'm sorry Rosie, I didn't know they would be attending."

I frown at the comment but can't process it properly as Alex pulls me towards the couple that haven't walked off. "Mother," He leans down to place a kiss onto the older lady's cheek. Mother? Oh hell.

"My boy, it's lovely to see you, it's been so long since you've come to see your mother and father," She replies.

"I'm busy ma, you know that," Alexander replies, turning his attention towards the man standing beside his mother. "Father," Alex holds his hand out, but his father's eyes aren't on Alex. Nope, they're on me. Oh double hell.

He frowns down at me before turning towards Alex and muttering, "Son." He shakes his hand firmly before turning to scowl back at me. "And who is this?"

I pull in a breath as I turn towards Alex, trying my best to hold my smile. "This is Rosie White," Alex replies.

I hold my hand out and greet his mother first. "It's lovely to meet you Mrs Carlson," I turn towards his father. "Mr Carlson." Alexanders fathers grip on my hand is almost to the point of painful and I flex my fingers as I pull back.

Alexander must sense my unease as I sink into him further and he leans down and places a kiss onto the crown of my head. Well if that doesn't stir the unhappy parent pot even more.

"Who is she?" Alex's mother asks, ignoring me and speaking directly to her son.

Alex lets out an audible sigh. "Rosie is an art history student, she's also an employee of mine, and we're dating."

Oh double, triple shits and fucks and buggers and every sinful word under the sun.

Alexander is holding the spoon to the unhappy parent pot with more confidence than the bitchy girl group in school who tried to stir gossip between me and a boy I liked. It was the worst, but right now, I'd rather be dealing with that.

"Isn't she a bit young for you, let alone an employee. Is this some kind of sick joke Alexander? When I was told you we're bringing someone, this wasn't what I expected," His father seethes.

His tone attracts attention from some attendees to the side of us and Mrs Carlson notices, seems she doesn't like public confrontation when she mutters, "Charlie, stop it, not here."

"No Hattie. How old is she?" Alexander's father speaks, again ignoring me.

"It's none of your business." Is Alexanders only response.

"It's all of my business when its mine and my son's reputation, the last thing I need is some gold-digging child hanging off my son."

I tense at Charles Carlson's words and take a step back. Before anyone can respond, the music dies down and someone speaking through a microphone starts addressing to the room.

The tension is palpable. And its most certainly not the tension I've become accustomed to with Alexander.

After a tense few moments, Harriet Carlson pulls her husband towards the table where they take their seats. I remain frozen in place.

Alexander turns towards me, and I can't quite decipher the look in his eyes. Lust? Nope. Anger. Yep. Murder? Maybe.

He remains silent and I get the feeling that his composure is hanging on by a very thin thread. So, I let him have his silence and follow him towards the table, luckily, there is two other couples sitting around the table already in discussion with each other.

We take our seats and Alexander pours me a large glass of wine. My eyes flicker to where Charles and Harriet Carlson are sitting opposite us on the large circle table. Now I know where Alexander gets his angry gaze from.

His previous words echo in my mind as I sip my glass of red. 'I'm sorry.'

~Okay so not that much of a MAJOR spoiler today for James and Liv, but tomorrow...~