Smile For Me, A. Paris [best romantic novels to read .txt] 📗

way Ethan had been looking at her. She was worried and unsettled. She wasn’t sure what she had done to offend him, but she hoped she would be able to resolve what ever it was. All her life she’d struggled to find a place that offered a sense of security for her and Bobby. She felt they finely had it. She was starting to trust her new parents, maybe even love them a little. She was scared.

Michael noticed the distance in her eyes. It was obvious that she was troubled by something. Even though he wanted to ask, he had learned by now that he shouldn’t, “How is Bobby doing? Janie told me that’s he’s started playing the clarinet,” he asked hoping to take her mind off her worries.

Ella turned towards him at the mention of her brother’s name. Her eyes brightened, “He has. His teacher is impressed by his knack to pick it up so quickly. She even used the word ‘prodigy’ to describe him,” her pride soaked the words.

“That’s good. Really good. You two should come over again, he seemed to like swimming.”

Jamie rolled her eyes at her brother’s stupidity, “Don’t you think it’s too cold to swim?”

Michael was slightly embarrassed for a moment, then quickly regained his composure, “Then dinner, you two should come for dinner.”

Ella had already drifted away from the conversation; her mind was once again on the little one that waited for her at home.

“Do you want a lift Ella?” Jamie offered noting her lack of interest.

“Oh, ….no. I can walk.”

“It doesn’t hurt to let us take you,” Michael argued. Still, even after all these months she hadn’t allowed Michael to escort her home.

“I enjoy the walk home,” Ella answered shortly. She didn’t like explaining herself to anyone, especially over something that she had already addressed on more then one occasion.

“I’ll see you tomorrow Ella,” Jamie said in parting. Ella nodded her head smiling softly; she pulled out her mp3 player then put the buds in her ears before starting her walk home.

Michael watched her as she drifted into the distance. His heart ached slightly with each step she took away from him.

“You don’t even know her!” Jamie quipped pulling him away from his view. “How can you be so infatuated with someone you don’t even know?”

Michael glared at her; he too had pondered the same thing. It was obvious that it had started as pure attraction, but he didn’t feel that was the case any longer. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I can’t help it either.”

“Whatever, get over it already. She’s too young for you and, big and, she’s not interested.”

“Why are you so mean to your brother who loves you so much?” He asked jerking away from her and heading towards the car. Jamie had a way of rubbing salt into wounds.

Jamie was slightly remorseful so she offered him an olive branch “I’ll tell you something that might make you happy,” she said as she shut the door to the car. He turned the ignition and pulled out.

“What’s that?” He was only slightly listening, still brewing over her last comment.

“She entered the talent show,” Jamie announced, still surprised herself.

The car swerved slightly at her words. He was surprised to hear quite Ella would do something like that. He straightened the wheel before turning to her, “Talent show?”

“Yep! I’m shocked too. She said that Bobby found the announcement paper in her back pack and prodded her into joining. I think you already know that she would do anything for that boy.”

“What’s she going to do?”

“Singing,” Jamie shrugged. “The good news is you can come,” she offered her big brother a smile and watched his own smile form on his face.

“I owe you one,” he said pulling one hand off the steering wheel to ruffle his sister’s short hair.

“You’re so weird.”

Jamie was beginning to think her brother was hopeless, but at the same time she couldn’t help but admit that even she was slightly enamored with Ella’s beauty. It wasn’t hard to understand why he would be.


She plays the piano too!

So you signed up already?” Bobby asked Ella at the dinner table.

“I did,” she was already regretting the decision; looking at Bobby she knew there would be no backing out.

“I didn’t know you can sing,” Tracy said with a friendly smile.

Ella looked down at her plate slightly embarrassed, “I’m not very good.”

“She’s lying!” Bobby declared loudly, “She really is!”

“Bobby!” Ella said casting him a glare to remind of his manners, “We’re at the dinner table. Behave yourself.”

Bobby puckered his lips in protest, but straightened in his seat none the less. “She plays the piano too,” he added on quickly before going back to his macaroni and cheese dish.

“Really? Well I’ll make sure that I can make it to watch,” John said.

Ella smiled at him, but inside she was quietly wishing that they wouldn’t show up.

Ella finished her food then headed outside near the backyard garden. She sat cross legged beneath a willow tree and hummed out the tune to the song she planned to sing. Although she was willing to do anything for her brother, she was worried that she would just make a fool of herself on the stage. She hadn’t ever sung for anyone other then him. The fact that she played the piano was only because during Bobby’s earlier years it had soothed him during his more traumatic autistic moments. He couldn’t stand loud sounds, but the soft melody of the piano had found a way to calm him.

She’d learned at that time that it didn’t take much for her to learn the notes; in fact it was almost too easy. She could listen to a song once and would be able to tap out the tune. She thought it was something her father had left behind.

She squinted her eyes tightly closed trying to block out those memories. It was hard to remember him. Sometimes she envied Bobby for being too young to really remember the man that had raised them and the woman that had left them. She had no idea where the woman was. She couldn’t care less either. For all she knew she’d died. Ella had long ago hardened her heart towards that woman. The last news Ella had of her, before her father had died, was that she’d gone to New York to enter the music world.

“Don’t stay out too late,” John said, suddenly behind her.

Ella slipped off her head phones and looked up at him. He had been watching her for a while concerned with her quite way. She always seemed to be hiding behind a cheerful mask when he and his wife were around, only to let it slip when she was alone.

She smiled up at him and stood up brushing the dust off.

“All finished. I’ll head in now,” she made a move to go inside, but he stopped her grabbing her forearm lightly. Ella was startled by this action and froze, alarmed and unsure of his intent.

“If there’s anything bothering you, my wife and I want to help,” he said gently, releasing her. He’d noticed the way she had stiffened and was even more concerned for her. He worried that things that could not be undone had affected her life.

“Thank you,” she said pushing past him. She was having trouble excepting him as a father figure. She’d spent a long time in that orphanage. She’d learned long ago that behind those gentle smiles, men often had other less gentle thoughts. She disliked this feeling of doubt and distrust. She knew that he was a good man. She also knew that Bobby really liked him. She liked him as well; she just wasn’t able to fully except him yet.

A moment of insanity

Ethan stared at the file he’d abused and treasured over the last three months. He kept replaying Ella’s smile in his mind. She was driving him crazy.

“Amos!” he called out.

Butler Amos arrived after a short pause. He was always nearby waiting for Ethan to inform him of this or that.

“Get the car ready, I’ll drive, just have it brought around,” he waved his hand dismissing Butler Amos, then stood up and headed out of his over sized bedroom. He was often amazed that such a huge house, with so many butlers and maids, always left him feeling so alone.

He peeled out of the grounds driving faster then the allotted speed. He pretended that he wasn’t sure where he was headed, but even to him it was obvious.

He parked the car in front of her house and stared at the darkened windows for hours. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, nor what he wanted. The hours slowly passed and still he sat in his car. The quite night was all that awaited him. No lights flickered on. No sound came from the home. It was only him and the dark deserted street.

He drove home close to three in the morning. He felt like a fool.

‘Why are you doing this!’ it was a question that wouldn’t leave his mind.

Maybe, perhaps, just maybe, he knew the answer to the question. He wouldn’t own up to such a ludicrous conclusion however.

Ethan was from one of the wealthiest families in America. His influence could practically start wars. For him to believe he could be interested to this extent towards an orphan with no background and nothing to compare to his status was more then embarrassing to him.

He’d always had the best of the best. No matter what it was, he only had the finest things, the most expensive, and the highest caliber. To like such a woman was a joke. What made it worse was the fact that she was unfazed by him.

He