An Oath In Blood (Book #3)

Chapter 08: A Picture-Perfect Family

WARREN HALE

Miles grinned at me as I walked up to our table. I cocked an eyebrow at his attire as I pulled out my chair and settled down, pointedly ignoring the two people sitting between my two brothers. I didn't bother with pleasantries because I didn't even want to be here.

"Style and comfort." My brother winked at me, referring to his outfit. He wore a white t-shirt and black pants. I frowned. "Oh, by the way, we already ordered for you, too." His grin widened. I didn't care.

"You mean..." I was about to make a rude remark but I swallowed it, turning to my parents finally. "Mother. Father." I looked from my mom to my dad, keeping my lips pursed and anger out of my voice.

"Warren!" My mother smiled, almost reaching over to the table as if she would hug me. "We haven't seen you in such a long time." She put a hand on her chest as if she was truly sorry to have not been in touch with me for all these years I spent avoiding them.

"I wonder why." I mumbled under my breath as I picked up the glass of water on the table, taking a sip. My father watched me quietly, a secretive smile on his lips. As if I wasn't aware of his plan. He had called me to this dinner so they could pressure me about Kate again.

"So, how are you?" Mum's smile waivered as she looked around the table as if even her cheeriness couldn't drown out the tension weighing down on all of us.

"I was fine until I got this dinner invitation." I shrugged, fixing the lapel of my dress coat. Everett kicked me under the table and I looked at him with surprise on my face. Not so proper, anymore, brother?

"Warren, we know you have reason to be upset with us." My father spoke finally as if he had been waiting for me to say something inappropriate so that he could finally provide his two cents. "But we are trying to do what is best for you here." He added, earning a scoff from me. Another kick from my oldest brother.

"You mean what is best for you." I leaned forward in my seat.

"No. We are thinking about you here. If I was so concerned about the business and us, I could have asked Everett to marry Kate." Silas Hale laughed as if I was being unreasonable. I narrowed my eyes on him.

"Everett is already engaged to Sylvia Hawthorne." I responded, shooting a look at my brother who balked at me. My parents were silent for a few moments before mom whispered, "How did you know?"

"You aren't the only ones keeping tabs on me." I rolled my eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but I waved her off, "I am sure my invitation to the engagement party got lost in the mail."

"Well, there's Miles. He's older than you but I didn't ask him to marry Kate since they aren't the right match." My father tried again. At this point, they were just embarrassing themselves and dinner hadn't even fully begun yet.

"We all know Miles' reputation. No respectable family will give him their daughter. No offence." I glanced at my brother.

"None taken." He clenched his jaw.

"So, that leaves you with me. Your youngest son, who wants nothing to do with the family business and will not marry Kate Miller for your convenience." I announced. "If that was the whole point of this dinner, then you don't need to waste another breath on me. Because I. Am. Not. Marrying. Her." I put my hands on the table and stood up just as the waiter arrived with the food.

"Warren." My mother turned sad eyes on me. "Please sit down." Always soft-spoken and elegant and full of grace, Cassandra Hale only cared about the way our family was perceived by the outside world.

I swallowed my protest and took a seat again, letting the waiter put our orders on the table before he left. Miles dug in as soon as the waiter walked away while the others didn't make any move to eat. My mother and father stared at me while Everett stared at his empty plate as if it carried the secrets of the universe.