Niles is there when I hit the bottom step. "This way. Dinner is in the formal dining room this evening."
"I'm eating with everyone then?"
"With Mr. Eve and Ms. Aurora."
"Are you joining too?"
Niles' brows furrow together, letting me know he thinks this is a stupid question. "No, I will not."
So I'm the only staff member that is joining them? A thought hits me when we're almost to the dining room. Does everyone he employs at his home get an inspection? The thought sours my stomach.
“You’re late,” Kellan says when I step into the room. His eyes flick over my clothing.
“I’m sorry, I was in the shower,” I say nervously and lick my lips. “I wanted to complete the task you gave me earlier, and it took longer than I thought.”
Kellan’s eyes drift down my body, and I wonder if he’s imagining me bare. The thought shouldn’t make me wet.
“Sit,” Kellan orders and points to the chair at the head of the table. He and Aurora are across from each other.
“At the head?” I ask as Kellan stands to pull my chair out.
“We both wanted to sit by you,” Aurora says, taking a bite of her mashed potatoes.
“That’s really sweet,” I tell her and take my seat.
Seeing the table, I notice how nice everything is. When I pick up the fork and knife, I pause for a beat because I think it’s actually real silver.
"It looks wonderful." It appears to be baked chicken stuffed with something and paired with mashed potatoes and asparagus.
"I love chicken nuggets, but Chef Carl makes the yummiest things,” Aurora tells me as I take a bite.
"I love chicken nuggets too, but I'd definitely go for this over them."
"Yeah," Aurora agrees. "But sometimes you just need a Happy Meal."
A snort leaves me when I try to hold back my laughter. My family teases me that my laugh is loud enough to echo through our whole house and that they could find me in a packed auditorium from my laugh alone.
"You’re not wrong," I tell her and then peek over at Kellan.
He’s quiet as he simply watches us. I fight the urge to fidget under his gaze, but I do find myself sitting up straighter. He eats his dinner while Aurora and I go back and forth with questions.
“You have four brothers!?” She sounds amazed, and I grin at her.
“I do, and I’m the baby.” That might be part of why I’m still a virgin.
I grew up in a small town with four brothers that all played hockey. No boy ever dared to glance in my direction. I thought college would mean freedom to finally date, but perhaps because I wasn't used to talking to guys or getting their attention, I didn’t know what to do. I’m not good at flirting, and I was never brave enough to venture out on my own.
"I always wanted siblings." Aurora pushes around the last few bites of chicken on her plate. Damn, I don't know how to respond to that. "Uncle Kellan doesn't want kids."
"I never said that," Kellan tells her, and Aurora gives him a very pointed look. One I would not dare to do myself.
"Before me, did you want kids?"
He pauses like he’s getting his words in order before he answers her. "Before you, I had no plans for children." A stoic expression takes over his face. "But people say they don’t want something and change their minds. I didn’t predict having a child, and now that I do, I wouldn’t know how to live without you.”
Aurora seems pleased by this answer. Kellan might be cold and rigid, but he didn't have to take in his niece. With his wealth, he could have shipped her off to a boarding school. He cares, and his actions show it. People will tell you who they are, even if they don’t say the words out loud.
"Do you want kids?" Aurora asks me.
