Page 15 of Liberty
“Maybe he’s bored?” Belle suggested.
We all looked over at her.
“Like he’ll get a chance to get out of here,” Belle went on. “See town. Move around a bit.”
“Exactly,” I agreed right away. This was the best explanation yet. I mean I didn’t even have a real answer for volunteering.
“It has to be that,” Belle stated as she sat in her chair. “Because if his recent rude and insulting behaviour is because he’s interested in me?” She slowly shook her head. “I would hate to see what he would be like if he actually wanted to date me.”
My brothers all stared at her for a minute and then they broke into loud audacious laughter.
All I could do was shake my head. The girl had a knack for a sharp retort. She had outright insulted me, but I sort of deserved it. She just explained it in a scathing way. I even smiled. I myself already faced the fact that I had been wrong about her. Well, for the most part. She did have a mouth on her. A fiery temper and she had her own rules for life, but she wasn’t selfish and uncaring about others. “So, did you think about my suggestion?” I asked her.
She took a sip of her coffee and shrugged. “If it’s the only way out of here, then what choice do I have?”
I slowly nodded my head. I was up shit creek now. I would be spending a lot of time with her. See her life away from the Connor House. I just hoped we wouldn’t be fighting all the damn time.
“But first, the wedding, right?” Justice asked.
“Of course,” Belle replied. “I wouldn’t disappoint my sis like that.” She looked over at me. “In fact, after breakfast, you and I will go to the ballroom and see what we might need to do there.”
I gave her a nod and said nothing as we all finished breakfast. What did I know about ballrooms? I shook my head.
Fate leaned in close and said, “Ok, I’m in on the bodyguard gig too. Cause I wouldn’t miss this for the fucking world.” He gave me a huge grin.
“You are so stupid,” I muttered.
“Yeah and bored, right?” He snickered. “This whole thing is gonna be a hoot.”
I shook my head. “I’m glad you think so. As for me, it will be a job.”
“Yeah, right.” He chuckled.
After we helped with table cleanup, Belle and I headed to the ballroom. It was a very large area. I looked all around. “It’s nice and huge.” Looking up, I admired the chandelier. “Very elegant.”
Belle followed my gaze upward then looked at me. “Hmm, I didn’t figure you using a word like elegant?”
I smirked. “Hey, I know more words than,I am caveman.”
She burst into laughter. “Ok, that was funny.”
I smiled. “Thanks, so what do we need for this?”
“Decorations,” she said. “I suppose we could make some but wow. Getting materials and the time it would take for a space like this?”
I paused, then said, “Oh hey, I was exploring that hallway over there a couple of weeks ago and there's an anteroom that had boxes of stuff in it. Maybe we will find something there.”
We both headed over. I opened the door and turned on the light then motioned for her to go in.
Belle nodded as she knelt and looked at the tubs and boxes. “Yeah, decorations. Christmas,” she read some of the labels. “Fourth of July. Oh, wedding anniversary! That might have stuff we can use.” She stepped back and asked, “Can you pull that box out?” She pointed up at the third shelf.
I nodded as I stepped onto the bottom shelf to get some height and leverage then grabbed the box. Setting it on the floor, I looked around while she opened the box. My eyes narrowed as I spotted something moving on the shelf then swung my gaze over to see that a shitload of baby spiders were crawling all over the shelves. Peering down, I saw some were climbing up along Belle's arms and into her hair. “Holy fuck,” I mumbled.
Raising her head, she stared up at me. “What is it?”
“Tell me that you aren’t scared of…spiders?”
Her eyes widened as she whispered in fear, “I am. Nooo, don’t tell me…” She looked at her arm and then her chest. Bolting up, she screamed. “They’re in my hair?” She dropped a streamer she had been holding and used both hands to fan her hair. “Ohhh!” She jumped and backed out of the storage into the hallway as she tore her silk blouse off. “They’re—in my shirt!” she shouted as she was spinning in circles.
