Page 29 of Lovely Deceit

Zero.

Zilch.

My father opens his menu and peers down. “How are classes?”

I sit back in my chair, reveling in how normal this feels. Mom used to bring Dee and me to this restaurant all the time to have lunch with Dad when we weren’t in school. It would be filled with fun conversation, and my sister and I giggling. If I could just close my eyes, I might be able to transport myself back there.

“Great,” I tell him, glad I’m not lying. Despite being fully thrown into pledging and now this, I’ve been able to keep on top of my studies. I have a suspicion I’m being over graded because I’m pledging the Knights, but I couldn’t care less about that. Though, I have wanted to test my hypothesis and just not turn in any homework and still see if I get a satisfactory grade.

“It’s not awkward with Barclay in your group and as your professor?”

He smirks at me, and I smile back. “Yeah, it actually is kind of weird. But we keep it strictly professional in class,” I tell him, lying through my teeth.

“I’ve always liked the Barclays. Good family.”

My smile tightens. My father is always saying things like “good family.” “Respectable.” “A line of great men right there.”

Sometimes, it’s all he cares about. I heard him once say he didn’t like Oliver much because even though he has royal blood, he’s a bastard child. Though, yesterday he seemed to have warmed up to him, so I’m not sure where he stands on that right now.

The waitress comes over for our drink order. While she’s taking his, I prepare to question him about Knight and Dee stuff.

“Alistair!”

Turning, I find Keegan trailing a very elegant looking Leon Forbes. I nearly crack a tooth when he and my father shake hands. I haven’t seen Leon since just before Dee died, the two Forbeses boarding our stupid yacht to have dinner.

The Forbeses give the waitress their drink order, and to my surprise, sit down with us at the empty place settings.

Red flags go up everywhere. This wasn’t a lunch with just me and Dad. This was a lunch with the Forbeses and the Astors.

“Good to see you, Eden,” Leon remarks, stare dropping to my shirt with pursed lips.

“You, too, Mr. Forbes. Dad, you didn’t tell me we’d have company,” I slyly chastise.

“Didn’t I? It must have slipped my mind.”

Yeah, sure. My father peers over at me with an uncertain gaze, and I smile tightly back.

Leon elbows his son, and Keegan starts talking as if he’s on autopilot. “Hello, Eden.”

I dare to look at him and immediately hate it. He looks a tad better than when I saw him the first time after Dee died, but he still looks like a totally different guy. He’s reserved. His eyes don’t shine with hatred or cruelty. He’s more an impassive observer than the Keegan I knew before.

In fact, the previous Keegan would’ve called me out in front of everyone for kidnapping, binding, and blindfolding him. Though, technically, I didn’t do that. It was Oliver, but I’ll certainly take the credit.

After we order food, the brunch date I thought I was having with my dad turns into a mini meeting with Leon Forbes, and I can’t help but think this is all by design.

He doesn’t want me to ask about the Knights.

He doesn’t want me to ask about Delilah.

They do try to bring me and Keegan in from time to time, my father asking Keegan about his classes and if he’s ready to take over the family business.

Peering over at my father nodding at Keegan’s response, I wonder what he thinks my future will be like, or whether he worries about it at all. He’s never asked me what I’m studying at Carnegie. He hasn’t even asked me what I want to do when I graduate. It’s as if he’s written me off.

In all the meals I’ve had with Keegan Forbes over the years, I’ve never known him to be so quiet though. He’s usually butting into the conversation so he can sound important—asking about business-related matters that always fly over my head. Delilah ate that shit up. Not me.

Our meals arrive, and I bury my thoughts in my chicken cordon bleu.

I check out of the conversation until the waitress returns to clear our dishes and our after-meal coffee is ordered.

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