Royal Pain in the Ass Read Online Free Page B

blue you would just invite me out here.   You didn ’ t bother to come to me, you had me come to you, and I feel like there is a piece of this I can ’ t see yet.   It bothers me.   So, until I figure it out, I ’ m not going to be able to trust you, or anything in this situation.   I don’ t mean any disrespect, but if nothing else I ’ m honest. ”
    “ You are wise beyond your years.   Trust is something many people give out far too freely.   I understand your reluctance. ”
    I didn ’ t know what to say to that, so I didn ’ t say anything.
    “ Please, tell me more about yourself. ”  James offered after a long moment of silence.
    I shrugged.   “ What do you want to know? ”
    “ Whatever you want to trust me with, anything you want to tell me. ”
    I shrugged again.   “Um, I ’ m twenty-one, I have my own house, my own car, I manage at a restaurant back home.   I worked my way through college.   I play cello and surf.   I like to read and paint.   I don’ t really know what to say. ”
    “You ’ ve done all that? ”
    “Yes,”
    “ All by yourself? ”
    “Yeah,” I replied giving him a questioning look.
    “ That ’ s extraordinary.”
    “Thank you?”
    “ You have a degree? ”
    “Yes,”
    “ In what? ”
    “Litereature and Music Performance.”
    “ Are you planning on becoming a musician? ”
    I shrugged.   “I ’ m not really sure what I want to do.   I mean, I earned a spot in the Orlando Philharmonic, but I ’ m not sure if I ’ m going to accept yet or not. ”
    “ Why wouldn ’ t you? ”
    “ I don’ t know if I want to commit my life to playing music.   If I accept this position and I ’ m only half in it, I ’ ve taken it from someone who truly wants it.   Until I ’ m sure, I asked for a leave of absence. ”
     “ You play cello? ”
    “Yes,”
    “ How do you like it? ”
    “ I love it.  It ’ s one of my favorite things in the world. ”
    “ Then why the hesitation? ”
    “ I pay cello because I want to, because I love it.   If I take this position, it becomes an obligation.   I don’ t want my passion to become an obligation. ”
    James nodded.   “ You are remarkable.   I truly wish I ’ d had the chance to see you grow up. ”
    I felt my face flush.  I didn ’ t know how to react to that.   I wasn ’ t sure how I felt about James yet.   I didn ’ t trust him, and I couldn ’ t understand him.   I couldn ’ t understand someone leaving someone you were so in love with as it seemed.   I couldn ’ t help but wonder if things just weren ’ t as they seemed.   Above all else, I didn ’ t understand his sudden desire to know me.   I didn ’ t understand why he would go to the trouble to bring me out here on a whim.   I mean, yes, I might be his daughter, but he didn ’ t know that for sure.   Especially when I was still in the states.   His wife and daughter obviously hated me, so me being here was clearly was causing friction between them if nothing else.  
    “ Juliet? ”
    I snapped out of my daze.   I hadn ’ t realized I ’ d drifted off into la la land just staring out at the water.   “Yes?”
    “ We should probably start heading back, lunch will be served soon. ”  James turned his horse around and we headed back through the grounds, taking a different direction than we had come and he showed me more of the grounds.  
    We returned to the main house and the same lab tech as before handed James an envelope and left.   James took a deep breath.   “ Are you ready? ”  He asked, as he held up the envelope.   I nodded.   He tore it open and confirmed what we both already knew.   I was, in fact James Eastgate ’ s daughter.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter V
     
    James looked at me for a long moment then a wide grin spread across his face and he let out a relieved sigh.   “ Well, it ’ s true then.