Page 47 of Shiny Things

It dawned on me that I was seeing an entirely different side of Helena Davenport. One I never dreamed could exist. Onewhere she didn’t seem quite so otherworldly or unreachable. It was very confusing, but also sparked a little hope that just maybe she really could accept me into her family someday.

As we walked into the kitchen, donned our aprons, and got back to work, just a bit of the stress had melted from my shoulders. I was even able to relax and focus on the list of things Gia needed done.

True to his word, Ryan never left my side. We also didn’t speak of what happened again. I had made my point, and she had aired the only apology I was going to get, and that was the end of it. I could live with that.

By the time Gia arrived, we had everything completed and Helena had excused herself to freshen up.

“What are you doing here?” she asked Ryan suspiciously.

“You are just in time, little sister. I have a meeting in an hour and need to grab some lunch. So I am officially relinquishing my guard duty over to you, though I must say, Mom has been impressively behaving. I think she genuinely feels bad about this morning.”

“Good. But how did you know about that?”

“Eli sent me.”

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head as Gia looked at me with questions written all over her face.

Oh boy.

Ryan kissed me on the cheek and then ruffled Gia’s hair, knowing it would rile her up, as he ran out the back door.

“Okay, spill it. What the hell was that all about?”

“Gia, darling, is that you?” her mother yelled from the other room.

I shook my head, not wanting to have this conversation in Elias’s mother’s house.

“Fine, but we will be talking later,” she whispered. “I’m here, Mom. Looks like you and Kim didn’t leave me much to do today.”

She breezed back into the room looking like she just stepped out of Cosmopolitan magazine.

“What else can I do to help?” she asked.

“Kim?”

“Actually, I think we’re good. I probably should have called and told you that before you came over. Could’ve saved you a trip. Everything’s ready for tonight and prepped for tomorrow.”

She hugged me. “You really do spoil me.”

We said goodbye to her mom. I was genuinely okay now despite her need to apologize once more.

“What time do you need me today?”

“Around three should be good. And since you made my life so easy today, I’m treating you to lunch at my place.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary. I’m just going to head home and rest up a bit.”

“My house now or I will follow you home.”

“That sounds like an ominous threat.”

“No, it’s a promise.”

I groaned, but I knew I wasn’t getting out of this talk.

On my way to Gia’s house, I called Elias.

“Hey babe. Is Mom behaving herself with the golden boy there?”

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