Crossing the Line Read online

  “What’s wrong with you?” Oliver whispers in my ear eying my now mashed potato.

  I shrug. “Nothing.”

  “Don’t lie, Amelie. Something’s going on.”

  “I’m sorry, but I should really leave.” My head snaps up as Aden stands. What’s going on? Why is he leaving?

  “Oh, already?” Isabel looks like she’s about to throw a tantrum.

  “Yes. I’m very sorry for leaving like this.”

  “Do you have another engagement?” she asks.

  Aden frowns. “Something like that. If I’ve given you the wrong impression, Isabel, I apologise.” Crap, he’s doing it now? In front of everyone?

  “Um…” she trails off, unsure of what to say. “You’re seeing someone else, or?”

  “Yes. I have a girlfriend.” He smiles. Whoa. Oh damn shit. Don’t say it’s me, don’t say it’s me! “Thank you for dinner, Elizabeth, Samuel.” He walks out of the room, leaving us all speechless. The bastard did it in public!

  I jump up, still a little in shock from how quick that all happened. “I’ll see him out.” It doesn’t even matter to me if they guess I’m the girlfriend. I just want to confront him.

  “Aden,” I hiss as I close the front door behind me. He is almost to his car. Christ he can move fast when he wants to get away.

  He spins around and smiles apologetically. “I know what you’re going to say, Millie.”

  “How could you do that to her in front of everyone? I know she can be full on, and a little crazy but she’s my sister and she doesn’t deserve to be treated like that, you arsehole!” I’m mad now. I want to strangle her most of the time, but I still love her.

  Aden laughs. “Nicely put.”

  “This is not funny. You’re a complete bastard for doing that to her.”

  “She squeezed my thigh.”

  I deadpan. “The slut did what?” He bursts out laughing again. Why is this funny? “Shut up, Aden. She touched your thigh at the dinner table?”

  “Yes. Look I’m sorry, but I can’t sit there with her hand on me. I should have said something a lot sooner, but apart from taking a little too much interest in me she hadn’t actually done anything wrong.” He scratches his jaw. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

  I sigh. “I’m not mad.” Now I know she was trying to feel him up. “At least they know you’re taken now.”

  “And we need to tell them it’s you soon. The longer we leave it now the worse it will be.” I nod. He leans in and kisses me, and my heart soars. When he pulls away, he groans. “Err, actually we don’t need to worry about telling them.”

  “No,” I whisper, turning around. They are all standing there, in a row of judgement. My parents, Oliver and Isabel and all, but Oliver look angry. No, no, no!

  Chapter Eighteen

  Oh, well this is just bloody perfect. I’m panicking. My heart feels like it’s going to explode and soon I’ll be having a full on panic attack. This isn’t how they are supposed to find out. I wonder what would happen if I freak out and yell at Aden to get his hands off me?

  Mum takes a deep breath, and I know I’m not going to like it. “I think we should all go back inside, don’t you?” She raises her eyebrow at me. “We have a lot to discus.”

  I groan and look to Aden to get us out of it, willing him to pretend he’s having a heart attack or something. He nods at my mum. What? Why can’t he say no or drop to the floor? Idiot.

  “Good.” Mum gestures with her hand towards the door.

  “Sorry,” Aden whispers as we step back into the house, away from the safety of the outside and witnesses. I want to scream dramatically as we were so close to being gone. This house is like a bloody prison – one not even Michael Scofield could break out of.

  I follow behind my parents like a naughty little girl about to be told off. That actually is a pretty accurate description of what about to happen. Aden is just behind me, his hand brushing against my back. I want to rip his hand off and kiss him at the same time. We’re public now. I like it.

  The formal living room is uninviting and plain uncomfortable. It’s the head masters office of living rooms. The sofa looks like you can sink into it and relax, but you can’t, it’s just an illusion, it’s really like sitting on concrete. On the walls hang creepy oil paintings of painfully ugly old people, which are relatives, apparently. Botox and face-lifts are what will stop me looking like them.

  “I’ll get some drinks,” Dad mumbles and makes his way over to the drinks cabinet. I can tell he’d rather be anywhere than here too, but he’d never tell Mum to drop it. Man needs to grow a pair. Although, to be fair to him, when she has that look – the one that would scare Freddy Kruger – I’d do what I was told too.

  He pours out six glasses of brandy. I hate brandy. Does he know me at all? Or are they all for him…? No one says a word, and I don’t like it. I hate silences and feel the need to fill them. Now really is not the time for some of the crap that spouts out of my mouth, though. Dad walks slowly around the room, passing everyone a glass. Mine is placed on the table. Well he’s really pissed then.

  He walks back over and sighs as he sits down beside Mum. We all watch him, following his every move. Glancing at Aden out of the corner of my eye, I plead with him with my eyes to say something. Neither of us wants me to be the one to break the silence.

  “So when I asked if there was anything between you and Aden, you lied to me?” Mum says calm as anything. Beneath the surface, she’ll be boiling.

  Technically that was a big fat lie, but… Oh, who am I kidding, there’s no way out of it. “Yes,” I reply and feel Aden’s eyes boring into my head. “We didn’t want to tell yet.”

  “Tell me how long I have been making a fool out of myself and wasting my time?” Isabel asks.

  “About three months,” I reply. Her eyes narrow, and I realise I probably should have said she wasn’t making a fool of herself too. Her face turns red, not from embarrassment but anger. Well it isn’t my fault she was sniffing around my boyfriend like a dog to shit.

  “Have I done something to hurt you, Amelie?”

  “What?”

  Isabel shakes her head. “Did you plan on humiliating me?”

  “No. For once this isn’t about you, Isabel.” And I thought she looked mad before. She doesn’t look like she’s breathing, and I can practically see steam shooting out of her ears.

  “Really?” she mutters sarcastically. Bitch. “You can’t stand to see anyone else happy because you know you’re so messed up.”

  “Messed up? You’re the one practically forcing someone to marry you. Men don’t like desperation, Isabel, try lighting up a little and remove the stick from your arse at the same time.”

  “Amelie Cohen!” Dad snaps. “That’s enough.”

  Oh just me getting told off then. “You know what? Shove this,” I spit and stand up. There’s no fucking point in me explaining anything because they’ll never understand my side. I don’t get far, Aden’s hand clamps around my wrist. “Let go, Aden!”

  He shakes his head. “No. We’re doing this properly.”

  I scowl. We can’t do it properly because they’re not going to listen. “I’m not staying her to be insulted, accused and freaking told off! I’m not seven.”

  He sighs. “Please, Millie.” I hate it when he looks at me with those big blue eyes, all wide and pleading. I sit down. “Thank you.” You’re not welcome.

  “Amelie, I don’t understand why you felt the need to lie to me,” Mum says. “I’m your mother.” Yes, pretty much hit the nail on the head there, Mum. Does she really think she’s an approachable person? I’d be less scared going into a lion’s cage wearing a dead, bloodied corpse of a deer.

  Aden takes my hand and gives it a squeeze. At least I have him on my side. “Look, I’m sorry that we didn’t tell you sooner, but we weren’t ready. It was my decision to wait a little while before announcing we’re together because I’m Amelie’s boss and she hasn’t been working for me long. She’
s also my first PA. I think you can appreciate how that will look.”

  Dad nods and took a long swig of his brandy. “Of course, of course.”

  “Right,” Mum says, sitting forward in her seat in an I’ve decided what’s going to happen now so like it or shut the hell up fashion. “You’ll wait another month before we announce you’re a couple. You will have to continue concealing your relationship for the time being.” She looks directly at me. “So that means you will have to behave.” I blink heavily. “We’ll make the announcement at your father’s fifty-fifth birthday party.”

  My eyes widen. A formal announcement? No. Aden nods and squeezes my hand again. “That sounds perfect.” Traitorous bastard. How can he agree to that?

  Wait, wait, wait. My jaw drops. Mum isn’t yelling. She’s being…. supportive. Am I dreaming? Something is wrong here, and I don’t like it. “Pinch me,” I whisper.

  “Sorry, Amelie?” Mum asks at the same time Aden turns to me, frowning in confusion.

  “Pinch me,” I repeat.

  “What? I’m not pinching you,” Aden replies.

  “Amelie, honestly, what is the matter with you?” Mum’s looking at me like I’m an alien again, so some order has been restored.

  I point at her. “You. You’re not freaking.”

  “It’s rude to point, stop that at once,” she scolds. “Of course I’m not freaking.” There’s so many things I want to say, but I can’t because I’m trying not to laugh at her saying freaking.

  “But why not?” Aden shoots me a look that screams shut up. Yeah, okay maybe I shouldn’t complain but my mother doesn’t support me, ever. “You wanted Aden with Isabel.”

  My sister scoffs and purses her lips. It would seem Mum has passed the lemon over to her. “I honestly thought you would end up with one of those hooligan biker types covered in tattoos.” Way to stereotype. At least they’re not stuck up. “You have no idea how thrilled I am to know that you’ve chosen well, and will be looked after.”

  Oh, fuck that. “I do not need looking after. Aden’s my boyfriend, not my dad.” When will they understand that I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself?

  “Millie,” Aden whispers warningly, and I glare at him. “Your mum is just concerned.”

  “Thank you, Aden. He’s right, Amelie. As I’ve said to you before, you will understand when you have a child of your own.” I sigh in exasperation. Have I not made it clear on about fifteen million different occasions that I don’t want children? Does anyone actually listen to anything I say?

  “Whatever,” I mutter. It’s like getting blood from a stone.

  Aden smirks in amusement and turns his attention back to my parents. “I’ll take care of her.” He’s said that for a reaction and my revenge will be not giving him one – because he’ll always expect it to come.

  “We appreciate that,” Dad replies. I hate them all.

  “Isabel, are you okay?” I ask.

  Whoa, clearly not. The death glare I’m getting almost makes me shudder. I can’t even see the green of her eyes they’re squinted so tight. “I can’t believe this,” she snaps.

  “Me neither,” I reply honestly. That isn’t what she wants to hear, but it’s the truth. My parents are being supportive. They actually like something I’m doing. Alternate universe, definitely. Have we spiralled into another dimension?

  Isabel looks at Mum, and for a second I think she’s going to stand up and stomp her feet until Mum give her what she wants. She’s supposed to be on her side not mine. “Mum?” she says.

  “It will be fine, Isabel.”

  “Fine?” she squeals. Oh God self-respect, Isabel! “How is this going to be fine?” Her eyes fill with tears, and I instantly feel sorry for her. Isabel isn’t a bad person she’s just been brainwashed by this idea that you have to have a big house and rich husband to be happy. She spends all her time worrying about finding a man and starting her life when it’s quickly passing her by. It’s my parents’ fault, without a doubt, they should have taught her she can be happy on her own too.

  “Isabel, you’re hardly middle-aged. No need to buy the cats yet. Just calm down and relax the desperate.” My hand is squeezed again. Well she needs to hear it.

  Her eyes practically pop out of her head. She growls – actually growls – and face is tomato colour again. Mum’s response isn’t what I think it’ll be. “Enough arguing, both of you. I’m tired so maybe we should all go to bed and continue this discussion another time. Amelie, are you staying at Aden’s tonight?”

  Whoa. “Um.” I blink in shock. Am I?

  Aden nods. “She’s staying with me if that’s okay?” Err back up. If it’s okay? Why the hell is he asking?

  Dad nods and raises to his feet, and Aden does the same. They shake hands. “Of course.” Oh for goodness sake. Are they all playing what should Amelie do next?

  “Did you want me to leave the room while you plan the rest of my life?” I ask sarcastically.

  “Good night, Amelie, Aden,” Mum says, completely ignoring my comment. Isabel stalks out of the room. Drama queen. Oliver follows with an amused smile. He’d said nothing the whole time, just sat there drinking his brandy and enjoying the show. Glad we made his night interesting.

  “Okay, goodnight,” I mumble.

  What the hell just happened? Aden leads me to his car, and I’m too dazed to register getting in and Aden driving off. “What was that? I’m not dreaming, right? They are happy for me and not all ‘bad Amelie’. I mean that’s like a momentous occasion, we should do something to mark it, get tattoos.” My eyes widen in realisation. “I’m dreaming.” Of course I am, that’s the only explanation. “Great. Now you’re gonna turn into a huge yellow dinosaur or I’ll suddenly appear in a book shop and be surrounded by pigeons that-”

  “Amelie,” Aden snaps, cutting me off. “What on earth goes through your mind? I seriously worry about you.”

  Okay, he’s still him, and I’m still in the car. How does that happen in dreams anyway? You can be enjoying a lovely dream, sunning yourself on the beach, and the next minute you walk to get an ice cream and end up in a library. “Oh, it all happened.”

  He nods in confirmation. “It happened, you’re not dreaming. Now stop worrying, it’s a good thing they’re happy for us.” Is it? “And we’ll be talking about the dinosaur and pigeon thing later.”

  I’m still half in shock that it went well. I expected yelling, anything else puts me firmly in a false sense of security. Something is going to happen. They will realise that Isabel’s level of desperate is off the chart and no sane man will be willing to take her on so will freak out that I’ve stolen her only chance.

  “I’m tired,” I say, covering my mouth with the back of my hand as I yawn. Having my parents support me is exhausting.

  “We’ll be home soon, stop whining,” he replies with a small smile. Home? I like the sound of that, but it’s way too soon, isn’t it? Yes, it is. Maybe I don’t need to move out right away now. My parents are happy I’m with Aden so they’ll be off my back a bit and I can stay with Aden some nights. This could work.

  Will I be forever tired now I’ll be hearing ‘yes, Amelie’ more than ‘no, Amelie?’ “Do you think Isabel will cause problems?” She’s so bitter it wouldn’t surprise me if she tries something.

  Aden frowns. “Like what?”

  “Accidentally on purpose letting it slip about us.”

  His frown grows more pronounced. “I didn’t think of that.”

  “That’s not surprising, I am the smart one.”

  He laughs. “Of course you are, Amelie. Honestly, though, do you think she will?”

  How am I supposed to know? What am I, the Oracle? “I don’t know. That wouldn’t go down well with Mum and Dad so she might be too scared of the scandal and Mum’s reaction.” I roll my eyes. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. She’ll probably just be a cow to me, and I’m kind of used to that anyway.”

  “Well, we can’t worry about all the what ifs. Whatever hap
pens happens.” Whoa, one eighty much? He was freaking about people thinking he’d hired me to get laid and now if it happens it happens. Apparently women are the most confusing sex. The guy that said that clearly never met Aden. “What are you thinking?”

  How does he know I’m thinking? Hey doesn’t everyone think all the time? “Is it possible to not think? Like I know when you’re sleeping and all but when you’re awake does your brain work all the time?”

  Aden looks over at me briefly with that expression he often has for me, like wonder, amusement, confusion and worry all at the same time. “I…” He sakes his head. “What?”

  “When you’re not thinking anything or just not thinking that you’re thinking anything, are you really thinking deep down?”

  “I’m not even going to try understanding that. You need sleep; you’re making less sense than usual. Just stop thinking about it.”

  “But what if I can’t?” I reply, smirking.

  “When we get back to mine I’ll make you stop thinking.”

  Sighing heavily, I pout at him. “Promises, promises.” He probably will make all thoughts vanish into a puff of smoke, though. But to test my theory, I’m going to try and remember to figure out some important real life mysteries, like why McDonalds don’t sell hotdogs and when lightning struck in the ocean why the fish don’t all die.

  Aden opens my door and as soon as I climb out of the car he sweeps me up and carries me to bed, ready to start on his promise.

  I snuggle into Aden’s side, panting still. Our bodies are slick with sweat. He kisses the top of my head and runs his fingertips over my back, making me shiver. I love it when he tickles me like that. I need to officially appoint him my tickle bitch.

  “I didn’t think,” I say. He is good.

  “Not logically anyway,” he jokes.

  Ha ha. I roll my eyes. “Aden, when lightning strikes in the sea why don’t all the dirty fish die?”

  He laughs and rolls me onto my back, hovering above me. “You have no idea how much I love you, crazy.”

  My mouth falls open, and my heart soars. He just said…