Page 90 of Up All Night

Victor didn’t seem to hear his daughter because he’d turned his attention back to me. “What about your parents?” he asked. “Where did they go to school? What does your father do for a living?”

I hadn’t thought about how me coming to dinner tonight would turn into twenty questions. My background wasn’t anything to brag about.

“Dad,” West cut in. “Let Halle eat in peace instead of giving her the third degree.”

“What?” his father responded, like there was nothing wrong with the questions he’d asked me. “I’m just trying to get to know the girl.”

“I know, but—”

“It’s okay,” I said, my turn to put my hand on West’s leg. I didn’t want to be the cause of more strife between West and his father. “My mom didn’t go to college either. And then my father has never been a part of my life, so I have no idea where he went to college or what he does for work.”

Victor at least had the decency to look chagrined. “Well, a person’s success isn’t always connected to their family history. Right, Cannon?” He beamed when he looked at Cannon, and I tried not to feel jealous that he had Victor’s stamp of approval.

“That’s right, sir.” Cannon’s charming grin made me even more annoyed.

“Cannon here didn’t come from the best of circumstances,” Victor informed me. “But he blazed his own trail with his ambitious drive and determination. Then with a little help from his grandfather and me”—he winked at Cannon—“he’s now one of the best venture capitalists I know.”

I snuck a glance at West. His jaw was clenched, but he was laser-focused on the food in front of him.

Had Victor ever said anything like that to West, his own son, who was also a venture capitalist? From the looks of it, probably not.

Cannon kept a smile on his face, but I could tell he was uncomfortable with the praise as he fidgeted in his seat, glancing at West a few times. Demi’s expression was one of sadness, but I didn’t know if that was for West or for herself, since she would also be working at the company soon. Then there was Rose, who was giving her husband a pointed look across the table, but he was oblivious to it as he chewed his food and drank more wine.

Dinner at the Vanderhalls’ was not for the faint of heart.

“Now,” Victor said. “Something we didn’t discuss at our meeting on Friday was—”

“Honey,” Rose interrupted. “We’ve talked about not bringing work to our family dinners. You have five days a week with West and Cannon. Let them enjoy their meal.”

“I know, sweetie, but I have a quick thing to go over with them,” he implored. “I have two of my employees sitting here—soon to be three.” He smiled at Demi. “It’s hard not to catch up on a few things we have going on at the office.”

She let out a heavy sigh in defeat. “Fine, but really do make it quick.”

Everyone was done eating by the time their ‘quick’ discussion was over. The silver lining for me was that the work conversation took all the attention away from me, and Victor didn’t ask me anymore questions that reminded me of how I wasn’t a right fit for his son.

“Why don’t the four of you go out on the terrace? I’ll have dessert brought out to you,” Rose said. I assumed she was trying to spare us from any more work talk.

Demi looked relieved. “Thanks, Mom.”

I stood, making Juju the dog, who had been resting her head on my lap all through dinner step back. Probably because I kept sneaking her bites of my roll, but I couldn’t help it. Those puppy dog eyes were hard to deny.

We made our way outside, and I was met by a beautiful, lush garden. Trees, shrubs, and flowers surrounded the property. A large rectangular pool, surrounded by lounge chairs, was bordered by a perfectly manicured lawn. If I were West or Demi, I’d definitely spend all my weekends here. But maybe they were too worried their dad would come out and want to talk shop with them. Spending every weekday with him seemed like more than enough father-child bonding time.

I welcomed the fresh air. The dinner conversation had made the room seem stuffy, and now I could finally breathe out here.

West must have noticed my relief because he came up beside me and placed a hand on my arm. “You okay? I know it can be rough in there.”

I smiled up at him, grateful for his attentiveness. “I’m fine. Thank you.” And that was the truth. I was fine. Or at least I would be.

I considered myself to be a tough person. Victor wasn’t the first person to have pointed out my so-called shortcomings. Normally I could brush them off, knowing that given my circumstances and where I’d come from, I was doing a hell of job.

I didn’t want some man making me feel less-than because I hadn’t gone to college and my parents weren’t Ivy League alumni, but his inquisition had felt like barbs to my self-esteem. I could still feel them, and when I looked at West they seemed to twist in deeper.

Why did I ever think we could be a good match?

Oh, yeah, he’s an amazing guy whose kisses make me forget my name as well as how we live two different lives and have two very different ways of living those lives.

Curse West Vanderhall for his thoughtfulness, his good looks, his sweetness, and his knee-weakening kisses.

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