Page 110 of Hooked
“I know.”
They shook hands, and Tayla walked to Jeremy. She slid her hand in his. “You ready?”
“Yeah.” He lifted his arm. “You’re going to have to call the car though. How’d the meeting go?”
“It was good.” She got out her phone. “Now we wait and see.”
Tayla had triedto convince Gloria that Jeremy didn’t need a formal dinner, but it was so rare that the McKinnon house hosted anyone outside the family she went a little crazy.
“Wow.” Jeremy’s eyes went wide. “Is this, like, regular for dinnertime?”
“No.” Tayla glanced around the formal dining room where candles and silver were laid out. The long dining table was only set for four, all grouped around one end of the table, but there were fresh flowers in the middle of the table and soft music was playing in the background. “Gloria got a little excited to cook for someone new.”
“Wow.” He was still staring.
Tayla turned to him and clutched his hand. “I am sorry my family is so…”
“Rich?”
“Formal? But maybe rich too. I never had friends over when I was a kid because I didn’t like the rich kids at Saint Fran’s and I felt awkward around the normal kids.”
He looked down at her. “Don’t. It was normal for you. It’s just different for me.”
“It’s different for ninety-nine point nine percent of the world.” Tayla picked up a crystal goblet. “I mean, there’s a reason I moved out of this house as soon as I was legally allowed.”
“Gloria seems really nice though.” He lowered his voice. “I don’t want to offend her with the wrong fork.”
“Please. You’ll be fine. She’s just happy to have someone who likes different food. My mom and dad have very bland palates. Since I moved out, she’s been a little bored.”
The dining room smelled amazing. Tayla pushed through the swinging doors that led into the butler’s pantry where Mena’s computer was and into the kitchen.
“When I was a kid, sometimes I acted out so my parents would send me into the kitchen to eat.” Tayla glanced at the small square table where the household staff ate. She whispered, “It was relief, not punishment.”
Gloria was in the kitchen, dressing individual salad plates with oil. “Dinner is only five minutes away, Miss Tayla.”
“Thanks, Gloria. I was telling Jeremy how I used to eat in here if I misbehaved when I was little.”
The older woman chuckled. “I think you were in here more than the dining room.”
“I liked it,” she whispered loudly. “You let me put hot sauce on my food.”
“My mom made us eat at the breadboard if we didn’t behave.” Jeremy smiled. “See? Not so different.”
“The breadboard?”
“Yeah.” He walked to the counter and pulled out a board that she’d never noticed. “See? For cutting bread. Or isolating naughty kids.”
“You learn something new every day.” She walked around the large kitchen island. “Gloria, can we help with anything?”
“Don’t be silly.” She frowned. “Get out of my kitchen. Go tell your parents that dinner is ready.”
Tayla and Jeremy walked to the sitting room where Bianca and Aaron were waiting in silence. The television was tuned to the gardening channel, and Tayla’s father was reading his newspaper.
Still, they were in the same room instead of opposite ends of the house. She’d take progress where she could find it.
“Dad, Mom, Gloria says dinner is almost ready.”
“Excellent.” Aaron folded his paper and stood. “Jeremy, can I get you a scotch?”
