Page 41 of Always Be True: Tino
Chapter 12
A quick check of the time on Wednesday evening confirmed that Tino was due to arrive soon. The only problem was that Natalie was so far behind schedule that she would be hard-pressed to get even the essentials done before he got there. Earlier, she’d made a mental list prioritizing whathadto get done versus what could be put off until at least tomorrow or even later.
Unfortunately, returning her father’s phone call was at the top of the list. There was no telling what he wanted, but the man normally left it up to her mother to handle any routine stuff. She couldn’t imagine that after all these years he’d suddenly developed the urge to chat. It was tempting to put off talking to him until tomorrow, but she didn’t want to risk having him call again if she and Tino were to…
Well, regardless of whatever they might be doing, she didn’t want the interruption. With any luck, her father would be too busy to answer. If so, she would leave a message that she was going to be tied up for the rest of the evening and would try again first thing in the morning.
Luck wasn’t with her, because he picked up on the first ring. “Hi, honey. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.”
“Hi, Dad. What’s up?”
“I’m sorry to have to ask, but I need a special favor.”
Those last two words set off a very loud alarm inside her head. No doubt they were a euphemism for something that was going to suck big-time. She’d learned to be cautious enough to ask for details before making any rash promises. “What’s the favor, Dad?”
After a second or two of heavy silence, he drew a sharp breath and started talking—fast. Did he seriously think spitting out the words at high speed would make them any more palatable?
“There’s a dinner dance this Saturday night that we were supposed to invite you to attend. Mom thought I had told you about it, and I thought she had promised to give you a call. Luckily, we caught the mistake in time.”
“Lucky for whom?” she asked, even though she already had her suspicions.
“Us, actually.” He sighed. “Short notice or not, we really do need you to come.”
Damn, she really should’ve found a way to duck out on this conversation. “What’s the occasion and why is it imperative that I be there?”
“It’s a benefit dinner to raise money for a local community orchestra.”
She also had her suspicions as to what the answer would be to her next question, but she had to ask. “I repeat, Dad, why do I need to be there?”
“A major source of their funding got cut in half with no notice. The organization is scrambling to come up with ideas on how to make up the shortfall. We’re hoping the foundation would consider making a donation.”
Once again, he picked up the pace, his words tumbling all over each other. “Not that we made any promises. We both know better. I only said that you would be willing to listen to what they had to say. Once you have the facts, you’re absolutely free to make your own decision.”
Natalie stamped her foot in frustration. This was not how this should have been handled, and her parents knew it. The organization should have put together a written request with all the pertinent facts and figures instead of presenting their case at a social event. Praying for patience, she did her level best to remain calm. “Dad, you know that our annual budget is already spoken for and has been for months.”
“Yes, yes, of course. But I also know that you hold back some money every year in a discretionary fund that you can use when something unexpected comes up.”
It was hard not to resent being backed into a corner as she continued to point out the salient facts. “That’s true, but those funds are intended to cover emergency expenses that crop up on existing projects.”
Even as she spoke, she did a mental calculation of her own personal budget. Her grandmother had left her a trust fund that Natalie rarely touched, preferring to live on the salary she drew as the director of the foundation. If her parents had made a habit of pressuring her to use the foundation’s money on their pet projects, she’d be more inclined to refuse outright. But they rarely asked and only when they both felt the situation warranted it. “I’ll hear what they have to say. That’s as much as I can promise. Make sure they know that.”
“They know that’s all they can expect. Even if the foundation can’t make up the entire shortfall, even a little bit would help. If you’ve got a pen and paper handy, I’ll give you the address, etc.”
She didn’t have time for that. “Have Mom email me the details. I have plans for the evening and really need to get going.”
Before she could say goodbye, her father started talking again. “I’ll do that, but there’s one more thing. Rest assured I haven’t forgotten the conversation we had at the art gallery the other night, but your mother insisted I tell you this next part.”
Natalie could guess what he was about to say and was tempted to respond with one of her grandfather’s saltier expressions.
“Honey, we’re both aware that right now you’re not interested in rekindling any kind of long-term relationship with Benton. Having said that, your mother is sure he would be glad to play escort for one evening since his parents are also supporters of the orchestra.”
No way and on no day was that happening. On the other hand, if she turned up again without a date, Benton was likely to get the idea that she wasn’t serious about not wanting to see him again.
“Don’t worry, Dad, I have somebody I can ask.”
Another long silence. “You’re dating someone new?”
“Yes, I am.” And she wasn’t going to talk about it right now. “So thank Mom for her concern, but I can manage my own social life. I’ll talk to you both soon, but I’ve really got to hang up now. If you need to tell me anything else, use email. I won’t be taking calls tonight.”
