Stanton Adore (19 page)

“Brock,” I snap as I pull my arm from his grip.

“What in the fuck is going on with you and Stanton?” Holy mother fuck.

“What do you mean?” I feel faint.

“Margaret just went berko at Cameron when she found out you two went to the shop.”

I swallow the tennis ball and bucket of sand in my throat. “What did she say?”

“She said you two cannot be trusted. What in the fuck does that mean Natasha?” Oh crap………… crap, crap, crap.

“Umm I don’t know,” I shrug. “You know she’s tapped.”

“Is she?” He snarls.

“Of course,” I reply. “What do you think?”

“I know what I saw at the wedding and I warned him that night that I would kill him if he touched you.”

“You did what?” I snap. “Are you kidding me?”

“I am going to say this once and once only Natasha. Listen, because I genuinely mean it. I will fucking kill him if he lays a finger on you.”

I roll my eyes. “Drop dead Brock. I’m twenty four years old. Stop trying to control me. I’m friends with Josh. You and Margaret are as bad as each other. Go back to over protecting Bridget, because I’m not putting up with your shit.” I storm out of the bedroom and back into the lounge room just as Joshua and his mother come in the front door. I hot foot it straight to the kitchen without making eye contact. This night is quickly turning from hero to zero.

Twenty minutes later we are seated at the dining table. Bridget and Brock are on either side of me and directly opposite is Margaret. Cam and Will on either side of her and Josh is next to Cam. Mum is at one head of the table and Dad at the other. I don’t think I have ever dreaded a family dinner quite as much. Brock is onto us and so is Margaret for that matter. I know I can’t lie for shit, I feel like a frigging Russian Spy just about to take a lie detector test. I look down, determined not to make eye contact with Josh or anyone for that matter. I know he is feeling uncomfortable as well, I can feel it in my bones. Brock is the first to speak.

“So Josh, I saw on the internet you dated Heidi Mills that super model.” Cameron chokes.

“Pass the carrots,” Wilson asks me and I know it’s a distraction tactic. I slowly look up to see Josh’s reaction, he nods but keeps his eyes cast down. What is frigging Brock playing at? Bridget taps my leg underneath the table.

“She is so……… smoking hot,” Brock smiles he lifts his fork in the air en route to his mouth.

“In fact you seem to date a different glamour every week.” I look back down at my plate and I wish the ground would swallow me up. This night is becoming very uncomfortable and I know exactly what Brock is doing
the bastard
. Bridget rubs my leg under the table in a symbol of sympathy.

Margaret smiles. “Yes Josh sure does well with the ladies, however his heart is taken unfortunately.”

“Oh is it?” Mum asks excitedly as she takes a sip of her wine.
Shut up Mum
.

“Yes,” Margaret smiles at me, “Her name is Amelie.” Will clears his throat and Cam drops his knife and fork, they hit his plate with a clang. By the boys reaction I know there is some truth to this story. Ok………… I keep my eyes cast down.

“Do tell Josh,” my Mum laughs.
Shut the hell up Mum.

“Nothing to tell,” he snaps.

“Oh Josh,” his Mother chastises. “Don’t be embarrassed,” she pats him on the arm. I think I am going to vomit in my own mouth. “She’s a Veterinarian, a beautiful one at that and she manages Josh’s horse stud for him.” My heart drops, the blonde from his phone. “Yes, she’s an amazing Equestrian Rider. Josh drives her all over the United States every weekend for competitions, don’t you Josh? They go away most weekends, she just competes so much.” I bet she does. I can’t help it my eyes flick to Josh, I want to see his reaction.
Damn it
. He keeps his eyes deliberately down to avoid my glare. Margaret is on a roll. “They have so much in common, they go horse riding together for hours on his country estate. She comes away on holidays with us, sometimes her parents join us as well, don’t they Josh? She’s English and her family own a Castle, she comes from a very well to do family. Robert and I visited them last year in their Country Estate.” My cheeks heat and I can hear my heart beat in my ears. He’s lied to me, he told me that he has never dated anyone. Going on holidays with fucking parents is dating asshole.

”So is that important to you Margaret? That your boys marry into a well to do family?” Oh shit did I say that out loud. She fakes a venomous smile. I can’t help it I have to know, she deliberately doesn’t answer me.
Mmm
.

“So how long has she worked for you Josh?” I ask as I bite my food off my fork smiling at him way too sweetly. He glares at me as he wipes his mouth with a napkin and brushes his tongue over his front teeth, but doesn’t answer. Bridget grabs my hand under the table. He stays silent, “Five years,” Margaret smiles. Fucking bitch, she’s loving this. I look back down to my plate, five years…………five years. What in the hell, that’s a long time. And I know he has feelings for her because I’ve seen the fucking photos.

“She’s just a friend,” Josh snaps as he raises his eyebrow at his Mother.

“Oh Josh stop it, you don’t spend every New Year’s Eve for five years with a girl if she means nothing.”

“Did anybody see the footy game last night?” Cameron interjects in a desperate attempt to change the subject. The atmosphere has taken a serious dive and I really want to throw my drink on her or him………… Both of them actually.

“Yes it was great,” Dad smiles and they start to waffle about football. I however am stuck on the New Year’s comment. My mind is going a million miles a minute………… don’t let her get to you………… don’t let her get to you, I know this is her aim and unfortunately she has done just that. I’m totally rattled.

“Joshua I’m thirsty darling I need another wine,” he immediately rises to go and pour her a drink. My mum smiles.

“So tell me Wilson I hear you’re seeing a new girl,” he smiles a warm smile and it’s obvious he likes this girl.

“Amy,” he answers. “Her name is Amy.”

“Oh and Wilson I need you to take me to Darling Hurst tomorrow darling I am meeting Susan and I want you to join us,” Margaret purrs, he nods. She swats Cameron with her serviette, “Don’t pick at your food.” I sit back and watch their interactions, I don’t believe it. How have I missed this? She has these boys totally under the thumb, they all dote on her like she’s the fucking queen of Sheba. Wicked Witch of the West more like.

“So Bridget,” she smiles. “How is the Travel Industry going?”

“Oh good thanks,” Bridge answers happily. “I’m going on a conference to Paris next week,” Margaret smiles “That’s exciting” Bridget nods happily. “My boys all speak French you know” she winks at Bridget and Josh Rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“So Natasha,” she puts her hands steepled under her chin as she starts to work her venom back in my direction. “What is it you do again?” She knows this, the bitch.

“I’m a Psychologist,” I fake the biggest smile in the history of human life.

“Oh, in what field?”

“I’m a Sexual Health Psychologist.”

“Hmm,” she smiles as she takes a sip of her wine “That figures, what a strange direction for a girl so young to follow.” I narrow my eyes at her as I start to hear my pulse in my ears. Pick on me bitch and that’s ok, but pick on my career and its go time. “I bet you are really good at manipulating oh sorry I mean controlling minds and thoughts,” the double meaning is not lost on me. I can’t even pretend that she is not pissing me off now,
the bitch.

“You have no idea,” I whisper as I glare at her. Joshua jumps up and starts to clear the table obviously sensing the tension in the air and Brock helps him. Mum and Dad re-enter the kitchen to serve up dessert. Brock takes the first load of plates into the kitchen.

“Oh I have a very good idea how well you manipulate,” she sneers. I can’t hold my tongue any longer.

“Have I done something to upset you Margaret?” The whole table falls silent and collectively hold their breath. Joshua drops the plates on the table and they clang. He does wide eyes at me, urging me to shut up. How in the hell is Amelie you prick face liar? You can go to hell too.

“No, we will get along just fine Natasha as long as you keep your claws out of my son,” she sneers. My blood is boiling.

Cameron interjects. “That’s enough Mother.” Ok that’s it, that’s the last straw and I can’t hold my tongue any longer, I ‘m feeling unstable. I stand and lean on my hands on the table as I lean my face closer to hers.

“I have absolutely no plans. None! To get my claws into your precious son. But let me tell you this.”

“Natasha,” Bridget whispers. “That’s enough” she grabs my hand and I jerk it out of her grasp. “
If
and that’s a big
If
, I decided to get my claws into your son. You had better be prepared, because not even the devil himself could stop me.”

She narrows her eyes. “Why you conceited little bitch.”

Cameron coughs. “Seriously. That’s enough Mother.” I look across the table and Joshua is in shock I think. He looks like he’s going to faint.

“Now I have had enough,” I shake my head. “I’m leaving.” I stand and throw my serviette from my lap onto the table.

Joshua stands so quick that his chair falls back and hits the ground, “Natasha don’t go,” he pleads.

“Sit,” I snap as I point to his chair. “Mummy Dearest here wants to breast feed you and we couldn’t have you upsetting her. Get your nappy changed while you are there it will save you time later.” I hear Bridget and Cameron stifle a giggle.

I walk into the kitchen. “Mum I have to go, I just got paged from work.”

“Oh that’s a shame darling, ok I will call you tomorrow.” I don’t remember getting to my car I just know I am off the charts boiling mad.

Josh runs out to the car. “Natasha don’t go, she’s just mad.”

“Josh get the fuck away from me you coward,” I poke him in the chest. He steps back.

“Tell Cameron I said thanks for defending me.” His face drops at the realization it was his brother who defended me and not him.

“Natasha please, she’s my mother I was just trying to diffuse the situation.”

“And what am I?”

He shuffles on his feet as he rubs both hands through his hair. “Don’t ask stupid questions,” he sighs.

“Stupid questions,” I shriek. This man is a total idiot. “Oh that’s right, I’m your fucking Booty Call. Go inside. I just lost interest in you…………
Big Time!”

“Tash please,” he begs as he grabs my arm.

“Get your filthy hands off her,” oh shit its Brock.

“Not now,” Josh snaps at him. Brock grabs Josh by the shoulder and Josh turns to Brock.

“Don’t start your fucking shit Brock or you will be out cold on the fucking pavement.” Brock grabs him by the shirt and Josh slams him up against the car.

“Let me speak to her alone,” Josh snaps. “This is none of your business.”

“Fuck off,” Brock yells.

“Stop it you idiots,” I yell and the two body guards come running across the road. I am too mad to care about either of them and the sudden distraction allows me to pull out and I speed off down the road. Hot tears of frustration pool in my eyes and blur my vision. I don’t think I have ever been this mad. We will get along just fine as long as you keep your claws out of my son. The stupid movie screen in my head plays and replays the words again and again, each time with more venom than the last. Who was I kidding she will never accept us. And then there’s Amelie. That’s a whole different world of pain and I know it’s true I could see it in his face, he has serious feelings for her. How deep they run I don’t know, have they slept together? My tears well again and I pull the car over unable to see the road any longer. I put my elbows on my steering wheel and weep into my hands. My car rocks intermittently as the cars zoom past me at speed on the freeway. They have common interests, she loves horses like him. She lives in his house. They have a bond. He lied to me again. He takes her away and oohh the pain slices me again and I sob…………New Year’s Eve, the lump in my throat begins to hurt as I hold in the tears, he spends them with her………every year. Margaret knew exactly her target tonight and she hit it in a bullseye, attacking my insecurities. My mind wanders back to the past New Years and I break into full blown sobs, at twelve o clock every year I have thought of him, wished he was here with me and he was kissing someone else. Spending time with someone else………… probably on frigging secluded Islands and shit. Someone he cares about. Out of the corner of my eye I see a man run up the side of the car, I jump in fright. I quickly start my car and hit the central locking button. Tap, Tap, Tap, to my horror a man I have never seen before is tapping on the window, I start to panic until I see Josh’s body guards standing on the side of the road next to the car which I now notice is parked behind me. My heart jumps and I quickly look around to see if he’s here, but of course he’s not. He’s with his bitch face mother. I slowly wind down my window and the guy has the gall to look embarrassed now that he sees I’m crying like a baby. He is in his early forties, bald and tough looking, has the whole Bruce Willis vibe going on.

“Are you ok Natasha?” He gives a sympathetic smile at me.

“Fine,” I snap as I wipe the snot from my nose on the back of my hand in such a feral manner I even surprise myself. “Who are you” I demand. He smiles and steps back making eye contact with the other two.

“Uumm, I’m your body guard,” he says quietly in an American accent as if speaking to a child. “What!” I scream “I don’t have a bodyguard, why in the hell do I have a bodyguard?”

“I’ve been with you for three weeks,” he whispers thinking that would calm me down.

“What!” I scream. “Are you fucking kidding me? Why………how………… I mean………… are you serious?” I frown. This night has turned into the frigging Twilight zone. My jaw is on the ground. “You have been following me for three weeks? I can’t believe it, how do I not know this.”