Silk

by Heidi McLaughlin

  He didn’t say anything at first and my stomach twisted with nerves.

  Finally, he blurted, “I’m not a forever guy, Araya. I feel like I should warn you before...” He trailed off, leaving me to wonder what before meant.

  “Nothing is forever, Ryland,” I whispered. “I know that now.” I slipped under his arm, wishing I could take back the last five minutes.

  I had been so nervous and excited for Ryland to see me with my hair done and in a dress that actually fit me. I tried not to be hurt with him for not inviting me to the party, but a tiny part of me had been. I wanted to prove to him that I could fit into his family’s little dinner party, but now I was having second thoughts and this conversation wasn’t helping.

  “I’m not asking you for anything, Ryland, and I’m sorry if you thought I was.”

  “Araya—”

  “Everyone’s starting to arrive,” Careless announced, interrupting Ryland.

  “Five minutes, Careless,” Ryland snapped.

  “You can take ten for all I care. It’s not my business, but Araya’s coming with me,” she bit out and grabbed my hand, pulling me with her, leaving Ryland alone.

  I suddenly felt sick as we entered a brightly lit room and the hushed tones of conversation filled the space.

  “Don’t let them intimidate you.” Careless leaned over and whispered in my ear. “They won’t know what to do with themselves because they can’t unleash their snobby stares on you.”

  I smiled, instantly feeling better. My heart kicked against my chest when I felt Ryland’s familiar warmth come up behind me.

  “Cara!” a young girl squealed from across the room.

  “Let the fun begin,” she said out of the corner of her mouth and I could already hear her fake smile slipping into place.

  “Is that her?”

  Careless had told me all about the girl their parents were pushing on Ryland. She also told me he wanted nothing to do with her.

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “Do I look better than she does?” I whispered into Careless’s ear, but it was Ryland who bent over and whispered into mine.

  “There’s no comparison, hummingbird.”

  He straightened back up and put hateful space between us. I’d turned my cheek toward him and looked away as Roxy’s expensive shoes clicked across the floor, her feet stuttering over to us.

  “Roxy,” Careless said dryly.

  Roxy seemed oblivious to it.

  “Ryland,” she said suggestively, and her perfume swirled around me and I knew she was curled up next to him. I could scratch out her eyes. “Oops! Left a bit of lipstick on your cheek,” she purred and I counted to myself.

  “This is Araya. Araya, Roxy.” Ryland’s dry tone matched Careless’s.

  “HI… A-RA-YA,” she said loudly and slowly.

  I seethed at condescending greeting.

  “You can talk to her like a normal person, Roxy,” Ryland snapped.

  “And also because I’m blind, not deaf.” I smiled ever so sweetly.

  “Yeah, that must suck,” she said snidely.

  “What the hell, Roxy?” Ryland hissed.

  “It’s okay,” I told Ryland tightly.

  I didn’t want him sticking up for me. Not in front of this girl.

  “Not really. There’s a lot of ugly in this world. I get spared that.”

  “A drink? Yeah? Let’s get one, Araya.” Careless pulled me off.

  “Oh my word! You should’ve seen her face! Priceless!” Careless hissed, laughing.

  She took me around to meet everyone. Most of them were Mr. Dare’s business associates and extremely socially awkward. Or they just didn’t know how to act around the blind girl.

  All of a sudden Careless groaned.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, turning toward her.

  “Daddy dearest is signaling me over with his eyes. I hate when he does that. Come on.”

  She tossed back the rest of her drink and slammed the glass down on the counter.

  “Cara.” I recognized Mr. Dare’s voice. It was always so business official. Even when talking to his daughter. “You remember Mark McCain and his son Lee.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Yep,” she replied, unimpressed. “And this is my friend, Araya Noelle.”

  “Miss Noelle,” both father and son said so politely, and I imagined them bowing.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I told them politely.

  I knew it was the son by the tone of his voice. Smiling, I tipped my head in his direction. Was I supposed to bow? It was obvious I missed something because Careless lifted my arm and firm, soft fingers grabbed mine. He kissed the back of my hand.

  “This is my daughter’s summer friend,” Mr. Dare said, and I was taken aback by both his words and tone. “She’s blind.”

  “Dad!” Careless said.

  “What?” he said as if he’d done nothing wrong. “Are you not, Miss Noelle?”

  “I am, sir.” I lifted my chin a notch. I had nothing to be ashamed of.

  “Hello, Lee.” Ryland’s almost hostile tone made me jump.

  I hadn’t even heard him come up behind me.

  “I heard this was a sort of courting party for you and the lovely Roxy.”

  I felt Ryland tense. “You heard wrong,” he said tightly.

  “Ryland,” Mr. Dare said harshly.

  The tension between everyone was so thick I didn’t need to see the glares to know what was going on.

  “Araya…” Lee was the first to speak, “would you like to join me for a drink?”

  “No—”

  “Yes,” I said over Ryland.

  I was making the situation worse.

  He took my hand and placed it through his arm. When we were far enough away, I felt like I could breathe again.

  “That was intense,” Lee said teasingly.

  “So it wasn’t just me who could sense that?”

  “Nope, but don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Those two are always bumping heads like that. I hope I didn’t offend you with my comment about Roxy. I didn’t realize you and Ryland were together.”

  “We’re not. We’re just friends.” I think, I added to myself.

  “Oh, well, good,” he said smoothly.

  When they finally announced dinner, I tried not to run in my escape from Lee. He was a sweet guy, but he tried way too hard to be witty. Or maybe I was just being unfair in comparing him to Ryland’s easy charm.

  I turned him down when he offered to escort me to the dining room and waited back for the crowd to thin enough that I wouldn’t embarrass myself by tripping over someone.

  I started walking in the direction everyone else had gone when I felt my hand being wrapped around another arm.

  “You’re going to get in trouble,” I whispered, wishing he would just stay away as much as I wished he wouldn’t.

  He didn’t say anything as he escorted me into the dining room and pulled out my chair for me. I expected him to find a different seat, but he pulled out the chair next to me.

  “Your mom thought I should come and sit with you and keep you company, Ryland. I think it’s a fabulous idea too,” Roxy said, sitting down on the other side of Ryland.

  Ryland didn’t respond and I couldn’t tell from here if Roxy cared or not, but I had a feeling it probably pissed her off.

  I heard the clink of glasses all around the table and looked up. Ryland leaned over to whisper something and I automatically turned toward him.

  “Coraline is getting ready to speak,” he said.

  “Thank you so much for joining my family this evening. It’s so nice to have the love of friends and family all around. I especially want to thank Mark and his lovely family for being here tonight, well, with the exception of Georgia, who could not be here.”

  “Thank you for having us.” Mr. McCain said.

  “I’d like to say thank you to you Mrs. Dare,” Roxy said as she stood up, “for being so gracious to me since I’ve gotten back into
town and I hope to see more of you and hopefully more of you, Ryland.”

  She was bold, I’d give her that.

  “He’d love that, Roxy.” Mrs. Dare said. “And now dinner will be served. Enjoy!”

  The two of them talked as if Ryland wasn’t even here. He sat still next to me and I knew this was something he was used too.

  “Waiters are going to put down the first course now.” Ryland whispered into my ear. “They want to get a reaction out of you. Don’t give them the satisfaction. I have no interest in Roxy or my mother’s silly notions, okay?”

  I nodded and sat up just a little straighter. “How many courses are there?”

  “Eight.”

  “Eight! That’s a lot of food.”

  He put his hand on my leg and rubbed circles on the inside of my knee.

  “You’re doing great, hummingbird.”

  “Ryland!” Roxy whined, pulling his attention away.

  I couldn’t hear what she was telling him, and it was probably better that way.

  “So, Miss Noelle.” Someone from across the table called my name. Ryland stiffened next to me. “Jonathan tells us you’re blind?”

  Ryland cursed and I tried to control the heat that rose to my cheeks. It’s not like it was a big secret. I knew everyone knew already.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “How unfortunate. How do your parents handle it?”

  “My mother… she died in the car accident that caused my blindness. I live with my aunt and uncle now. They handle it as best as they can.”

  “And your father?”

  “Where is your wife, Mark?” Ryland interrupted before I could respond.

  There was a murmur around the table and I knew Ryland had brought up a sore subject.

  “She’s sick,” Mark replied tightly, clearing his voice and turning to talk to his neighbor.

  Ryland rubbed my knee again before moving his hand completely.

  “Water, ma’am?”

  I jumped when the waiter spoke behind me.

  “Yes, please. You can just put it here.”

  I lifted my hand to point at the same time she went to put my glass down, and I knocked it from her hand and it spilled all over the table in front of me. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me right then.

  “I’m so sorry, ma’am!” the waiter said before I could apologize first.

  “No, it was my fault—”

  “Just clean it up already,” Mrs. Dare snapped.

  I bit the inside of my lip, willing myself not to cry in front of everyone. Why did I have to do that? I was completely horrified and my plan to show Ryland I could fit in was failing.

  “Get her new water and make sure to put it where she can’t spill it again.”

  I could have died the minute the words left her mouth, and I could feel everyone whispering and staring at me. It was suddenly not important for me to impress any of these people anymore. My heart was pounding with embarrassment and I couldn’t sit there any longer.

  I put my napkin on the table. “Excuse me.”

  “Araya—”

  I pushed my chair back and got up. It was like something out of my worst nightmares, and I ran into another waiter. My mouth dropped open and we both gasped as I felt the warm liquid spill down the front of her uniform, splashing around my legs. A strangled cry of horror escaped my lips as I realized what I just did.

  I heard Roxy’s snicker of sick pleasure at my expense. “Priceless,” she whispered.

  “I’m so sorry!” I told the waiter and hurried from the room praying I wouldn’t fall or trip into anything until after I was no longer in their sight.

  “Araya!” Ryland called after me, but I didn’t stop.

  I’d been in the house plenty of times now that I was able to find my way to the front door on my own. I couldn’t get out of that house fast enough and once I was outside, I took a deep breath and blew it out. I wouldn’t cry!

  Pulling off my borrowed heels, I realized I had nowhere to go. The Dare’s driver was supposed to be taking me home and I had no idea if he was even out here.

  I heard footsteps in front of me and my head snapped up.

  “Hello?”

  “Are you Miss Noelle?”

  “Yes,” I almost cried out in relief. “Are you—”

  “Araya!”

  The front door opened the same time Ryland called my name. I was suddenly swallowed in his warmth, his smell, his protectiveness, and I wanted to stay there forever. His strong hands were cupping my cheeks and his thumb traced circles over my jaw.

  “I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” He was kissing me before I could answer.

  The kiss was urgent and it simultaneously sent a thrill of tingles through my body, melted my spine, and made me lift one foot off the ground. When he ended the kiss, I was dizzy.

  “They’re a bunch of—”

  “I don’t care about them,” I said, shaking my head.

  “I could have strangled Mark McCain for talking to you like that. His wife is cheating on him, by the way. And my mother and Roxy…”

  “Oh, yes. Roxy. You don’t have very good taste in women.”

  “They can’t all be you, hummingbird. I told you I’m not interested in Roxy. I never was, but my parents thought… Well, you know what they thought. I only agreed to come to this party to shut them up.”

  “You don’t have to explain, Ryland.”

  “I wanted to. Just like I wanted to break Lee’s arm if he reached out and touched you one more time. I didn’t like seeing his hands on you.”

  “Lee was nice, but at one point he actually told me not to worry my pretty little head.”

  Ryland laughed and his fingers trailed down the side of my neck and across my bare shoulders, down my back.

  “Lee is a douche.” He pulled me to him and kissed my shoulder. “Go out with me tomorrow?” he whispered against my skin. “On a real date.”

  “Yes,” I said without skipping a beat. “I don’t see Careless tomorrow, but I can meet you in the park.”

  “I’ve heard that one before,” he teased.

  “I promise.”

  “There’s no dandelion to seal the deal.”

  “We can seal it with another kiss.”

  “I like the way you think, hummingbird,” he said, pulling me close.

  Ryland

  Seventeen

  “You wanted to see me?”

  Annie had informed me that my father was waiting for me in his office the minute I was back inside the house.

  “I did,” he said, unaffected by my hard tone.

  “If you’re expecting me to apologize, I wouldn’t hold your breath.” Or do, I thought.

  “I guess this calls for a celebration, son.”

  My eyes narrowed at the word, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I hated when he called me that. The word should be an endearment, something to take pride in, and he had no right to take any credit for me.

  Picking up one of the whiskey glasses from his desk, he strolled over to me and handed me the glass. I took it, looking down, and recognized the glass as our own and the expensive golden liquor, swirling it around once. I hated the stuff, but telling him that would only give him reason to take pleasure in continuing to give it to me.

  So instead, I took it and wasted it every time. It wasn’t anything big, but I was the only one who got to enjoy three hundred-dollar whiskey going to waste. When I looked up again, he was standing at his desk, going through a folder of papers.

  “What exactly are we celebrating, sir?” He looked up at me, his dark brows rising at my tone.

  “We’re celebrating your ingenious plan, of course.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m proud you finally started showing interest in the family business, Ryland.”

  My father’s facile voice always managed to set my teeth on edge.

  My jaw locked. “What are you talking about?”

  I tried to stay as calm as I could, but som
ething told me I wasn’t going to like where this was going.

  He paused to briefly send me a condescending look before returning to the papers on his desk.

  “That girl, of course. The blind girl.”

  Standing up straight, he brought the crystal to his lips, and the amber-colored whiskey disappeared between his thin lips. He set the glass down and his fingers curved around his hips, his shoulders stiffening. We were squaring off.

  “Her name is Araya,” I said, biting off each word.

  My eyes gleamed murderously as I waited for him to respond, hoping he’d choose his words wisely. But he was a Dare, and we rarely did anything wisely.

  My father sighed and rolled his eyes, dropping into his leather chair.

  “It’s obvious to everyone what you’re doing with her, Ryland.”

  He moved the chair into his desk, looming over whatever he pretended was more interesting than this conversation.

  “Apparently, it’s not obvious to me.”

  “The media will eat up the two of you.” He went on. “Multibillionaire’s son takes pity on the nobody, disabled trash.” He looked up, “Don’t worry, they’ll sweeten it up.”

  He went back to reading as if he hadn’t said anything out of the norm. I knew what he was doing, and he knew what he was doing, but that didn’t stop me from taking the bait. I had years of practice in not letting him get to me, but tonight that was all shot to hell.

  I gripped the glass in my hands until I felt like the lavish crystal was going to crumble into a fine mist of dust in my palm, and I looked down at my hand. My skin lining the glass had turned several shades of white and I knew if I didn’t get rid of it soon, my hands would be several shades of red.

  Looking up at my father’s bowed head, my eyes narrowed to thin slits before I chucked the glass just inches to the left of his head. It shattered into a million pieces, sending a shower of brandy across his wall and floor.

  For a full minute, he didn’t move, and I wondered if he’d even noticed what happened, and then his head lifted a fraction and he sighed. He looked at me like I was a child throwing a tantrum in a toy store and that grated my nerves. My fists clenched at my sides.

  “Do you feel better now?” His patronizing tone ate through his words like acid.

  Without answering him, I stalked toward his desk, my muscles bunching with anger and a hate so pure it was almost sad.