Samantha Young - The Impossible Vastness Of Us

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“This is exciting,” Theo said. “Our first dinner as a family.”

Hayley beamed at him while Eloise and I looked anywhere but at each other as we sat across from one another at the eight-seater dining table.

After being forced from my new bedroom by Theo and Hayley I discovered Theo employed a driver, a cook, three maids and a groundskeeper. Apparently I’d missed the tennis court and badminton court situated beyond the swimming pool.

They had “staff.”

Staff.

Seriously?

I felt like Cedric Errol in Little Lord Fauntleroy.

As we were served dinner by said staff, I ignored Hayley and Theo as they twittered lovingly with one another until Theo said, “Eloise, why don’t you join Hayley and India tomorrow? They’re shopping for a new wardrobe and could use you as a guide.”

Eloise smiled at her father. “I would, Daddy, but I have a chemistry lab paper to write with Charlotte tomorrow. The paper is due Monday.”

“Oh, well, your education comes first.” He looked disappointed but didn’t push her on it.

I slumped with relief that she wouldn’t be joining us.

“Charles Street has some very nice boutiques,” Eloise said warmly to Hayley. “And of course there’s Newbury Street. You’ll find everything you need there.”

“Thank you.” Hayley turned to Theo. “I’ve never been shopping in Boston.”

“Gil will drive you but Back Bay and Beacon Hill aren’t an easy place to get lost. That’s where your new school is, India. Beacon Hill,” Theo said. “Gil will drive you and Eloise there in the morning and pick you up after school. If you and Eloise end up with different schedules we’ll work something out. Your mother tells me you’re a great soccer player. Tobias Rochester, unfortunately, doesn’t have a girls’ soccer team but we do have a lacrosse team.”

“I’ve never played.”

“Perhaps you’ll be good at it.”

“Does the school have a paper?”

His eyes brightened at my sudden interest in conversation. I think he was pleased that my interest lay in academics. Of course, he didn’t understand that my true motivation wasn’t really about academia, although I did want to get into a good college.

“It does have a school newspaper. An award-winning school newspaper.”

“India was coeditor of her school paper,” Hayley said proudly.

I was surprised she knew that.

Theo was pleased. “Well, we will definitely need to see about getting you on the Tobias Rochester Chronicle.”

“Thank you,” I forced out.

“You’re welcome. Now what else are you interested in?”

“I was on the debate team and I was the theater manager.”

“Well—” Tobias grinned at his daughter “—Eloise has been the lead in the school play for the last three years. Usually they give the leading role to juniors and seniors but Eloise is so talented that she has won every part since she was fourteen. You could surely find India a job behind the scenes.”

“Daddy, our theater isn’t some public school theater. Our theater manager is not a student—he’s an experienced, paid adult.”

He shrugged. “I know that. But India could be an assistant.”

“Yes, I could be an assistant,” I added, imitating Eloise’s big doe eyes.

She looked almost pained. “I think we have all the behind the scenes staff we need.”

“Pish posh,” Theo said. “It’s the start of the school year.”

Pish posh, I mouthed at Hayley. Seriously? Did all Boston upper crust families talk like they thought they were still British?

To my surprise Hayley hid her smile in her napkin at my teasing.

“Yes, pish posh,” I said to Eloise. “You’re the talent. I’m sure you can pull a few strings.”

Hayley choked into her napkin, not hiding her chuckle at all well.

Theo didn’t even seem to notice. He was too busy eyeing me with new appreciation. “A go-getter. I admire that. I think you’re going to fit in very well here, India.”

“I think so, too.” I forced myself to smile back at him.

“When your mother told me you planned to go to law school, that you have aspirations to work in the DA’s office, I was impressed,” Theo added, seeming sincere. “And I’m even more so now that we’ve become acquainted. I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have a budding lawyer in the family.”

I couldn’t tell you if a word out of his mouth was true, but I could tell that her father’s approval of me put a wary look in Eloise’s eyes I just didn’t understand.

CHAPTER 3

I HAD TO admit I was charmed by Charles Street.

Gil, our driver, was a pleasant, tall bald man who looked to be in his early forties, with broad shoulders and thick biceps. I think he was more bodyguard than driver.

He somehow found a spot to park on the street that was paved in red brick, lined with trees and had quaint gas lamps, antiques stores, restaurants and boutiques. The smell of flowers filled the air and it felt like we weren’t in a city at all.

So far Hayley had bought two dresses that were hundreds of dollars each.

I had bought a cute notepad.

“You have to start looking,” Hayley said as we strolled toward where Gil was standing at attention by the car.

“What am I supposed to be looking for?” I said. “I have no idea how the kids at this school dress.”

“I never thought of that. Damn. I should have asked Eloise. Sorry.”

“I don’t think she would have helped.”

“What do you mean?”

“Behind the ‘Daddies’ and chirpy smiles is a girl who is not happy to have me here.”

I waited for Hayley to tell me I was being silly. She surprised me again by eyeing me carefully and replying, “Has she been rude to you?”

“No, but she wasn’t that welcoming, either.”

“Give her time.” She nudged me with her shoulder with a coaxing smile.

“Whatever.”

“You better tell me if Eloise crosses the line into rude. Her father has spoiled her a little.”

“I can handle myself,” I said, too stubborn to accept her help.

“Finn!”

I jerked at Hayley’s random yell.

And then I followed her gaze and realized she wasn’t being random.

My stomach flip-flopped.

Finn Rochester had just come out of the boutique I’d bought my notepad from earlier. He glanced over at us, his eyes narrowing on me.

Before I could stop her Hayley hurried over to him.

“Hayley.” Finn nodded politely.

I hadn’t realized Hayley had met Eloise’s boyfriend but then I’d forgotten she had actually spent months around these people before dropping me in the middle of it. Not only had they apparently met, but they knew each other well enough to be on a cozy first-name basis. My resentment simmered to the surface.

“Finn, how are you?” She smiled at him like he was the most interesting boy in the world. I knew Hayley well enough to know that she was impressed by his family name and his natural air of cultured superiority.

“Well. And you?”

“We’re shopping.” She raised the bags in her hands to elaborate.

He took in the one tiny little bag in my hand. “You don’t shop?”

He seemed so bored by his own question I wondered why he’d bothered to ask.

Before I could say anything, Hayley said, “Well, India has a dilemma. Perhaps you could help.”

“I’d be happy to.”

I snorted. Loudly. Because he sounded like he’d rather do anything else in the world than help me.

His eyes cut back to me but I refused to be intimidated by him and his masculine beauty. I stared back until he turned his attention to Hayley.