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“Bye, Dad. You’re going to be late.” I pushed him outside and opened the garage door for him.
“Hello?” said Ryan on the other end of the line. “Laura, I was just checking an email. I’m coming now to get you.”
“No!” I shouted.
“No?”
“I mean, I need a few more minutes. You’re early. Just, ah… wait in your car… until… I can finish one more thing.”
“I can wait at your door. I—”
“No, no. Finish your email. I’ll be right out shortly. I… uh…” I kept stalling until I watched my father pull out of our driveway and slow down as his car approached Ryan’s. I could see Ryan’s face from the windshield. It was darkened but not tinted like his windows. With his arm resting on his car door, holding up the phone to his ear, it shielded most of his face. I sent a silent prayer to my guardian angel. I knew I had one after this moment.
My father’s car reversed out of the driveway and sped off down the street. I closed my eyes and thanked all the angels in heaven.
“I’ll be just another minute,” I said and hung up the phone. I took three calming breaths before I finally opened my eyes. Then I walked to the bathroom and applied more deodorant.
I don’t know why I was so scared of Ryan meeting my dad. It wasn’t just that I didn’t want to get his hopes up. It wasn’t because he worked as a custodian in the Crawford building and Ryan might recognize him and then fire him if this went badly.
I didn’t think he’d do that, even though I hardly knew him. I was just scared that if someone else who knew me knew what I was doing, they’d tell me I was crazy. It was one thing when I told myself that and completely another when it was my dad. I didn’t want him to think less of me. Think me foolish. I didn’t want to disappoint him.
Even if it was just a fairytale, which would be over by midnight.
When I stepped out of my front door, I locked it and dropped the key in my small handbag. Turning toward the driveway, my eyes fell on Ryan. He stood in front of his car, completely still. He stared at me, his face blank. Then he slowly walked toward me.
As I stepped forward, his gaze fell to my bare leg, and traced its way up, until it finally rested on my eyes.
“You look unreal, almost ethereal,” he said. His voice was low.
“Thank you for the dress,” I managed between gulps of air. I needed to get my breathing under control before I passed out on my three front steps.
“The pleasure is all mine,” he said and extended his arm to me. “Shall we?”
I nodded and walked with him to the passenger side. He opened the door and I climbed in.
Sitting inside the car, the scent of leather and citrus swirled in the air, and I inhaled deeply.
I was heading to a gala in a gorgeous gown with one of the city’s most prominent men.
Damn it, I was starting to feel like the fairytale princess going to the ball and I needed a reminder that I wasn’t her.
“Ryan?”
“Mmm?”
“How do you feel about the girl who sells the apples in fairy tales?”
“Who?”
“Never mind, it’s not important.”
7
Ryan
The dress was a brilliant idea. The moment I saw her wearing the diamond-studded piece I ordered this morning, my throat seized up. My lungs burned and my chest tightened.
She was stunning.
