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“Yes, ma’am.”
“I hope you like spaghetti.” Mom glanced at him, a question in her sparkling eyes.
“I love it.” Thorne smiled politely while I snorted because I’d seen Thorne’s abs. They probably haven’t seen a carb since he was a toddler. You didn’t get muscles like that from eating pasta.
But whatever. It would be fun to watch him choke them down. I wondered how many miles he’d run and crunches he’d do to make up for it.
We took our seats while Mom fluffed her hair and leaned across the table, eyes focused on Thorne. “So what brings us the pleasure of your visit?” she asked, like the other night hadn’t even happened. Like Dad hadn’t threatened him with a baseball bat, and they hadn’t grounded me and demanded I no longer see him.
“Well,” Thorne said, schooling his expression into one of regret, “I’m here to convince you and Mr. Rees to allow me to continue dating your daughter.”
Mom nodded in understanding while Dad let out a low grunt. “I’m so sorry about the other day. Stephen doesn’t usually act like that,” she said, like Dad wasn’t even in the room. “We’re just very protective of Scarlett, and she hasn’t really dated much, so it made us nervous seeing her interested in someone so abruptly. It’s hard watching your kids put their hearts out there, only to get hurt.”
“I completely understand, and I assure you, I have zero intentions of breaking her heart.”
Dad tore off a hunk of garlic bread with his teeth. “You might not intend on breaking her heart,” he said with a mouthful of bread, “but that doesn’t mean you won’t.”
“With all due respect, sir, I’m far more into your daughter than she is into me. If anyone’s heart gets broken, it’ll be mine.”
My heart skittered in my chest at his words while I reminded myself it wasn’t true. He was an actor. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Dad eyed him speculatively before he turned back to his plate and loaded it with a mountain of pasta that rivaled Everest.
Thorne, however, didn’t miss a beat. “That’s why I’m here,” he continued. “I completely understand how it looked when you saw us go into the hotel the other night, and then Scarlett came home late. I can assure you, it was to get away from the press. Nothing more. We simply needed somewhere to talk where we wouldn’t be overheard or have pictures taken of us. And we were late because I was waiting for them to give up and go home. I take your daughter’s safety of the utmost seriousness. I can assure you, above all else, that she’ll always be safe with me, and though I was trying to do the right thing, I can see now why you were worried. We should’ve called you or simply came here for shelter,” he added, and all I could think was,Dang, he’s good.
“But it’s been a while since I’ve had to answer to someone other than my agent or my producer, and so I didn’t think of it. Regardless, I’m here to fight for her, and you can ask me anything and get to know me. I’m an open book, and I can promise you I have nothing but pure intentions where your daughter is concerned. If you’d just give me a chance . . .”
I watched Thorne with a frown. EvenIbelieved him, and I knew for a fact half of what just came out of his mouth was crap.
“Well,” Mom inhaled a shaky breath, eyes glistening, “I think that’s just fabulous.” She busied herself twirling spaghetti around her fork as she glanced between Dad and Thorne over the basket of garlic bread, hope brightening her eyes. “Stephen, isn’t that fabulous, the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard?”
Dad grunted as he chewed, and I knew based on his closed-off expression that if Thorne had any chance of convincing him, I needed to nudge him along.
Reminding myself I was doing this for their own good, I asked, “Dad, have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?”
He met my eyes before dropping his back to his plate. “No.”
“I’ve gotten to know Thorne, and I know it’s weird that he’s famous. And I understand how that makes you nervous, but he’s really . . . normal,” I said with a shrug. “In all the ways that matter the most, he’s just a normal guy with hopes and dreams and fears. Just like me. He just works in front of a camera for a living. And all we’re asking for”—I turned to Thorne and placed my hand in his, on top of the table while Dad’s gaze followed—“is for you to give us a chance.”
Mom’s sharp intake of breath punctuated my words while I held Dad’s gaze, imploring him to cave. And the moment he sighed and his wary expression faltered, I knew we won.
“I may have overreacted slightly,” Dad said.
Thorne squeezed my hand.
“Slightly?” I arched a brow before Dad shot a warning glare in my direction.
“But no more hotel rooms. If you need somewhere to go, away from the media, you can come here.” Dad pointed to the table. “In the living room or kitchen or one of the other communal spaces of the house. No bedrooms. No closed doors. Got it?”
I grinned. “That seems fair.”
“Yes, sir,” Thorne said.
“No more staying out past curfew either.” Dad pointed at me. “We have rules in this house, and I still expect them to be followed no matter who you’re dating.”
“I totally understand,” I said. Then I winced and pushed my luck. “So, does this still mean I’m grounded?”
Chapter 16
