BEAUTIFUL MESS

Lincoln's Pov

I walked into my house and was met with the aroma of melted chocolate and other dessert snacks.

"Malaise must be in a great mood" I thought to myself, for her to make anything other than my preferred Salad and pasta.

I walked briskly up the stairs, avoiding the kitchen for now, I needed to change. My mind strayed to thoughts of Eliza and Malcolm, he knew how to lovebomb and make one feel more special than they are, believing it was not real was not even in the question.

He had done it for him, they had been friends for seven years and he never suspected any foul play or that deep reported envy that had seemed to envelop him in the latter years of their friendship.

I heard sounds coming from the guest room but I ignored it, I was going to check on it later.

My phone beeped and I checked, it was Alex reminding me to continue my background check.

I groaned and looked up as I made to enter my room, a lady stood next to my door looking eagerly at me. I raised a brow in question and asked the first thing that came to my head

"Who the hell are you?"

"Good evening to you too." She said, her voice timid and compliant. If I was interested in any other female I would have agreed that she was definitely a pretty woman. Her strawberry blonde hair floated down to her back and her face was attractive with sharp edges and a glinting blue eye that showed in the hallway light.

"I asked a question, who are you and how did you get in here?" I asked her again not to bother with pleasantries, she was in my house and I knew I owed her nothing.

"I am Reign Redford. Your mother brought me here earlier," she explained, I could detect a tinge of brashness even with her complacent countenance. She was a volcano likely to erupt and was doing well to conceal it from him.

"That doesn't say anything. Why are you here?" I asked again.

"Come on Linc. Save her the crap!" My mothers voice called out from behind me and I turned to her immediately.

"What is this?" I asked and she scoffed passing by me to hold the girl, I stared as the girl smiled sweetly at her and I wanted to puke right there and then.

"This is Reign, Colonel Redford's daughter, i mentioned her once." She explained and immediately the puzzle clicked in my head, this was the 'damsel' with whom my parents had arranged a nuptial agreement for me.

"I do not understand." I managed to say.

"Your father would eventually get around to addressing it and when he does I want you to be a step or two ahead of him. We have screened Reign and we know she is a great girl, raised in society and experienced in organizing and hosting events. She is the perfect wife for you and I thought you both should get acquainted." She explained and I stared at her with absolute horror.

"You didn't think of passing that around to me, I didn't need to be informed that you were bringing some girl to stay at my house?" I asked her and I didn't miss the angry look that flitted through the girl's face. I'm not sure my mother knew of that side of her.

"This is as much my house as it is yours and I can bring anybody I want here." She argued and I resisted the urge to tell her the house didn't fall under her divorce settlements so it wasn't particularly her house.

"Yeah, anybody you want, and not a potential bride for me, thank you. Listen Mother, I'm not interested in this thing you have going on." I said softly, trying not to lose my temper more than I already had. "Welcome to my abode Miss Reign, my mother would be entertaining you." I grounded and made to open the door.

"Be down for dinner! Please. Just for tonight, I had Malaise make all of your childhood favorites and not those broccoli things you only eat." She called out and I slammed the door behind her. How she got on my nerves!

*******

My fitness plan had not permitted me to eat freely, I was intense about it so it had not been a problem to switch red meat to mushrooms, to make broccoli the new fries, and I had done it. I liked to see Eliza's eyes look at me in awe and pure admiration whenever I pulled off my shirt.

I doubted she would have looked at me differently even if I didn't have my chiseled and well toned torso, it was still a plus side that she had that to see when she did.

Inappropriate thoughts! My subconscious screamed at me and I almost choked on my Apple pie. My mother stared at me and so did the colonel's daughter.

"You're not going to initiate small talk? I raised you better than this." She said and I felt immediately defensive.

"I didn't organize this dinner, Mother. Also, believe me when I say I was perfectly content with my vegetarian diet. So if I must comment, I think Malaise did a good job and deserves a raise."

"You're impossible!" She scoffed and turned to face the girl. "I always thought his father, my ex husband, had a bad temper but I had to retract when I watched him grow. He's worse, I hope you will learn how to maneuver your way around it and get what you want regardless."

I stared at her in horror, and the girl nodded. I took my plate of pie and my portion of grilled chicken and placed it on a tray.

"I'm heading to the patio, if you have anything valid to say to me, you should meet me there." I said and walked out of the room. I could feel her eyes boring through me as I left.

This whole thing had brought the realization to me, I needed to find my Eliza, quickly and make sure she got married to me.