Winter Smith (Book 1): London's Burning Read Online Free Page A

imagine her delay was driving them crazy. They wanted cups and they needed them now. They couldn’t wait.
                  Winter decided she would take a look at all the shops first, before prioritising the cups. Yes, it would be a relaxing day.
                  One of the last relaxing days she would have in a long time.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Two
                               
                  What was the reason behind Winter’s parents inviting other rich socialites and a few celebrities to their eight bedroom home? Because Nathan Smith had installed a new floor.
                  Her parents always found reasons to host parties: a new light fixture, new carpets, new bedspreads, and now a new floor. They changed something in the house every month, and nearly always there was a party involved. Winter couldn’t help but think that if they weren’t so keen on keeping up appearances, Winter wouldn’t be invited to these parties.
                  It was no secret that her parents didn’t think Winter was a perfect daughter. They hated the way she had turned out. They had always wanted a daughter that they could pamper and bring into the family business. Her mother had desperately wanted Winter to be a girl with princess status. Olivia Smith, Winter’s mother, had hoped that Winter would have some sort of modelling career that all of her fake friends had. She had been taken to a few modelling jobs, forced to stand in front of a sleazy old man that made her pose provocatively while wearing barely anything, while his pants struggled to contain an erection.
                  Many girls would have loved the life Winter had. They would have loved to pose in front of a camera for a career, wearing nothing, being exploited. Winter may have even liked it, if it wasn’t for what had happened to her when she was fourteen. After that, she hated being so exposed.
                  As Winter headed home, carrying cups that had cost six pounds, she thought of how to escape this party tonight. There would be a lot of press and paparazzi, and a lot of people she hated. Missy Founder, for example, was one of them.
                  Deciding she would enjoy it better if she had a date, she called the boy at the coffee shop.
                  “Hello?” A voice answered.
                  “Hi, is that offer still on?”
                  “Winter?” The boy asked. She could hear him smiling. “Yes, that offer is most certainly still on.”
                  “Good, meet me at the bottom of my lane around seven thirty.”
                  “Will do,” The boy said. “Where do you live?”
                  “It’s difficult to explain. It’s a private lane. You won’t be able to get into that lane unless I meet you at the bottom of it.”
                  Winter told him her address and where to wait.
    “By the way, I didn’t get your name.”
                  “It’s Connor Getty.”
                  She thought of the look on Missy’s face when Winter debuted a new date. She wondered if anyone would photograph her happy, or would instead spike her drink and photograph her drunk and spewing. Of course, people couldn’t see Winter Smith doing well.
                  Should she be bringing Connor Getty into her world? Did he want to have his face plastered in magazines? Did he want his privacy abolished? Winter knew, if she were faced with this opportunity, she would not take it. Not now.
                  “Cool, see you tonight. Dress smart!”
                  She heard Connor laugh as he hung up. She found herself smiling as she strolled through the streets, unaccompanied.
                  Winter thought back to the last shop she had visited. She had spotted an