fifty-shades-of-grey

“Hi, Ana!” She beams. “Christian.” She nods curtly to him.“Kate.” He is equally formal with her.I frown at their exchange. Elliot grasps me in an all-embracing hug. What is this, hugAna week? This dazzling display of affection – I’m just not used to it. Christian standsat my side, wrapping his arm around me. Placing his hand on my hip, he spreads out hisfingers and pulls me close. Everyone is staring at us. It’s unnerving.“Drinks?” Mr. Grey seems to recover himself. “Prosecco?”“Please,” Christian and I speak in unison.Oh… this is beyond weird. Mia claps her hands.“You’re even saying the same things. I’ll get them.” She scoots out of the room.I flush scarlet, and seeing Kate sitting with Elliot, it occurs to me suddenly that the onlyreason Christian invited me is because Kate is here. Elliot probably freely and happilyasked Kate to meet his parents. Christian was trapped – knowing that I would have foundout via Kate. I frown at the thought. He’s been forced into the invitation. The realizationis bleak and depressing. My subconscious nods sagely, a you’ve-finally-worked-it-outstupidlook on her face.“Dinner’s almost ready,” Grace says as she follows Mia out of the room.Christian frowns as he gazes at me.“Sit,” he commands, pointing to the plush couch, and I do as I’m told, carefully crossingmy legs. He sits down beside me but doesn’t touch me.“We were just talking about vacations, Ana,” Mr. Grey says kindly. “Elliot has decidedto follow Kate and her family to Barbados for a week.”I glance at Kate, and she grins, her eyes bright and wide. She’s delighted. KatherineKavanagh, show some dignity!“Are you taking a break now you’ve finished your degree?” Mr. Grey asks.“I’m thinking about going to Georgia for a few days,” I reply.Christian gapes at me, blinking a couple of times, his expression unreadable. Oh shit.I haven’t mentioned this to him.“Georgia?” he murmurs.“My mother lives there, and I haven’t seen her for a while.”“When were you thinking of going?” His voice is low.“Tomorrow, late evening.”Mia saunters back into the living room and hands us champagne flutes filled with palepink Prosecco.“Your good health!” Mr. Grey raises his glass. An appropriate toast from a doctor’shusband, it makes me smile.“For how long?” Christian asks, his voice deceptively soft.Holy crap… he’s angry.“I don’t know yet. It will depend how my interviews go tomorrow.”His jaw clenches, and Kate gets that interfering look on her face. She smiles oversweetly.“Ana deserves a break,” she says pointedly at Christian. Why is she so antagonistictowards him? What is her problem?“You have interviews?” Mr. Grey asks.