White Knight - A First Love Romance (Complete)

White Knight: Chapter 2

Thomas studied Sophie as she paired knives and forks together, the butterfly nestled in her straight black hair glittering in the florescent lights of the community center hall. When she'd walked through the door, he'd hoped she was another volunteer. Get a chance to talk to her. But she was so much more. He'd worked alongside her for only those few minutes, yet he felt like he'd known her for a lifetime.

"I know who you are." Brodie whispered beside him, like they were sharing state secrets instead of a box of forks. "Christopher Harrington's son, right?"

The Harrington name came with privilege and not all of it was a perk. His father could make, or break, a rising politician's career, and Christopher Harrington had decided to pave the road to the White House for his son. Sure, this meant plenty of opportunities to do good, make actual change, but it also meant favours, backroom deals, and a world full of people ingratiating themselves to him to get in his father's good graces. As such, not many people treated him like just another student on campus. Or volunteer at the soup kitchen. Many didn't actually care what his opinion on any matter was.

Thomas removed one of the two knives Matt had put side by side and replaced it with a fork, and moved further down the table. Sophie was different. When he'd introduced himself, her expression hadn't changed at the mention of his last name. No dawning of recognition, no excitement at the opportunity to impress, like Brodie was. Even though Kaja had called him out for his celebrity status, she ordered him around the kitchen like it didn't matter. For the first time since coming to New Haven, the ice in Thomas's veins thawed.

Until now.

A mouthful of white teeth beamed at Thomas. "Can I get a picture?"

A weight fell into his stomach, and the practiced response flew from his lips. "Let's get dinner over with first, then a group photo." His dad drilled into him the importance of protecting the family brand and avoiding one-on-one pictures with people who had not been properly vetted. If it was impossible to circumvent the picture, he's instructions were to at least ensure others are included. Never take a photo that could be used to endorse a candidate. Or tarnish the Harrington name.

Sometimes he wondered if this life was for him. If the good was worth the uncomfortable. Miranda came to mind. She'd been their housekeeper for years, before he was born. Practically a member of the family, she'd wrap him in hugs when he hurt his knee and distracted him with games of chess when he missed his parents as they headed off to another political dinner.

Then she'd been deported. A mix up with her immigration papers. They were spending time at the beach house and she'd taken him into town for ice cream. Two officers arrested her on the main street and he'd sat in the quaint Hampton police station waiting for his parents. His father searched for Miranda for weeks, tracking her through various immigration weigh stations, only to find her back in Guatemala. Not surprisingly, Miranda decided to stay in her homeland, not willing to trust there wouldn't be a repeat of the ordeal in the future.

His mind had obsessed on her story, not wanting another family, another person, to be treated that way. It wasn't enough to protest. Someone had to do something, change the system from within. Miranda and others like her deserved fair treatment. He could be that person.

"Done?" Matt bobbed at the end of the table, like a buoy in the harbour.

"Let's see." Thomas scanned the long tables lining the dining hall, rows and rows of silverware at every seat. In the center of each white tablecloth sat a collection of brightly coloured but obviously fake leaves. On the walls, paper turkeys and pumpkins completed the cheery Thanksgiving theme. "Looks like it."

"Can we get back to the match now?" Matt nodded in the direction of the chessboard.

Thomas held up a finger. "Ah, Sophie." Her bright eyes landed on him and he swore he could feel the impact of her gaze on his skin. Like a feather tickling his wrist. Her straight black hair swung with the motion, and she tucked a strand behind her ear. "Anything else you need me to do? Matt here wants to resume our game."