The Playboy King's Bride

“How do they expect me to have experience if they won’t hire me!?” Stella groaned in frustration as she flopped next to her father on the couch. She didn’t bother waiting for an answer before she slumped even more, allowing the old but plush cushion to claim her until she was almost bent over double and falling into the back crack. Long ago maybe she could have done this maneuver without any form of dust particles kicking up into the air around her, but that time had long since passed and in a couple of moments she also began to have a sneeze attack. This only seemed to exasperate her more as she dangled her arms lifelessly beside her. “…So how did the interview go?” Gareth smirked as he pointed a remote at the TV in front of them and flipped constantly between two channels. “I hope you plan to come out of retirement soon because I’ll be living with you for the rest of my life.” Stella muttered as she waved her arms, trying to move some of the dust away from her. She knew it was pointless. The whole house had been covered in a thick layer of dust for years. Nothing short of an army of royalty-level maids would ever be able to remove the collection that had moved in as steadily as the piles of books and magazines that covered almost every square inch of flooring and wall space left. Any visitors would need a map of which paths to take through the columns to avoid being lost forever in the labyrinth that had become Gareth Knight’s house. “You’ll find something, it just takes time.” Gareth drawled. Stella gave her father a dead pan look, but his gaze had hardly even flitted from the TV as he switched between two different football games. “Oh, I have plenty of time! I’ve got so much time, I could open a clock shop. What I don’t have is experience, and that’s why I’ve had three interviews in two days that all said the same thing. “We’re looking for someone who can jump right in and already knows what’s going on.”…Like anyone can actually do that! Everyone needs some kind of grace period. And how do they know I wouldn’t know? Just because I took some time off doesn’t mean I didn’t learn anything!” Her voice fluctuated between an almost yell to a dull mutter. Not that Gareth seemed to be paying her any more attention. He only nodded sometimes and pursed his lips. After a few moments, once he was convinced nothing interesting was happening on either channel and she had fallen silent, he gave her a quick glance. “Maybe you should find a stepping stone job. Just something that’s kind of related to keep you interested, but you could walk away from once you find your opening to the one you want.” He suggested. “It looks like that’s what I’ll have to do.” Stella sighed and pushed her body back up to a natural position. She glanced around at all the books that towered over the back of the couch and onto the large dining room table behind them. “In the meantime, I can help you pack some of these and move them to storage?” She glanced back at her dad, but now his gaze was fixed on the ground below his feet. “Leave them. I-I can’t—,” He trailed off and closed his eyes tightly, making Stella regret saying anything. “Ok. Would probably take a macho man anyway…Where’s Perce?” “He said something about the mall. I think I saw Corey with him so they’re probably at the arcade or something.” Gareth’s eyes were back on the TV, though the clicking back and forth had stopped. “ OK, so they’ll probably eat there, how about I whip up some sloppy joes after I change?” She flashed a grin which he readily answered, though his eyes weren’t quite as invested as she might have hoped. Taking that as a yes, she bent over to slip her black heels off to make it easier for her to move around the house. Instead of walking in front of her father to get closer to the stairs, she had to bend slightly to avoid the pile of books he had stacked on the end table, while sucking in her gut to avoid the tower of books set beside the coffee table. She tried her very best not to even breathe on any of the piles on the off chance her breath might finally combine with the accumulated dust and send everything into an avalanche she would never escape from. Once she made it to the stairs she could relax. There seemed to be an invisible wall that prohibited the stacks of books from coming close to the stairs. Once her foot landed on the first step, it felt as though a pressure she hadn’t even known was there loosened in her chest and she breathed in deeply before ascending quickly, keeping her eyes on her feet. She couldn’t bear to look at the wall next to her, where pictures were placed that were once full of joy, but now held only painful thoughts and memories. At the landing she took a quick right and opened the door immediately in front of her. Her room has changed a lot over the years. She remembered when she was six and had demanded that Gareth paint her door purple and her walls pink. Thankfully, he had haggled her into a light pink that, after it faded a bit, could almost pass for white, otherwise this room would still look like the fantasy land of a Barbie-obsessed child. In high school she hung posters and shelves. The shelves remained, and one or two posters advertising events that she had wanted to go to. The shelves were lined with different awards she had earned, both academically and athletically, though she hardly remembered any of them. A few had her favorite novels, except for a pile she tucked in a back corner of her dresser that had all been assigned by school and she had vowed to never touch again. In a corner of the ceiling hung a fishnet hammock with all the stuffed animals she could never bear to donate, but hadn’t had anywhere else to put them. Stella sighed as she tossed her heels into the walk-in closet and quickly found a tank top and sweatpants to change into. Her dark brown hair, which had been tied into a tight, neat bun, fell heavily towards her shoulders, almost matching her groan of relief at being allowed freedom from the restrictive clothing and bands that had been deemed “professional attire” by the world. Every cell in her head and body seemed to let out a sigh of relief at the same time, though she reminded herself that she’d be back in somewhat similar attire next week for another interview she had set up. That thought alone made her heart speed up and her shoulders slump at the same time. Without bothering to remove her make-up just yet, she wandered back down the stairs and into the kitchen. Although this was another area that books were not allowed in, the kitchen was small and crowded with different utensils and more pots, pans, containers, and lids than anyone would ever really need in a lifetime. She knew there were at least three crock pots hidden throughout the mess, in different cabinets and filled with other pots that had matching cousins that had been pushed to the back of other cabinets and never seen again. Stella quickly cleared some counter space and began making her preparations. Though the meal would be ridiculously simple, she knew it was all David would need, and all she had the energy to prepare. If Perce had actually stayed home tonight, chances were she’d have suggested ordering pizza versus even doing that much. Before half an hour had elapsed, she moved back to the couch, now carrying two plates, each holding a steaming sandwich of overflowing meat and sauce. Handing one off to Gareth, she again took her spot next to him. “Thanks, kid.” He said while using one hand to eat and the other to flip channels every now and again. “This is nothing. I bet Perce is eating better right now.” They chuckled and Stella half-heartedly watched whichever team happened to be on the screen at the time. She had never been a big sports follower, football even less so, so most of the time she had no idea what was happening. “What’s the job Monday?” Gareth broke the silence once he had finished his sandwich and placed it on top of a nearby book pile. Stella sighed before answering. “Tier One help desk at some small company. I didn’t say anything earlier…but I have already applied for a few of those stepping-stone jobs. This is the only one I’ve even heard back from.” “So far,” Gareth answered before standing and taking her plate. “So far,” Stella acknowledged with a wry smile. She took out her phone as Gareth washed and cleaned up the kitchen area she had used. Mostly he just had to put everything in the dishwasher and turn it on, since Stella liked to clean as she went, so before long he had taken his spot back on the couch. As Stella went through her emails and Gareth watched the screen in silence, eventually they heard the front door open. They both turned at the same time to find a lanky teen boy with shaggy blond hair walking along. He glanced at them both for a moment, then stuffed his hands in his pockets and flopped onto the couch much the same way Stella had earlier. “How’d the interview go?” He muttered quietly. “Not great.” Stella answered. “How’d your test go?” “Not great.” He replied in a monotone. “Pretty sure I passed though.” He shrugged and slouched further into the couch. With as skinny as he was, the cushions molded around his shoulders so much she could almost see him disappearing in them, like being enveloped by a cloud. A dusty, old, should have been recycled years ago cloud. Before long Perce stood and wandered upstairs without a word. Gareth looked after him for a moment before turning fully to Stella, seeming to want to say something. She looked up at him expectantly, hoping that he would start a long-overdue conversation that they both needed, and the boy who had just gone upstairs desperately needed them to have. But as soon as her green eyes met his brown ones, Gareth froze. For a moment he just gawked at her, opening his mouth a time or two like he was trying to choke the noise out. She noticed that his once clean shaved jaw had grown a patchy and not-at-all-groomed beard and gray streaks were starting at his temples. After an awkward moment, Gareth looked down. He ran his free hand roughly through his short brown hair and turned back to the TV without a word. Stella sighed too and stood. “I should get some rest. Don’t stay up too late,” She said simply before making her way carefully back to the stairs. “Wait!” Gareth called as soon as his foot landed on the first step. She turned, half hoping and half dreading that he would call her back. “There’s a school fair tomorrow afternoon. Perce is supposed to be presenting a project or something, but Mr. Crawford wanted to meet up to discuss…some things. Can you drop him off about noon? I should be able to pick him up on my way home.” Stella furrowed her brow. She thought everything with Mr. Crawford had been dealt with already, but she didn’t want to push Gareth this late in the day for answers. “Sure, no problem. Just let me know if you can’t.” Gareth nodded and after a moment he turned back to the TV, leaving Stella to walk up the steps in silence. Once she entered her room, she face planted onto the foot of her bed. With a groan she realized she still needed to actually get ready for bed. After a strenuous debate with herself if it was worth going to bed in full makeup, she pushed herself away from the bed and made her way to the bathroom. She quickly changed, but paused just before she was about to face plant on the bed again, this time closer to her preferred position. She noticed a new notification on her phone, but upon opening it, wished she’d left it. “Good evening, thank you for your interest in a position with our company, however you have not been selected at this time…” Stella didn’t bother reading the rest, knowing it would say something along the lines of “feel free to apply to other positions” or “we’ll reach out if we have any further positions” or whatever jargon their HR had decided to set the email up with. “So far.” She groaned as she plopped down and pulled her body pillow as close as possible. “Soon.”