AllFreeNovel
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On the one hand, I want to buy her the perfect dress and make her happy. Yet, I know she is too proud to accept that gesture, and I don’t want to embarrass her in front of my parents. Perhaps I can devise a plan to help her find the dress without making it seem like charity.
Dad starts into a coughing fit, much like the one he had at the house during dinner.
“Is everything okay?” Amanda asks, tilting her head slightly, her question directed at Dad.
“Nothing a good night’s sleep won’t fix,” he says with a faint smile. “I can’t seem to shake this cold.”
“Your table’s ready, Mr. Morton,” the hostess says.
We exchange goodbyes with my parents, and I steer Amanda away from the crowd toward a quiet corner. The dim lighting casts shadows on her face, but I can still make out the intensity in her eyes.
Once we place the order, Amanda turns her gaze toward me. “Boston for Thanksgiving, huh?”
“Sorry, but I took that as an opportunity to get out of spending the holiday with my parents.”
She raises an eyebrow. “There’s only one problem with that.”
“What?” I fail to see anything wrong. The plan is foolproof.
“I’m not going home.”
Okay, I didn’t take that into consideration. “I assumed you’d want to visit your grandma.”
“I would love to visit her, but I booked my airfare for Christmas.”
“Yeah, but wouldn’t you want to do both?” Then it hits me. Once again, I didn’t think about what it meant not to have the funds. Damn, I really am privileged. I need to play this without coming across as a prick. “Never mind that. How about this? Since I have already committed to going, why don’t I book a flight for us? It’d give you an extra chance to see your grandma.”
Her eyes soften. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking. It’s more like me insisting. Trust me, you’ll be doing me a favor.”
As if the universe was handing out signs, a waiter brushes past, carrying the scent of pumpkin and cloves. “See, even the universe agrees.”
Her shoulders shake. “That’s ironic, truly.”
The scent reminds me of Thanksgiving dinner. She mentioned her grandmother did not have money to spare. She may not be financially prepared to host us. The last thing I want to do is set her back financially.
“And don’t worry about the meal. I’ll take care of everything,” I add.
“Thanks, Blake. Grandma will be so happy. But you realize this is the equivalent of meeting my parents for the first time, right?”
My lips twitch. “Well, you met mine on our first date, so…”
A blush forms on her cheek.
So fucking cute.
“Speaking of family, you never told me about your dad.”
She squirms in her seat. “That’s a discussion for another night.”
The topic of her dad off the table. Got it.
“Your turn for hard questions.” She leans in closer. “I understand your desire to uphold your family’s legacy, but why don’t you tell your father you won’t work for him? You clearly don’t have any desire to work there.”
I take a deep breath, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. How do I explain it to her? How do I even begin to untangle the intricate web of expectations and promises woven into the fabric of my existence?
“I wish it were that simple,” I sigh, tracing the rim of my water glass with my finger.
