Chapter 1
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Rose
I WAS A MISTAKE. Even though my mother would adamantly deny it, I knew better. My parents had it all: success, wealth, two boys just at the age where they were starting to become independent, and then I came along, thrusting my mother and father back into the world of bottles and diapers. Okay, maybe not so much them as my nanny, who took care of me while my father was running his business and my mother was off spearheading every charity under the sun.
I’ll admit it, I was privileged growing up. I got things girls my age could only dream of. I was a princess without all the formalities and bloodlines, although somewhere along the line, Daddy may have some royal blood running through his veins. My parents paid me with presents for their lack of presence in my life. Designer clothes, lavish vacations, and expensive cars were my reward for being their little gem.
Unbeknownst to them, their precious jewel had a side to her that was a bit flawed. My father thought I was the perfect angel all throughout college. But I was like every girl my age…well, most of them anyway. I liked to party…a lot. I liked to flirt…a lot, and on occasion, I’d sleep with some of those boys who were googly-eyed over me. But to me that’s all they were—boys. I wanted a man…a rich man who would take care of me like I’d grown accustomed to my whole life. I knew none of the beer-guzzling, weed-smoking guys I wasted my college days with would fit that bill, so once I was done with college, I broke a few hearts, went on to grad school, and set my standards higher.
“Good morning, Rose.” My father looked up from his laptop to greet me as I entered the kitchen.
“Morning,” I grumbled, not much in the mood for conversation until I was adequately supplied with caffeine.
“Good morning, Charles. Good morning, Rose.” My mother cut in front of me to make her coffee. “Sorry, I have to be at the hospital for the opening of the new wing.”
Of course she had to be someplace else but here. Every morning was the same routine. She and my father would exchange a quick hello, they’d go over their schedules for the day, and be on their way with a brush on the cheek.
“Oh, darn it!” my mother shouted, dropping down to one knee and scouring the floor. “I lost the back to my earring.”
My father looked up, shook his head, and went about his business on his laptop. I bent down and pretended to help her with her search, but it was much too early for my eyes and brain to be functioning together.
“Got it!” She smiled, holding up the shiny gold piece as if I or my father really cared.
“Great.” I stood up and finally took my turn at the coffee maker.
“Charles, don’t forget we’re meeting the Bensons for dinner tonight at seven, but prior to that we have the grand opening of the new art gallery we said we’d attend.”
“Okay, but I may be a little late. I have a meeting with some investors at five.”
“Oh, please try to be there on time.”
“I’ll do my best.”
My head was spinning just listening to the two of them. They’d done more mentally all before 7:00 a.m. than I’d planned on doing all day. “And now for the kiss,” I whispered as my mother leaned down and brushed my father’s cheek.
“What was that, honey?” my mother asked.
“Oh, nothing.” I smirked.
She touched the top of my head with her lips and was on her way.
“What are your plans for today?” my father asked as I took a seat at the kitchen table.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I’m having lunch with Emma, then maybe do a little shopping and then hit the spa. I’m in desperate need of a facial and a pedicure.”
“How’s the job search going?”
I cringed just thinking about it. “It’s going,” I lied. I hadn’t even thought about putting my degree to use. The only reason I even went to college was for the parties and because it was what was expected of me if I wanted my father’s bank account to keep funding me.
“Where are you looking? Maybe I know of people in the company and could put a good word in with them.”
“Umm...I don’t know, a few places.” I tried my best to hide behind my coffee mug when his dark brown eyes burned into me.
“Rose...where?”
“Geez, Dad. Give me a break, I just got done with grad school a month ago!”
“All the more reason why you should be getting your résumé out there.”
“Well, I am. Never you mind.” I gulped down the last sip of coffee and stood up. I needed to avoid this topic of conversation for as long as I could. With any luck, he’d get caught up with something urgent at work that demanded his attention, thus in turn taking the focus away from my potential job prospects. I knew he was expecting the same hard work and dedication that my brothers had shown when they had graduated school a million years ago, but I shouldn’t have been held to the same standards as them. I was a girl after all. It was the man’s place to take care of me.
I made it to the refuge of my room, avoiding any more job talk. Today, the extent of my worries would be where to go to lunch with my best friend, Emma, and what color polish to put on my toes for my pedicure, and hopefully avoid the dreaded work word for a very long time or at least until I could find a suitable husband.