Royal Pain in the Ass (6 page)

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.
 
You are my daughter.
 
Welcome to the family, Juliet.
”

I took a deep breath and everything felt like it was spinning.
 
I sat down on the steps and put my head between my knees, overwhelmed
. 
I was not going to pass out again.
   
I took a few soothing breaths.

“Are you okay, love?”

I nodded.
  “
Yeah, this is just . . . unexpected.
”
I managed after a few more breaths.
 
After the world stopped spinning I looked up at him, at my father.
 

That was a weird idea to wrap my mind around.
 

My father?
 
I actually had a father, not just the abstract idea of one.
 
A real living, breathing corporeal person that was my father.
 
I rubbed my temples with one hand, thumb on one, middle finger on the other, covering my face the process.
 
After a moment my hand rested over my mouth.
 
I didn
’
t know what to say.
 

I
’
d kind of known since the moment I saw him who we was to me.
 
There was no denying the resemblance, but at the same time part of me expected the results to say he was no one to me.
 

I couldn
’
t explain it, part of me was relieved, part of me was disappointed.
 
I rubbed my neck and stood slowly.
 
James was beaming at me.
 

“
You may be my father, but I
’
m not calling you Dad.
” I warned. 
James gave me a curious look.
  “
If you want that title, it
’
s one you have to earn.
 
Any man can be a father, if you want to be my Dad, you
’
ll have to earn it.
 
That probably makes me sound like a brat,
”
I shrugged.
  “
but it
’
s how I feel.
 
You haven
’
t been in my life for the past two decades, yes I understand you didn
’
t know I existed, but I can
’
t just accept you into my life.
 
I hope that makes sense.
”

James
’
s smile lilted but he nodded.
  “
I can understand that.
 
I hope you are willing to give me a chance.
”

“
I am, that
’
s why I said what I said.
 
I don’
t want to play games with you.
 
I hate games, and the type I hate most are the ones with people
’
s emotions on the line.
 
I don’
t want to tell you something that isn
’
t true, and I don
’
t want to do something to hurt you.
 
You seem like a really decent guy, and I
’
d like to get to know you.
 
You are my father, someone every little girl wonders about.
  I can
’
t just say, hey great, you
’
re my daddy, the past twenty years mean nothing!
  But I
’
m willing to try one day at a time if you are.
”

James smiled and nodded.
  “
That sounds like a good idea
.” 
I offered my hand and he shook it.
  “Let
’
s introduce you properly to Millie and Angelica.
”

“
I don’
t think they
’
re going to like this.
”

“Don
’
t be silly.
”

James led me back to the dining room where Millie and Angelica were both seated enjoying their lunch.

“You
’
re late, James.
”
Millie teased then she looked up and saw me and her smile turned to a scowl.

“
I have some news for two of my favorite ladies.
”
James beamed.
  “
Juliet is, in fact, my daughter.
”

Millie
’
s eyes went wide and Angelica choked on her beverage.
  “
Excuse me?
”
Millie asked, fighting to maintain her composure.

“
Daddy, are you not feeling well?
”
Angelica cooed, looking a little green herself.

“
James, we need to be sure of something like this,
”

“
I am certain.
  I
’
ve already had the test completed.
 
Besdies, just look at her Millie, she looks just like me.
”

I looked around them and shifted uneasy under their gazes.
  “
James, a word please.
”
Millie stood and hurried out of the room, throwing her napkin down on the table as she went.
 
James followed her out.

I looked at Angelica and she was looking to me with a look of pure hatred.
 

“
So . . .
”
I started.
  “
I guess that makes us sisters.
”

“
I am not your sister!
”
Angelica hissed.
  “Don
’
t even think about calling me that.
”

I snorted a laugh.
“
Whatever you say, sis.
”

“Don
’
t call me that!
”
Angelica practically screamed as she stood up, forcing the chair back.
  “
I am not your sister!
 
I am not like you.
”

“You
’
re damn skippy about that.
”
I retorted, rolling my eyes.
 

“
I don’
t know what you did to Daddy, but Mum and I are going to fix him and you.
” 
Angelica stormed out of the dining room fuming.
 

I ran my hand through my hair.
 
Was I ready for this?
 
This was going to be an uphill battle with these two against me.
 
I didn
’
t know what I was getting into, but I was sure that this was going to be messy and these two were going to be out for blood.
 
I flopped myself into a seat and pulled my legs up to my chest in the chair.
 
I wrapped my arms around them and rested my head on my knees.
 

Mom, give me the strength to do this, I prayed.
 

I sat at the dining table alone and realized that this was really how it had always been.
 
It was always an uphill battle I chose.
 
I always managed to put myself behind the eight ball and sometimes I lost, but usually I found a way.
 
I decided if I was going to do this, I needed all the help I could get.
 
I got up and left.
 
I wandered around until I found an exit and went back down to the stables.
 

Something about horses just calmed me and made me happy.
 
When I was younger, Mom, being a single Mom couldn
’
t afford everything, but I found a way.
 
I used to volunteer at a horse ranch, and in exchange for my work, they would let me ride for free.
 
I did that until I got thrown and got hurt.
 
Mom and the ranch came to an understanding, and I wasn
’
t allowed to go back.
 
I snuck into the barn and the horses started prancing in place.
 
They didn
’
t recognize my smell, they just knew I wasn
’
t supposed to be here.
 

“
Easy there,
”
I soothed.
 
I made my way to the first stall and a painted mare was in with her colt.
 
The colt was jet black and he was going to be a feisty one when he grew up.
 
He pranced up to the window where I was and let me pet him.
 
He was an affectionate little one.
 
I felt myself smile.
 
I made my way through the stables watching all of the horses and trying to get a feel for them.
 

“You
’
re not supposed to be in here.
”
I froze, then spun around to see Ben leaning against to door frame, a smirk across his lips.

“
I got lost?
”
I shrugged waltzing over to him.
 

“
Lost are we?
 
You looked right at home.
”

“I
’
ve always loved horses.
 
They
’
ve always made me feel calmer.
”
I admitted.
 

“
Is something the matter?
”

I looked at Ben and shook my head.
  “
Just a lot to take in.
”

“
Word on the grounds
 
is that you are Eastgate
’
s daughter.
”

 “
Is that what they
’
re saying?
”

“Are you?”

I shrugged.
  “Maybe.”

Ben was looking into my eyes, searching my face for something.
  “
Other than your eyes, I
’
d say you
’
re a spitting image.
”

I looked down.
  “
I don’
t know what I
’
m doing here.
”
I admitted and looked him in the eye.

He shrugged.
  “
The only one who can tell you that is you.
” 
I nodded.
 
I already knew that.
  “
But I can show you a little bit of what
’
s around here if you like.
”

I looked up at Ben and smiled.
  “
That would be lovely.
”

Ben led me through his chores and he was surprisingly easy to talk to.
 
He told me a lot about James, and Millie, and Angelica.
 
He showed me a little more of the grounds, and when he was finished with his daily chores, he offered to take me around the grounds on horseback.
 
I happily accepted.
 
Somehow we ended up at the lake and were sitting on the little dock.

“
So, you
’
ve lived on these grounds your whole life?
”
I asked him.

“
Yeah, except for the time when I was in school.
”