Page 119 of Tears of Glass

And I said no.

I swing the door and then stop, momentarily stumped. “What on earth?” Worst case scenario would be Jennifer Fairclough herself unexpectedly turning up. Worse than that, somewhere down in the pits of hell is the thought of psycho grandbaronessy Connie.

Peter?

“Eli is at work.” I can’t think of any reason why he’d be here apart from to see his brother.

His pale blue eyes sweep over me and a small smile brightens his face. I don’t know him at all. Don’t know anything about him. Apart from he’s the gay older brother of Elijah who has changed the fortunes of his younger sibling. “I know that. I spoke to the bore on the way over here.” His tone is one hundred percent sardonic public schoolboy.

“Nice to see you. Bye now.” I go to shut the door in his face, but he wedges his foot in the way.

He sighs dramatically, slumping his shoulders. “Rumour has it you don’t have a class until later this afternoon.”

Well that’s an annoyingly accurate rumour.

“So?”

He smiles and with it all the airs of pretension that flow from every single inch of him evaporate. For a brief glimmer he looks very much like Eli, just more rounded and nowhere near as hot. “I thought we could go shopping and get you ready for your first foray into the Fairclough family.”

He has me. I’m mute as I wait for him snap an under the cuff shot at me. Some sarcastic comment about how I’ll never survive.

“Faith.” He leans closer and lowers his voice. “No one should face them without preparation.” A smirk lifts his features. “Think of me as a six-foot-two fairy godmother.”

I let out a laugh and his gaze warms. “Fairy godmother?”

“I’ll even wear a tiara and wave a wand.” His face sobers. “But come on, let me help you.”

“Okay.” I shrug somewhat helplessly. Shopping with Peter? Well, okay then. “Wait.” I put my hand on his chest to stop him coming past me into the house. “Why do you want to help me?”

He shrugs. “Maybe I’m bored of the family way always winning. Maybe I like the fact you’ve spun everything on its head. You’ve led the golden boy off his path, you’ve taken our sister into the real world. I think that alone merits a spin around Harvey Nics and a spot of lunch.”

Is this a game? The Fairclough game? Has Eli spoken to Peter and told him I refused his proposal? I doubt it? So is he here out of the kindness of his heart?

“Come in.” I open the door wider and grant him entry. “I’ll have to go and get my stuff together for class.”

“Sure.” He waves me away with his hand as he flops onto the sofa, making himself at home.

Walking into the bedroom, I try to find something to wear appropriate for Harvey Nichols and lunch with Eli’s brother.

Jesus, how do I get myself into these situations?

It doesn’t take me long to pull on a pair of skinny jeans I pick up off the bedroom floor and give a brisk shake, a deep V-necked oversized sweater, and some ankle boots.

I shove my pens and sketch pads into my tote bag and then go back to find him out surfing the TV stations Eli and I have hardly ever put on.

Is it weird we’ve never spent the night watching television together, yet he wants to marry me?

I shake the question away. I’ve got more questions at the moment then I will ever have answers for.

I stare at Peter over my whisky on ice. “Thanks for taking me shopping.”

“Absolute pleasure. It gives me genuine joy to watch you scaring all the old cronies with your ink. It’s a highlight, actually; we should make it weekly thing.”

I shake my head but smile. I feel strangely comfortable in The Fifth Floor restaurant at Harvey Nics with him across the table from me. “And to think I was just warming up to you.”

Peter wags his finger under my nose. “And that, my girl, is your first mistake. Never for one moment lower your guard with a Fairclough.”

“Not even Elijah?”