The promise, p.1
The Promise,
p.1
The Promise
Mia Ford
Contents
Blurb
1. Lydia
2. Jamie
3. Lydia
4. Jamie
5. Lydia
6. Jamie
7. Lydia
8. Jamie
9. Lydia
10. Jamie
11. Sneak Peak: That Christmas Eve
About the Author
Also by Mia Ford
Blurb
Lydia Burns…so damn gorgeous…
My heart stops a beat whenever I see you,
You are the girl of my dreams,
And I’ve always loved you.
So what, if you don’t know it already!
So what, if I have to break all the rules to make you mine!
I am Jamie Vardi – son of the richest, best known family in town,
But my dreams are simple.
And that’s what my dad hates,
Urgh…the Vardi family!
Dad has his own rules...I can’t fall for someone without a name and fame,
And he’s tied those to my inheritance.
He feels Lydia is somewhat too posh to push!
But how do I resist when Lydia starts working for him,
A crush is now starting to convert to love.
And I am prepared to break all the rules.
After all, I have made Lydia the promise to make her mine forever!
1
Lydia
“I’m off to work, sweetie,” Dad says while kissing me on the top of the head. Usually, I don’t mind when he treats me like I’m still a five-year-old, but today I feel oddly irritated and I’m not sure why. “You need a ride?”
I sigh loudly, glancing towards the clock. I would much rather walk to school, but I am too late for that now, so I don’t really have a choice. I would be seen in the extremely gorgeous car that my father needs for work, which is extremely embarrassing considering that everyone knows my family is much too poor to afford anything like an Aston Martin. It just reminds people that Dad works for the Vardi family.
Urgh, the Vardi family. The richest, best known family in town. They have everything that anyone else would wish they could. A giant mansion on the edge of town, right next to the woodland area, with staff working tirelessly every single day to keep it in tip top shape. They have cleaners, gardeners, cooks, and drivers… just like my dad. He drives around all members of the family. Mr. Brandon Vardi, a man who has come from old money and is more than happy to let everyone know how entitled he is, and his third wife, Sandi. She’s young, not much older than me, with pert fake breasts and platinum blonde hair. Oh, and her twin baby girls with their string of nannies. I don’t think Sandi has ever looked after them at all. She probably didn’t even have a natural birth. The phrase ‘too posh to push’ was invented for people like her. The babies are just a security thing, I’m sure. I might only be eighteen years of age, but even I can see that. I don’t know why Mr. Vardi can’t.
And then, of course, there’s another member of the family, Jamie freaking Vardi. The nineteen-year-old son of Brandon Vardi’s first marriage. I assume his mother is the only woman who Brandon actually loved, but unfortunately, she passed away many years ago from Cancer. I don’t know much more about it than that.
Jamie is the best and worst thing about the Vardi family. He’s the guy who I find it so incredibly hard to be around. I’ve known him for eight years now, ever since my dad started working for the family, and it didn’t take long for a mild dislike due to his slightly arrogant personality to grow into a full blown crush as soon as my hormones started to get the better of me. Maybe he is a bit full of himself, but with a chiselled face like his, sparkling green eyes, and a body to die for, why shouldn’t he be? He’s absolutely damn gorgeous.
His money helps him a lot, of course. He can afford the best clothes, he has all of the nicest stuff, he just oozes cool. Everything about him makes him a catch, which I guess is why he won’t ever look at me. He’s stunning, he has it all, why would he look at little Lydia Burns from the poorer end of town who is so unlovable that even her own mother walked out on her when she was just a baby? If the person who’s programmed with maternal love, designed specifically to love me, chose a life in France over me, then why would Jamie Vardi want me? He just wouldn’t. I’m plain looking, with messy brown hair, muddy hazel eyes, and too many curves. Never mind the fact that I’m forced to dress like shit and I can’t afford anything new. I’m nothing. Especially not compared to the string of smoking hot girls that I see him with all the time when I meet my dad from work. They’re older, sexier, exactly the type who just get what they want… including Jamie. The only solace I can find is that none of them stick around. Not that it means he’s going to look my way anytime soon.
“Yeah,” I sigh, grabbing my bag while I stand up. My skirt is rumpled and my hair’s still up in a bun rather than being brushed, but it’s too late to change now. “Thanks, Dad.”
I follow Dad outside and shake my head as I see the car on the driveway. It looks ridiculous there, I’m sure the whole street must think so. It looks crazy on a street where everyone else has normal cars. But the Vardis are so posh and can afford so much that they insist Dad drives this even to their property. It’s so pretentious.
It’s only when I slide into the passenger seat of the car that I can admit to myself that a lot of my feelings are stemmed in jealousy. I want this car, I want the life of the Vardis, I want to be wealthy. I hate being poor.
“Not long until you graduate now,” Dad says with an edge of nervousness to his voice. “Any plans?”
I know that he wants me to go to college, I’m sure every parent wants that for their child, but we just can’t afford it. The Vardis might have all the money but they don’t pay the best. Unfortunately, my dad has done it for so long now that I’m not sure he knows how to do anything else. It’s all he can do.
“I don’t know yet.” I shrug dismissively. “I’m sure I’ll figure it out when I graduate.”
I’m sure he wants to delve into this subject further, but it’s awkward. My dad and I have a good relationship since it’s always been just him and I, but there are certain things that we’re funny about. Women’s problems, of course, I had to learn that from my girlfriends, and my future. Without being able to offer me anything, and since I don’t think I’m quite amazing enough to gain a scholarship, my choices are limited.
“Are you meeting me at the house after school today?” Dad changes the subject.
It’s the arrangement that we have because the Vardis live much closer to the school building than I do, so I nod. It’s always a scary prospect because of the fear of bumping into Jamie, but since there isn’t a school bus and it’s a long way, I don’t have any choice. Also, maybe I sort of want to see him too, even if it’s torture.
“Yep. See you then. Oh, there’s Kerry, can you drop me off here, please?”
I leap out of the car with relief flooding through me as I spot my best friend. She’s just about the only person in the town who doesn’t have anything to say about my dad driving the Vardi car. She knows how much it humiliates me and she leaves it at that. She doesn’t say anything, which is why I love her.
Well, that’s not the only reason. She’s cool and confident, dragging me out of my shyness a little. She’s sexy and carries her body as well. Plus, she’s funny as hell which is why I adore the bones of her. Upon spotting me, Kerry flips her long red hair over her shoulder and gives me a shining smile. Instantly, I feel much happier. She simply has that presence. She always cheers me up even when I’m at my lowest ebb.
“’Sup, buddy,” she calls out playfully. “Looking forward to another day of math.”
Everyone hates math, I’m sure the whole school does, but the teacher is hot… at least he is according to Kerry. I don’t see that myself but I suppose it’s because I’m dazzled by Jamie. He consumes me.
“Oh yeah, numbers.” I roll my eyes dramatically as I slink my arm through hers. “I love numbers.”
Kerry nudges me playfully in the side the nearer we get to school. “Yeah that’s because you’re more interested in what happens after school, when you get to see the ever pleasant Jamie Vardi.”
“I still don’t get why you don’t like him.” I pout out my bottom lip. “He’s just gorgeous.”
“We obviously have very different ideas of good looking.” Well, I certainly can’t argue with that one! “I just don’t like the way he thinks he’s God’s gift to women. It’s his father’s attitude, I think. That’s why he goes through wives like there’s no tomorrow. You better be careful you aren’t next on his list.”
Admittedly, I don’t like his dad too much, but that doesn’t put me off Jamie at all. “Hmm, I’m sure. Like he would ever look at me like that. You have to be over fifty percent plastic to get Mr. Vardi’s attention. And as for his son… well, I don’t think he’s going to look at me either, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“I think you should just forget about him and go on a date with Daniel, instead. You know he’s mad about you. And he would treat you really nicely as well. He’s known for being a very good boyfriend.”
I know that Daniel wants to date me, he asks me all the time but he doesn’t do it for me at all. He’s nice looking, with his preppy image, and he’s sweet. I suppose he would be a nice boyfriend, but there’s no spark. He doesn’t make me feel things the way that Jamie has done for a while. Jamie’s been the star of all my fantasies for years now, I can’t imagin
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I don’t think so. I can’t help how I feel.”
I suppose it’s because there’s an element of danger there with Jamie too, if I’m completely honest with myself. I like the idea that he’s taboo, that I can’t really have him. It excites me in ways it probably shouldn’t. I’m mostly a good girl, I don’t step out of line if I can help it, I’m certainly not in the group who are out getting wasted drunk every weekend, so this is the one area of my life in which I like something naughty.
I lick along the bottom of my lip as I wonder again what it would be like to kiss him. I’ve spent a lot of my time thinking about it and I bet he’s incredible. I bet he would set my body alight immediately.
Urgh, stop it, I warn myself. Don’t waste another day dreaming about him. Focus on school.
It won’t be long until we’re all out of school and forced into the real world. Then I’ll have some serious issues to face. Dad can barely afford to support me now, never mind after I finish school, and I can’t just expect him to either. Kerry has her college dreams ahead of her, she’s lucky like that, I’ll need a job. But where? Who will have me? I keep trying to picture myself in any sort of job but I can’t make it happen yet.
“Come on then,” Kerry sighs as she looks up at the red bricked building where we go to school. “Let’s go and face another day of hell with the Jocks, the Brains, the Rebels, the Princesses, and the Outcasts.”
She always references this random eighties movie and I always laugh along like I know what the hell she’s talking about even though I have no idea. I guess for Kerry; I always want to seem like I’m a little cooler than I am. I want to impress her and just being me isn’t ever going to be enough.
“Yep, sure. Let’s do it.” I let out a deep breath. “Another day in school hell.”
“I know… but soon enough we’ll all be out of here.”
And into the terrifying unknown…
2
Jamie
“Who was that leaving your room this morning?” Dad asks me with tightly pursed lips. “Sandi said she saw some little… what was the word she used? Tramp, leaving your room in the early hours of the morning.”
I can’t stop the smirk from spreading across my lips as Sandi dares to call anyone names. It’s almost as if she doesn’t have a mirror to see what she is. A twenty-two-year-old bimbo who clung to an older wealthy man for the good life, married him then popped out a couple of babies who she doesn’t even look at to seal the deal, now comes onto me every chance that she gets. It’s sick really, I can’t wait to get out of here.
I would be gone already, but unfortunately, I don’t have access to my trust fund until I’m twenty-one years old and considered adult enough to not blow it all on parties and other stupid things. Until then, I’m stuck in this giant, cold, horrible house with no way out. I don’t even have a job because according to my father ‘people who come from old money don’t need to’, there’s no point in me getting an education even though I could get an Ivy League one if I wanted because my father ‘doesn’t see the point, I don’t have the brains for it’ (yes, there’s a pattern here, my father is a very controlling man), so I simply have to hang around and attend the odd event for which I’m deemed worthy. It’s a nightmare really, I find my life embarrassing, I wish I could just be normal.
I was sent to a boarding school in Switzerland, so it isn’t even like I have many friends here. I wasn’t given the chance to go to the local school and meet some people that I might actually connect with. Of course, I have girls who throw themselves at me, who want a piece of the action, but they are girls like Sandi, not anyone who actually wants to know me. Nor do I want to know them, I suppose. None of them are for me.
Unfortunately, the only girl for me is the one I can’t have, the one I’ll never be able to have. The beautiful, angelic, shining star that is Lydia Burns. Oh, my goodness, I’m pretty sure that I love her and I have for years. It might have even been love at first sight, not that I understood it that way back then.
She has this stunning raven colored hair that spills deliciously down her back, the warmest brown eyes, and a smile that can light up a room. But more than that, she has a quirky, dirty laugh which always makes me grin, an awesome sense of humor, and she’s always up for fun. She was always the girl climbing trees and getting dirty on her bike. I like her as a friend as well as love her from afar. To me, she’s everything. She’s the one girl who I actually want to get to know. I wish I could know everything about her. The stuff that we have in common, such as the fact that neither of us have our mother’s around and we both like pop punk music, and everything that’s different too. We have completely separate life experiences and I would love to know about hers.
If only my father would let me… he’s made it very clear that anyone I get serious with has to be someone ‘worthy of the Vardi name and fortune’… like he follows that rule himself. I can’t get involved with Lydia because I definitely don’t want her to be a short term thing and I know my dad will put a spanner in the works if he can. He’ll halt Lydia and I ever becoming a thing before it can even happen, I just know it.
“None of your business,” I shoot back cheekily. “She’s just a friend of mine.”
“Some friend.” My dad’s lips turn down into a frown. “You have a reputation to uphold, you know?”
“Dad, this isn’t the middle ages.” I shake my head in bemusement at him. “No one cares about that.”
“I do. I care, and because I care, so do you.” He doesn’t say ‘or your trust fund is at risk’ but he doesn’t need to. The implication is always there, reminding me that I have to stick to his rules.
There’s a big part of me that’s so desperate to break out of that, to make my own way in the world, but I just wouldn’t know where to begin. I don’t have the knowhow, and Dad gets that. He’s quite happy to keep me on that leash. I think since he couldn’t control what happened to my mom when she died, he needs to control me. He isn’t a bad person as such, he just acts in bad ways to get what he wants, and I have to suffer.
“You will stop bringing these girls back here, do you understand? We have babies in the house…” For a moment, I’m stunned that he actually seems to care about his twins, but then he speaks again. “And lots of valuable things.” Of course, his true love. “I don’t want any of that taken by any gold digger.”
The irony of that statement is almost too funny for words… well, it would be if it wasn’t so tragic, but I’m not about to get into an argument with Dad about this again. I’ve given him my opinion. He knows how I feel about Sandi and he’s married to her anyway, so more fool him. He’ll get stung, just like he got before with Emma, wife number two, the other bimbo who was way too young for my father. When will he ever learn?
“Whatever, Dad, no more gold diggers. I agree. There just isn’t any other way to cure the boredom…”
“Oh, I do not want to hear this again.” He dismisses me, just like I knew he would. “You don’t realize how lucky you are, Jamie. You have a life that most people would kill for. You should be more grateful.”
The only people who might be jealous about my life are the ones who haven’t been forced to live it. Having money sure as hell isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes I dream about living on a normal street and having the same life as everyone else. I would love to blend in rather than stand out.
“Oh, and Mr. Burns is waiting to hear about your schedule next week so he can plan his week…”
“Dad, I can drive myself,” I remind him. “I took my test, remember? And we do have a bunch of cars outside. I could drive myself, that’s the whole point of taking a test, isn’t it?”
