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I still can’t believe he even thought Blake and I wouldn’t last two weeks, let alone tell me to my face.
“Today’s the last one, I promise.” I chirp, “Actually, tomorrow will be. That way it’s more than two weeks,” I murmur.
Blake doesn’t approve, but he doesn’t stop me from marking it off either.
The past two weeks feel more like two years in some ways but only two minutes in others.
Blake showed me his suburbs home first, which I’ve just fallen in love with.
He calls it ‘the suburbs’ but it’s more like a mansion in the hills on the edge of town overlooking the city.
The nearest neighbor must be half a mile away, but I prefer it to his city penthouse or the apartment above his offices downtown.
“There’s a holiday house or two as well,” he’s told me, but I had to hold my hands up.
A girl can only have so many choices so quickly.
I like it here though, and tonight’s the night I’ve made sure we have dad around for dinner.
Not only to prove my point about Blake and me lasting but wanting to let both dad and Blake know that I’m staying put.
“Officially moved in” I like to call it and I know I’ve already told Blake because he kept asking me about it, but I want him to be there when I tell my dad too.
Plus I know Blake wants to talk to dad about his job offer, which I know dad’s been researching. If it was anyone else, he would have agreed to the job on the spot, but dad being dad he’s still grumbling about the whole me and Blake thing.
We both know he’ll come around, warm to the idea but it’s up to dad really, not something we can force him to accept.
Blake’s cooking up a storm as I mark off the calendar in the kitchen, and he asks me if I’m going to show it off to my dad.
“No, I won’t embarrass you with it,” I remind him, hugging him from behind and squeezing him as he prepares some of our meal in advance.
I feel him shrug, pretending it doesn’t bug him.
“What is for dinner?” I ask, hoping to change the subject but he feigns even more upset because I can’t tell already.
He’s crumbing something, I can see that but I tell myself I’ll let it be a surprise and set to work unpacking the camera gear I finally collected from home.
Hoping I can start my new album of photos with some happy snaps of tonight’s dinner with dad.
If it is a happy dinner with dad…
Blake’s promised to try his hardest and not let anything dad might do or say upset him.
And he’s made me promise the same thing because we both know I’m the one most likely to say something to upset him.
It’s unusual for Blake to leave me on my own for so long, but he wants things just right for dinner and I’m lost in my photography by the time I hear the front door and notice the time.
“Nothing fancy,” Dad insisted, so we’ve made a point of not dressing up. At least not like we do when Blake takes me out for dinner.
Blake’s in jeans and a sweater. I’m the same, but it’s dad who surprises us both by turning up with a new suit on and a bottle of wine, which Blake politely accepts and opens, leaving it on the dinner table. Both of us know we won’t be having any.
Dad seems gloomier than usual for some reason, making my plan for some happy snaps a disaster until I finally ask him what’s wrong once Blake clears our soup course.
“It’s nothing sweetie,” he mumbles, patting my hand. “Just work stuff,” he tells me but I can tell it’s not just work stuff.
Blake’s picked up on dad’s mood as well and has deliberately avoided mentioning the job offer for now.
He’ll keep it open for as long as dad needs, but at the same time he’s not gonna chase dad down for an answer.
Blake doesn’t operate like that.
With no change in dad’s mood right before Blake’s big surprise main course, I whisper to dad to lighten up.
“Whatever it is, deal with it after you get home,” I whisper quickly, hoping Blake can’t hear me from the kitchen.
“I’m surprised you haven’t heard already,” dad announces, just as Blake enters with the star of his dinner.
“What’s that then, haven’t heard what?” Blake asks, setting down a steaming plate in front of each of us.
I’m about to change the topic, drawing the focus on the amazing food Blake’s prepared tonight, but he really seems more interested in what my dad has to say than the food.
“Our neighbor. The one who’s been missing for so long?” Dad finally says, choosing to tell me rather than even look in Blake’s direction.
