Rock Prodigy

Chapter 33

TA DA!

Dedicated to XxbubblewrapxX for making a wonderful cover!!!!!!!!!!! Woot woot yip hurah!

Enjoy!

Chapter 33

“Wow,” I said when we stepped inside the huge house, wondering just how well marketing paid as my eyes ran over the crown moulding and the shiny hardwood floors. The place looked like it belonged on cribs with a huge stair case running up the left side of the open foyer and a giant Christmas tree in the centre.

“Welcome to our humble abode,” Francis said, opening the door wider and gesturing for us to walk inside.

“Humble?” Mac muttered as his eyes took in his extravagant surroundings before his landing on his mother who had just emerged from a set of double doors that in my opinion, were overkill.

“Mac,” Claire said softly, her lips turning up in a smile that shone from her eyes. “Dan,” she said next, shifting her gaze to Dan who was standing a little ahead of me and to the side.

“Mom,” Dan said and when she approached him and raised her arms to give him a hug, he only hesitated briefly before he responded, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a gentle squeeze, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes as he released her and gave her a tentative smile. “You look beautiful,” he said and he was right, she looked amazing with her hair pinned back and slightly curled, making her usually severe beauty appear softer than it did when she had her sleek bob. Her light brown eyes were expertly lined and shadowed to highlight the unique colour and they lit with pleasure at her son’s compliment. “Thank you,” she said quietly, brushing a hand over her black dress that looked stunning on her, showing off her toned arms and slim form as well as the jewels on her wrists and neck.

I glanced down at my own outfit, suddenly thinking that my nicer than usual jeans and my navy blue blouse weren’t quite up to the standards in this house.

“Mac,” Claire said, moving towards her eldest son, her arms raised and a flash of nerves in her gaze as she approached him but he didn’t stop her when she hugged him and he even raised his arms to hug her back. I watched him as his eyes darkened, a flash of longing in their blue depths that he couldn’t hide and I understood it all too well. “I’m so happy you came,” she said softly, her voice filled with genuine emotion as she smiled at both of her sons before her gaze landed on me and some of the happiness faded from her eyes. “Rosemary, I wasn’t aware that you were coming as well,” she said, her voice slightly frostier when she spoke to me.

I shrugged and met her eyes squarely, determined not to let her attitude get to me tonight, not wanting to mess the night up for Dan and Mac. “Your sons invited me,” I replied, keeping my voice neutral, trying to ignore the sense of animosity I got every time she looked at me.

“Of course,” she said stiffly, her smile a little unnatural as she looked me up and down, her upper lip twitching slightly when her eyes got to my faded but rip free jeans that actually fit me. “Won’t you come in?”

“Thank you,” I muttered, handing my jacket to Francis who grinned at me before hanging it in the closet. When he turned back to me, he presented his arm and for a moment, I just stared at it, not sure what to do as Mac and Dan walked with their mother through the double doors that led to another part of the house.

Francis let out a light chuckle and reached down to grab my hand and place it on his arm. “I don’t bite, Rose.”

“Yes you do,” I said quietly as we began to move in the same direction as the others. “No one in marketing can afford a place like this unless they’ve bit a few people, figuratively speaking.”