AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“By giving some creep the impression that he has a shot with me? Does Travis not know that we don't live in the 19th century? I don't need a male relative to arrange dates for me.”
Willow shifted from foot to foot, and I could feel her anxiety coming off her in waves. “He was just trying to help, Daph. He figured you would be uncomfortable with Mum there, so he thought a date would make it better.”
I was caught between a rock and a hard place. I didn't want Willow to feel anxious, but I still wanted her to get the message. “I hear you. But he was just super creepy and acting a little bit possessive. Considering I didn't even remember him, it was ridiculous. He acted like we were dating or something.”
“Maybe you just misunderstood. Or maybe Travis told him you'd be happy to be his date.”
“Not okay, Willow.”
"I totally get it,” she said, chewing her bottom lip. “To be fair, though, I didn't know he was being creepy and possessive. And he is a friend of Travis’s, so Travis can invite whoever he wants. I just thought you should know so there are no surprises."
I sucked in a sharp breath, finally understanding why I had been so reluctant to tell Willow about everything my mother did. This Massimo thing was minor, but from the sounds of it she was siding with Travis. Like I was the one who just didn't understand.
"Let's move on, okay?"
"Okay good. I just… I don't want you to be uncomfortable."
Uncomfortable didn't even cut it. "I won't be. It's your wedding. I can handle a lot for your wedding. Now show me around. What else do we need to see here?"
As we located the restaurant, Travis was waiting for us. When he saw us, he stood and embraced his wife-to-be. "Hello, my beautiful love." And then he gave me a tight squeeze. "And my soon-to-be sister. What are you two cackling about?"
"It's not a cackle. It's a hoot and a holler really,” I said. “We're planning our next adventure."
His brows furrowed at that. "Maybe the next one won't get my wife killed?"
"Ugh, one time you fall off a tight rope…"
He rolled his eyes. "How much longer do you need to have your adventures?"
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Did he really need to talk to me like he was my dad? "I don't know. Until I think I've had enough, I guess."
He nodded. "Maybe we keep Willow away from them. Or maybe don’t tell us until after you’ve done it. I mean that’s if you even do it. It makes her worry."
I knew what he was saying. He was concerned about his wife. But I didn’t want to be shamed as if I was a rebellious child.
Just a few weeks. It’s just wedding stress. I shoved down my unease.
The chef came over and introduced himself. He was a short, squat, jovial man with a zesty enthusiasm that played out on his ruddy face as he talked about the dishes he was going to bring us to taste. He was animated in a way that made you excited to eat whatever he was bringing.
When he was gone, Travis leaned forward. "So, how are we doing on the dating front?"
I expelled a long breath. "Please, can we not talk about it?"
Willow nudged him with her elbow. "Lay off, love. Besides, maybe she wants to bring the bloke she was snogging."
Drake’s smug smile flashed in my memory, and I squirmed in my seat to try to dull the slight throb between my thighs. "I barely know the bloke. I'm not bringing him as my date. Besides, I might just go by myself."
Travis groaned. "Please, God, no. Your sister will not let me hear the end of it. Just let me set you up with someone. I heard Massimo ran into you."
I had just been taking a sip of my wine and put it down immediately. I was not doing this, and one glance at my sister said she was not going to stop him. "Actually, Travis, him running to you after he crashed my night out was bang out of order."
Travis's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I don’t know him and what I do is none of his business. The fact that he was pissed off about me snogging some bloke is a problem."
The patch between his brow and just below the bridge of his nose also squinched up. "Oh, he's just being persistent, that's all. He's harmless, I promise."
I wanted to believe him, but I didn't. My intuition was telling me that something was wrong. It was also screeching at me that Travis needed to listen.
