Abandoned Girl (Neighpalm Industries Collective, #1)

by Winston, Lexie

  “Can I ask some nosy questions?" he asks politely, and I pretend to think about it. I know what he’s going to ask, but I have some questions of my own.

  "Yes, but I get to return the favor afterward." He thinks about it and nods his head in agreement.

  "Deal. So, you didn't know anything about your dad?" I laugh at the first question, unsurprised and completely aware that this will likely be the first thing that everyone wants to know.

  "Wow, gossip sure travels fast." He has the grace to look slightly ashamed, but that doesn’t last long as he waits for my answer.

  "No, I didn’t. I only found out about a week ago, though I've known Nana and Poppy all my life. They’re best friends with my foster father’s parents, and they've always been part of my life," I explain to him, my eyes tearing up slightly. "To find out that they were my grandparents for real was... amazing."

  The look in his eyes softens too as he smiles. "Yeah. I could imagine it would. They're great people. They never treat us like employees; we're just one of the family. They insist we call them Howard and Grace, but when we're flying, especially with others around, I like to show them the respect they deserve.” I can see Nana and Poppy being like that, just by the way they welcomed me as one of the family so many years ago.

  He takes a deep breath, his eyes intent on me and my reactions. “Does Brad know about you yet?" he pushes a little more.

  "I've been told that he does and that his children will know by the time we get there." A grimace crosses his face at my words, and my heart sinks.

  "You can’t look like that without explaining the reason," I plead.

  "Look, Tom’s my friend, and the rest of the family are great too, but they're not good with outsiders. They like their inner circle, and to break through that is tricky. I can't tell you the number of times the guys and Jacinta got burned through high school. They learned to build thick skins, and trust is very thin until you've proven your worth. They are incredibly protective of each other and have a bond not often seen in biological families, let alone a made family. They would always choose one another over a friend if they needed to, and they all worship the ground Brad walks on. He can do no wrong in their eyes, and you existing is going to push a lot of buttons."

  I wave my hand at him as though that one motion can somehow dismiss the not so optimistic news he’s just given me. "Look, I'm there to get to know my biological dad. That's it. If his kids want nothing to do with me, that's no skin off my nose. I have a family and career prospects back home, so if it doesn't work out, I'll just return." I deliver this breezily with my best poker face, but deep down, the possibility of more rejection terrifies me. There's only so much a girl can take.

  Chapter Ten

  Harlow

  Thankfully, he changes the subject after that and asks me about being a vet. We chat about that for a little while, but I know Poppy is going to come back for me soon, so I’ve got to squeeze in my own nosy questions while I have the chance. "Okay, my turn for the personal questions," I tell him, and his face lights up with anticipation.

  “Shoot," he replies with no hesitation. It's my turn to blush, and he laughs, a knowing smile on his face. "I bet I know what you're going to ask."

  "You do?" He nods. "Yes. I bet Grace told you about Jilly, didn’t she? She seemed surprised to see Veronica."

  "Yeah, she did. You're in a polyamorous relationship with Jilly?"

  He's smiling when he responds, none of the blush I know I’d have staining his cheeks. "Yeah. I think Grace is just a little envious of Jilly." I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop the smirk at his too-true words.

  "Ew! Yes, I had to listen to Nana and Poppy discuss the possibility of adding a friend to their relationship," I tell him, screwing up my nose, and his eyes jump in surprise.

  "Really?"

  “Yes, but let's not talk about that." I shudder, his laughter filling the room. "What's that like? Are you jealous? Do you have other lovers too?" I fire the questions at him faster than I’d intended, and he holds his hands up in defense.

  "Whoa! Slow down." He’s still smiling, so I know I haven't upset him. He holds one hand up and starts counting off on his fingers.

  "It's fine; she and I are open with each other and who we have in our lives. Our partners are not casual one night stands. We all know about each other, and we respect each other. Communication is the biggest thing. We don't hide things from each other. If she wants to add to her partners, she talks to all the others first, and we can then tell her how we feel about it."

  He holds up his next finger. "Do I get jealous? No, both of us were upfront with each other from the start. We're both bisexual, and neither of us is willing to give that up and commit to one sex. And that leads into question three..." He holds up a third finger, and it’s my turn to laugh. "Yes, I have another lover. Chris is my other partner. He and I are always together, so that works well, and when Jilly is on the flight, then we have her as well."

  "Oh, so the three of you are together?" I gesture between him and the door, and again, he nods.

  "How does that work when you're in cities with her other lovers?" He shrugs, completely nonplussed.

  "She visits them, and we have our own time." I shake my head, trying to wrap my mind around it. I couldn’t even successfully manage one night stands, let alone more than one other person in the relationship. Nor do I really want to. My trust issues are like a deep-flowing river; sure, I look good and calm on the surface, but underneath, the currents are fast and furious

  "It's hard looking at it from the outside in, but it works, trust me. There's a big polyamorous community in Cali and lots of support if needed, but communication and trust are definitely the keys."

  As he finishes telling me this, the door opens, and Chris and Poppy return. "Ready for the rest of that tour, Harlow?” Poppy asks, and I hop out of Chris's seat, not quite ready to look Chris in the eye.

  "Thank you for letting me sit there," I say to him, and, turning to James, I hold out my hand, and he shakes it. "Thank you so much for talking to me about everything. It's been nice getting to know you."

  He winks, harmlessly flirting with me. "Anytime, sweetheart, looking forward to seeing you next time you're on the plane."

  "I'm not sure when that will be, but I look forward to it too," I tell him, my answering smile as genuine as his.

  Following Poppy, the door closes behind us. Veronica meets us in the galley with a smile on her face, but it looks a little forced.

  “Mrs. Summers wanted to know if you would like something to drink? They’ve just had coffee.” Her words are scornful, and combined with a roll of the eyes, I get her message loud and clear. She thinks I should have had coffee with them too, instead of wasting her time now. Holy crap, she really doesn’t have a poker face. Poppy was definitely right. She isn't really suitable for customer service, unless it’s just me, but I can't think of anything I’ve done to upset her.

  “Sure, I’ll have a cup. If you can pour it now, I’ll take it with me.” Poppy has walked further on and can’t see her, but she rolls her eyes and pulls a cupboard door open. Taking out a cup, she slams it down and sloshes some coffee into it before offering me creamer and sugar.

  "No, that's okay," I reply, pushing them back toward her. "I take it black. Thanks so much for this; I appreciate it," I add, trying to make nice, but she just huffs her response as I move past her. I don’t know what the fuck I've done to her, but the attitude is beginning to get annoying.

  Poppy is standing in front of one of the doors, and he jumps right back into the tour when I reach him. "Back there is the galley as you saw. There are also crew rooms through that door. This door is a master bedroom with an ensuite, and the next door is a private office." He starts walking, and I hobble behind, careful not to spill my coffee. Now that I get a chance to look around, I can see the plane is fancy as fuck. Entering the lounge area, I find Nana has moved to the plush couches. Looking around, I notice everything is beautifully appointed,
with a muted color scheme of grays and blues—both relaxing and inviting. The bar is a beautiful rich reddish wood that contrasts nicely with the muted colors, and the shelves behind it match. They’re lined with bottles recessed into the shelves to help hold them steady if the plane experiences any turbulence. "Oh, there you are, dear. Did you have a good visit with James?" Her eyebrows are raised in question, and her face lights up in what seems to be her default reaction when she sees Poppy and me together.

  "Oh, yes. James is a fascinating man," I tell her before taking a sip of my coffee.

  A sly look crosses her face, and she winks. "Yes, he is." Hmm, Nana’s acting funny. Is she trying to set me up with him? Not sure I'm ready for an open relationship when I've barely had any relationship to begin with.

  Poppy huffs impatiently, "You can gossip later. Come on. I want to show you the rest of the plane."

  I put my cup down on the coffee table in front of Nana and follow him easily. He's walking slowly, so I can keep up. We pass the seating area we used for takeoff, and he opens another door leading to a surprisingly large conference room with seating for eighteen around a large table. Then there are couches in each corner for more people.

  "This is for dining or conferences on long haul flights. Sometimes we use the plane for business meetings; clients get a kick out of it, makes for good schmoozing.” We walk around the table and chairs to another door, and a galley greets us, this one bigger than the last one.

  "This one is for preparing the meals. We would have a bigger crew on if we were going to use this and have meals served. We have a chef that would come on board and prepare the meals for us. There's also another sleeper cabin and bathroom for the crew."

  The next door opens, and we come to another corridor with six closed doors—three on either side and then one in front.

  "These are another four bedrooms, all with desks for business and attached bathrooms. There are also two more toilets.” Walking down the corridor, we don’t open any of the doors, except the last one that's at the end of the hallway.

  “This is the last room before the luggage hold," he tells me, pushing it open and walking through. My mouth gapes open again, and he laughs. "Don't let Nana see that." I snap it shut, not ready for her to call me out on ‘catching flies’ again. It's like I've walked into a five-star movie theater. Seating for about twenty people, but all the chairs are those fancy reclining ones and super comfy. A big screen is on the wall just waiting for a movie to play.

  "It makes long flights pass quite quickly, and the seats are also a great place to take a nap." Poppy grins as he says it, and I know he’s totally done that before. "So, that's it." My feelings are all over the place as I sit down in one of the recliners. Looking at Poppy, I decide that I can tell him some of it. He's never let me down in the past. I pat a seat next to me, and he sits down.

  "This is all very overwhelming for me," I start, unable to look at him. "I can't connect to this kind of wealth, and I’m worried that I'm going to be so out of place."

  "You very well may feel like that." I look up in shock at his words, and his eyes are full of sympathy. "It is a very different world. People judge you by superficial means as opposed to the type of person you are. There are some very bitchy, catty people in our world, but you’ll learn how to deal with them. Grace and I tried to raise both our kids to value humility and hard work." Sadness crosses his face before he continues, clearing his throat as though he needs that second to keep himself composed. "Brad's the only one left, but I like to think we were successful with him, and he's tried to do the same thing with his kids. Granted, they got a little more spoiled than Brad did, but all of them came from difficult homes, and he wanted to make their lives as easy as possible." He pats me on the leg before standing up. "Whatever happens, you've got Grace and me to come to for advice, and our door will always be open to you no matter what you decide." The look on his face tells me he knows I may decide not to stay, but it also makes me feel comfortable in whatever choice I make because they’ll still be there for me.

  "Come on. Let's go and finish your coffee, and if you want to watch a movie after, we'll put one on." I stand up, my knee aching so much I wince. Poppy looks down at it. "You can take one of those painkillers too," he insists, and I screw up my face.

  "They make me tired, and I'll want to go to sleep."

  He laughs. "Well, there are plenty of beds to sleep on, so I don't see the problem. The flight is still at least another six hours to go, and that's a decent sleep. We'll arrive mid-afternoon and then travel to the estate by car. If you nap now, you'll have the energy to meet the family later."

  My stomach rolls with nerves again, and a grimace crosses my face.

  "Poppy, you should know by now I'm not all that social. There's no party or anything organized, is there?"

  He blanches, looking alarmed at my suggestion. "God, I hope not." A shudder follows, and I’m grateful that at least someone in this family will always understand me. Turning, he hurries back toward the lounge, leaving the hallway doors open for me and my slower pace. I close them all behind me, and by the time I get back, he and Nana are arguing about something.

  "He didn't?" Poppy's voice is horrified, and that sinking feeling appears in my gut again. "He can’t do that to her. You get on the phone and tell your son to pull his head out of his ass. This is to be a family-only affair," he orders, but Nana shakes her head.

  "He wanted to celebrate this. He's excited," she argues with him, and I grab my stomach. I feel like I'm going to throw up, and the thought races through my mind about how much it would cost to clean the upholstery on one of these fancy chairs.

  "No, I'm putting my foot down. He can do it in a week or two when she’s met everyone, and they’ve all gotten used to each other. This is just as traumatic for the other kids too. God, sometimes I wonder about his so-called genius brain." He's muttering angrily now, and Nana gets up, heading for the office at the front near the main bedroom.

  "Alright, I guess you’re right. I don't see the harm, but maybe it would be better to settle in for a few days before throwing a party."

  “Nana," I call, and she stops, turning to look at me. "I wouldn't want him to announce it and then get embarrassed if I don't decide to stay. Better to keep it private for now," I tell her gently, but she flinches at my words, and I go over to her.

  "You know there may be a chance that this won't work out. Please don't get ahead of yourself. Everyone may hate me. I can imagine his kids are going to be at least annoyed at me; it's to be expected, and it's not like I haven't experienced plenty of rejection. I have thick skin, and if it happens, well, I’ll just go back to my normal life," I reassure her, but at the same time, I need to hear these words for myself too. My insecurities are enormous, and I'm rethinking the whole thing now.

  She pulls me tight into her embrace, and she whispers in my ear, "I know I have no right to ask this, but be patient. If I know my grandchildren, they’re going to try and make you jump through hoops. They haven’t always had it easy, and you may find you have a lot more in common with them than you expect." Though she starts off gently, her voice turns fierce as she orders, "But don't take any of their crap; you give as good as you get.” She releases me, continuing to the office, and I flop myself into one of the lounge chairs and grab my coffee cup. Taking a sip, I grimace at the now cold liquid.

  "Is it cold?" Poppy asks before pushing a button on the arm of the chair. He then sits next to me on the sofa, but a little further down, not wanting to crowd me. "These buttons call the cabin crew," he tells me just as Veronica appears at the front of the lounge, a smile pasted on her face. "What can I get you, Mr. Summers?"

  "Ah, Veronica, please take Harlow’s cup. It's cold now. Can you bring us another, and maybe a plate of those little pastry things I like so much?"

  "Of course, Mr. Summers, it won't be long." She walks over and takes the cup abruptly, a little liquid spilling over my hand. “Oh, I’m sorry; I’ll bring you back a napki
n too,” she says with forced politeness. Turning on her heel, she heads back to the galley, leaving me with spilled coffee on my hand. Looking around, I don't want to wipe it anywhere, but I can't see any tissues. “I’ll grab you a napkin,” Poppy says, shaking his head at her behavior. “I’m going to speak to Thomas about her. I’m not even sure she should be serving the public. She’s never been this rude before.”

  “That’s okay. I have something,” I tell him.

  Reaching down to my feet with my clean hand, I grab my backpack that Poppy had carried on board for me. There’s not much in it except for my purse, cell phone, and a book that I threw in, along with a packet of tissues and my painkillers. Grabbing a tissue, I wipe at the mess on my hand before putting it back in the bag and pulling out my medication. I think I'm going to take one and rest. That’ll get me out of my head and make the flight seem not quite so long.

  Poppy sees me taking them out of my bag, and he gets up and goes behind the bar. He bends down, and when he stands up, he's holding a bottle of water. "These fridges are fully stocked with water and soft drinks as well as alcohol, please help yourself," he tells me, coming back around and handing me the bottle of water.

  I place the medications on the coffee table and take the bottle of water from him. "Thank you, I will, but I think I'm going to take your advice and have a nap. Is it alright if I curl up just here? I like being around you and Nana, and I'd feel funny in one of those big bedrooms on my own." He smiles again, and it's full of joy.

  "Harlow, honey, you go right ahead. If it were up to me, I wouldn't let you out of my sight for a few years, but I know that's not possible, so I'm going to be selfish and take all I can get now." Again, the warmth in his words is reassuring and helps settle the anxiousness I feel. "Would you like me to grab you a comforter off one of the beds? They’re really cozy. Jacinta insisted we get them. She wanted to be comfortable, not like hotels where you get just a blanket and a fancy cover. These are fifty-fifty feathers and down and are like sleeping with a cloud wrapped around you." He looks like he's considering a nap too while he describes them.