Page 89 of Hate to Love You

I nearly spray the juice from my mouth before forcing myself to swallow it down. Once I do, the coughing and sputtering begins.

Oh my God! I can’t believe he just told his stepmom that! I’m trying to make a good impression so that his family likes me. And he just shot that to hell.

“Brody!” I hiss.

He laughs. His eyes dance with a mischievousness I’ve come to expect from him. “It’s the truth, right? I’m just giving Amber a little background story.”

I shake my head furiously and peek over at his stepmom. I’m almost afraid of what I’m going to see. “No…” I hesitate, trying to backpedal my way out of this. “It wasn’t like that exactly...”

I really hope Brody enjoys his brunch because it’s going to be the last meal he gets.

A smile hovers around the edges of Amber’s lips. “I think you’re going to be good for my stepson, Natalie.”

Just as we begin passing around platters of French toast, eggs, fruit, bacon, and hash browns, a man who bears a striking resemblance to Brody enters the room. He stops as his gaze connects with mine and I rise from my chair, holding out my hand for him to shake.

Unlike his wife, his smile is more guarded. Polite, but not overly friendly. “It’s nice to meet you, Natalie. I’m John. Sorry for not being able to meet you when you arrived.”

“It’s no problem. And it’s nice to meet you as well.” I gulp and push out the rest. “Thank you so much for inviting me to brunch with your family.”

The easy feeling that had permeated the air changes, becoming stifling. He hasn’t said or done anything to make me feel uncomfortable. And yet, I do.

John moves to the head of the table and takes a seat. Amber passes him a few platters and trays as he loads his plate with breakfast fare. “I hope everything is to your liking,” he says.

I glance at Brody’s stepmom. “Everything is delicious.”

Amber smiles at the compliment. “Please, help yourself to as much as you want.”

All of the tension that had previously drained from my body is back in full force. Brody’s father is an imposing man. He’s just as tall and broad as his son. Although his hair is dark where Brody’s is golden.

Where Brody has a playfulness about him, this man does not. He’s all business. He spears his food with his fork, chewing methodically. When our eyes meet across the table, I quickly lower mine to my plate. The manner in which he watches me is assessing.

I’m not sure what to think of him. And I have no idea what he thinks of me. Although, if I had to take a stab, I’d guess that he doesn’t think much. It’s not anything specific. Just a vibe I’m getting.

One that could be wrong.

“Brody tells us that you’ll be finishing up at Whitmore in the spring,” John says.

Grateful for the lifeline he’s throwing me, I latch onto it with both hands. “Yes, I’ll be graduating with a degree in personal finance. I’m trying to decide if I should apply to graduate school right away or take a few years off and work.”

It’s gruffly that he says, “Getting real-life experience is always beneficial. You can learn all the theory you want in the classroom, but when it comes down to it, you have to know how to apply everything you’ve learned in the real world. As someone who has a staff of over forty, I would never hire someone who doesn’t have at least some experience.”

I nod. “That’s what my mom says as well. She thinks I should work for a while and then apply to grad school.”

“I know it’s still early, but have you started searching for jobs? Do you have any idea what you’re looking for?”

“Last summer, I interned with a personal finance company. They’ve offered to hire me once I graduate.”

He nods. “Getting your foot in the door is oftentimes the hardest part. Did you work in the area?”

With every question he volleys at me, my nerves continue to escalate. “Yes, I was lucky enough to find something local through school, and I lived at home for the summer. I’m still planning to put my application in at other companies, but it’s nice knowing I already have something I can count on if nothing else pans out. And what’s nice about the company I interned with is that they have offices all over the country, so I can stay here or transfer somewhere else.”

Everything turns silent again as John spears a piece of cantaloupe with his fork and lifts it to his mouth. His eyes stay focused on me to the point of discomfort. I have to squelch the urge to squirm on my chair. I get the feeling that he doesn’t want me with his son.

“Much like Brody, it sounds like you have everything mapped out for yourself.” Releasing me from his penetrating stare, his gaze shifts to his son. And just like that, I’m dismissed. “We need to set up another weekend trip to Milwaukee and take a closer look at housing options for next year. I thought we could check out a few more condos near the lakefront. I’ll forward the listings Dana sent over.” He pulls his phone out and glances at the calendar that pops up. “It needs to happen soon. There won’t be time once the season gets underway.”

Brody nods, working his way through his loaded-down plate of food. It still amazes me how much he can pack away. “Once I get back to the house, I’ll look at my school and hockey schedules and get back to you.”

John glances at him and adds, “I want to have something on the books by the end of the week.” His tone doesn’t brook any arguments.

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