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"42."
"For fuck's sake, Olivia. You're 23. I’m 60! He’s closer to my age than yours!"
"I know, Dad, but age is just a number," I say, trying to remain calm.
My dad grunts, clearly not convinced, before turning to leave the room. I take a deep breath and try to relax. We've been through this already, and he needs to stop with the same thing.
A loud knock at the door interrupts my pacing. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, and walk towards the door. I open it to see Adrian standing there, looking as handsome as ever.
"Hey," he says, his voice soft. "You look beautiful."
I feel my cheeks flush with warmth. "Thank you," I reply, feeling suddenly self-conscious.
He steps inside, and I close the door behind him. We stand there for a moment, awkwardly, before he takes my hand in his and gives it a gentle squeeze.
"It's going to be okay," he says, his voice soothing. "Whatever happens, we'll get through it together."
I nod, feeling comforted by his words. I lead him to the living room, where my dad is already sitting on the couch watching TV.
"Dad," I say, my voice trembling. "This is Adrian."
My dad looks up and nods but doesn't say anything. I feel Adrian's hand tighten around mine, and I give it a reassuring squeeze.
We sit down on the couch opposite my dad, and I can feel the tension in the air. Adrian clears his throat, breaking the silence.
"Mr. Miller," he says, his voice steady. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Here," he says, reaching out to my dad with a gift bag. “I brought you a little something.”
My dad grunts but still doesn't say anything. He doesn’t even take it from Adrian, and I feel a knot form in my stomach, wondering if this is a mistake. I quickly cover up by reaching for the bag. I open it. “Oh wow, Dad!” I say. “It’s such a beautiful bottle of scotch. A vintage. You’d love this, won’t you?”
I can see my dad’s curiosity get the best of him, but he doesn’t respond. I just put it on the mantlepiece, trying to cover up for badly my father is behaving.
“There,” I say, clapping my hands with joyful glee, feeling like a phony as I do. “That’s where this belongs! Thank you, Adrian.”
"It’s my pleasure. You have a wonderful home," says Adrian, attempting to strike up a conversation again.
"You might as well call me David. We're almost the same age."
"Dad, come on," I say, angrily. "That's not fair."
Adrian's hand tightens around mine again, and I feel a sense of comfort amidst the tension. My dad finally turns to look at me, and I can see the anger in his eyes.
"You know how I feel about this, Olivia," he says, his voice harsh. "He's too old for you."
"Dad, please," I plead, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "I love him."
Adrian's grip on my hand tightens, and he looks at my dad with a steely determination.
"Sir, I understand your concern, but I promise you that I love your daughter with all my heart," he says, his voice unwavering. "I will do everything in my power to make her happy."
My dad looks at him for a moment, before finally letting out a sigh.
"Fine," he says, his voice gruff. "We'll just wait and see. It's not like I have a choice in the matter. Eventually, when you break her heart, I’ll still be here to comfort her and take care of her ... like I have my whole life."
I feel my heart sink as I hear my dad's words. I know he's just trying to protect me, but it hurts to hear him speak so negatively about Adrian. I look over at Adrian, who's looking at my dad with a mixture of frustration and sadness.
"I understand your concerns, Sir," he says, his voice calm. "But I promise you, I have no intention of breaking Olivia's heart. I love her more than anything in this world, and I will always do everything I can to make her happy."
My dad nods, but his expression doesn't change. I can see that he's still skeptical about Adrian, but at least he's willing to give him a chance.
