Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68391 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68391 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“We’re going with you to the restaurant,” Dixie informs us with a smile.
My brows pull together. “What?”
“No, you’re not,” Calvin states.
“We won’t sit with you until Anna’s parents take off. When that happens, we’ll all have dinner together.”
“We’re having dinner with my parents.” I tell them something they already know.
“You’re meeting with your parents. I’ll be shocked if you have a meal with them, especially with Edie and Calvin there with you,” Pearl says.
“What does that mean?”
“It means the people in your life who care about you won’t accept your parents’ hurting you. So when they try—which my guess is won’t be long after you sit down—either Calvin or Edie will say something they won’t like, and they’ll take off.”
Damn, she might have a point. Neither Calvin nor Edie will sit by and let my parents say anything that might hurt me.
“You’re still not coming to dinner,” Calvin says, and I look up to see him narrowing his eyes on Dixie and Pearl.
“You’re going to a public restaurant. We happen to be going to the same one. You won’t even see us unless Anna’s parents leave.”
“Did you know about this?” Calvin asks Edie, who has a slight smile forming on her lips.
“I had no idea, but I have to say I like this plan.”
“We don’t really have time to argue about this,” I cut in. “We’re supposed to be at the restaurant in ten minutes, and it’s at least fifteen minutes away.”
“Fine. Everyone, load up in my truck. But just so you ladies know, I will have no issues arresting any of you if you piss me off.”
“I need wine,” Edie says, ignoring Calvin’s statement and walking past us, with Pearl and Dixie agreeing with her as they head for his truck. He beeps the doors unlocked.
“How did you become friends with the Golden Girls?” he asks when I turn to follow them.
“I don’t know how it happened; it just kind of did.” I shrug.
His eyes lock on mine. “You do know the three of them are trouble, right?”
“Yep.” I step outside with him and lock Edie’s front door. “I still love them.”
“That’s because you’re just as crazy as they are.”
“Maybe,” I agree as he walks me to the passenger door, opens it, and then helps me in.
Once he’s behind the wheel, he takes my hand and places it on his lap, and I start to bounce my knee, feeling anxious for the first time today.
“It’s going to be okay,” he says, and I turn to look at him as he covers my hand and laces his fingers through mine.
“I know,” I say quietly. “I just hope it isn’t a huge mistake meeting with them, and it’s not helping that I don’t know what they want.”
“You promised them dinner, and when dinner is over and they go back to their hotel or back to Chicago, you don’t owe them anything else.”
“You’re right,” I agree, and he lifts his chin ever so slightly. Then we drive the rest of the way to the restaurant in silence, my mind playing all the ways in which tonight could go wrong.
“Unbelievable.” My father sits, flashing his napkin in the air before resting it over his lap. “We haven’t seen you in months, and you bring strangers with you to dinner.”
“Like I told you, they aren’t strangers. Calvin and I are dating, and Edie is my friend.” I bite out each word clearly, when what I really want to do is scream and storm off. Since the moment I introduced Calvin and Edie to my parents outside the restaurant, my father has been uglier than he normally is, which is saying something, and my mom has acted like she has no clue what’s going on.
“You must admit, darling, that it was very rude not to let us know you’d be bringing guests,” Mom says with a frown as she picks up her fork and examines it.
“You know what I think is rude?” Edie asks, picking up her glass of wine and taking a sip. “I think you two are rude.”
“Who are you, besides my daughter’s ‘friend’?” Dad uses air quotes on the word friend. “You’re rather old.”
“She’s not old, and I live in her house,” I say in her defense, and Edie pats my leg.
“So you give her money.” Dad rolls his eyes. “Figures.”
“You did not just say that,” I hiss, and Calvin covers my hand as I start to get up from the table. “Apologize to Edie.”
“Do not tell your father what to do, young lady,” Mom says, finally looking at me.
“I’m not a child, Mother. I can do what I damn well please.”
My father stands suddenly and leans over the table toward me, placing his finger close to my face.
My eyes widen, and then suddenly I’m moved back and Calvin is standing in front of me, blocking my view, and his voice is rumbling through the room. “Do not ever get in her space again.”