Chapter 4

As promised he drove me home. But it was the next morning. We both had fallen asleep on the couch. Oddly enough, I felt we both needed the rest. When I awoke he had fresh croissants on the coffee table and hot cinnamon tea in a mug. He bounded down the stairs in a light blue button up shirt that was not buttoned up. 

I averted my eyes back to the croissants as he put himself together. I was not used to seeing a man like him without his shirt. It was even more erotic that I only saw where the opening allowed me.

"I was hoping to be ready when you awoke," he admitted. 

I smirked as I enjoyed the tea. "What time is it? And how much trouble am I in with Humphrey?" 

He snickered. "None," he took a seat beside me. "I woke up an hour ago and explained everything."

I nodded. "Your word goes farther than mine, I suspect."

"Being alpha has its perks," he checked his watch,

"But we wouldn't want to push him too far."

"What time is it?" I asked with a cold sweat. 

"10:00" he responded. 

I jumped up. I was supposed to have lunch with Emory at 11:00 and I still needed to shower and change.

"I've got to go," I announced and grabbed my bag. 

He followed behind me and grabbed his keys.

"Why are you in such a rush?" he grabbed my arm softly. "My next meeting is at noon and I thought…"

"I have a lunch date," I said suddenly. "I can't cancel on him again."

Harry's eyebrows furrowed but he took me straight home. 

When we came upon my house, I noticed everyone was there. Walk of shame.

Harry went to open my door but remembered I hated that, so he stopped. I smirked realizing I caught him about to do something archaic. 

"Old habits," he smiled back to me as I unceremoniously got out of his car. 

"Don't worry," I laughed. "Other women like it. Just not me." 

He walked me to the door and kissed my cheek. It was sweet and brotherly. He knew where he had to stay. Luckily for us both we were slaves to duty. 

"Have fun today," I called back sarcastically. 

He turned slightly to give me an indignant smile and then I went inside. 

Everyone was at the foyer having a fight as usual when I walked in.

They stopped to see me close the door behind me. 

"Where have you been?" Lilly snapped. 

I ignored her. She was not my mother. 

"She was out," Humphrey said in his don't push it voice. 

"Did you know about this, Tally?" Lilly hissed. 

I turned to see a page of names. 

"How would I know about a random piece of paper?" I asked casually. I knew it annoyed her. 

"Suitors," she spat. 

I shrugged. "You knew it would eventually happen."

"Yea, but I guess you don't have to worry about it," she sneered. 

"I need to shower and change," I announced, "can we get to what's upsetting you this time?" 

"Just go change," Humphrey said to me softly. "This has nothing to do with you."

"The hell it doesn't," Lilly snapped. "She's supposed to be baby sitting these suitors and making sure they have a good view on the family. That's the reason Diana pushed her to go with Cavendish last night."

"Excuse me?" I asked simply. 

Humphrey rubbed his face with his tan hand. 

Lilly continued. "Why do you think Harris asked you to dinner? He wanted to know what kind of family he was getting into. I'm sure tonight you'll have another higher up ask you out." 

I knew it. He treated me with kid gloves and was a gentleman, that I could not fault him. But I felt used in a way. 

"Are we done?" I snapped. "I have to meet Emory in almost fifteen minutes." 

"Go," Humphrey came close and kissed my forehead. "Have fun. Tell him I say hi." Humphrey went to the door and grabbed his coat.

"I have a meeting with the alpha and his men today," he announced as he put his jacket on. 

I said my goodbye and headed upstairs. There was no time to shower so I threw my hair into a messy bun and washed my face. I splattered on makeup with my fingers and my winged outliner almost looked symmetrical. I knew we were meeting at the club so I threw on a skirt and Peter pan collared shirt. 

Diana grabbed my hand as I headed down the stairs. "I took the opportunity to change up some things last night and today." 

"What did you do, mom?" I sighed knowing how she could be. 

"Just your room," she smiled as she drug me up the stairs and down the hall. 

The walls were an off white and a large diamond chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling. The bedspread was silver with diamond aplicay, the throw pillows were black, and though all of it was newly bought it looked oddly familiar. 

"I changed it to match the bedroom in your townhouse," she clasped her hands together. 

"It's perfect, mom," I whispered because suddenly I felt ashamed. 

This always happened. I would think about the past and become bitter; then Diana would put on a grand gesture that put me in my place. She was the queen of passive agressiveness and guilt. She was barely 5'2 but she packed a punch with simple words and kind deeds. Her love language was vengeance.  

I crossed the room and embraced her. She had become frail since the last time I saw her a year ago. But her scent was still the same, Chanel. I pulled away and she suddenly became excited. 

"I wasn't able to decide what kind of lamps you would like," she took me by the hand and pulled me down the hall. "Now don't judge but," she opened a spare room at the end of the hall. When I peered in, I saw a sea of lamps of all shapes and sizes. "I have a few you can choose from." 

My jaw dropped. "You seriously have a problem," I whispered. 

"No," she defended. "I just... I like lamps ok?"

"How much time have you had on your hands?" I asked trying to weave through the throng.

"Well..." She thought, "a bit more than usual, maybe." 

"I can see that," I breathed taking a tall silver one from out of the corner, "this one will do."

"That one?" She turned up her nose "it's so plain." She picked up a white, porcelain lamp in the shape of a floating woman's face mounted to a black base. "Don't you think this one is interesting?" She beamed and I could see how much these things meant to her. 

They were tacky and most of them came from a thrift store where people had discarded them; but to Diana they were treasures. I think it spoke to her psyche that her obsession was lamps. 

"Yea, mom it's interesting," I put back the plain silver lamp and took the 'interesting' one. I had not realized until then how much I had really missed her even her eccentricity.

"Take both of them if you want, it gives me an excuse to buy more," she bounced as her black bob stayed perfectly in place, thanks to an entire can of hair spray. 

Yep, I had missed this. 

"How was the alpha last night?" she asked subtly. I knew there was an underlying intention. 

"He's very nice," I shrugged as I carried two lamps down the hall to my new room. 

"How nice?" she plugged on. 

"I did not sleep with him," I responded sharply. 

"Obviously," she put her manicured hands on her hips. "You're not the type a man dallies with. You're a mated for life type. And everyone would be notified if you were mated." 

"Well, I don't see that happening any time soon." I remarked as I plugged up my lamp. I noticed there was a new white desk with my books scattered across. 

"There isn't anyone you are interested in?" 

"Nope." I lied. "Anyway, I'm not the daughter you need to worry about getting down the aisle." 

"Lilly will make a good match, I'm sure of it. It's just getting her to do her duty…" 

"We can't very well hold her down," I remarked. 

"No, but perhaps you can talk to her and show her the advantages of a match with the British." 

"As soon as I tell her to do something she will do the opposite, mother," I sighed. 

She nodded understanding. "Perhaps Humphrey could talk to her," she mused. 

"Why not let Harry talk to her and see if he can win her over?" 

"She will see through that," Diana rolled her eyes. 

"Maybe we put the wrong one on the shelf," she eyed me closely. 

"What do you mean?" 

"When I was your age, I already had a baby and had seen more life than I had wished too." 

"You were also in a terrible marriage and your lover was over a thousand miles away," I reminded her. 

"True." 

"Our kind lives a long time," I began. "I have time. I'm in no hurry."

"You'll always be my baby," she kissed my cheek. "I will always love you more." 

"I know, mom, more."