I squeeze my eyes shut as she strokes my face. “What if I can’t do it?”
“Then we enjoy the weekend with your family, and we try again.”
I peel my eyes open, paste on a forced smile, and nod. I’m determined to put on the biggest act of my life until after Grandad’s festivities tomorrow. As much as I justwant to blurt out my truth and then run away, I know I have to play the dutiful grandson first.
The car slows, and the house comes into view. Set across six acres, my childhood home is a single-storey homestead with a wrap-around verandah. With five bedrooms spread across three wings, it always felt way too big for just me and Dad. At the same time, it gave me the illusion of space away from him.
Stepping out of the car, I hold out my hand for Hannah. She smiles encouragingly as the front door opens, and my dad appears.
As I approach my father, I steel myself for whatever insults he’ll start with, but to my surprise, he greets me with an enthusiastic handshake and asks about our flight. In true Bentley fashion, he sent Grandad’s private jet to collect us from the airfield in Talina, an hour from Beckford.
Hannah engages him in conversation as we head into the sitting room, where Maureen, our housekeeper, has set up an extensive morning tea that’s far too much for three people. I inwardly roll my eyes, but on the outside, I smile and nod and answer his meaningless questions. Thankfully, Hannah’s the perfect conversationalist, having grown up in a similar lifestyle, though I hope her family is less fake than mine.
Maureen has been our housekeeper since before I was born, and she fusses over me. When she comments how she hopes I’m looking after myself with good food, Hannah grins, telling the older woman that I’m quite the chef and I must’ve learnt it all from her.
I don’t miss the heavy weight of my father’s shrewd attention. I’m sure he’s analysing the way my hand covers Hannah’s, which is resting on my thigh, and the soft smiles she gives me as she tells Maureen how we met at a party atmy house, leaving out that I couldn’t even remember her name.
As she talks, I lean in and brush my lips over her temple, wordlessly thanking her for being an incredible friend.
Maureen’s eyes sparkle, and she grins, cooing, “You two make an adorable couple.”
I offer an indulgent smile, but my thoughts stray to my six-foot-four boyfriend and how I can’t wait to return home and kiss the shit out of him.
It’s not until Hannah offers to help Maureen clean up, and Dad and I are alone, that his mask comes off.
“I have to admit,” he says, settling back in his chair with his pretentious glass of scotch on the rocks, “I’m surprised you’ve been able to hold on to a girl of such high standing for so long.”
My hand tightens around my glass of water, and I bite the inside of my cheek until I taste blood. I’m not getting into this with him now. I respect my Grandad too much to ruin his day tomorrow.
“So, now I’m not good enough to be with a great girl like Hannah?” I grit out. “There’s no pleasing you, is there?”
“Watch your tone,” he snarls.
“Whatever,” I mutter, jerking to my feet.
Before I can storm off, he grabs my wrist tight.
“Unless she plans on moving to Perth with you after you graduate, there’s no future with this girl,” he warns. “No matter her connections.”
I grit my teeth, barely constraining the angry retort building on my tongue, and glare at my wrist until he releases it. “That’s real nice, Dad. Glad to know what I want doesn’t factor into your plans.”
I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t with him. Itkills me not to just lay it all on the line now, but it won’t do me any good to lose my cool.
My skin itches, and I fight the urge to scratch it. Knowing I’m on the edge of a panic attack and not wanting to snap and say something I shouldn’t in the heat of the moment, I storm out of the sitting room.
I take the familiar path through my childhood home, out the back door, and across the manicured lawn. When I reach the massive Morton Bay fig tree I used to hide in as a kid, I don’t hesitate before climbing up the branches.
This tree is where I had my first kiss with Nathan. I’m sure if my dad knew he would have torn it down years ago.
Breathing heavily, I sit astride a sturdy branch and pull my phone out. My hands tremble as I pull up Zac’s contact details and hit call. With the time difference, he should have finished his afternoon classes and be waiting around for tonight’s game against Coleridge.
It only rings twice before he picks up.
“Hey, Shadow.”
His warm voice soothes my rising anxiety, and I breathe a heavy sigh as I relax against the thick trunk.
“Everything okay?”
