One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation by Natalie Penna Page B

my Mum had to recommend you?” I asked.
     
    “ Yes. And I'm happy she did. If she hadn't, we wouldn't have met.”
     
    It was the one thing my mother had ever done that I approved of.
     
    “ I knew William was kind of – well – a git, but I didn't think he'd do anything like that. Didn't you try to fight it legally? I mean, without proof, it's unfair dismissal!”
     
    He nodded, “Yes, it is. But his parents had done a lot for me, and I knew it would hurt his sister if I smeared their name. It was better for everyone that I just moved past it.”
     
    “ Then you're a lot nicer than I am. I'd have been shouting about it until I had justice.”
     
    Gideon reached out, and patted the top of my head gently. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. It didn't go ignored. Gideon commented, “You're adorable. So, it all turned out okay for me in the end. I'll never be as rich as them, but I have a good life. Of course, I have to put up with Wyatt as well. That's about the only downside.”
     
    “ That's a pretty big downside.”
     
    “ Which you know very well.”
     
    I nodded, “I do. What about his sister?”
     
    “ She was a nice girl growing up. Now she's off in a University in Switzerland. I don't hear from her any more.”
     
    I didn't really like my mother, which I made apparent whenever we were in conversation, but I couldn't imagine being completely without her. It must have hurt Gideon to lose both his real parents, and then the people who had taken him in. I reached out to him, and then hesitated.
     
    When he gave me a questioning look, I explained, “If you were one of the girls, I probably would have hugged you by now.”
     
    “ I've never been more sorry not to be a girl.”
     
    I laughed, “You'd make a terrible girl. But you're not bad as a bloke.”
     
    “ That's the best compliment I've ever had.”
     
    “ You can't get very many, then.”
     
    “ Not really. And I don't get that many hugs, either. So, as long as you swear not to tell anyone, I'll have one from you.”
     
    “ I promise,” I said before I'd really thought about what I was committing to doing.
     
    Gideon opened his arms wide, and I nervously wrapped mine around his middle. I thought it would be a brief embrace at most. When he hugged me tightly to his chest, I almost fainted. It was definitely different from hugging a boy. I'd had male friends growing up, because I wasn't that sheltered. They didn't have the same hard pectorals, or the enticing strength someone like Gideon had in his biceps.
     
    Swooning was so uncool, but I really had the urge to do it.
     
    He released me just in time, because Wyatt walked out of the house. Gideon and I quickly scooted apart so there was a sensible and acceptable distance between us. If he'd already lost one job due to rumours, I didn't want to be responsible for him being out of an occupation again. Fortunately, Wyatt had never had much of a sense of direction, or any other kind of sense for that matter. He walked around the house in search of us, and ignored the gazebo completely.
     
    “ Moron,” I muttered.
     
    “ I heard,” Gideon said quietly, “That he's still very attached to your mother.”
     
    “ Yeah. Creepy, isn't it?”
     
    “ What do you know about her latest husband?”
     
    “ That he pays for me to go to school. Not that he has much choice in the matter. I've never actually met him.”
     
    And I didn't want to. Anyone who thought my mother was a catch was seriously disturbed. Dad got out early, but I imagined that had more to do with the fact his income wasn't enough to satisfy her. So long as she was happy, and nowhere near me, then I could deal with that.
     
    “ From what Wyatt has told me about him – which is a lot that I didn't care to hear – he's doing quite well for himself. Though, not as well as his sister-in-law. She's William's aunt, you know? From her previous marriage.”
     
    “ Wait – doesn't that mean I'm related to him?” I asked