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"The pleasure is all mine. I apologize for interrupting. I just wondered if I could borrow my daughter for a moment. I promise I won't take up too much of her time."
"Of course." Jean-Rene looks from me to Dad with a polite smile. "That will be no problem. I will leave you to it."
With that said, Jean-Rene leaves us, and I walk up to my father, who's staring at me with a warm smile on his face.
"Hi, Dad."
"Is that all I get?" He arches a brow.
I oblige him with a quick hug and step back to study his face. "How come you're here? I wasn't expecting you."
"I wanted to talk to you before Wednesday’s dinner, just to go over a few things."
Oh God. Here it is. But what isit?
I stifle a groan and narrow my eyes. "Go over a few things? Has something happened?"
"Not exactly."
“That’s still sounds serious.”
"Can we take a walk outside?" He gestures toward the door.
"Sure." I nod and cover up my paints.
We walk out to the garden and step onto the terrace, where I'm greeted with warm sunshine. We make our way to the little bench near the pond and sit opposite each other.
"What's going on, Dad?" I ask, sounding a little bit more insistent.
"First, how is everything at the apartment? Have you been settling in okay?"
"Yes. I’ve been fine." Quickly, I push aside the memories of my handsome mystery guy attempting to resurface. "I'm excited to start work."
His smile widens. "Good. Well, I came here today because there's someone I want to introduce you to at dinner."
"Someone?"
"His name is Matthew Bouchard. He's one of my associates at the firm."
The knots already in my stomach tighten like little vices are clamped around them. "And why do I have to meet him, Dad?"
He holds my gaze. "Because… I'd like for you to consider him as a prospective future husband."
"What?Dad?" I'm so shocked I bolt up and clutch my heart to keep it from leaping out and running to the ends of the earth.
"Serenity, please sit back down and don't overreact." He reaches for my arm and gently eases me back down.
"Don't overreact? Are you kidding me? Dad?” My voice rises into the heavens, and I stare at him with wide eyes. But damn me, I should have known this was on the horizon. Harper was right. Last week, when Dad dropped the bomb about marriage, was a definite heads-up I should have taken heed of. I just didn't know I'd have to worry about it so soon, or really at all. “I just got back from college. I'm starting work. After the accident, this was supposed to be a new path for me.”
"I understand that, but so is this. Serenity, I can see you're happy here with something that will help you fulfill your passion in art. But art is not life.” He motions around the building. “Thisis not your life. This is something you will do as a hobby."
“A hobby?”
“Yes, my dear girl, this is a hobby.”
God, how typical of him to describe my life’s accomplishment as a mere hobby. Natalie is a model, for crying out loud. She makes her living from running around half naked on a beach and making orgasm faces for the camera.
No offence to models. I know it takes work, but to shoot down my career and praise hers is an insult.
