Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100277 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Oh, how the other half lived.
Thankfully, I was not easily intimidated and I didn’t believe that having money made a person superior to me. My uncharacteristic nervousness as I met Rafe’s family was all about our deception. I kept reminding myself of the money and the road trip to freedom it would afford me.
It might have been better if the Whitmans weren’t nice, but they welcomed me into their vast home with a friendliness I’m not sure I was expecting considering how unfriendly Rafe was.
His mother, Jennifer Whitman (who insisted I call her Jen), embraced me as if I were a long-lost family member. “I’m so happy to meet you,” she greeted me with genuine enthusiasm, holding my biceps as she studied my face. The joy in her eyes brightened. “And you’re so beautiful.” I could almost sense her visualizing how pretty my children with Rafe could be, and I suddenly understood what might have driven Rafe to hire me.
I tried not to laugh in hysterical terror and grinned. “Look who’s talking. I can see where Rafe gets his good looks.”
She chuckled at Rafe. “I like her already.”
Gregory Whitman, or Greg, was reserved in a way that reminded me so much of his son. And while I hadn’t been lying that Jen Whitman was a beauty, Rafe definitely got his looks from his father. That dark hair against those true-blue eyes and all the chiseled angles of his face were definitely inherited from Greg Whitman.
Greg welcomed me with a small smile and a handshake, and I hadn’t felt like I was under a microscope when he looked at me. I could not say the same for his brother, Hugo, whose gaze bored into me as we were introduced. The brothers didn’t look at all alike. Hugo had his mom’s brownish-auburn coloring and dark eyes, and he was shorter. While fit, he didn’t have Rafe’s broad shoulders or impressive biceps.
Pippa Whitman, Hugo’s wife, I had, of course, met before, and while friendly, I could tell she was uncomfortable with my presence from her strained smile. Whether because she’d hired me or because she didn’t like me “dating” Rafe, I didn’t know. Their daughter, Charmaine, remembered me as Merida and wanted me to come play with her. Pippa had to explain to her I was Uncle Rafe’s date and not her playdate.
Last but definitely not least was the vibrant youngest Whitman. Georgina “Gigi” Whitman had purple hair, oversized gold wire-rimmed glasses, and about a million piercings along the rim of her left ear. She was beautiful, entirely her own person, and I felt an affinity toward her before even a word was spoken.
While Jen insisted everyone follow her to a less formal sitting area at the back of the house, just off the kitchen, Gigi wound her arm through mine. “So is it true you’re a professional character actor and line sitter?”
“It is. Is it true you’re some kind of tech genius?”
“It is.” She grinned at me, eyes the same color as Rafe’s glittering with amusement. “I’ve never met a professional character actor or line sitter before. I’m fascinated.”
“It’s not that interesting.”
She scoffed. “Of course it is. They’re not exactly orthodox professions. You met my brother dressed as a Disney character. Dating you is the most interesting thing he’s ever done in his life.”
I frowned because that didn’t seem fair. “Not true. He spent sixteen years restoring a 1965 Pontiac. That’s interesting.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love my brother. And you’re right. He’s always gone his own way, which is great. He and I have that in common. But romantically, he’s always played it safe.”
“And I’m unsafe?” I quirked an eyebrow.
Gigi laughed. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out.”
* * *
• • •
I’d expected in a house this big that there would be staff—a cook, maybe. But Greg and Jen did all the cooking. Jen had prepared all the sides and salads, while Greg worked the most impressive grill I’d ever seen in the most impressive outdoor kitchen I’d ever encountered. It was bigger and fancier than my indoor kitchen and situated on the top-level terrace right off their large interior farmhouse-style kitchen. We were all seated around an outdoor dining table. The food looked amazing and I said so to the Whitmans, who took my praise with pleased thanks.
They were so nice, in fact, that (despite the gleam I’d seen in Jen’s eyes earlier) I found it hard to imagine her hounding Rafe to settle down. But it had to be true or I wouldn’t be there.
At first I just ate and listened to them all talk over each other about work and life and the city. There was history in their words and familiarity in the scene. I knew this gathering was not unusual. That they made the effort to come together for family dinners. Pippa grilled Gigi about when she was bringing a date to the next one, and Gigi evaded the question. Charmaine thought this was hilarious and teased her aunt. Greg asked Hugo questions about the business, while Jen yo-yoed between inquiries about Rafe’s work and our dating life.