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My gaze moves to the next Steele sibling. Another dark-haired, suited, tall and incredibly handsome man. He and Derek look a lot alike, other than the eyes. Jonah’s are the same as Grace’s. He has shorter hair than Derek.
“Chloe.” Jonah hugs me quick and steps back. Instead of cold, his gaze and his demeanor seem indifferent.
“And Asher,” Derek gestures to the next guy.
He’s the only one not wearing a suit. The only blond man of the bunch. He’s in jeans, a black T-shirt, and motorcycle boots. He’s ripped with tattoo-covered muscles.
“Hey,” he says, and this Steele sibling’s eyes and demeanor aren’t cold or indifferent. They’re warm and traveling the length of me as he takes my hand into both of his. “Nice one, Derek.” His eyes point at my boobs as he presses his mouth to the top of my hand.
“Hello,” I answer softly, feeling uncomfortable.
Derek growls low in his throat. I reflexively pull my hand back for some reason.
The energy noticeably shifts in the vast solarium, which is dominated by the large table and also dripping with flowers and other plants in a riot of colors, coming down from a variety of hanging pots.
“Clearly one of the flirtiest of the flirters,” I try.
Everyone laughs except Derek and his mother, who I can see is watching me with scrutiny. There are also two tuxedoed men by the exit who don’t react, looking well-versed in blending into the surroundings. As this thought occurs to me, I realize I’ve just tried to manage the mood of the room, which is neither my responsibility nor my place. But it’s what I often do when there’s tension.
“I’m Naomi,” A dark-haired beauty with dark brown eyes greets, coming up behind Ash and hugging me. “So good to meet you!” she gushes.
“Hi Naomi,” I say, patting her back.
As soon as she releases me, Derek nabs my hand, and we walk to the opposite end of the table.
His mother stands.
Naomi didn’t greet Derek. Most of them didn’t.
“Baby, my mother, Shannon Steele.”
His mother was a big name in modeling and was also in a couple of older sitcoms I’ve seen. I might have been a little starstruck under different, more normal circumstances. She’s blonde, she’s still model thin, and has those striking gray eyes half of her children have. Grace looks a lot like her.
She has to be in her late fifties at minimum judging by the fact she’s been married for forty years, but she looks like she’s ten or fifteen years younger than that. She’s had work done on her face, the lip filler is evident, but whoever did it did a good job of it. Her neck and décolleté are both as line-free as her face. She has thick blonde hair that falls to her shoulders in beautiful curls, and she’s dressed in a red blazer and full, long red skirt. She has red gemstones in her lobes, at her throat and on one of her wrists.
She takes my hand daintily and gives me a sort of strange, pursed lip nod as her eyes bounce from me to her son.
“Derek, this is a surprise.” She tips her head to the side.
There’s a beat of silence.
“Happy Anniversary, mother,” he says and kisses her proffered cheek. “Happy Anniversary, Dad,” he tacks on without making eye contact with his father who is watching us from the other end of the long table with a cold expression.
“This must be a very special young lady to merit an invitation to this family brunch for our Ruby anniversary,” Shannon Steele says.
“Very special,” Derek replies in a husky tone, standing directly behind me, very close to my ear.
“Yes, rubies. Look at all the rubies!” Grace exclaims, leaning over and touching the gem on one of her mother’s ears. “Happy ruby anniversary, Mumsy and Daddy.”
“Thanks, littlest princess,” Mr. Steele says. “Why don’t we sit down. Now we can begin.”
The way he says it seems like what he really means is ‘get it over with’.
I’m not feeling welcome. I’m feeling scrutinized. And there’s a strange energy in the room that has me feeling like I’m surrounded by a combination of predators and spectators.
Derek sits on one side of his mother. Grace sits on the other side. I’m beside Derek with Naomi on my other side and Jonah across from me.
This is a very good-looking family. Asher is the only casual one as the other men are all in suits. Naomi isn’t as glammed up as Grace and their mom, but definitely exudes late twenty-something rich woman in her dark conservative navy-blue dress with no embellishment other than an expensive set of wedding rings. She’s polished with beautiful skin and glossy hair.
