Page 88 of February

“Breakfast?” Bridgette laughed. “No. I didn’t stay over. I didn’t stay at all once we were…”

“Yeah, never mind. I don’t want to know, either,” Monica said, and she surprised herself when she reached over and took Bridgette’s hand as they walked. “We should have a real date.”

“Not a breakfast one?”

“No, a dinner one. Or something else. I don’t know.”

“So, we’re going on a date, then?” Bridgette asked.

“I think we have to now. I mean, Aaron saw you, and he’s going to get mad at me if I tell him I screwed it up by not going out with you.”

Bridgette laughed and said, “So, we’re only going out because of Aaron?”

Monica’s phone rang, and she recognized the ringtone she reserved only for her father.

“That’s my dad. He hasn’t called since I got here. I should get it,” she said and pulled her phone out of her purse, letting go of Bridgette’s hand in the process.

“Okay,” Bridgette said and looked around. “I can go in there and get us a coffee to-go. It’s better than where we had breakfast. Give you some space.”

“Thank you.” Monica leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

Then, she watched as Bridgette crossed the street and went inside a café before she answered the phone.

“Hey, Dad.”

“Hi, honey. How are you?”

“I’m good. I assumed Aaron called you.”

“He did when he was at the airport. It seems he’s sold on Tulane.”

“I think so,” she replied.

“That makes a grandfather very happy. I’ll make a call for him this afternoon.”

“Dad, let him apply and get in on his own.”

“And what if he doesn’t?”

“He has excellent grades, extracurriculars, and test scores. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“I’ll wait and see, then, but I can at least have them move his application to the top of the pile. It’s late in the process. He should have applied already.”

“You know Lily had something to do with that.”

“I do. I don’t understand it. I didn’t protest when you chose Yale and then Harvard.”

“What parent could protest that?” she teased.

He laughed and said, “So, how are things there?”

“Great. I really love it here. I just had amazing grits at breakfast, and I’ve gone out a few times. It’s really nice.”

“I told you.” Her father paused. “And I’m glad you’re taking time to enjoy yourself, but I was actually talking about Southern Hospitality Greetings.”

“Oh,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s going well. Still interviewing and collecting some data.”

“What are your thoughts on the acquisition?”

---