Only You (Greyson #1)

William Greyson

"Because, I didn't kiss his ass or bend my knee to him?"

"None of that tonight", he demanded,"You know it upsets, June".

"Noted", I started to walk away wanting to check on Claire. And then a idea hit me. "Can I bring Claire tonight?" I asked backing up to see my father reaction.

Surprise.

Relief.

Happiness.

Pride.

"Yes, yes please", he said with a confused smiled.

"Okay then", I said walking away,"I'm changing the locks too", to many damn people just showing up.

"You gave Katie a key", my father claimed.

Sounds about right.

He continued,"Noah will be there with Mary. So please keep the peace?" I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Hhhmmm, should Claire and I hind the booze? Or will mother take care of that?" Mary was a mean drunk especially when she had to be around Noah. But, hey she was six years in and once she hit ten Mary would get 3.6 billion dollars her half of the marriage agreement. She bought it up anytime the family got together.

Exhaling hard my father stood up as I turned to face him again,"Tristan, just try to be nice. We're staying at the Hotel Grande Bretagne. I'll have a helicopter pick you two up around five".

"Seven, we have plans", I said.

"O", He said with wide eyes. "Anything exciting?"

"Claire wants to get a souvenir for her parents".

"That doesn't take all day, buddy", you don't know Claire. I watched her spend an entire weekend dress shopping. She did it for prom, her chubby friend--Victoria--- wedding, Nina's , first day of college and of course Christmas shopping. Giving gifts and dress shopping was the only time Claire was like that. She had a clear picture in mind when she shopped and she didn't settle for anything less that what she had in mind. Tonight she would need a dress AND a gift. We would be out all day.

And I was fine with that.

I was a patience man.

For Claire.

"What doesn't take all day?", Claire said reappearing right next to me in a flaunting an A-line dress with a vented hem; featuring an abstract photo-realistic floral print with a square neckline and cutout back. She pulled her long black hair up into a ponytail and wore white tennis shoes.

"Nothing, he was just leaving---"

"Young lady, would like to meet the rest of our family?" My father asked.

"Ummm..." Claire looked to me. " I wouldn't mind if..."

"Great, we'll see you both around six", He walked up to Claire taking her hand in his giving her a firm handshake.

To close.

I hated his phoniness.

I saw it.

The forced smile.

The twitch in his eyes.

He didn't like Claire. But, I didn't give a fuck. Tonight would be a nightmare. Claire would have to deal with not only my tool of a brother, his co-dependent alcoholic wife, my mother who was just holding on by a thread to her sanity: the only thing that gets her out of bed most day is the promise of some kind of shopping spree and just a touch of cocaine. And my father had labeled Claire a gold-digger.