AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s what I meant,” I said as I moved closer and turned her so she faced me.
“What now?” Gia asked, and I loved that she hadn’t immediately kicked me out.
I glanced at the clock on the microwave. I had a little bit of time before I needed to leave for the Giovannis’, but I didn’t feel right not telling her where I was going.
“I have dinner plans, but we have a bit of time before I need to leave.” I leaned down to kiss her, but she stepped back.
Gia frowned and pulled away from me. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to keep you.”
Did she think I was seeing someone else? I guess we hadn’t had a discussion about expectations. “When I’m dating you, I’m not seeing anyone else, and I expect the same from you. I know we didn’t talk about that—”
She swallowed hard. “That sounds good.”
I kept my gaze trained on hers. “Your brothers invited me to dinner.”
She frowned. “You’re going to my family dinner night?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Of course not.” She hadn’t physically moved any farther away from me, but I felt the distance between us.
“I’ve gone to dinner there in the past.”
Gia smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You should go.”
My heart thudded in my chest. “I’d like it if you’d go too.”
“But my family doesn’t know about us, and I doubt they’d understand it after I’ve hated you all these years.”
Hate felt like a strong word. But I suspected she was creating more space between us. “We wouldn’t have to come out to them, but I’d like to spend more time with you.”
“I don’t do family dinners. I told you why. I have to protect my energy. My father doesn’t believe in me, and I can’t be around that.”
I hated that for her. My parents had always supported me and my brothers in our business endeavors. They never once doubted that we’d be successful. “I understand that, but I was hoping it would be better if we went together.”
She cocked one brow. “Are you planning on telling them about us?”
“No.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “How will it look when you all of a sudden take my side?”
I hadn’t thought about that. We were usually arguing, not supporting each other. “I guess I didn’t think it through.”
She waved me off. “You go. Nothing should change because we spent some time together.”
We’d just had the exclusivity talk, and she was already pushing me away. “I don’t want to leave you like this.”
She led the way through her house and opened the front door. “I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”
I had other ideas for how to spend the time before dinner, and they had everything to do with seeing her bedroom, but I wasn’t sure how to breach this void between us. “I don’t want to go.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I think you should.”
“This doesn’t feel right.” I shut the door gently.
“I need some space.” Her lips pressed into a tight line.
I placed my hands on her shoulders. “I want you to feel comfortable going to your parents’ house.”
