Love Me True (Love Me Book 2)

Chapter 13

Faye had once again climbed into bed and opened her book when there was a knock at the bedroom door. Thinking it was Hayes she called out for the person on the other side to enter, and she was surprised when Andrea opened the door.

"Andrea, is everything alright?" Faye asked, closing the book and setting it off to the side.

Andrea entered slowly, closing the door behind her. When she turned to look at Faye, she had an unsure look, as if she was worried that she wouldn't be welcome, so Faye gave her a gentle smile of encouragement.

"I am sorry Faye, I put you in a bad spot, and I wasn't thinking about anything but myself, I did it for selfish reasons." Andrea looked truly upset so Faye patted the bed and invited Andrea to join her.

"You weren't the only one to blame. I'm sure Hayes and Aaron played an equal part in it all," Faye suggested, trying to make her feel better.

"Yes, Hayes offered to buy us drinks, but I decided to take him up on that offer, Aaron didn't. Hayes just bought him a beer and sat it in front of him, he never touched it," Andrea said as she sat next to Faye, resting her head on her shoulder.

Faye suddenly remembered Andrea's comment from earlier that day when she had referred to Faye as motherly, and it struck Faye that Andrea wanted to be mothered.

"You should tell your father that and at least get Aaron off the hook," Faye insisted.

Andrea nodded. "What about Hayes?" she asked softly.

"He deserves what he gets, maybe having your father take him to task would be good for him and help him realize that there are consequences for one's actions."

"Like my forcing you to lie to the police and take a date with that policeman. You really didn't want to, did you?" Andrea's grey eyes, that were so much like her father's, looked up at her.

"No, I didn't, but it might be nice to get out, I don't do it enough." Faye smiled down at the girl.

The comment seemed to appease her guilt and she took a deep sigh. They were both silent for a few minutes until  Andrea broke it.

"Father's terribly angry. I haven't seen him that mad in a long time. I wanted his attention but not that way."

"What did you think was going to happen when he found out? Faye asked in amazement. It was good that the girl had worked out why she had acted out, but her reasoning left a lot to be desired.

"I don't know? I might have been trying to test him a little too," the girl admitted shyly as if she wasn't sure if she wanted to admit the last part.

Faye remained silent. Her curiosity was killing her, but she didn't want to push Andrea into talking about something she really didn't want to share.

"Aaron told me this summer that Poppa isn't my real father." She said it so softly that Faye had to strain to hear her.

Faye felt her heart rate accelerate, she had a feeling she was about to learn one of the mysteries that surrounded Silas, and it made her excited and sick all at the same time. She also felt a little bit of guilt, as if she should stop Andrea, and wait for Silas to tell her if and when he wanted to.

"My real father was his older brother. He died in a car accident before my mother realized she was pregnant, and Poppa married her so that Aaron would get to keep the title which would have been passed down through our father." Andrea curled her knees to her chest.

"Title?" Faye asked, confused.

"Yes, Poppa is a baron, not that he uses the title, Mother likes to use it though." Andrea sounded a bit dissatisfied with the last bit of information.

A baron, Faye could have sworn he said he wasn't royalty. Her mind ceased to function for a moment as she tried to take in the news.

"He and Mother never really got along, they were good at hiding it, but they lived separate lives."

"But they both loved you and were there for you?" Faye insisted.

"Poppa was, but Mother never really had the time for us, when Poppa wasn't around, we were always in the care of our nanny until we were old enough to be at school." Andrea sounded matter of fact about what sounded like a deplorable situation.

"I'm no expert Andrea, but what makes a father is not necessarily who made you, it's more of who was there for you when you were sick or needed to be punished. I will tell you, just in the brief interactions that I have seen between you, Aaron, and your, father, that he truly adores you, and just because you messed up tonight won't change that."

Andrea nodded but looked as if she wanted to say something else, so Faye silently waited for her to figure it out in her head.

"Part of the reason Poppa was so mad tonight was that he likes you, and he was angry because we upset you." She looked up to see what Faye's reaction was to her words, and all Faye could do was give her a sad smile.

"I'm sure that was true, your father strikes me as a proud and stubborn man, and he probably felt some embarrassment in the way things happened." Faye tried to explain.

"No Faye," Andrea smiled. "He likes you." She stressed the word like.

It all felt a little high schoolish for Faye, which made sense since Andrea was barely out of high school, or whatever they called it in the Netherlands.

"Sweetie, I think he's seeing a friend of mine. If he likes me, it is because I am a friend of the woman he likes, and I have rented him a place to stay." Faye reasoned.

Andrea sat up looking at Faye closely as she tried to determine if she was telling the truth or not.

"What's her name?" the girl asked with narrowed eyes.

"Chloe," Faye said.

"He's never mentioned a Chloe, if he was seeing her, he would have told us all about her, and he hasn't. He has told us all about you though. That's why we came for a visit, Aaron and I wanted to meet you." Andrea had reassured herself with her reasoning, and like her father and his abrupt departures, she jumped up out of bed.

Faye thought about telling Andrea that they were all leaving tomorrow anyway so none of it really mattered, but she didn't want to be the bad guy, let her father do that.

"You forgive us, Faye?" Andrea asked once more.

"Yes, all is forgiven," Faye assured her with a smile.

Andrea nodded and made a comment about now being able to sleep and then left Faye alone with her thoughts.

She refused to think about the comments Andrea had made about Silas talking to them about her, she wouldn't dwell on that, it would only get her hopes up. Besides, what chance did she have of holding the attention of a baron?

None whatsoever.